Maastricht University, or UM for short, was established back in 1976, making it the newest kid on the block when it comes to universities in the Netherlands. Despite being the youngest, it has quickly grown and developed a powerful international presence. What sets UM apart is its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which can be described as having a small-scale, student-focused approach. In 2013, this rising star broke into the top 100 of the Times Higher Education’s (THE) World University Rankings for the 2013/14 academic year. As part of the Mathisis Project, DKE will be working together with Swarmlab, which is the robotics lab of the department. Swarmlab’s main focus is on machine learning and bio-inspired methods in single and multi-agent systems, as well as robotic applications.
UM’s participation in various projects and collaborations is channeled through its Department of Knowledge Engineering, also known as SwarmLab. The Department of Knowledge Engineering (DKE) has consistently ranked high in the competitive Keuzegids and Elsevier ratings for the past few years. DKE is committed to maintaining strong national and international collaborations in both research and teaching.
DKE and Swarmlab have a solid background in designing and implementing artificial intelligence systems and transferring AI knowledge. They are also experienced in learning and coordination among autonomous systems, such as software or robots. Their expertise includes machine learning, (joint) planning, (evolutionary) game theory, communication languages, and automated negotiation for these systems. Another area where the group excels is in human-machine interfaces. DKE has teamed up with a variety of companies to work on machine learning, autonomous systems, and robotics, including big names like Willow Garage (US), Teramark Technologies (Germany), Robomotive (NL), and Robowatch (Germany). Over the years, DKE and Swarmlab have been involved in numerous national and international research projects funded by organizations such as NWO, STW, and the EU.
