Keynotes


WŁODZISŁAW DUCH

University Centre of Excellence Dynamics, Mathematical Analysis and Artificial Intelligence
Włodzisław Duch

Human enhancement and the future of BCI

Opening Keynote

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence has great impact on every aspect of technology, including neurotechnologies used for human augmentation. In recent years progress in methods of brain activity measurement, analysis of neuroimaging and electrophysiological data, and understanding of brain processes, opens new areas for transdisciplinary applications. Identifying patterns of EEG/MEG, ECoG or fMRI signals that serve as "fingerprints" of high subnetwork activity allows for many applications: linking brain activity with thoughts, intentions, emotions and other mental states, objective diagnostic methods in neuropsychiatry, reliable brain-computer interfaces (BCI), optimization of brain processes through neurofeedback, therapeutic interventions using neuromodulation, neurorehabilitation based on direct brain stimulation combined with behavioral procedures. Some commercial applications for treating epilepsy, major depression and other mental problems are already on the market. Interesting progress in understanding abstract cognition as exploring abstract spaces has been made, analogous to exploration of physical space as encoded in hippocampus.
Although I will focus on technical aspects of brain fingerprinting it is worth to reflect on how neurocognitive technologies will enable human-computer interaction, and in an unprecedented way will change the very nature of people, their social interactions and coupling with physical environment. more/less


Biography

Wlodzislaw Duch is the head of the Neurocognitive Laboratory in the Center of Modern Interdisciplinary Technologies, and the Neuroinformatics and Artificial Intelligence group in the University Centre of Excellence Dynamics, Mathematical Analysis and Artificial Intelligence. For many years he has been running the Department of Informatics, both at Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland. Currently his laboratory is hosting Polish node of the International Neuroinformatics Coordination Facility (INCF). In 2014-15 he has served as a deputy minister for science and higher education in Poland, and in 2011-14 as the Vice-President for Research and ICT Infrastructure at his University. Before that he has worked as the Nanyang Visiting Professor (2010-12) in the School of Computer Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore where he also worked as a visiting professor in 2003-07. MSc (1977) in theoretical physics, Ph.D. in quantum chemistry (1980), postdoc at Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles (1980-82), D.Sc. in applied math (1987); worked at the University of Florida; Max-Planck-Institute, Munich, Germany, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Meiji and Rikkyo University in Japan, and several other institutions. He is/was on the editorial board of IEEE TNN, CPC, NIP-LR, Journal of Mind and Behavior, and 14 other journals; was co-founder & scientific editor of the “Polish Cognitive Science” journal; for two terms has served as the President of the European Neural Networks Society executive committee (2006-2008-2011), is an active member of IEEE CIS Technical committee; International Neural Network Society Board of Governors elected him to their most prestigious College of Fellows, and elected member of the Complex Systems Committee of the Polish Academy of Arts and Letters. Expert of the European Union science programs (FP4 to Horizon 2020), member of the high-level expert group of European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT). He has published about 360 peer-reviewed scientific papers, has written or co-authored 5 books and co-edited 21 books, and published over 150 conference abstracts and 125 popular articles on diverse subjects. His DuchSoft company has made GhostMiner datamining software package for many years marketed by Fujitsu.

Wlodek Duch is well known for development of computational intelligence (CI) methods that facilitate understanding of data, general CI theory based on similarity evaluation and composition of transformations, meta-learning schemes that automatically discover the best model for a given data. He is working on development of neurocognitive informatics, focusing on algorithms inspired by cognitive functions, information flow in the brain, learning and neuroplasticity, understanding of attention, integrating genetic, molecular, neural and behavioral levels to understand attention deficit disorders in autism and other diseases, infant learning and toys that facilitate mental development, creativity, intuition, insight and mental imagery, geometrical theories that allow for visualization of mental events in relation to the underlying neurodynamics. He has also written several papers in the philosophy of mind, and was one of the founders of cognitive sciences in Poland.

With a wide background in many branches of science and understanding of different cultures he bridges many scientific communities. To find a lot of information about his activity including his full CV and Academic Genealogy type "Wlodek Duch" in Google.

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KAISA VÄÄNÄNEN

Tampere University
Kaisa Väänänen

Human-Centered AI for sustainability: Case Social Robots

Abstract

AI applications are entering all areas of society. While research and development in AI technologies have taken major leaps, AI’s sustainability perspectives are not extensively integrated in the development of AI applications. The first part of this talk addresses the founding questions of Human-Centered AI (HCAI) and proposes approaches that can be used to ensure that the sustainability needs are in the centre of AI development. Then, in the second part of the talk, examples from the context of studies of social robots are presented to highlight the HCAI concepts in practice. Finally, an outline for interdisciplinary sustainable AI design methodology is proposed. more/less


Biography

Kaisa Väänänen is a full professor of Human-Computer Interaction in Tampere University, Finland. Kaisa leads the research group of Human-Centered Technology (IHTE) in the unit of Computing Sciences. Kaisa has over 25 years of experience in research related to HCI and user experience both in university and industry, including leadership of numerous interdisciplinary research programmes. In 1995-2004, she worked at Nokia Inc. Kaisa is currently focusing on Human-Centered AI and sustainable development supported by digital solutions. She is very active in the international research community, and frequently takes part in organising conferences such as ACM MobileHCI and NordiCHI. Kaisa is the general co-chair of CHI 2023 conference taking place in Hamburg, Germany.

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Program