Cutting edge research for the industries of tomorrow – DFKI and NICT expand cooperation

The focus of the future joint collaboration involves advanced and expanded development of the technologies of the “Internet of Things” and Artificial Intelligence. This agreement covers expanded scientific exchange and joint research projects.

One of the first research priorities is on the design of flexible, wireless communication in a manufacturing environment for Industrie 4.0. The cooperation is expected to promote additional research approaches of mutual interest.

“DFKI maintains many diverse relationships with Japanese universities, research organizations, and government agencies. The Joint Letter of Intent is a major milestone in our cooperation with Japan. It strengthens the foundation of what has been a rather informal cooperation with NICT by declaring concrete projects for the application of artificial intelligence in the context of Industrie 4.0, for example, the “Factory of Tomorrow,” said Prof. Dr. Andreas Dengel, who initiated the agreement.

“It is especially satisfying that DFKI has gained a partner that places the pursuit of peace and the creation of social value at the center of intellectual creativity and technology development,” added Dengel.

Taihei Kurose, President of NICT: “It gives me great pleasure to sign this joint research understanding with one of the world's leading research institutes in the field of artificial intelligence. In Japan, the Flexible Factory project plays a significant role in introducing the technologies of the “Internet of Things” to the production plants of the future.

We are very pleased that the combination of wireless technologies from NICT's Flexible Factory and the AI technologies of DFKI will usher in a new level of international cooperation and technical possibilities that result from the merger of our expertise.”

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang Wahlster, CEO of DFKI and Chairperson of the International Advisory Committees (IAC) at NICT: “I am very pleased that two innovation hotspots in our respective countries, NICT and DFKI, have signed this important agreement. Both institutions share the role of being critical enablers for healthy economies in Japan and Germany based on top quality ICT research and technology transfer.

Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things play key roles in realizing an ambitious German program of the fourth industrial revolution (“Industrie 4.0”) and Japan’s new program on Society 5.0. AI radically transforms our private and professional lives and is a key enabler for the next generation of smart manufacturing systems in Industrie 4.0.”

About the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT)
As Japan’s sole national agency specializing in the field of information and communications technology, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) is charged with promoting the ICT sector as well as research and development in ICT, which drives economic growth and creates an affluent, safe, and secure society. www.nict.go.jp

About DFKI
DFKI is Germany's leading research institute in the field of innovative software technology and has facilities in Kaiserslautern, Saarbrücken, Bremen (with a branch in Osnabrück), and a project office in Berlin. In the international scientific community, DFKI is one of the most important “Centers of Excellence” and is the world's largest research center in the area of artificial intelligence and AI applications in terms of headcount and external funding. The overall budget in 2015 was about 42.5 million euros. DFKI projects address a wide range of subjects from application-oriented basic research to market- and customer-oriented development of product functions. At the present time, 485 researchers from about 60 countries are developing innovative software programs in the priority research areas: smart data & knowledge services, cyber-physical systems, multilingual technologies, plan-based robotic controls, Educational Technology Lab, interactive textiles, Robotics Innovation Center, Innovative Retail Laboratory, Institute for Information Systems, embedded intelligence, smart service engineering, Big Data/Smart Data analytics, intelligent networks, agents and simulated reality, augmented vision, language technologies, intelligent user interfaces, innovative factory systems. DFKI’s track record reflects the creation of more than 70 new companies and approximately 1,700 highly qualified new jobs. www.dfki.de

Contact:

Prof. Dr. Prof. h.c. Andreas Dengel
Scientific Director and Site Head, DFKI Kaiserslautern
German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI)
Trippstadter Straße 122
67663 Kaiserslautern
Email: Andreas.Dengel@dfki.de

Press Contact:

Christian Heyer, Head of Corporate Communications DFKI Kaiserslautern
German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI)
Trippstadter Straße 122
67663 Kaiserslautern
Tel.: +49 631 20575-1710
E-Mail: uk-kl@dfki.de