“AI for Earth” from Microsoft: Four of the five initiatives supported in Spain are Basque

Microsoft has just announced the five Artificial Intelligence-based initiatives it’s chosen in Spain to be supported by its worldwide program, AI for Earth.  Its goal is to put AI in the hands of experts to push the development of solutions to improve the environment and ecosystems, and to save the planet.

Five projects have received the grants to get AI in the service of the environment to solve the current challenges the planet faces.  These grants include training, technical assistance, expert support from Microsoft, and $15,000 to use the Microsoft Azure cloud platform.

What struck us is that of the five projects chosen, four are Basque:

• MarIA, a platform to study the behavior of floating wind turbines, whose goal is to optimize their design in order to maximize the production of clean energy, key to combating climate change.  The project is led by Jesús María Blanco, professor in the Energy Engineering Department at the University of the Basque Country; Gregorio Iglesias, professor of Marine Wind Energy at University College Cork in Ireland; and Lander Galera, Doctoral student of Physical Engineering at the University of the Basque Country.  Their research activity is within the framework of the JRL-ORE (Joint Research Lab – Offshore Renewable Energy), made up of the University of the Basque Country, Tecnalia, and the BCAM (Basque Center for Applied Mathematics).
• Predicoa is a project to create a predictive model based on Artificial Intelligence, which makes the most of the power of the Microsoft Azure cloud.  The AI application to adjust nitrogenous fertilizing presents a great opportunity to develop sustainable agricultural systems.  The pilot phase of the project will take place in the Basque Country, and will last until next summer.  The project’s participants include the Neiker: Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, the Hazi Fundazioa Geographic Information Systems; Garlan, S.Coop; Dronak; and Argi Ventures, S.L.
• AIonForest is seeking to face a complex problem: the interaction between human action and the harm caused by plagues and diseases.  Thanks to technology, they will be able to access a great volume of information, such as meteorology, satellite imagery, digital terrain models, forest maps, and with Microsoft’s AI, they will be able to extract results and conclusions that allow for the preservation of the pine plantations in the Basque Country.  The project is led by Alejandro Cantero, Mountain Engineer at the Hazi Fundazioa; Amaia Ortiz, Production and Vegetation Protection Director atNeiker; Fabia Silva, Co-founder of Dronak; Jorge Paz, Reseracher at Tecnalia; José Luis Lavín, Reseracher at the Applied Mathematics Dept. at Neiker; Máximo Calvo, Co-founder of Karten Space; and Xabier Garitano, GIS Systems Manager at Hazi Fundazioa.
• Green Cyber Rating, in which companies such as Ibermática, Ikerlan, Tecnalia, BCAM (Basque Center for Applied Mathematics), and EUROCYBCAR actively participate, has raised the interest of SPRI (Basque Agency for Business Development) in its results.  The project aspires to develop a new standard and universal way to measurement method, working on Artificial Intelligence techniques applied to cybersecurity.
• Microsoft – 16/2/2021 – USA

Ya son cinco los proyectos españoles de Inteligencia Artificial premiados por Microsoft para la mejora de la sostenibilidad y el medioambiente

Microsoft ha hecho posible la viabilidad de cinco proyectos españoles donde la Inteligencia Artificial se pone al servicio del medioambiente para resolver los actuales retos del planeta. Microsoft ha estado organizando desde el año pasado encuentros con distintos profesionales y grupos de trabajo multidisciplinares de nuestro país, en los que se presentaron innovadoras propuestas para la mejora del medioambiente, usando Inteligencia Artificial. Microsoft ha contado con la ayuda de Gobierno Vasco para la organización de algunos de estos eventos.

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Last Updated on Feb 17, 2021 by About Basque Country