RealweltObjekt

RealweltObjekt is a term used in German-language discourse to denote an object that exists in the physical world, as opposed to its digital, virtual, or simulated representations. The term is used across disciplines such as information science, ontology engineering, human–computer interaction, robotics, and augmented reality to distinguish tangible entities from their abstractions in software or media.

In practice, a RealweltObjekt is characterized by physical presence and perceivability through senses or instrumentation, and by attributes that may be observed or measured, such as location, dimensions, material composition, and function. In data models and knowledge graphs, a RealweltObjekt is often linked to digital identifiers and descriptive data, enabling tracking, cataloging, or robotic interaction. The mapping between a real-world object and its digital surrogate is a central concern in applications like inventory management, asset tracking, and augmented reality.

Examples include everyday items such as a chair, a smartphone, or a traffic sign, as well as natural objects like a tree or a rock. The concept also covers objects that acquire properties over time, such as wear, maintenance status, or changes in location.

Challenges include ensuring consistent identity over time, handling ambiguity when multiple objects share similar attributes, and dealing with measurement errors or occlusions in perception systems. RealweltObjekt is closely related to concepts like physical object, object ontology, and real-world data, and is often framed in discussions about bridging the physical and digital realms.