Knowledge Engineering and Machine Learning Group
Encyclopedia
The Knowledge Engineering and Machine Learning group (KEMLg) is a research group belonging to the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) - BarcelonaTech. The group has been active in the Artificial Intelligence
field since 1988.
The main goal of this research group is the analysis, design, implementation and application of several Artificial Intelligence techniques, to support the operation or behaviour analysis of real-world complex systems or domains. Research is focused on the analysis, design, management or supervision of these domains, such as in the health and medical field, in environmental processes and systems, and in the industrial and enterprise sector.
Specific research efforts are undertaken in analysis and development of intelligent agents, understanding of coalition setting dynamics, social structure dynamics analysis, formal model construction for norms and conventions for e-commerce, information flow process design, temporal episode-based reasoning, experience-based argumentation techniques, hybrid methods in Statistics and Artificial Intelligence, belief or Bayesian networks, case-based reasoning, knowledge-based systems, supervised and unsupervised machine learning techniques, knowledge model identification and knowledge model building, knowledge representation, ontologies, social networks, semantic Web, Web services, and directory service study.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
field since 1988.
The main goal of this research group is the analysis, design, implementation and application of several Artificial Intelligence techniques, to support the operation or behaviour analysis of real-world complex systems or domains. Research is focused on the analysis, design, management or supervision of these domains, such as in the health and medical field, in environmental processes and systems, and in the industrial and enterprise sector.
Specific research efforts are undertaken in analysis and development of intelligent agents, understanding of coalition setting dynamics, social structure dynamics analysis, formal model construction for norms and conventions for e-commerce, information flow process design, temporal episode-based reasoning, experience-based argumentation techniques, hybrid methods in Statistics and Artificial Intelligence, belief or Bayesian networks, case-based reasoning, knowledge-based systems, supervised and unsupervised machine learning techniques, knowledge model identification and knowledge model building, knowledge representation, ontologies, social networks, semantic Web, Web services, and directory service study.
Research lines
Their main research lines include:- Knowledge representationKnowledge representationKnowledge representation is an area of artificial intelligence research aimed at representing knowledge in symbols to facilitate inferencing from those knowledge elements, creating new elements of knowledge...
, ontologies, the semantic WebSemantic WebThe Semantic Web is a collaborative movement led by the World Wide Web Consortium that promotes common formats for data on the World Wide Web. By encouraging the inclusion of semantic content in web pages, the Semantic Web aims at converting the current web of unstructured documents into a "web of...
and Web serviceWeb serviceA Web service is a method of communication between two electronic devices over the web.The W3C defines a "Web service" as "a software system designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network". It has an interface described in a machine-processable format...
s; - Software agentSoftware agentIn computer science, a software agent is a piece of software that acts for a user or other program in a relationship of agency, which derives from the Latin agere : an agreement to act on one's behalf...
s, electronic institutions and Multi-agent systemMulti-agent systemA multi-agent system is a system composed of multiple interacting intelligent agents. Multi-agent systems can be used to solve problems that are difficult or impossible for an individual agent or a monolithic system to solve...
s; - Intelligent decision support systems;
- Machine LearningMachine learningMachine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence, is a scientific discipline concerned with the design and development of algorithms that allow computers to evolve behaviors based on empirical data, such as from sensor data or databases...
/Knowledge DiscoveryKnowledge discoveryKnowledge discovery is a concept of the field of computer science that describes the process of automatically searching large volumes of data for patterns that can be considered knowledge about the data . It is often described as deriving knowledge from the input data...
and Data MiningData miningData mining , a relatively young and interdisciplinary field of computer science is the process of discovering new patterns from large data sets involving methods at the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning, statistics and database systems...
; - Bayesian networkBayesian networkA Bayesian network, Bayes network, belief network or directed acyclic graphical model is a probabilistic graphical model that represents a set of random variables and their conditional dependencies via a directed acyclic graph . For example, a Bayesian network could represent the probabilistic...
s; - Case-based reasoningCase-based reasoningCase-based reasoning , broadly construed, is the process of solving new problems based on the solutions of similar past problems. An auto mechanic who fixes an engine by recalling another car that exhibited similar symptoms is using case-based reasoning...
; - Knowledge-based systemsKnowledge-based systemsKnowledge based systems are artificial intelligent tools working in a narrow domain to provide intelligent decisions with justification. Knowledge is acquired and represented using various knowledge representation techniques rules, frames and scripts...
; - Knowledge acquisitionKnowledge acquisitionKnowledge acquisition is a method of learning, first proposed by Aristotle in his seminal work "Organon". Aristotle proposed that the mind at birth is a blank slate, or tabula rasa...
and Knowledge discoveryKnowledge discoveryKnowledge discovery is a concept of the field of computer science that describes the process of automatically searching large volumes of data for patterns that can be considered knowledge about the data . It is often described as deriving knowledge from the input data...
from structural analysis; - SimulationComputer simulationA computer simulation, a computer model, or a computational model is a computer program, or network of computers, that attempts to simulate an abstract model of a particular system...
and analytical models.
Current projects
These are the projects the group is currently devoting some effort to:- Alive - Coordination, Organisation and Model Driven Approaches for Dynamic, Flexible, Robust Software and Services Engineering (FP7 215890)
- Gesconda - Intelligent Data Analisys System for Knowledge Management in Environmental Databases (TIC2000-1011)
- Laboranova - Collaboration Environment for Strategic Innovation (IST-5-035262-IP)
- MODSIMTex - Development of a rapid configuration system for textile production machinery based on the physical behaviour simulation of precision textile structures (CP-FP 214181-2)
- TexWIN - Textile Work Intelligence by closed-loop of product and process quality in the Textile Industry (CP-FP 246193-2)
Past projects
These are the projects in which the group has been involved in the past:- SHARE-it - Supported Human Autonomy for Recovery and Enhancement of cognitive and motor abilities using information technologies (FP6-045088)
- Contract - Contract based e-Business System Engineering for robust, verifiable Cross-Organisational Business Applications (FP6-034418)
- Virtual European Parliament - Engaging young EU citizens in the decision making process by using mobile and web 2.0 based technology (EP-07-01-039)
- Engage - Engaging ICT cooperation between Europe and the Asia-Pacific region (IST-015915)
- Provenance - Enabling and Supporting Provenance in Grids for Complex Problems (IST-511085)
- ASPIC - Argument Service Platform With Integrated Components (IST-002307)
- @LIS TechNET - Advanced Technology Demonstration Network for Education and Cultural Applications in Europe and Latin America
- EU-LAT - Binding EU-Latin American IST Research initiatives for enhancing future co-operation (IST-2001-32792)
- Agentcities.RTD - Testbed for Worldwide Agent Network: Research and Development (IST-2000-28385)
- Agentcities.NET - Testebed for a Worldwide Agent Network
- A-TEAM - Advanced Training System for Emergency Management
- VIM - A Virtual Multicomputer for Symbolic Applications (ERBCHRXCT930401)
Network memberships
These are the networks of excellence and thematic networks the group belongs to:- Data Mining and Machine Learning Spanish Network (TIC2002-11124-E)
- KDNET - Knowledge Discovery Network of Excellence (IST-2001-33086)
- Fluvial Basin Integral Management. Thematic network (2003/XT/00045)
- Monitoring and Modelling as a Support Tools for the Improvement of Water Quality in Catalonia. Thematic network (1999/XT/0037, 2001/XT/00030, 2003/XT/0069)
- MLNET, MLNET2 - Machine Learning Network of Excellence (ESPRIT 29288)
- AgentLink, AgentLink II, AgentLink III - Network of Excellence for Agent-Based Computing (IST-1999-29003)
- Artificial Intelligence in Catalonia. Thematic network (1996/XT/0031)
Accreditations
- Consolidated Research Group - AGAUR (2009SGR 1365). Generalitat of CataloniaGeneralitat de CatalunyaThe Generalitat of Catalonia is the institution under which the autonomous community of Catalonia is politically organised. It consists of the Parliament, the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Government of Catalonia....
. From October 2009 to October 2012. - Consolidated Research Group - AGAUR (2005SGR 0001). Generalitat of CataloniaGeneralitat de CatalunyaThe Generalitat of Catalonia is the institution under which the autonomous community of Catalonia is politically organised. It consists of the Parliament, the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Government of Catalonia....
. From May 2005 to May 2008.