Klaus Thelen

Prof. Klaus Thelen is a Professor of Analog and Digital Circuits, Microcontroller Technology, and Automotive Electronics at Ruhr-West University of Applied Sciences. He heads the Institute of Measurement and Sensor Technology and serves as program director for the Bachelor's degree in Automotive Electronics and Electric Mobility, which has been offered since the winter semester of 2017.

Dr. Thelen earned his Electrical Engineering degree from RWTH Aachen University, completing his diploma thesis at the Max Planck Institute in Grenoble in 1990. He received his doctorate from ETH Zurich in 1993 for research on optoelectronic integrated circuits based on GaAs. Before academia, he held significant industry positions at Philips Semiconductors (NXP) and Helbako GmbH, focusing on CMOS circuit optimization and automotive electronic control units.

His research spans automotive electronics, analog/digital circuit design, microcontroller applications, and advanced sensor technologies. Dr. Thelen specializes in automotive safety systems, temperature measurement techniques, and electromagnetic applications, with particular emphasis on child safety monitoring, radar-based detection systems, and thermal management solutions for automotive electronics.

Dr. Thelen's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on automotive safety innovations, especially child protection systems using radar and sensor technologies. His work bridges electrical engineering principles with practical automotive applications, emphasizing measurement accuracy and system reliability in challenging environments.

• Developed the Bachelor's program in Automotive Electronics and Electric Mobility
• Established university cooperation with Qingdao University of Science and Technology
• Created international partnerships with Wayne State University in Detroit
• Holds patent for contactless temperature determination in cooking devices
• Serves as VDE contact lecturer

At Ruhr-West University, Dr. Thelen teaches across the Automotive Electronics curriculum, including Introduction to Automotive Electronics, Digital Systems-Microcontroller Technology, and Electrodynamics for the Master's program. His teaching emphasizes practical applications of electronic systems in modern vehicles, preparing students for careers in the rapidly evolving automotive industry.