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Challenge #44

Making particle accelerators adaptive.

Accelerators are complex to operate and costly to control. With AI, however, scientists can increase their operational reliability, facilitate control, and thus enable more precise experiments with this universal tool.

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The control room of a particle accelerator resembles that of a NASA mission: full of highly concentrated researchers, eyes glued to various measurement curves and columns of numbers on computer monitors. After all, an accelerator is an extraordinarily complex machine. In order to bundle tiny particles into bunches and bring them almost to the speed of light, sophisticated control electronics are required.

In the future, artificial intelligence will make the control crew's job noticeably easier. At the Helmholtz research centers, we are working on adaptive algorithms that analyze the fast-moving particle bunches in real time and apply corrections as needed – all at lightning speed. Impending malfunctions are also detected before they occur, allowing accelerators to be operated more safely and better aligned with the needs of science. The result: targeted experiments and the successful development of innovative technologies for research, medicine and industry.

(Header: Karlsruher Institut für Technologie)

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