Dr.-Ing.  Tobias Käfer

Dr.-Ing. Tobias Käfer

  • Karlsruher Institut für Technologie
    Institut AIFB
    Kollegiengebäude am Kronenplatz (Geb. 05.20)
    Kaiserstr. 89
    76133 Karlsruhe
    Deutschland

About me

As interim professor, I lead the Web Science research group at KIT.


In my research, I connect the modelling of behaviour (eg. from Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Systems, Business Process Modelling, and dynamical systems) with web technologies for semantic knowledge representation (Knowledge Graphs, RDF, OWL) and system interaction (HTTP).

Some approaches that I investigate currently:

  • Decentralised data ecosystems require new approaches to authorisation and authentication around identities, e.g. decentralised (DID) or self-sovereign (SSI). Web technologies can contribute to the interoperability.
  • Neuro-symbolic approaches, e.g. with Large Language Models combined with Knowledge Graphs, to bring AI planning to new application domains.
  • Hybrid approaches of physical models and knowledge graphs allow for answering queries that consider both factual knowledge and knowledge about the dynamics of systems (e.g. manufacturing systems)
  • In the area of analytics, I investigate methods to analyse time series of semantically described data, e.g. the evolution of data on the Linked Data web.

With those foundations at hand, we can specify web agents, also called intelligent clients, which can automate things for you on the web, the Internet of Things, or in Industry 4.0.


Currently, I coordinate the COST Action 19134, a European network on the topic of Distributed Knowledge Graphs, I led the AI part of KIGLIS, a BMBF-funded project on AI and the optical communication networks in a Smart City, I lead the KIT part of BMBF-funded project MANDAT about using web technologies for data ecosystems with data fiduciaries, I help in the BMBF-funded DigiBatMat to digitise battery material sciences using semantic technologies, I serve as program chair at KIT in SeReCo, a german-french doctoral college.

A DFG-funded AI research unit 5339 at KIT and Fraunhofer started this year about the fast maturisation of immature manufacturing processes using AI methods, where I am among the PIs.

Recently, we completed TraPS, a project on decentralised Knowledge Graphs and the Blockchain for Supply Chains, and DataScore about incentives for good research data management.

In terms of community service, I organise ATAC, a challenge on agents and Linked Data for the International Semantic Web Conference (ISWC 2021) and I serve on the organising committee for the 2020 and 2021 edition of the SEMANTiCS conference.

 

Curriculum Vitae - Short

Since 04/2024 Interim Professor for Web Science at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Since 02/2024 KIT Associate Fellow
Since 02/2021 Junior Research Group Leader for Knowledge Graph-based AI Systems at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
08/2023 - 03/2024 Akademischer Rat (sometimes translated to Lecturer) at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
04/2021 - 03/2022 Interim Professor for Applied Computer Science at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
2019 Postdoctoral researcher at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
2013 - 2018 Doctoral researcher at Karlsruhe Institute for Technology, graduated with a thesis on "Behaviour on Linked Data"
2014 Research stay at the Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
2013 Diplom in Industrial Engineering and Management at the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology
2011 Research stay at the Digital Enterprise Research Institute (DERI), nowadays part of Insight Centre for Data Analytics at the University of Galway, Galway, Ireland

 

Awards

  

2024 Best Paper Award, 24th International Conference on Web Engineering (ICWE)
2022 Best Poster/Demo Award, 18th International Conference on Semantic Systems (SEMANTiCS)
2020 Best In-Use Reviewer Award, 17th Extended Semantic Web Conference (ESWC)
2020 Shortlisted for 7-years most influential paper award, 17th Extended Semantic Web Conference (ESWC)
2017 Teaching Award, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie
2014 Best Paper Award, 4th International PROFILES workshop
2016 Software Campus fellowship
2013 Best Poster Award, 10th Extended Semantic Web Conference (ESWC)
2012 Research Student Award, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Publication List


Data-Sovereign Enterprise Collaboration using the Solid Protocol
Kastner, T.; Braun, C. H.-J.; Both, A.; Yeboah, D.; Schmid, S. J.; Schraudner, D.; Käfer, T.; Harth, A.
2024. 20th International Conference on Semantic Systems (SEMANTICS’24), Amsterdam, 17th-19th September 2024, Art.-Nr.: 10, CEUR-WS
Towards Improving Large Language Models’ Planning Capabilities onWoT Thing Descriptions by Generating Python Objects as Intermediary Representations
Kinder, L.; Käfer, T.
2024. Joint Proceedings of the ESWC 2024 Workshops and Tutorials (ESWC-JP 2024), Hersonissos, Greece, May 26-27, 2024, CEUR-WS
AI-based OTDR event detection, classification and assignment to ODN branches in passive optical networks
Straub, M.; Saier, T.; Reber, J.; Borkowski, R.; Li, S.; Richter, A.; Färber, M.; Käfer, T.; Bonk, R.
2024. 49th European Conference on Optical Communications (ECOC 2023), hybrid, Glasgow, 1st - 5th October 2023, 1146 – 1149, Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). doi:10.1049/icp.2023.2469
Towards Representing Processes and Reasoning with Process Descriptions on the Web
Harth, A.; Käfer, T.; Rula, A.; Calbimonte, J.-P.; Kamburjan, E.; Giese, M.
2024. Transactions on Graph Data and Knowledge, 2 (1). doi:10.4230/TGDK.2.1.1
AuthApp – Portable, Reusable Solid App for GDPR-Compliant Access Granting
Both, A.; Kastner, T.; Yeboah, D.; Braun, C.; Schraudner, D.; Schmid, S.; Käfer, T.; Harth, A.
2024. Web Engineering : 24th International Conference, ICWE 2024, Tampere, Finland, June 17–20, 2024, Proceedings. Ed.: K. Stefanidis, 199–214, Springer Nature Switzerland. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-62362-2_14
A Novel Machine Learning-based Equalizer for a Downstream 100G PAM-4 PON
Shao, C.; Giacoumidis, E.; Li, S.; Li, J.; Farber, M.; Kafer, T.; Richter, A.
2024. 2024 Optical Fiber Communications Conference and Exhibition (OFC), 1–3, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
SSI, from Specifications to Protocol? Formally Verify Security!
Braun, C. H.-J.; Horne, R.; Käfer, T.; Mauw, S.
2024. Proceedings of the ACM on Web Conference 2024, 1620 – 1631, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). doi:10.1145/3589334.3645426
Quantifiable integrity for Linked Data on the web
Braun, C. H.-J.; Käfer, T.
2023. Semantic Web, 14 (6), 1167 – 1207. doi:10.3233/SW-233409
SISSI: An Architecture for Semantic Interoperable Self-Sovereign Identity-based Access Control on the Web
Braun, C. H.-J.; Papanchev, V.; Käfer, T.
2023. Proceedings of the ACM Web Conference 2023, 3011–3021, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). doi:10.1145/3543507.3583409
Attribute-based Access Control on Solid Pods using Privacy-friendly Credentials
Braun, C. H.-J.; Käfer, T.
2022. Proceedings of Poster and Demo Track and Workshop Track of the 18th International Conference on Semantic Systems co-located with 18th International Conference on Semantic Systems (SEMANTiCS 2022) Ed.: U. Şimşek, 5 S., CEUR-WS.org
Toward a Li‐Ion Battery Ontology Covering Production and Material Structure
Mutz, M.; Perovic, M.; Gümbel, P.; Steinbauer, V.; Taranovskyy, A.; Li, Y.; Beran, L.; Käfer, T.; Dröder, K.; Knoblauch, V.; Kwade, A.; Presser, V.; Werth, D.; Kraus, T.
2022. Energy Technology, 11 (5), Art.-Nr.: 2200681. doi:10.1002/ente.202200681
Using Schema.org and Solid for Linked Data-based Machine-to-Machine Sales Contract Conclusion
Wang, X.; Braun, C. H.-J.; Both, A.; Käfer, T.
2022. Companion Proceedings of the Web Conference 2022 : WWW’22, Lyon, France, 25-29 April 2022. Ed.: Frédérique Laforest, 269–272, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). doi:10.1145/3487553.3524268
Web Push Notifications from Solid Pods
Braun, C. H.-J.; Käfer, T.
2022. Web Engineering: 22nd International Conference, ICWE 2022, Bari, Italy, July 5–8, 2022, Proceedings. Ed.: T. Di Noia, 487–490, Springer International Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-09917-5_41
Self-verifying Web Resource Representations Using Solid, RDF-Star and Signed URIs
Braun, C. H.-J.; Käfer, T.
2022. The Semantic Web: ESWC 2022 Satellite Events ; Hersonissos, Crete, Greece, May 29 – June 2, 2022, Proceedings. Ed.: P. Groth, 138–142, Springer International Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-11609-4_26
A Unifying Framework for Agency in Hypermedia Environments
Charpenay, V.; Käfer, T.; Harth, A.
2022. Engineering Multi-Agent Systems: 9th International Workshop, EMAS 2021, Virtual Event, May 3–4, 2021, Revised Selected Papers. Ed.: N. Alechina, 42–61, Springer International Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-97457-2_3
Documenting the Execution of Semantically Modelled Inter-organisational Workflows on a Distributed Ledger
Braun, C. H.-J.; Traue, J.; Lingl, B.; Käfer, T.
2021. Proceedings 2021 IEEE International Conference on Blockchain: Blockchain 2021 ; 6-8 December 2021, Melbourne, Australia. Ed.: Y. Xiang, 280–286, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/Blockchain53845.2021.00045
KIGLIS: Smart Networks for Smart Cities
Bogdoll, D.; Matalla, P.; Füllner, C.; Raack, C.; Li, S.; Käfer, T.; Orf, S.; Zofka, M. R.; Sartoris, F.; Schweikert, C.; Pfeiffer, T.; Richter, A.; Randel, S.; Bonk, R.
2021. 2021 IEEE International Smart Cities Conference (ISC2 2021), Manchester, United Kingdom, 7-10 September 2021. Ed.: IEEE, 115–118, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/ISC253183.2021.9562826
Monetising Resources on a SoLiD Pod Using Blockchain Transactions
Becker, H.; Vu, H.; Katzenbach, A.; Braun, C. H.-J.; Käfer, T.
2021. The Semantic Web: ESWC 2021 Satellite Events: Virtual Event, June 6–10, 2021, Revised Selected Papers. Ed.: R. Verborgh, 49–53, Springer-Verlag. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-80418-3_9
SLURP: An Interactive SPARQL Query Planner
Dresselhaus, J.; Filippov, I.; Gengenbach, J.; Heling, L.; Käfer, T.
2021. The Semantic Web: ESWC 2021 Satellite Events: Virtual Event, June 6–10, 2021, Revised Selected Papers. Ed.: R. Verborgh, 15–20, Springer-Verlag. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-80418-3_3
Semantic Systems. In the Era of Knowledge Graphs : 16th International Conference on Semantic Systems, SEMANTiCS 2020, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, September 7–10, 2020, Proceedings
Blomqvist, E.; Groth, P.; Boer, V. de; Pellegrini, T.; Alam, M.; Käfer, T.; Kieseberg, P.; Kirrane, S.; Meroño-Peñuela, A.; Pandit, H. J. (Eds.)
2020. Springer International Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-59833-4
A SoLiD app to participate in a scalable semantic supply chain network on the blockchain (Demo)
Braun, C. H.-J.; Käfer, T.
2020. CEUR workshop proceedings, 2721, 99–103
Tutorial: Distributed Knowledge Graphs for the Web of Things
Käfer, T.; Harth, A.
2020. IoT ’20 Companion: 10th International Conference on the Internet of Things Companion. Ed.: P. Davidsson, Art.-Nr.: 13, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). doi:10.1145/3423423.3423461
BTC-2019: The 2019 Billion Triple Challenge Dataset
Herrera, J.-M.; Hogan, A.; Käfer, T.
2019. The Semantic Web – ISWC 2019 : 18th International Semantic Web Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, October 26–30, 2019. Proceedings, Part II. Ed.: C. Ghidini, 163–180, Springer Nature. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-30796-7_11
Data-Driven Workflows for Specifying and Executing Agents in an Environment of Reasoning and RESTful Systems
Jochum, B.; Nürnberg, L.; Aßfalg, N.; Käfer, T.
2019. Business Process Management Workshops : BPM 2019 International Workshops, Vienna, Austria, September 1–6, 2019. Revised Selected Papers. Ed.: C. Di Francescomarino, 93–105, Springer Nature. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-37453-2_9
Verifying the Integrity of Hyperlinked Information Using Linked Data and Smart Contracts
Braun, C.; Käfer, T.
2019. Semantic Systems. The Power of AI and Knowledge Graphs: 15th International Conference, SEMANTiCS 2019, Karlsruhe, Germany, September 9–12, 2019, Proceedings. Ed.: M. Acosta, 376–390, Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-33220-4_28
Controlling Internet of Things devices with Read-Write Linked Data Interfaces using Data-Driven Workflows
Aßfalg, N.; Nürnberg, L.; Jochum, B.; Käfer, T.
2019. Posters and Demos at SEMANTiCS 2019: Proceedings of the Posters and Demo Track of the 15th International Conference on Semantic Systems, co-located with 15th International Conference on Semantic Systems (SEMANTiCS 2019): Karlsruhe, Germany, September 9th to 12th, 2019. Ed.: M. Alam
Verifying the integrity of information along a supply chain using linked data and smart contracts
Braun, C.; Käfer, T.
2019. Posters and Demos at SEMANTiCS 2019: Proceedings of the Posters and Demo Track of the 15th International Conference on Semantic Systems, co-located with 15th International Conference on Semantic Systems (SEMANTiCS 2019), Karlsruhe, Germany, September 9th to 12th, 2019. Ed.: M. Alam
Behaviour on Linked Data - Specification, Monitoring, and Execution. PhD dissertation
Käfer, T. C.
2019. Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT). doi:10.5445/IR/1000097019
Recommendations for contextual data publishing
Stadtmüller, S.; Käfer, T.; Harth, A.
2014. Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
First Version of Semantic Virtual Cockpit Module Prototype
Käfer, T.; Stadtmüller, S.; Keppmann, F. L.; Junghans, M.; Harth, A.; Antoniou, S.
2015. Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Final Version of Semantic Virtual Cockpit Module Prototype
Käfer, T.; Keppmann, F. L.; Stadtmüller, S.; Harth, A.; Mamessier, S.; Karvouniari, A.; Antoniou, S.
2016. Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Design of the Semantic Virtual Cockpit Module
Käfer, T.; Keppmann, F. L.; Stadtmüller, S.; Junghans, M.; Mamessier, S.
2015. Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Formats and Interfaces
Käfer, T.; Junghans, M.; Hourdin, V.; Stadtmüller, S.; Schubotz, R.; Harth, A.; Convard, T.
2014. Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
D4.3 PlanetData data sets, vocabularies and provisioning tools catalogue and access portal
Stadtmüller, S.; Bizer, C.; Harth, A.; Käfer, T.; Meusel, R.
2012. Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Integrating highly dynamic RESTful linked data APIs in a virtual reality environment (Demo)
Keppmann, F. L.; Käfer, T.; Stadtmüller, S.; Schubotz, R.; Harth, A.
2014. ISMAR: IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented reality - Science & Technology 2014; Proceedings. Ed.: S. Julier, 3473–348, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Dynamics in Linked Data Environments
Käfer, T.
2015. On the Move to Meaningful Internet Systems: OTM 2015 Workshops: Confederated International Workshops: OTM Academy, OTM Industry Case Studies Program, EI2N, FBM, INBAST, ISDE, META4eS, and MSC 2015, Rhodes, Greece, October 26-30, 2015. Proceedings. Ed.: I. Ciuciu, 20–25, Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-26138-6_4
Rule-based Programming of User Agents for Linked Data
Käfer, T.; Harth, A.
2018. Proceedings of the 11th International Workshop on Linked Data on the Web at the Web Conference (27th WWW), LDOW 2018, Workshop on Linked Data on the Web, co-located with The Web Conference 2018 (TheWebConf 2018) , Lyon, France, April 23rd, 2018. Ed.: T. Berners-Lee, RWTH Aachen
Industrielle VT-Anwendungen auf Basis von Web-Technologien
Harth, A.; Käfer, T.; Keppmann, F. L.; Rubinstein, D.; Schubotz, R.; Vogelgesang, C.
2016. VDE-Kongress 2016 – Internet der Dinge, Technologien / Anwendungen / Perspektiven Kongressbeiträge 7.-8. November 2016 Center Mannheim, VDE Verlag
Individualisiertes Gruppentraining mit Datenbrillen für die Produktion
Brauns, S.; Käfer, T.; Koriath, D.; Harth, A.
2016. 46. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft fur Informatik - 46th Annual Meeting of the German Informatics Society, INFORMATIK 2016; Klagenfurt; Austria; 26 September 2016 through 30 September 2016. Ed.: H. C. Mayr, 1713–1726, Gesellschaft für Informatik (GI)
Towards a Dynamic Linked Data Observatory
Käfer, T.; Umbrich, J.; Hogan, A.; Polleres, A.
2012. WWW 2012 Workshop on Linked Data on the Web, LDOW 2012; Lyon; France; 16 April 2012 through 16 April 2012, 10 S., RWTH Aachen
Towards Specification and Execution of Linked Systems
Harth, A.; Käfer, T.
2016. 28th GI-Workshop Grundlagen von Datenbanken, GvDB 2016; Norten Hardenberg; Germany; 24 May 2016 through 27 May 2016. Ed.: H. Bitzmann, 62–67, RWTH Aachen
Using workflows to build compositions of read-write linked data APIs on the web of things
Käfer, T.; Lauber, S.; Harth, A.
2018. 2018 ISWC Posters and Demonstrations, Industry and Blue Sky Ideas Tracks, Monterey, United States, 8 October through 12 October 2018, 140031, Sun SITE Central Europe
Specifying, monitoring, and executing workflows in linked data environments
Käfer, T.; Harth, A.
2018. 17th International Semantic Web Conference, ISWC 2018; Monterey; United States; 8 October 2018 through 12 October 2018. Ed.: M. C. Suarez-Figueroa, 424–440, Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-00671-6_25
Exposing internet of things devices via REST and linked data interfaces
Bader, S. R.; Käfer, T.; Heling, L.; Manke, R.; Harth, A.
2017. 2nd Workshop on Semantic Web Technologies for the Internet of Things, SWIT 2017, Vienna, Austria, 21st October 2017. Ed.: M. Maleshkova, RWTH Aachen
Specifying and executing application behaviour with condition-request rules
Harth, A.; Käfer, T.
2017. DeSemWeb 2017 : Decentralizing the Semantic Web, Proceedings of the Workshop on Decentralizing the Semantic Web 2017 co-located with 16th International Semantic Web Conference (ISWC 2017), Vienna, Austria, 22nd October 2017. Ed.: R. Verborgh, RWTH Aachen
Modelling and analysing dynamic linked data using RDF and SPARQL
Käfer, T.; Wins, A.; Acosta, M.
2017. 4th International Workshop on Dataset PROFIling and fEderated Search for Web Data, Vienna, Austria, 22nd October 2017, RWTH Aachen
High Performance Linked Data Processing for Virtual Reality Environments
Keppmann, F. L.; Käfer, T.; Stadtmüller, S.; Schubotz, R.; Harth, A.
2014. Proceedings of the ISWC 2014 Posters & Demonstrations Track a track within the 13th International Semantic Web Conference (ISWC 2014), Riva del Garda; Italy; 21. Oktober 2014. Ed.: M. Horridge, 193–196, RWTH Aachen
The Role of Ontology Engineering in Linked Data Publishing and Management - An Empirical Study
Luczak-Rösch, M.; Simperl, E.; Stadtmüller, S.; Käfer, T.
2014. International journal on semantic web and information systems, 10 (3), 74–91. doi:10.4018/IJSWIS.2014070103
Observing Linked Data Dynamics
Käfer, T.; Abdelrahman, A.; Umbrich, J.; O’Byrne, P.; Hogan, A.
2013. The Semantic Web: Semantics and Big Data : 10th International Conference, ESWC 2013, Montpellier, France, May 26-30, 2013. Proceedings. Ed.: P. Cimiano, 213–227, Springer-Verlag. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-38288-8_15

Code

Auf Github veröffentliche ich u.a. Code, der Web-Schnittstellen (Read-Write Linked Data, d.h. der Kombination von REST + Linked Data) zu Systemen, IoT Sensoren, Aktuatoren und Diensten bereitstellt, sowie Code zur Sammlung und zur Verarbeitung von Linked Data.