Henner Gärtner

Prof. Dr. Henner Gärtner is a full Professor for Industrial Logistics in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Production at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg). He is also Program Coordinator of the cooperative Mechanical Engineering program with the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Chairman of the Study Reform Committee, and deputy member of the Department Council.

Education & Academic Focus

• Doctorate (Dissertation on stock-out cost quantification, PZH-Verlag, 2011)
• Research stays and teaching activities in Germany and China

Research Interests

Prof. Gärtner’s work spans decentralized production control, Industry 4.0 testbeds, autonomous transport systems (AGVs), and real-time ergonomic monitoring. A flagship project is the Shared Guide Dog 4.0, an AI-equipped autonomous rollator that supports blind and visually impaired pedestrians through advanced navigation and puddle-detection algorithms.

Scientific Awards

• Hamburger Lehrpreis 2022 – Excellence in Teaching

Projects & Funding

• SafeWalker – safe navigation assistance for elderly pedestrians
• Shared Guide Dog 4.0 – AI-driven mobility aid (with DAAD & BMAS support)
• GehwegNavi – sidewalk navigation for the visually impaired
• Decentralized Manufacturing Control testbed – “swimming-pool” model for resource negotiation
• Collaborative projects with Lufthansa Technik Logistik Services, VTG AG, DESY, and Krüss GmbH

Teaching & Supervision

He teaches bachelor and master modules such as Industrial Logistics, Production Planning & Control, Operations Management, and Project Management & Communication. Prof. Gärtner has supervised more than 30 bachelor and master theses on topics ranging from decentralized AGV control to AI-based computer-vision apps for barrier-free mobility.

Labs & Teams

Prof. Gärtner leads activities within the Institute for Product and Production Management (IPP) at HAW Hamburg and coordinates interdisciplinary student teams working on robotics, lean production, and service engineering.