A common goal of AMANOVA activity is a development of an information processing system capable of automatic measurement, modeling, prediction and control of complex processes or material properties that cannot be well described by analytical approach.
Particular research activities are devoted to development of statistical methods for adaptive modeling and forecasting of time series and fields generated by nonlinear and chaotic dynamic phenomena. Applications are oriented to characterization of industrial and transport processes, development and examination of advanced materials used in road networks, optimal control of manufacturing and transport processes, etc.
The research is supported by development of sensors and intelligent instrumentation for acquisition of data in testing, production and exploitation of advanced materials.
Especial attention is paid to the development of artificial neural networks (ANN) and self-organized adaptive methods by which signals from multiple sensor arrays can be mapped to process characteristics, or vice versa. In relation to optimization of ANN performance a new algorithm of self-organized learning has been developed based upon the principle of maximum preservation of information.
ANNs have already been successfully applied for characterization of unstable and non-linear phenomena in degrading materials, exploration and prediction of chaotic dynamic properties of manufacturing processes, modeling of seismic capacity of structures in civil engineering, forecasting of stochastic time series in economy and medicine, etc.
Members of AMANOVA have developed collaboration with many foreign universities and institutions. In EU COST they have participated to the actions on “Technology driven physics”, “Physics of risk” and “Winter Service Strategies for Increased European Road Safety”.
Background documents and links:
Directors of AMANOVA are:
Acad. Prof. Igor Grabec studied technical physics at the University of Ljubljana. His BSc, MSc and PhD theses were from experimental research of turbulent phenomena in plasma.
After arriving to the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana he became a professor of: Physics, Stochastic Phenomena, Chaotic dynamics, and Synergetics, as well as the head of the Chair for Synergetics. There he established a “Laboratory for technical physics” (now LASYN
http://www.fs.uni-lj.si/lasin/) where acoustic emission phenomena in stressed materials and manufacturing processes were explored.
In relation to this work he developed an information processing system capable of automatic measurement and modeling of complex physical phenomena. For this purpose he introduced a new concept of the maximal preservation of empirical information and derived corresponding algorithms. The resulting system exhibits an adaptive structure of a self-organized ANN. The system has already been successfully applied to modeling of acoustic emission phenomena and chaotic manufacturing processes. It was also used for the forecasting of chaotic time series, reconstruction of various fields and intelligent control.
Prof. Grabec has published about 300 scientifically and technically oriented articles and 18 patents. He is coauthor of the book "Synergetics of Measurements, Prediction and Control" published by Springer-Verlag. Beside this he has written three books from lectures in Slovenian language. He has extensive collaboration with universities in several countries of Europe and Cornell University in USA, where he was also an adjunct professor.
He is a member of "Academy of Science and Arts of Slovenia", "Engineering Academy of Slovenia", fellow of "International Academy for Production Engineering – CIRP" and a "Honorary Member of World Innovation Foundation".
Prof. Grabec has obtained:
"B. Kidrič Award" for Supreme Achievements in the Research of Acoustic Emission,
"National Research Foundation Award" for Research of Nonlinear Ionization waves,
"National Research Foundation Award" for Research of Acoustic Emission,
"National Research Foundation Award" for Development of an artificial eye,
"National Research Foundation Awards" for Development of AE sensors and instrumentation.
Prof. Dr. Kurt Kalcher studied chemistry at the Karl-Franzens-University, Graz, Austria and accomplished his PhD there. After a research stay at the research center in Jülich (Germany) and his habilitation on modified carbon sensors he became associate professor for analytical chemistry.
His main fields of research comprise electrochemical (voltammetric, potentiometric and amperometric) and optical (chemoluminescent) sensors as well as automation and data handling on sensor systems including hardware and software design (microprocessor programming, software under Windows).
He published around 150 scientific papers in international journals and has some 100 contributions to international symposia (
http://www.uni-graz.at/achwww/).
Dr. Franc Švegl studied chemistry at the University of Ljubljana. His BSc, MSc and PhD theses were from different topics of experimental and theoretical physical chemistry. The research work at National Institute of Chemistry in Ljubljana was focused on sol-gel chemistry and development of advanced materials.
After arriving at Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute in Ljubljana he oriented his research interests in a development of sensors for detection of chlorides and other harmful species in the capillary water of concrete. His specialties became also de-icing of roads and impact of road salt on the environment.
He is a member of COST 353 action “Winter Service Strategies for Increased European Road Safety” and coordinates the work of WG2 dealing with emerging technologies applicable in winter maintenance.
Dr Franc Švegl has published about 120 scientifically and technically oriented articles and owns 3 patents. He has extensive collaboration with universities in several countries of Europe and industrial partners in the field of cementitious materials. He is a member of the NANOCEM network (
http://www.nanocem.org/), "Slovenia Chemical Society" and “Slovenian Academic Society for Technology and Natural Science.”
Contribution in ROADIDEA:
Amanova is taking part in all technical WPs of the project. As an innovator and private business incubator Amanova provides new insight to the innovation procedures. Main technical development will be in method and model development.