With two speakers, AIT was prominently represented at this year's 9th Software Day. Markus Murtinger, Deputy Head of the AIT Center for Technology Experience, presented the topic “Intelligent XR – The Next Step of Immersion” in his keynote speech. Three pillars are of great importance here: capturing, understanding, and adapting. Projects such as Green Manikin (mixed reality training for emergency paramedics), BuildsaVR (VR training for the construction industry), and the XR simulation for recycling aluminum scrap demonstrate AIT's many years of experience in the field of extended reality (XR). Intelligent XR means that many factors combine to create a much deeper immersion and realistic representation of reality – the ideal basis for training and education, maintenance and repair, product development and design, logistics and supply chain, or tourism, to name just a few areas of application.
Dejan Nickovic, Senior Scientist at the AIT Center for Digital Safety & Security, gave a presentation entitled “Rigorous Software Design and Verification for AI-enabled Cyber Physical Systems,” providing deeper insight into the world of intelligent connected systems and the role that software and modeling play. The steering of cars and airplanes are good examples. Dejan’s research focuses on the rigorous engineering of safe learning-enabled autonomous systems, and he has authored over 100 publications in leading international journals and conferences.
AIT booth at the Software Day
The AI Branching Foresight Tool allowed visitors to take an interactive, almost real trip into the future. The tool is designed to help people sharpen their view of their own future and reflect on their actions. Developed at the AIT Center for Technology Experience as part of the GreenTouch project, the system generates alternative future paths based on the user's own decisions and allows them to experience the consequences. The AI does not act as an authoritarian authority, but rather as an aid to thinking and structuring.
The second hands-on demo from the AIT Center for Technology Experience was a VR demonstrator for aluminum scrap recycling, which vividly visualized project results from the RecAL research project (led by Leichtmetallzentrum Ranshofen). In an immersive environment, visitors were able to follow the path of various aluminum scrap parts through the RecAL Hub – from collection to the newly recycled product.
Selection of AI projects for Digital Sustainability
From the Data Science & AI group, the AIT Center for Digital Safety & Security presented three groundbreaking research projects currently underway:
• AI4PT: AI-based forecasting and optimisation of passenger flows in public transport, taking data protection aspects into account.
• AI4EcoServices: Detailed AI-based analyses of forest stocks as a basis for environmental and nature conservation measures.
• FAIR-AI: How can the use of AI be designed ethically? The aim of the flagship project is to produce a comprehensive ‘Handbook for Applied Trustworthy AI’ and to make the guidelines and tools developed available on a freely accessible platform.
