Research

Artificial Intelligence (AI): North German Research Group Advances Another Crucial Stage in the Innovation Contest

AI project for intelligent healthcare systems with partners in Lübeck, Kiel, Hamburg and Bremen

A research group in northern Germany has been accepted for a crucial application stage of the innovation contest, “AI as the Driver of Politico-Economics Relevant Ecosystems” announced by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. It was selected on 13 March 2019 based on its concept, “AI Space for Intelligent Healthcare Systems” (AI-SIHS) as one of the top 35 groups from a total of 130 from science and industry. Now each group will have to prepare a detailed roadmap to execute its respective idea, and build an effective consortium. UniTransferKlinik GmbH of Lübeck leads this group, partnering with the universities of Lübeck, Kiel, Hamburg and Bremen, the University Medical Centre of Schleswig-Holstein, the German Research Centre for AI and the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine (MEVIS) in Bremen. Prof. Dr Stefan Fischer, V.P. Transfer and Digitisation, at our Universität zu Lübeck said, “We are thrilled that our concept for a North German AI group for intelligent healthcare systems was so well received. This means we’ll have to roll up our sleeves now and bring our idea to life in the next six months, such that we can be convincing enough in the final round too to set up an AI centre in the north.” The goal of AI-SIHS is to devise an approach to implement an AI space for healthcare systems, in collaboration with recognised AI institutes in Bremen, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein (Lübeck & Kiel), and with medical technology companies and medical development partners at university medical centres in the Hanseatic region. Intelligent healthcare systems encompass adaptive medical systems, self-learning robotics assistants, and smart home assistants. The expertise of the scientific partners will be mapped in the area of deep learning, machine learning and cognitive systems, in reference to the multifaceted potential for product innovation. These will then be applied using AI development and platform projects in joint application scenarios to systematically build up a varied AI ecosystem. An adaptive AI platform will be developed and established as the collaborative base for a dynamic value-adding network.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): Execute Attainable Flagship Projects
Under its AI initiative, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy seeks to foster exceptional approaches for application of AI in key sectors of the German economy. The ideas submitted were in the fields of mobility, healthcare, the industrial sector, smart living, agriculture, trade and construction. This contest is important to rapidly advance the German government’s AI strategy. Federal Minister Peter Altmaier stated, “Our AI contest seems to have touched a nerve in the industrial and science sectors. The incredible response shows that in Germany we have the potential and will to quickly apply AI as widely as possible. Now we have to get the job done. Our goal is to execute major attainable flagship projects in core areas of our economy. We’re doing our share to transform AI rapidly from the lab to the street.” In this phase of the contest, 35 of the best applications were selected to devise detailed roadmaps to execute their ideas and build effective consortia (April to September 2019). At the end of this phase, the most promising proposals will get prizes and start the next phase to execute their ideas in about 36 months after the end of 2019. The competition phase is limited to six months and funding of € 900,000. The aim is to come up with extraordinary AI applications. The AI projects with the greatest prospects for practical application will be transitioned into core areas of the German economy, through major platforms involving high performance partnerships. The execution phase should generally take three years.