-Introduction- 1

GECAD Mission and Vision Mission: The “Grupo de Investigação em Engenharia do Conhecimento e

Apoio à Decisão” - GECAD (Knowledge Engineering and Decision

Support Group) is a research unit settled in the Institute of Engineering -

Polytechnic of Porto having as mission the promotion and development

of scientific research in the Knowledge and Decision Sciences domains,

having Information Technologies as support.

Vision: GECAD envisages accomplishing its mission by the structuring,

organization and development of pos-graduation works, R&D projects,

dissemination, debate, and diffusion of knowledge. These activities will

have national and international impact, with special emphasis to the

scientific community, enterprises, organizations, and persons involved in

the real world practices.

-Introduction- 2

GECAD Strategic Objectives

Strategic Objectives:

SO1) to obtain scientific recognition;

SO2) to make effective the research unit organization and structure;

SO3) to improve the critical mass of the unit, namely with the PhD degree;

SO4) to be involved in more R&D national and international projects and

programs;

SO5) to establish connections with enterprises, organizations and persons

involved in real world practices;

SO6) to increase the international activity developed by the research unit;

SO7) to improve the work conditions of the unit researchers;

SO8) to disseminate, promote the debate and make the diffusion of the unit

activities;

SO9) to involve students in research activities;

SO10) to organize relevant scientific events;

SO11) to create a culture of continuous evaluation of the research unit, its

organization and structure, and their members;

SO12) to contribute for the definition of the R&D policy of ISEP/IPP and the

overall High Education and Research policy.

-Introduction- 3

List of GECAD Researchers

PhD Researchers

Alexandra Maria Soares Ferreira Galhano

Ana Maria Dias Madureira Pereira

Ana Maria Neves de Almeida Baptista Figueiredo

António Carvalho de Andrade

António Pinto de Sousa e Silva

Armando Silva Vieira

Carlos Fernando da Silva Ramos

Cecília Maria do Rio Fernandes Moreira Reis

Fernando Augusto Cruz e Silva Mouta

Fernando Baltazar Moreira Duarte

Hussein Mustapha Khodr

Isabel Cecília Correia da Silva Praca Gomes Pereira

Isabel Maria de Sousa de Jesus

Isabel Maria Marques Alves Ferreira

João Manuel Pereira Barroso

João Manuel Simões da Rocha

João Paulo Fonseca da Costa Moura

João Paulo Jorge Pereira

José António dos Reis Tavares

José António Tenreiro Machado

José Avelino Silva Marinho

José Ricardo Teixeira Puga

Leonel Caseiro Morgado

Lino Manuel Baptista Figueiredo

Luiz Felipe Rocha de Faria

Manuel Fernando dos Santos Silva

Maria de Fátima Coutinho Rodrigues

Maria João Monteiro Ferreira Viamonte

Maria Judite Madureira da Silva Ferreira

Nuno Alexandre Pinto da Silva

-Introduction- 4

Nuno Filipe da Fonseca Bastos Gomes

Nuno Filipe Teixeira Malheiro

Nuno Miguel Fonseca Ferreira

Paulo Nogueira Martins

Ramiro de Sousa Barbosa

Rui Cândido Ribeiro Soares

Zita Maria Almeida do Vale

Antonio Manuel Cardoso da Costa (collaborator)

José Carlos Lourenço Quadrado (collaborator)

Paulo Alexandre Gandra Sousa (collaborator)

Viriato António Pereira Marinho Marques (collaborator)

Non-PhD researchers

António Augusto Araújo Gomes (PhD Student)

António Constantino Lopes Martins (PhD Student)

António Jorge dos Santos Pereira (PhD Student, PhD soon)

António Paulo Gomes dos Santos

Carlos Filipe Araújo de Freitas (PhD Student)

Diego Roberto Morais (PhD Student)

Dorabela Regina Chiote Ferreira Gamboa (PhD Student, PhD soon)

Fernando Jorge Ferreira Duarte (PhD Student, PhD soon)

Filipe Miguel Tavares de Azevedo (PhD Student, PhD soon)

Gustavo Soares Santos (PhD Student)

Hélio Artur Mendes Martins

Hugo Gabriel Valente Morais (PhD Student)

Ivo André Soares Pereira

João Manuel Maia Duarte

Joaquim Filipe Peixoto dos Santos

José Marílio Oliveira Cardoso (PhD Student)

Ludimila Luiza de Lima Gabriel

Luís André Andrade da Silva Oliveira

Luís Filipe Caeiro Castanheira (PhD Student)

-Introduction- 5

Marco Aurélio Rios da Silva

Maria da Graça Marcos (PhD Student)

Maria Goreti Carvalho Marreiros (PhD Student, PhD soon)

Maria Manuela Jorge Martins Ferreira (PhD Student)

Miguel Francisco Martins de Lima (PhD Student)

Nuno Bettencourt (PhD Student)

Nuno Jorge Pereira Saleiro (PhD Student)

Nuno Miguel dos Santos Branco (PhD Student)

Paulo Alexandre Fagueiro Oliveira Maio (PhD Student)

Paulo Jorge Machado Oliveira (PhD Student, PhD soon)

Ricardo Jorge da Silva Santos (PhD Student)

Rui Miguel Bento de Carvalho e Silva

Sérgio Filipe Carvalho Ramos (PhD Student)

Teresa Alexandra Ferreira Mourão Pinto Nogueira (PhD Student, PhD soon)

Vera Paiva da Silva (PhD Student)

-Introduction- 6

-Introduction- 7

GECAD Projects

• Situation till December 31st, 2002

• Situation in the period [2003-2007]

-Introduction- 8

List of GECAD Projects [2003-2007]

AgentLink-II - ESPRIT-27225 - Network of Excellence on Agent-Based Computing

[2001-2003] – EC

AgentLink-III - IST-26113 - Network of Excellence on Agent-Based Computing

[2004-2005] - EC

Agents&Markets - POSI/56260 - Agent based Market Simulation [2005-2008] -

FCT

APRICOT – POCTI/47191 - Incident Analysis and Power Restoration with Intelligent

Cooperative Operators Training [2004-2007] - FCT

ArgEmotionAgents - POSI/EIA/56259/2004 - Argumentative Agents with Emotional

Behaviour Modelling for Participants’ Support in Group Decision-Making Meetings

[2005-2008] - FCT

AutoDynAgents - PTDC/EME-GIN/66848/2006 - Autonomic Agents with Self-

Managing Capabilities for Dynamic Scheduling Support in a Cooperative

Manufacturing System [2007-2010]– FCT

COALESCE - PTDC/EIA/74417/2006 - Collaboration-based Information and

Recommendation Retrieval Systems [2007-2010] – FCT

COPSRO - PTDC/EIA/69988/2006 - Computational Approach to Ontology Profiling

of Scientific Research Organisations [2007-2010] – FCT

DAMICE – POCTI/39744 - Power Systems Consumer Profiles and Contracting

Strategies supported by Data Mining [2002-2005] – FCT

E-BECE - POSI/663/2.2/C/NOR - Web-based Business and Educational Center for

Energy – Portuguese Government

-Introduction- 9

EDGAR - POSC/61307 - Exploiting Ontology Engineering Process Information for

Semi-Automatic Knowledge Interoperability [2005-2008] – FCT

EMUSSL - POSC/61924 - Ensemble Methods for Unsupervised and Semi-Supervised

Learning [2005-2008] – FCT

FENDIN – POCTI/59807- Future Energy Distribution Networks [2005-2008] - FCT Fractional SC - Integration of Green Functions as Fractional Order Derivatives in

Non-linear Systems’ Control Based on a Novel Branch of Soft Computing [2004-

2007] – ICCTI, OMFB

FutUEN - Future Urban Energy Networks - The way forward [2005-2006] - ICCTI

GOMEC - PRAXIS/P/EEI/12238/1998 - Optimized Management in the Competitive

Electricity Market [1999-2003] - FCT

IDDA – POCTI/34451 - Intelligent Distributed System for Power Distribution

Automation [2000-2003] - FCT

IFRA - PTDC/70168 - Improving Financial Risk Analysis with advanced Data-Mining

tools [2007-2010] – FCT

IMAGE - POCTI-32352 - Integrated Tools for Computer Supported Manufacturing

Systems project [2000-2003] - FCT

ISEPMain - POCTI/41950 - Intelligent Scheduling of Power Distribution Networks

Maintenance Activities [2002-2005] – FCT

MASDScheGATS - POCTI/EME/61229/2004 - Multi-Agent System for Distributed

Manufacturing Scheduling with Genetic Algoritms and Tabu Search [2005-2008]–

FCT

ONTOMAPPER - POSI/41818- Ontology Automatic Mapping [2002-2005] – FCT

-Introduction- 10

PFA FlyMaster - Personal Flight Assistant project [2006-2007] - AdI

PLANET-II - IST-29656 - Network of Excellence on Artificial Intelligence Planning

[2001-2003] – EC

PRODI - Management of Future Distribution Networks with Distributed Generation

[2005-2006] - ICCTI

PSiS - PTDC/TRA/72152/2006 - Personalized Sightseeing Planning System [2007-

2010] - FCT

RiMaCEM – PTDC/69102 - Risk Management in Competitive Electricity Markets [2007-2010] – FCT

SANSKI - POCTI/41830- Semi-automatic Negotiation Services for Knowledge

Interoperability [2002-2005] – FCTI

SCALINTEL - POCTI/EME/37525/2001 - Decision Support System for Scheduling with

Scalable Intelligence [2002-2005] - FCT

SmartVision - PTDC/EIA/73633/2006 - Active vision for the blind [2007-2010]

TINSEL - POSI/61843 – Intelligent Tutors for Electrical Installation Design [2005-2008] – FCT

TOURSPLAN - PTDC/EIA/74310/2006 - TOURS PLANning Support system [2007-

2010] - FCT

ViP-DiGEM - PTDC/ 72889 - VIrtual power Producers and DIstributed Generation trading in Energy Markets [2007-2010] – FCT

-Introduction- 11

GECAD Finished Projects [..-2002] AgentLink - ESPRIT/27225 - Network of Excellence on Agent-Based Computing

[1999-2000] – EC

DIAARE - Developments in Applied Artificial Intelligence in Electrical Networks

[1996] – IPP

GIS/SISAS - Insurance Integrated management – Information System for supporting

Insurance Activity [1997-1998] – PEDIP

ECOAR - Knowledge Extraction from Data Warehouses [1997] – IPP

ICRS - Intelligent Control of Robotic Systems [1997-2000] – ICCTI

OABMCC - FAPESP 1996/12198-2 - Development of Artificial Limbs and Biosensors

[1998-2001] – FAPESP

PLANET - ESPRIT/28439 - Network of Excellence on Artificial Intelligence Planning

[1999-2000] – EC

SAADESI - PRAXIS/P/EEI/10143/1998 - Advanced Decision Support System for the

Evolution of Industrial Systems [1999-2001] – FCT

SAD/3PE - PBIC/C/TPR/2551/95 - Decision Support System for Production Planning

considering Due Dates [1996-1998] – FCT

SAPPIOP - PBIC/C/TPR/2556/95 - Process Planning Decision Support for Production

Optimization [1996-1998] – FCT

SATOREN - Intelligent System for supporting and training Electrical Networks

Control Centers involving Verification and Validation and Learning [1998-2002] -

AdI

SFF - FLAD/443/93 - Flexible Manufacturing Systems [1993-1997] - FLAD

-Introduction- 12

SIPOSTO - EU-DISS-ICOP-2140 - Intelligent Computation and Simulation in

Planning and Operation of Power Systems Taking into Account Energy Storages

[1997-1998] - EU

SOCRATES - PRAXIS/CEG/2586/1995 - Intelligent and Optimized System for the

Operators and Experts support in Electrical Networks Control Centres [1998-2001] -

FCT

WG-IMS - ESPRIT/21955 - Working Group on Intelligent Manufacturing Systems

[1997-2000] – EU

-Introduction- 13

GECAD Connections in Portugal

Enterprises:

•Portuguese Electricity Network (REN)

•Electricity of Portugal (EDP)

•BRISA (highways)

•Bank of Portugal

•I2S (insurance information systems)

•EFACEC (automation, inf. systems)

•Enabler (retail information systems)

•EDIGMA (interaction and multimedia)

•HARKER SUMNER (renewable energy)

•Energaia (Energy Agency)

•Inova (information systems)

•Novabase (information systems)

•Quatro (information systems)

•Imediata Sistemas Informática S.A. (information systems)

•Visteon Technologies (automobile ind.)

Academy:

•University of Minho

•University of Porto

•University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD)

•School of Tech. and Mng. ff Felgueiras (ESTGF)

•University of Coimbra

•Institute of Eng. Coimbra (ISEC)

•Institute of Eng. Coimbra (ISEC)

•Superior Tech. Institute (IST)

•Telecommunications Institute (IT)

•Centre of Artificial Intelligence (CENTRIA) – New Univ. Lisbon (UNL)

•University of Lisbon

•Economy and Mng. Superior Inst. (ISEG)

•University of Algarve

•Politechnic of Viseu

•University of Beira Interior (UBI)

•University of Évora

-Introduction- 14

GECAD Connections in Europe

Academy:

•University of Ulm

•University of Baden-Baden

•Fraunhofer FIT/St. Augustin

•Fraunhofer IGD/Darmstadt

•University of Magdeburg

•FZI

•AIFB

•Imperial College

•University of Ulster

•University of Cambridge

•University of Liverpool

•University of Southampton

•Queen Mary College

•City University

•University of Strathclyde

•University of Bath

•Swansea University

•Cankaya University

•Vienna University

•ISMMA

•University of Bordeaux

•University of Poitiers

•University Paris - Dauphine

•University Paul Sebatier

•INPGrenoble

•Polytechnic University of Catalunya

•University of Extremadura

•AIRI

•University of Amsterdam

•Budapest Technical University

•University of L’Aquila

Enterprises:

•France Telecom

•British Telecom

•Telecom Italia

•Vodafone Group R&D

•Siemens AG

•LPA (logic programming)

•ILOG (optimization)

•COSYTEC (constraints)

•Thomson

•Tryllian (agents)

•DYNAdata (power systems)

-Introduction- 15

GECAD Connections outside Europe

Academy:

•University of Mississipi •University of Stanford •Carnegie-Mellon University •University of Illinois •Southern University of Illinois •Utah University •New York University •University of Tokyo •University of Montreal •University of Santa Catarina •University of Campina Grande •University of Rio de Janeiro •Hohai University •KOSEF

Enterprises:

•Applied Reactivity Inc. •Exsys Inc. •CACI, San Diego •CHESF (power systems – Brazil) •Petrobras

-Introduction- 16

-Introduction- 17

Some journals where we published papers [2003-2007] ordered by impact factor

• IEEE Intelligent Systems Magazine (impact factor 3.725)

• Physical Review E (i.f 2.202)

• IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems (i.f. 1.434)

• Nuclear Instruments and Methods B (i.f. 1.181)

• IEEE Transaction on Power Systems (i.f. 0.951)

• European Journal of Operational Research (i.f. 0.918)

• Journal of Nonlinear Dynamics, Springer (i.f. 0.902)

• Computers and Operations Research (i.f. 0.893)

• IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics (i.f. 0.885)

• Applied Soft Computing Journal, Elsevier (i.f. 0.849)

• Journal of Signal Processing, Elsevier (i.f. 0.669)

• IEE Proceedings - Vision, Image, and Signal Processing (i.f. 0.655)

• Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, Kluwer (i.f. 0.595)

• Neurocomputing (i.f. 0.592)

• Robotica (i.f. 0.492)

• Production Planning & Control, Taylor & Francis (i.f. 0.408)

• Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer (i.f. 0.402)

• Informatica (i.f. 0.221)

• International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics (i.f. 0.105)

• International Journal of Engineering Intelligent Systems (i.f. 0.094)

-Introduction- 18

Special Issues of Scientific Journals where our researchers were guest editors Signal Processing, Elsevier, Special Issue “Fractional Signal Processing and Applications”, vol. 83, Issue 11, Nov. 2003, Guest Editors: Manuel D. Ortigueira, J. A. Tenreiro Machado Advanced Robotics, VSP, Special Issue “Selected Papers from ICAR03”, No. 18, Vol. 8, 2004, Guest Editors: Urbano Nunes, J. A. Tenreiro Machado Nonlinear Dynamics, Kluwer, Special Issue “Fractional Derivatives and Their Applications”, vol. 38, n. 1-4, pp. 1-489, Dec. 2004, ISBN 0924-090X. Guest Editors: Om Prakash Agrawal, J. A. Tenreiro Machado Jocelyn Sabatier Transactions on Information Science and Applications, WSEAS, Special Issue on Evolutionary Computing, Editor: Ana Madureira, Issue 5, Volume 2, ISBN: 1790-0832, 2005 Transactions on Systems, WSEAS, Special Issue on Neural Networks and Fuzzy Systems, Editor: Ana Madureira, Issue 4, Volume 4, ISBN:1109-2777, 2005 International Journal of Engineering Intelligent Systems; CRL Publishing; Special Issue on Knowledge Engineering, vol. 13, nº 4 (2005); Guest Editors: Zita Vale and Carlos Ramos (GECAD) Signal Processing, Elsevier, Special Issue “Fractional Calculus Applications in Signals and Systems”, vol. 86, Issue 10, Oct. 2006, Guest Editors: Manuel D. Ortigueira, J. A. Tenreiro Machado Journal of Vibration and Control, Sage Pub, Special Issue “Modeling and Control of Artificial Locomotion Systems”, vol. 12, n. 12, Dec. 2006, Guest Editors: J. A. Tenreiro Machado, Manuel Silva Journal of Vibration and Control, Sage Pub, Special Issue “Mathematical Methods in Engineering”, Vol. 13, No. 9-10, Sept. 2007, Guest Editors: K. Tas, J. Tenreiro Machado, D. Baleanu Nonlinear Dynamics, Springer, Special Issue “Modeling and Control of Intelligent Transportation Systems”, 2007, Guest Editors: J. A. Tenreiro Machado, Lino Figueiredo, vol. 49, No. 4, Sept. 2007, ISSN 0924-090X

-Introduction- 19

Journal of Vibration and Control, Sage Pub, Special Issue "Fractional Differentiation and its Applications", Journal of Vibration and Control, Sage Publishing, 2007, Guest Editors: J. A. Tenreiro Machado, Ramiro Barbosa Journal of Advanced Computational Intelligence and Intelligent Informatics, Fuji Technology Press, Special issue on “Computational Intelligence”, 2007, Guest Editors: Béla Ptkái, J. A. Tenreiro Machado, Imre J. Rudas ASME Journal of Computational and Nonlinear Dynamics, Special Issue “Discontinuous and Fractional Dynamical Systems”, 2007-2008, Guest Editors: J. A. Tenreiro Machado, Albert Luo Journal Européen des Systèmes Automatisés (RS-JESA), numéro spécial “Systèmes à dérivées non entières et leurs applications en modélisation, identification et commande”, 2007-2008, Guest Editors: J. Sabatier, P. Melchior, J. Tenreiro Machado, B. Vinagre International Journal of Engineering Intelligent Systems; CRL Publishing; Special Issue on Decision Support (to appear in 2007); Guest Editors: Zita Vale and Carlos Ramos (GECAD) Physica Scripta, Topical Issue: Fractional Differentiation and its Applications, Editors: Dumitru Baleanu, J. A. Tenreiro Machado, George Zaslavsky, 2008 Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation, Elsevier, Special issue: Recent Advances in Fractional Calculus, Editors: Dumitru Baleanu, J. A. Tenreiro Machado, George Zaslavsky, 2008 IEEE Intelligent Systems magazine, Special Issue on Ambient Intelligence, Editors: Carlos Ramos (GECAD), Juan Augusto (Univ. Ulster, UK), and Daniel Shapiro (Univ. Stanford); to appear in Mar./Apr. 2008

-Introduction- 20

Prizes for GECAD Researchers [2003-2007] ANIMEE Innovation and Creativity Prize, to Nuno Gomes for his work related with FLYMASTER project that originated the first GECAD spin-off, FlyMaster Avionics SA. The innovative products, FlyMaster NAV+ and F1, assist free-flight on-board pilot (e.g. gliding, hangliding, paragliding), with access to GPS and sensorial information. ANIMEE is the Portuguese Association for Electric and Electronics Industry. Ordem dos Engenheiros Prize, to Rui Soares for his work in the coordinated movements of robotic teams to transport objects. Ordem dos Engenheiros is the Portuguese Engineering Professional Association. REN Prize, to Judite Ferreira for her work in the Transmission Tariffs in Electricity Markets. REN is the Portuguese Electricity Network company. IPP Prize, to Luís André Andrade Oliveira, Hugo Morais, Ricardo Santos, and Gustavo Santos for their outstanding BSc works.

-Introduction- 21

Organizational Structure of GECAD

-Introduction- 22

Responsibility positions in GECAD

Director

Carlos Ramos

Administrative Council

Carlos Ramos, Fátima Rodrigues, José Tenreiro Machado, Zita Vale

Scientific Council

All PhD researchers of the unit

Consultive Council

Isabel Cruz (University of Illinois at Chicago, USA)

Marija Ilic (Carnegie Mellon University, USA)

Luís Moniz Pereira (New University of Lisbon, Portugal)

Imre Rudas (Banki Donat Polytechnic, Budapest, Hungary)

Ambient Intelligence & Decision Support group

Carlos Ramos

Computational Intelligence group

José Tenreiro Machado

Intelligent Energy Systems group

Zita Vale

Knowledge & Learning Technologies group

Fátima Rodrigues

-Introduction- 23

Other responsibility positions of GECAD researchers Direction of Schools

• João Rocha is the Director of ISEP (Institute of Engineering –

Polytechnic of Porto)

• José Carlos Quadrado is the Director of ISEL (Institute of

Engineering – Polytechnic of Lisbon)

Scientific Council

• Viriato Marques is President of the Scientific Council of ISEC

(Institute of Engineering – Polytechnic of Coimbra)

Direction of Departments

• Ana Almeida is president of the Department of Informatics in

ISEP

• José Tenreiro Machado is president of the Department of

Electrical Engineering in ISEP

Direction of MSc Programs

• Zita Vale is the director of the MSc Program on Electrical

Engineering – Power Systems in ISEP

• José Tenreiro Machado is the director of the MSc Program on

Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering in ISEP

• Fátima Rodrigues is the director of the MSc Program on

Informatics Engineering in ISEP

• Carlos Ramos is the director of the MSc Program on Industrial

Informatics Engineering in the School of Technology and

Management (ESTGF)

-Introduction- 24

Direction of BSc Programs

• Nuno Gomes is the director of the BSc Program on Electrical

Engineering – Power Systems in ISEP

• Alexandra Galhano is the director of the BSc Program on

Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering in ISEP

• António Costa is the director of the BSc Program on Informatics

Engineering in ISEP

• Rui Soares is the director of the BSc Program on Informatics

Engineering in the School of Technology and Management

(ESTGF)

Portuguese IEEE Computational Intelligence Chapter

• José Carlos Quadrado is the President

• Ana Madureira is Vice-President

• Viriato Marques is Vice-President

Portuguese Association for Artificial Intelligence

• Fátima Rodrigues is member of the Direction

Ordem dos Engenheiros (Portuguese Engineering Professional

Association)

• Zita Vale is member of the Electrical Engineering Council - North

Region

-Introduction- 25

Divulgation of Activities

AI-50 Exhibition, in Parada Leitão Museum (May-December,2006) to

celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Artificial Intelligence

RTP-1 documentary about the visits of students to the Exhibition - 13/06/2006

3 page news in one of the most important journals 09/07/2006

3 page paper about the Exhibition in the IEEE Intelligent Systems de July/August-200 6 issue, the main scientific magazine of AI

Associati on for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence placed the “AI- 50 Years” in

AI-Topics (history), a special web site of AAAI for students, professors, and journalists

-Introduction- 26

Organization of ICKEDS’2004 (Porto) and ICKEDS’2006 (Lisbon) –

International Conference on Knowledge Engineering and Decision

Support

Organization of FDA’2006 (Porto) - IFAC Workshop on Fractional

Differentiation and its Applications

Organization of AmITA’2006 (Braga) - Workshop on Ambient

Intelligence Technologies and Applications

Involvement in the organization of many other conferences

Visits of students to GECAD Labs, in the aims of Ciência Viva (Science

Alive) initiative

1 or 2 week stays of students in GECAD

Seminars (Semantic Web, Information Retrieval, Computational

Intelligence,…)

-Introduction- 27

COGNOMA Associated Laboratory Proposal

In Portuguese Science and Technology systems Associated Laboratories

represent the possibility to join high level research units for a focused

research activity in a certain area. GECAD and CENTRIA (Centre of

Artificial Intelligence of the New University of Lisbon) have joined

efforts for the proposal of creation of the Portuguese Associated

Laboratory dedicated to Artificial Intelligence, COGNOMA (Cognition

in Man and Machine). The proposal was made in July 2006, the year of

the 50th AI Anniversary.

The Associate Laboratory COGNOMA, with a broad scope in the global

area of “Cognition in Humans and Machines”, has as its main mission to

cooperate in a continuous, capable and efficient manner, in pursuing

specific objectives of the national scientific and technological policy,

namely in the areas of

• Ambient Intelligence and Embedded Systems

• Bio-Informatics

• Management of Critical Resources (including Energy and

Transports)

• Computational Processing of Natural Language

• Knowledge Based, Cognitive and Learning Systems

• Intelligent Planning and Systems

• Semantic Web

intertwining the competence and know-how accumulated in the

COGNOMA centres, stimulating the integration of research, scientific

education as well as the transfer of knowledge and technology to non

academic sectors, and contributing to the associated small and medium

companies.

-Introduction- 28

COGNOMA will be the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Laboratory of

reference in Portugal, ensuring its presence in the frontier of the most

advanced software applications. The Laboratory brings together the

largest AI university centre and the best polytechnic research centre, as

well as selected researchers from other institutions. It applies knowledge,

skills and experiences recognised world wide in the basic AI technologies,

reflecting in its original DNA, areas of critical application of intelligent

software for the next decade, from biotechnology to energy, among

many others.

The present COGNOMA proposal is well in line with the strategic goals,

both National and European, for Research and Development. The

main objective aimed at in the 7th Framework Programme of the

European Union is the fulfilment of the Lisbon strategy, i.e. to transform

the European Union in the most competitive Knowledge Based

Economy in the world. Such ambitious goal is not achievable without a

clear involvement of the Knowledge Technologies, that are at the core

of the COGNOMA contributions towards the national and European

development.

Moreover, the European Union assumes that the Information and

Communication Technologies are a priority area, assigning to them, for

the 2007 – 2013, the largest budget among the ten or so priority areas

selected at a European level. In the ICT area, 6 Technological Pillars

were defined: Nanotechnologies; Ubiquitous Communication Networks;

Embedded Systems; Software, Grids, security and dependability;

Knowledge, Cognitive and Learning Systems; Simulation, Visualization,

Interaction and Mixed Realities.

Notice that COGNOMA will centre its attention on this grand pillar of

Knowledge, Cognitive and Learning Systems, including the

Computational Processing of Written Portuguese. Additionally,

-Introduction- 29

COGNOMA will develop important activity within other related pillars,

such as the thematic areas of Ambient Intelligence (and respective

Embedded Systems), Bio-Informatics, Management of Critical Resources,

Intelligent Planning Systems (and their control), and the Semantic Web.

It should be stressed that these thematic areas will not only contribute

towards the priority area of Information and Communication

Technologies, but also towards other areas rated as strategic by the EU,

such as Energy, Transports and Security.

The text concerning the Knowledge and Cognitive and Learning

Systems, authored by the European Union (Dossier 2005/0185 - CNS)

predicts the development of methods and techniques to acquire, create

and interpret, represent and personalise, navigate and retrieve, share

and deliver knowledge, recognizing the semantic relationships, in

content for use by both humans and machines. It also predicts the

development of artificial systems that perceive, interpret and evaluate

information, and that can cooperate, act autonomously and learn.

These texts also refer the need for the development of theories and

experiences that move beyond mere incremental advances, benefiting

from insights into natural cognition, in particular in the areas of learning

and memory, also for the purpose of advancing systems for human

learning.

COGNOMA is aware of the environments for which the European Union

assigns top priorities, namely Personal Ambiences; Domestic Ambiences;

Robotic Systems; and Intelligent Infrastructures.

-Introduction- 30

-Introduction- 31

GECAD Groups (Research Lines)

Ambient Intelligence & Decision Support (AI&DS)

Computational Intelligence (CI)

Intelligent Energy Systems (IES)

Knolwledge & Learning Technologies (K&LT)

-Introduction- 32