Annual Meeting of the “AIR” Initiative Showcases High-Tech in the Regional Economy and Science—Focus: AI in the Context of Mobility and Health
Regensburg and our region are synonymous with high-tech and knowledge: The development of innovative technologies in the city and its surrounding area is booming. Numerous manufacturing and industrial companies here are already utilizing AI technologies. The goal of the AIR Annual Meet-up, held on the banks of the Danube at the Bavariathek in late April, was therefore to bring solutions from the local business and academic communities to life for a broad audience. The “Marketplace of Innovations” provided this opportunity for the roughly 100 participants.
The eye-catcher on the Danube plaza in front of the museum—a car equipped with new AI applications from our network member AVL Software and Functions GmbH – also drew the attention of passersby in front of the House of Bavarian History.
Dr. Theo Steininger, CEO of Erium GmbH, and Dr. Dr. Christian Münzenmayer, Head of the Digital Health Systems Division at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS, enriched the meet-up with expert insights from the fields of “AI & Mobility” and “AI & Health.” Prof. Dr. Georg Stephan Barfuß, Advisor for Economic Affairs, Science, and Finance for the City of Regensburg, emphasized in his opening remarks the valuable contribution and high potential of cross-industry collaborations between Regensburg’s business and academic stakeholders and the clusters and networks based in Regensburg.
Although the title of his presentation, “Bridging the Gap: From Astrophysics to Car Body Assembly and Beyond,” might suggest otherwise, Dr. Theo Steininger placed people at the center of his talk. In addition to discussing factors for the successful implementation of AI and data science projects in traditional sectors such as car body assembly or thermal waste treatment, he highlighted the tools already available to data scientists, enabling them to integrate the specialized domain knowledge of experts in these respective fields. This topic also shaped the panel discussion. Smart City Manager Franziska Meier believes that companies also have a responsibility when it comes to the availability and quality of data. In the City of Regensburg’s current smart city project, R_Next, AI initiatives are being considered, and a framework for new collaborations in the field of AI is in place. In conclusion, Steininger also offered a glimpse into the role that so-called “transformer models”—which include the ChatGPT application—could play in the workflow of such data science projects.
DIGITAL PATHOLOGY: AI AS A SOLUTION TO THE SKILLED WORKFORCE SHORTAGE AND HIGH WORKLOADS
Dr. Christian Münzenmayer illustrated the use of AI in healthcare and research using image analysis apps for digital pathology, a field where “deep learning” has already been established for many years. The often-held fear that technology will replace humans does not apply here; quite the contrary: technology alleviates the problem of increasing workloads. New therapies require more analysis—while at the same time, the number of pathologists is declining.
“A new AI-powered workflow makes it possible to process complex relationships more quickly.” Instead of working with a microscope, it enables examinations on a computer, automated calculation of scores and statistics, and, of course, online sharing of samples. “The technology used—convolutional neural networks (CNN)—supports the pathologist but cannot replace them,” emphasizes Münzenmayer. His other example—continuous heart monitoring using sensors integrated into fabric—also clearly demonstrated the benefits for people that arise from the interaction of different technologies. Heart conditions that often go unnoticed even with a 24-hour ECG can be detected automatically. His conclusion: AI has enormous potential to save lives and enable better care; it promises significant cost savings for healthcare systems—and greater efficiency, including in terms of documentation in nursing, among specialists, or in hospitals.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SINCE THE INITIATIVE AIR WAS FOUNDED SUPPORTERS
“In the Regensburg area, there is a high proportion of manufacturing and industrial companies that are already working with AI technologies or plan to do so,” said Philipp Berr, Head of the Science, Technology, and Clusters Department for the City of Regensburg. Precisely because AI offers a broad spectrum of applications, collaboration across different technologies and industries is essential. The local technology clusters provide the necessary scope for action in this regard; they have been collaborating within the AIR initiative since 2020. The City of Regensburg’s Economic Development Agency has been a consistent supporter of this cross-technology collaboration. The AIR initiative pools regional knowledge and the potential of a strong network of experts from industry and academic partners engaged in the research and application of artificial intelligence, with the goal of increasing economic strength and future viability while involving the local population. “AIR thrives on dialogue. Specifically, this means intensive exchange and collaboration among partners from industry, academia, and city administration,” said Berr.
PROJEcT AIR - ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REGENSBURG
AIR stands for “Artificial Intelligence Regensburg” and is a joint initiative of companies, the two universities, various clusters, and the City of Regensburg. Together with its core partners—BioPark, SPS, Mobility & Logistics, IT Security, and IBaKI—the initiative aims to establish Regensburg as a leading hub for the development and application of AI through a cross-cluster network.