Project Description

TRAIL strategically focuses on a novel, highly interdisciplinary and cross-sectorial research and training programme for a better understanding of transparency in deep learning, artificial intelligence and robotics systems. In order to train a new generation of Doctoral Candidates to become experts in the design and implementation of transparent, interpretable neural systems and robots, we have built a highly interdisciplinary consortium, containing expert partners with long-standing expertise in cutting-edge artificial intelligence and robotics, including deep neural networks, computer science, mathematics, social robotics, human-robot interaction and psychology. In order to build transparent robotic systems, these new ESR researchers need to learn about the theory and practice of the principles of (1) internal decision understanding and (2) external transparent behaviour. Since the ability to interpret complex robotic systems needs highly interdisciplinary knowledge, we will start, on the decision level, to interpret deep neural learning and analyse what knowledge can be efficiently extracted. At the same time, on the behaviour level, the disciplines of human-robot interaction and psychology will be key in order to understanding how to present the extracted knowledge as behaviour in an intuitive and natural way to a human user to integrate the robot into a cooperative human-robot interaction.

A scaffolded training curriculum will guarantee that the ESRs have not only a deep understanding of both research areas, but experience optimal skill training to be fully prepared for a successful research career in academia and industry. The importance and need of this research for the industry is clearly visible with the full commitment of 7 leading European and world-wide-operating robotics companies that together cover the majority of Europe’s robot market and a broad spectrum of AI applications.

Consortium:
- Universitaet Hamburg, Germany (Coordinator)
- Università Degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Italy
- Institut de Robòtica i Informàtica Industrial, CSIC, Spain
- Univerzita Komensheko V Bratislave, Slovakia
- Università Degli Studi di Padova, Italy
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique CNRS, France
- PAL Robotics SL, Spain
- Zal Zentrum für Angewandte Luftfahrtforschung GMBH, Germany
- Seed Cognitiva - Robotics Innovation Lda, Portugal
- Honda Research Institute Europe GmbH, Germany
- United Robotics Group GmbH, Germany
- Institute National des Sciences Appliquées de Toulouse, France
- IT+Robotics SRL, Italy
- Softbank Robotics Europe, France
- The University of Manchester, UK

This project is funded by the European Union
Updated information HTTP://trail-project.info