What is your personal background?
I am a computer scientist with a strong background in data science. I obtained my PhD in computer science from RWTH Aachen University in Germany and subsequently pursued research in various academic positions in the field of data science.
Currently, I am heading the Chair of Data Science in the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Hagen and I am leading the Intelligent Data Analytics Research Group in the Department of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT. My work primarily focuses on the intersection between basic and applied research in the interdisciplinary field of data science.
In my scientific career, I have been involved in several research projects, including the investigation and development of novel data management and analysis solutions. I have authored more than 100 research papers and have been awarded several times.
What is your organization’s role in knowlEdge?
As an academic institution, the primary responsibility of the University of Hagen is to coordinate the dissemination of project results to the scientific community. In addition, we are actively involved in investigating and developing solutions for knowledge management and data analysis for different pilot use cases.
In the scope of the knowlEdge project, we are particularly exploring various approaches to advance machine learning and artificial intelligence methods to solve complex and challenging data-analytical problems. Our research and innovations contribute to the field of data science.
What fascinates you about artificial intelligence for manufacturing?
Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionize manufacturing processes and can be used to automate and optimize production processes with the aim of increasing efficiency and productivity of manufacturing. In addition, modern methods of artificial intelligence can be utilized for monitoring production lines in real-time or detecting anomalies to ensure smooth processing with high product quality. On top of this, artificial intelligence systems can analyze vast amounts of data to support decision-making processes.
I believe that the potential of AI applications in manufacturing is huge and that the interplay between humans, robots, and data will lead to rapid developments of intelligent methods and systems which will in turn advance the application of artificial intelligence in industrial domains.
What are your expectations in knowlEdge?
The knowlEdge project is one of the ICT-38-2020 projects that aims to optimize manufacturing services, processes, and products by means of artificial intelligence. One major focus of the knowlEdge project is the development of human-centered solutions that fit to the edge-to-cloud computing continuum. In doing so, the knowlEdge project is developing intelligent solutions for machine learning-based data analyses and for providing the developed data analytical models in a reusable manner.
I expect that the latter, which we develop in form of a knowlEdge marketplace, will help data scientists and AI developers as well as producers from the industrial sector to benefit from sharing, reusing, and customizing data analytical solutions. Moreover, I am convinced that the knowlEdge marketplace platform will offer an effective, adaptable, and secure solution that can be implemented in a variety of domains.
Which target groups can benefit from knowlEdge?
As a research and innovation action under the Horizon 2020 Framework Program of the European Commission, the knowlEdge project is also strongly focusing on disseminating knowledge and findings gained during the project.
According to the project’s general philosophy, our goal is to achieve a high dissemination impact by targeting both industrial and scientific communities, as well as the general public. Specifically, we believe that the project’s achievements will be helpful for technology and machinery providers as well as for end-users, facilitators, and enablers.
What is your vision beyond knowlEdge?
Put simply, the knowlEdge project aims to bring artificial intelligence to the shopfloor by developing machine learning-based analytic pipelines and model management through the marketplace platform.
I am optimistic that the developed AI solutions can be advanced even further to increase the level of automation. In fact, I believe that AI language models will play a major role in the future by supporting us in generating, understanding, and deploying intricated analytical solutions.