The VDE e. V. () is one of Europe’s largest technical-scientific associations with 36,000 members, including 1,300 corporate and institutional members and 8,000 students. The Association Organization With 36,000 members (including 1,300 companies) the VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies is one of the largest technical and scientific associations in Europe. VDE embraces science, standardization work and product testing and certification under one roof. VDE is involved in technical knowledge transfers, research and promoting young talents in the technologies of electrical engineering, electronics and information technology and their applications. Other VDE activities include ensuring safety in electrical engineering, developing recognized technical regulations as national and international standards as well as testing and certifying electrical and electronic devices and systems. VDE works in the fields of information technology, energy, medical engineering, microelectronics, micro and nanotechnology and automation. The VDE is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main and has main branches in Brussels and Berlin. VDE’s technical societies The Information Technology Society in the VDE (ITG) promotes research, development and application of information technology in the data and communication technology, in production and communication systems, in environmental protection, medical and traffic technology. Objectives of the Power Engineering Society in the VDE (ETG) are the interdisciplinary and international cooperation of industry, science, energy suppliers and energy users. The German Society for Biomedical Engineering in the VDE (DGBMT) is with more than 2,600 members the largest scientific technical society of medical technology in Germany. DGBMT promotes development of medical technology in Germany in a non-profit manner. The aim of the interdisciplinary VDE/VDI Society of Microelectronics, Microsystems and Precision Engineering (GMM) is to give impulses in the fields of microelectronics, microsystems and nanotechnology as well as precision engineering and mechatronics in order to join forces in the processing of new fields and to promote the dialog between manufacturers, users, science, and politics. The VDI/VDE Society for Measurement and Automatic Control (GMA) is the national network of experts for the promotion of the special fields of measurement and automatic control as well as optical technologies. The interdisciplinary orientation of GMA is increasingly characterized by the use of information processing and the use of open networks for automation tasks. Standardization The DKE German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies, a joint organization of the DIN (German Institute for Standardization) and the VDE, is the national organization responsible for creating and maintaining standards in these fields.