Programme Summary

Background

In the preliminary phase the scope, participants, contents and the basic structure of the programme were planned, and a report was compiled on the potential for application of neural networks in Finland. From September 1994 to February 1995, several feasibility studies were carried out to improve focus on the most relevant applications and methods. A central objective of the preliminary phase of the programme was to raise the level of awareness of the relevant methods and applications, corresponding to the practical needs of the companies. Adaptive and intelligent systems were a novel technology which most enterprises had little experience of.

The full-scale technology programme was launched in March 1995, and at the outset there were 87 companies and 14 research organizations participating. From the beginning, probabilistic methods and evolutionary computation were also included in the programme, together with neural computing and fuzzy logic. At first the programme was scheduled to last from 1994 to 1998 and the planned total budget was FIM 100 million (EUR 17 million). A two-year extension of the programme from 1998 to 1999 was found to be necessary. The total budget is now over FIM 187 million (EUR 31 million) and the number of participating companies exceeds 160.

Programme goals

Implementations: new products or production methods (key result 1):
The goal of the technology programme was to develop industrial applications that improve production processes and act as part of existing products or as new products. Implementation was to take place in cooperation with research institutes and companies. New methods were to be developed during the programme and applied in research and development projects.

Expertise of the companies and research institutes (key result 2):
Development of expertise was to lead to new industrial applications during and immediately after the programme. A technology transfer network was to be created during the programme.

Results of the research projects (key result 3):
The research results were to be scientifically of a top international standard. The developed expertise was to be transferred efficiently into applications.

The results of the programme were evaluated twice, in the middle of the first three-year phase in 1997 and then at the end of the second two-year phase in 2000.

Programme structure

The technology programme consisted of research projects, company consortia projects, product development projects and clinic projects. The different types of projects were linked, as can be seen from the organisational chart. The adaptive and intelligent methods that were applied in the projects were neural networks, fuzzy logic, probabilistic methods and evolutionary computing.

The research projects were oriented more towards method development than application or product development. They were closely linked to industry, and were partially financed by commercial enterprises. The participating companies may utilize the results directly in production or, for example, a resultant pilot system could be further developed in a launched product development project.

The enterprise projects, which were coordinated by companies, were either of a pre-competive consortia type with several companies participating and sharing the results, or product development projects of individual companies, in which the results were not public. Most of these have also had a small amount of university or research institute participation, to provide the theoretical expertise and to connect these projects to the research-oriented ones.

The Clinic of Adaptive and Intelligent Systems was started a year after the launch of the actual technology programme. The clinic helps SME companies who are planning to apply adaptive and intelligent systems and use outside services in the work. The clinic projects were comparable to the product development ones, but they were more like preliminary studies, the budgets of which were under FIM 100 000 (EUR 17 000). After the clinic project, the application could have been utilized directly in production, or the project could possibly have joined the actual technology programme as a product development project.

Figure 1. Programme organisation.

Budgets and funding

Figure 2. Total annual budgets and the funding shares of Tekes and participating companies.

Results achieved

Key results

The quality of the research groups was generally of an international standard and partly on the top international level, as concluded from the evaluations. The research results have been utilised by the participating companies in products, production and in launched product development projects. Altogether, 93 thesis, including 12 doctoral thesis, have been completed by persons who were involved in the research projects. The research results have been published in over 400 articles and papers in international journals and conference proceedings.

The technology programme has created a remarkable technology transfer network in Finland. Due to the variety of projects, numerous cooperation relationships have been formed between companies and research groups. The most important Finnish adaptive and intelligent methods research teams participated in the programme together with major companies and several SMEs in the field. Research and application projects were presented, best practices and experiences identified and contacts made at several programme seminars, where international top experts also presented their views and trends in the field. The average number of participants in the annual seminars of the technology programme was 200.

Within the programme, seminars were also organised, where Finnish companies could demonstrate their software tools to foreign companies and vice versa. A USA Export project was set up to pave the way for SMEs into international markets. Ten companies participated in the project. Several research groups have established good research contacts with groups in the same field abroad during their projects. Some teams also simultaneously participated in other programmes and projects which were financed by European Community.

Several reports disseminating methods, application experiences and tools of adaptive and intelligent systems have been written during the programme. For example, each method used in the programme had its own large report in which the background, application procedure, best practices and case studies of the method were presented. Due to excess demand, reports on fuzzy logic and neural networks were moved to WWW-pages.

Characteristic figures

Figure 3. The number of research and product development projects launched annually.

The average budget of a research project was FIM 0,6 million (EUR 100 000) and for a product development project FIM 1,1 million (EUR 185 000). The average length of the latter was 20 months, while the length of the research projects varied between 10 and 14 months depending on the funding period. The average number of participants (universities, institutes, companies) was 4,2 in the research projects and 2,6 in the product development projects.

Application fields

• Communications
• Pulp and paper industry
• Electrical and electronics industry
• Metal and mining industry
• Energy production
• Chemical industry
• Financial applications
• Medical applications
• Food industry
• Traffic and transportation
• Entertainment industry

Programme participants

Helsinki, Lappeenranta and Tampere Universities of Technology, the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT), the Universities of Helsinki, Joensuu, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Oulu, Turku and Vaasa and Åbo Akademi University.

In all, 23 research groups have worked in these organisations during the programme.

Altogether, 85 companies or corporate units participated in the research projects of the programme:

ABB Drives, ABB Industry (Machines, Pulp and Paper), ABB Corporate Research, Ahlström Pumps, BayesIT, BEA Systems, Bestsense, Cultor, Datex-Engström, Delisoft, Diter-Elektroniikka, Enso, Efore, Enermet, Environics, FF-Automation, Fincitec, Finnelpro, Fortum Engineering, Fundia Wire, Greenwin, ICL Data, Imatra Steel, Imatran Voima, Imix, Infominer (Infomarket), Jaakko Pöyry Consulting, KCL Development, Kaski Tech Oy, Kauko Condition Monitoring, Kemira Safety, Kesko, Kibron, Kone, Kone Elevators, Kymmene Logistics, Leiras, Leonia Bank, Lohja Rudus, Metso (Valmet Automation Kajaani, Valmet Paper Machinery), Metsäteho, Mylab, N-Nets, Nokia Access Systems, Nokia Cellular Systems, Nokia Mobile Phones, Nokia Research Center, Nokia Telecommunications, Omni Weight Control, Outokumpu Polarit, Patria Finavitec Systems, Planar Systems, Plustech, Polar Electro, Rautaruukki Raahe Steel, Rautaruukki Research Center, Rautaruukki Strip Products, Ramse Consulting, Roal, Salcomp, Sandvik Tamrock, Sanoma, Soil and Water, Sonera (Telecom Finland), Synchron Tech, Systecon, Taipale Engineering, Tamrock, Tekla, Terapixel, Teollisuuden Voima, TietoEnator, Trema, UPM-Kymmene (Jämsänkoski, Kaukas, Wisaforest), Vaisala, Valio, Visipoint, Wallac, Wärtsilä NSD and YIT Service.

A few local consortia, governmental and medical organisations were also involved in the research projects:

Kouvola Region Federation of Muncipals, Kuopio Centre of Expertise, Merikoski Institute of Health Research and Rehabilitation, Savon Liitto, the Ministry of the Environment and Turku University Central Hospital.

The following 110 companies and corporate units participated in the company consortia projects or the product development projects of the technology programme:

ABB Industry (Automation, Pulp and Paper), A. Ahlstrom, Abhay Bulsari, Ahlström Maschinery, Applied Technical Engineering, Autojen Kylmälaite, Allmation, Bayes Information Technology, BEA Systems, Client Server Technologies, CoMoTest, Control CAD, Control Express Finland, Control Software, Corintec, Cultor (Finnsugar), Delisoft, Dialogos-Team, Elektroniikkatoimisto Elmorex, EMEC, Endomines, Enocell, Enso-Gutzeit, Enso Publication Papers, Euroquest, Exens Development, Finn-Power Lillbacka, Finntech Finnish Technology, Finx, Fortum Power and Heat (Imatran Voima), Fundia Wire, General Electric, Gurusoft, HALT Ohjelmointi, Hich Speed Tech, Honeywell, Hybrid Holding – HH, Idisoft, IMA Engineering, Imamic, Imatra Steel, Independence Technologies, Infominer (Infomarket), Jaakko Pöyry Consulting, Kaarlenkaski, Kaukas, Kauko Condition Monitoring, Kemira Chemicals, Konsul, Kultaraati, Laminating Papers, Lappeenrannan Energia, Larox, Lohja Rudus, Metso (Valmet Automation, Valmet Paper Machinery), Metsä-Serla (Kyro Board Mill, Metsä Botnia, Metsä Rauma), Mintax, Muotoilutoimisto P. Haiko, Muoviura, Neles Jamesbury, Neural Data Systems, Nextrom, Nisula ja Seppälä, Nokia Maillefer, Nokia Mobile Phones, Nokia Research Center, Nokia Telecommunications, Nonlinear Solutions, OKO, Omni Weight Control, Outokumpu Polarit, Partek Betonila, Partek Concrete Engineering, Pii-Robotics, Plustech, Proautomatica, Prosessitutkimus H. Peltonen, Prosys, Puhos Board, Rautaruukki Engineering, Rautaruukki Strip Products, Sampo, SCL-Logisticon, Sigmateam, Simulantti, Soil and Water, Sunila, Syncron Tech, Taipale Engineering, Tamlink, Tamrock Drills, Tekla, Telecom Finland, Tietolinja, Tietosavo, Tietomassa, Trema, ViSolutions, Tutkimus- ja analysointikeskus, UPM-Kymmene (Wisaforest), UPM-Kymmene Consulting (Kymmene Logistics), Vaasa Control, Visy, Xena, Xortec and Yves-Rocher.

Other organisations involved in the product development projects were:

ETLA, Finnish Customs, The Savonlinna Wastewater Treatment Plant, The Finnish Association for the Disabled and Suomen teräksen- ja metallintuottajien yhdistys.

The total number of participating companies and corporate units was 164.

jukka.iivarinen@hut.fi
http://www.cis.hut.fi/neuronet/Tekes/Summary.shtml
Tuesday, 28-Nov-2000 15:10:50 EET