RESEARCH COOPERATIVE KI-NRW
- Background - KI-NRW was founded in July 1987 as a research co-operative between R&D groups at six universities, the universities of Aachen, Bielefeld, Bonn, Dortmund, Duisburg, Essen, Hagen, Paderborn and Wuppertal together with the GMD (although the GMD is now also a direct member of AKI, it still maintains strong co-operative links with the other members of KI-NRW, in particular Bielefeld and Bonn).
The main goals of KI-NRW are to bring together the various specialities of AI technology research and to enable the individual groups to conduct basic research and applications development on a broader scale than would otherwise be possible by undertaking multi-disiplinary projects. KI-NRW is managed by a Board whose six Directors each represent a partner institute. The directors are Professors T. Christaller, A.B. Cremers (Chairman), J. Jarke, H. Ritter, G. Schlageter and I. Wachsmuth. It undertakes application-oriented research and provides a convenient mechanism for setting up multi-disciplinary projects.
- Staffing - KI-NRW is staffed by individual members of the coperative. From 1990 to 1992 the number of full time staff was 30, but this fell to 20 in 1994. 20% of these people are from the university of Bonn.
This reduction in staffing was largely due to a large reduction in the funding available to the Institute (see below), but the partners are attempting to maintain the current level by allocating resources to KI-NRW projects from elsewhere.
- Funding - Since its inception, KI-NRW has received funding from the Ministry of Science and Research in North-Rhine Westphalia. Initially this was through the a state programme on future technologies, but since 1990, KI-NRW has been allocated its own specific funds by the state.
In 1992 this funding stood at DM 2 Million, but has halved to DM 1 million in 1993. This sum, together with State-founded research positions that are allocated directly to the partners, account for almost 100% of the KI-NRW budget. There is no income from commercial activities such as contract research.
- Research Specialities - KI-NRW undertakes basic research and applications development within AI in both engineering and business sectors. Its four main research themes are:
I. Artificial Intelligence and Computer Graphics II. Theory and Applications of Computer Science and Logic III. Computer Supported Co-operative Work IV. Robotik
- Other Points - KI-NRW maintains close ties with ZEDO (Zentrum fuer Expertensysteme Dortmund), the Knowledge Systems Centre at Dortmund which was co-founded by Prof. Cremers in 1986. ZEDO serves as a vehicle for technology transfer to industry based on AI research in North-Rhine Westphalia.
A large science park which opened in 1985 close to ZEDO supports both start-up companies and cooperation with the R&D departments of established industrial enterprises.
KI-NRW: partners und adresses
KI-NRW in the working group AKI
last modified by Markus Rittenbruch on 02/31/1996