The Science & Innovation Tour (SIT) provided exciting insights into groundbreaking projects, practical applications, and the opportunity to network with experts and institutions.
Day 1: Immersing in London’s Innovation Scene
The tour kicked off in London. During the visit to the London Initiative for Safe AI (LISA), participants discussed the societal implications of AI, with a central focus on responsibility and ethics. Jannis Becktepe summarized: 'It was impressive to see how people from different fields are working on safe AI. It showed me new possibilities for collaboration.'
Later, we headed to the I-X Innovation Labs at Imperial College London. There, demos presented new solutions from the fields of robotics, IoT and digital chemistry. The highlights were:
- KI-Sicherheit: Prof. Alessandra Russo and Dr. Eleonora Giunchiglia shed light on how to ensure the reliability of AI systems.
- AIchemy: Prof. Sophia Yaliraki and Dr. Chris Mellor showed how AI can accelerate chemical research.
- MedTechOne: Immanuel Sebastine presented projects that combine bioengineering and AI.
The day concluded with the AI SuperConnector event, which promoted dialogue between researchers.
Day 2: Experience health research in Oxford
The second day was spent at the Big Data Institute (BDI) in Oxford, where the use of AI in healthcare took centre stage. From clinical machine learning to epidemiology and image analysis, a wide range of research approaches were presented. Renate Ernst was impressed: ‘AI is used here to solve real-world problems - that's what makes the work so practical and relevant.’
The highlights presented included:
- Prof. David Clifton's research in the field of clinical machine learning.
- Applications of AI in medical imaging and epidemiology.
AI Grid members also presented their projects:
- Nadine Schlicker: Vertrauenswürdigkeit von KI im medizinischen Kontext.
- Friedrich Philipp Carrle: Harmonisation of EEG data for the diagnosis of depression.
- Thomas Jochmann: Physics-informed deep learning for new contrasts in MRI imaging.
Creating connections and broadening perspectives
The tour offered professional insights, the opportunity to talk to leading experts and to strengthen international collaborations. Dr Jack Thoms, board member of AI Grid, emphasised: ‘The UK's cutting-edge research shows how valuable international partnerships are for the further development of AI.’ Prof Grigoris Antoniou, AI Grid Ambassador in the UK, added: ‘The UK has played a key role in shaping the development of AI from the very beginning.’
