13. April 2021
Consortium Project »Artificial Intelligence – Understand – Apply – Benefit 2021/22«
Towards an Intelligent and Sustainable Future – The Technology & Innovation Summit
INC Spin Off provides COVID19 Quick tests for Application by Medical Laymans
Together with our partners, we are launching the third edition of the Consortium project AI – Understand – Apply – Benefit this year.
The use of AI-based solutions and consistent digitization for industry 4.0 are just two of the trend topics that are relevant this year, and not just in our opinion.
Secure your seats for the INC Technology & Innovation Summit on June 23 and 24, 2021.
Learn in this article, why the INC Invention Center is involved in the testing, and how you can order appropriate quantities of the different tests for your company.
In the first project phase, which will take place by the late summer of this year, we answer fundamental questions such as „What is AI and what isn’t?“ or „How can I use it?“ in Basic Training Courses. Even during Phase 1, we examine possible implementations of AI in the participating companies based on concrete questions and application examples to determine the individual maturity of selected applications in AI readiness assessments. As we have learned in the recent past, many AI application projects fail in the implementation phase because they are too complex or the „wrong“ ones were selected in advance. To avoid this pitfall, the individual derivation of existing capabilities and challenges in the implementation of AI applications already takes place in this early stage.
During the second project phase, our technology experts structure the participants‘ previously identified challenges and evaluate application-specific technologies, including technical solution concepts and potential solution providers, in extensive scouting sessions. By the end of the year, participants thus receive initial individual recommendations for action for the identified use cases.
The most promising use cases will be selected from those identified at the start of the project and implemented as AI prototypes during the third project phase. Furthermore, in close dialog with the project partners, it will be determined which other applications are to be implemented and corresponding, individual roadmaps will be developed. In order to sustainably anchor AI in the company, the participants undergo an intensive training program in this phase with which they consolidate their own competencies for further implementations.
With the summit, the INC Invention Center bundles its experience and expertise from the different areas of its community and enables participants to gain cross-industry insights into topics that have either already found their way into our lives in part, or will significantly influence technological developments on the industrial side in the coming years at the latest.
The Technology and Innovation Management stream of our summit is designed to enable participants to successfully implement TIM approaches in their companies. Using practice-oriented keynote presentations based on successful application examples from our top-level speakers from industry and research, you will receive useful advice for successful technology and innovation management, ranging from corporate culture and mindset to organizational processes and your own innovation paths.
Artificial Intelligence has long been part of our everyday lives in the form of computer-based assistance systems such as Alexa or Siri. In industry, too, numerous AI-based applications are already being used along the entire value chain, from product development to quality control or logistics and aftersales. In the „Artificial Intelligence“ stream, experienced AI experts and users will demonstrate the various benefits and potentials of AI in the enterprise using successful application examples. „What advantages does Edge AI hardware offer companies, for example in terms of data sovereignity and response time or „How do I teach an AI ethical behavior?“ are just two exemplary questions that our speakers will highlight. Benefit from the experience, expertise and strategic considerations of the speakers and get a direct exchange among each other.
The Technology & Innovation Summit is also the project conclusion of the current consortium project „Artificial Intelligence: Understand – Apply – Benefit“, in which almost 20 participating companies have achieved important and helpful impulses for the use of AI solutions during the past months. For interested companies that were not able to participate in this consortium, the kickoff for this year’s edition will already take place on June 25, one day after the summit. Find more detailed information here!
In the Industry 4.0 stream, experienced industry experts will present their insights from internationally successful implementation projects based on best practices. How can challenges be overcome when adapting individual pilot applications or individual machines to the entire production? Our speakers have gathered extensive experience in countless assessments and implementation projects worldwide. With the help of the presented solution approaches, the participants will be guided to successfully design the holistic end-to-end integration of I4.0 in your company as well. Conversely, we are very eager to hear about the plenary’s experiences to date in the field of I4.0. Another topic of discussion will be the more far-reaching objectives, such as optimized and integrated production planning, the use of AI in production and the perspective development of new business areas with the help of I4.0 production networks.
The Hydrogen Economy has the potential to be the nucleus for a clean and climate-friendly future in energy supply and mobility. In our „Hydrogen Economy“ stream, we would like to show you ways into a market that is being funded with several billion euros in Germany alone. Even though the technological basics are well known, there has been a lack of competitive components and systems so far. In this stream, learn more about how industrialization can succeed, for example, through standards, scaled production and the appropriate infrastructure. In a strong network of industry and research partners, the INC is working to develop and implement solutions for the existing hurdles and has carried out several consortium projects for the industrialization of fuel cell technology as well as for the development and expansion of the hydrogen economy in recent years.
In an early stage of the pandemic in 2020, the INC Invention Center took action and established the Corona.KEX.net initiative at the RWTH Aachen Campus. The primary goal was the supply of medical facilities with urgently needed articles of personal protective equipment, e.g. respiratory and surgical masks, face shields and similar protective gear. Within only a few days, a reliable and stable supply chain could be established in close cooperation with new local suppliers and proven international contacts.
At the beginning of 2021, the operational procurement business was transferred to the VIPRO GmbH, a dedicated spin-off from the INC Invention Center and KEX Knowledge Exchange AG. The Corona.KEX.net initiative itself is now developing an early-warning system, funded by the state of North Rine-Westphalia. The system uses artificial intelligence, evaluating data from the customer and the supplier side, to forecast supply bottlenecks in an early phase. Medical facilities will be enabled to secure their supply management with potential bottlenecked goods at economic reasonable conditions.
VIPRO GmbH meanwhile supplies more than 400 healthcare facilities and companies with items of personal protective equipment. In addition to masks, disposable gloves and other protective clothing, VIPRO GmbH has recently added various COVID-19 antigen tests to its product range. For registered users, tests for use by instructed personnel as well as layman’s quick tests in single and quintuple packs and are available on the VIPRO Portal
Are you also in need of tests for your company? VIPRO GmbH will be happy to assist you with procurement of quick tests. Become a user at the VIPRO Portal today
TIM Toolbox – Survey Invitation
The INC Invention Center is your reliable partner to develop World Class Innovations. Our proven approach is based on the pillars of methodologies, tools and best practices, which we consistently develop and improve together with you. To this end, we are currently developing a software solution that accompanies companies throughout the entire innovation process and supports them in their technology and innovation management by recognizing and scouting of new trends as well as pre-evaluation of new technologies.
With your expertise and experience in TIM, you can contribute to develop this tool adapted to the different needs of different users and industries. We cordially invite you to participate in a short and anonymous survey in which we would like to learn a little about technology and innovation management in your company and the software solutions you use.
INC Network Talk
April 16, 2021
1 PM – 2 PM CEST
AI Opener & AI Basis Training
April 19, 2021: 11 AM
April 20, 2021: 9 AM
Meet the INC Invention Center
April 21, 2021
9 AM – 11 AM
Many companies are increasingly focusing on working environments that promote creativity – great rooms are created and a pile of LEGO is purchased. But to what extent do these spatial worlds fulfil the sometimes high expectations?
We are looking forward to discussing this topic together with our members on April 16, 2021.
Professor Thomas Abele will give us an insight into current study results on the benefits of creative spaces in companies and talk about design options for working environments that promote creativity.
However, if your company is still at the very beginning of the exciting journey to or with AI and you do not yet have an according strategy, we will be happy to present the topic to you in our free online webinar „Upcoming & Future Trends – Artificial Intelligence“ on April 19, starting at 11 AM.
In this webinar, You will have the opportunity to learn more about a status quo of the current and will be presented with upcoming trends.
For those who have acquired a taste for it there, we will be offering a full-day AI basic training course just one day later (April 20, 2021).
Dive with us into the exciting world of artificial intelligence.
The chance of planning, designing, and implementing innovations successfully is significantly higher than the approximate probability of winning the lottery jackpot. And unlike winning the lottery, successful innovations can be driven in a systematic way and are rarely a product of luck. The secret of successful innovations lies in the combination of various success factors. We have drawn a possible path from countless industry projects for successfully implementing and establishing world-class innovations.
During our digital event we will present our methods based on successful practices.
Secure your place today – participation is free of charge.