Information Fusion from Databases, Sensors and Simulations Annual Report 2006 Information Fusion from Databases, Sensors and Simulations Annual Report 2006 Technical Report HS-IKI-TR-07-007 December 2007 Sten F. Andler (Ed.), Program Director ([email protected]) Marcus Brohede (Ed.), Program Administrator ([email protected]) University of Skövde, P.O. Box 408, SE-54128 Skövde, Sweden www.infofusion.se PART I ACTIVITY REPORT ........................................................................................................................1 1 SCIENTIFIC QUALITY AND THE RELATION TO THE EXPRESSED UNIVERSITY PROFILE.......................................3 2 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVE SITUATION OF THE RESEARCH PROGRAM ..............................3 3 UNIVERSITY COLLABORATION AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COOPERATION ........................................................5 4 INFLUENCE ON GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION.....................................................................7 5 INDUSTRIAL RELEVANCE ...............................................................................................................................8 6 COMMERCIAL MOTIVATION OF PARTICIPATING COMPANIES.........................................................................11 7 GROWTH POTENTIAL FOR THE RESEARCH PROGRAM....................................................................................14 8 OPPORTUNITY FOR CONTINUED FUNDING ....................................................................................................16 9 INFORMATION AND MARKETING ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................17 10 SCENARIOS AND PROJECTS ......................................................................................................................22 11 COMPANY AND OTHER PARTNERS FOR EACH PROJECT DURING THE YEAR ...............................................22 12 PUBLICATIONS SO FAR.............................................................................................................................23 13 PATENTS FILED AND/OR GRANTED DURING THE YEAR .............................................................................27 14 PERSONNEL .............................................................................................................................................27 15 A CALENDAR OF COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES DURING THE YEAR ..........................................................27 PART II FINANCIAL REPORT....................................................................................................................29 1 SUMMARY OF CONTRIBUTIONS FROM SPONSORS AND PARTNERS .................................................................29 2 SUMMARY OF EXPENSES BY CATEGORY OVER ALL PROJECTS.......................................................................29 3 SUMMARY OF ALL EXPENSES BY PROJECT....................................................................................................29 PART III APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................................31 APPENDIX A STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY ...................................................................33 APPENDIX B INFORMATION AND MARKETING ACTIVITIES 2006/2005.............................................................39 APPENDIX C INFORMATION AND MARKETING BUDGET ...................................................................................47 APPENDIX D FOUNDATIONS OF INFORMATION FUSION ...................................................................................49 APPENDIX E SCENARIO AND PROJECT SUMMARIES .........................................................................................61 APPENDIX F SPONSORS AND PARTNERS........................................................................................................123 APPENDIX G PERSONNEL IN 2006 .................................................................................................................127 APPENDIX H FINANCIAL REPORT 2006..........................................................................................................131 APPENDIX I COMPANY CONTRIBUTIONS BY COMPANY ................................................................................139 APPENDIX J PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROGRAM ...........................................................141 Page 1 Part I Activity Report The activity report is a statement of the development of the research program with respect to the following aspects: 1) Scientific quality and the relation to the expressed university profile 2) National and international competitive situation of the research program 3) University collaboration and opportunities for cooperation 4) Influence on graduate and undergraduate and graduate education 5) Industrial relevance 6) Commercial motivation of participating companies 7) Growth potential for the research program 8) Opportunity for continued funding 9) Information and marketing activities a. Workshop b. Press exposure c. Guest lectures and courses 10) Scenarios and projects a. Scenarios b. New / ongoing / finished projects during the year c. Summary of all projects carried out so far 11) Company and other partners for each project during the year 12) Publications a. International journal with referee procedure b. Theses c. Conference contributions d. Internal reports e. Other 13) Patents filed and/or granted during the year 14) Personnel 15) A calendar of communication activities during the year Page 3 formulated. The complete list of scenario 1 Scientific quality and the descriptions (umbrellas for a set of projects relation to the expressed including statements of related work) and project summaries (including a statement of university profile research question, industry collaboration and The University of Skövde has established an expected results) can be found in Appendix E. Information Fusion Research Program (infofusion), based on the research profile The research field of the program can be funded by the Knowledge Foundation in the defined in the following way: “Information area of “Information Fusion from Databases, fusion is the study of efficient methods for Sensors and Simulations”. The research automatically or semi-automatically transfor- program is vital for the further development of ming information from different sources and industry and society in a complex world of different points in time into a representation information and focuses on a research area of that provides effective support for human or high industrial relevance. The research program automated decision making.” (See Appendix 4 fits well into the strategic plan of the University for a paper that motivates and discusses this (see Appendix A), says the President of the definition.) University, Leif Larsson: The overall research questions that are targeted – The research direction towards Information by the program are: Fusion is central for the further development of • Can we develop a common theory and the University. Most of the research activities at framework to describe information fusion the University are at the core of information processes in such a way that the framework fusion or closely related to it, either at the can be used in various application areas? technical level (development of systems) or at • Can we develop generic algorithms and the application level (the use of information methods that allow fusion of information fusion systems for decision support). A from multiple sources and with different research profile in this area is viable, and temporal scope (including simulated future crucial to the further development of the states) to be used in several different research environment at the University, says application areas? Leif Larsson. • Can we find a common set of requirements on information fusion systems in the Our ambition is to build an internationally application areas of our partner companies renowned center for information fusion studies. that can be fulfilled by a toolbox and The research program is led by Professor Sten suitable information fusion infrastructure? F. Andler, as Program Director, in close cooperation with an Executive Committee and 2 National and international an Advisory Board. competitive situation of the research program The research program will achieve international competitiveness by high-quality research, by being visible in the international research community, and by being a leading European center for information fusion research. The participating researchers and groups are internationally competitive. By these groups joining forces in the research program, we are confident that internationally highly Prof. Sten F Andler, director of the Information competitive research will result. Fusion Research Program 2.1 International The scientific quality of the projects in the research program is evaluated by the Advisory competitiveness today Board at their meeting twice a year. Among The groups participating in the program have other things, the advisory board makes sure that strong publication records. In 2006, the second the research question of each project is well year of operation of the Information Fusion Page 4 Research Program, we had six publications conferences and workshops were also accepted to the 9th International Conference on organized by the participating groups, e.g., Information Fusion in Florence, Italy, and a