| Description | Heavy machinery are important export goods for companies in eastern Finland. Since Finnish machinery manufacturers are global technology leaders, there is significant pressure for manufacturers to research and integrate new digital and more environmentally friendly technologies into their products. Key technologies include artificial intelligence and machine learning. Developing artificial intelligence for heavy machinery is challenging because they are often highly customized and manufactured in small batches. This means the utilization of artificial intelligence is less replicable and is more expensive (cost per unit is higher) for heavy machinery than, for example, the automotive industry.A majority of autonomous heavy machinery in traditional civil engineering and the forest industry are currently controlled by humans causing productivity to be solely dependent on the human operators’ skill and experience. Utilizing artificial intelligence to carry out simple procedures would increase productivity greatly.The main purpose of this project is to unify existing development environments into a new more complete innovation environment where research and pilot tests can be conducted on by LUT University is brought to Pohjois-Savo where it is combined with environments from previous projects, such as the simulation environment and 5G network from Savonia University of Applied Sciences, the heavy machinery infrastructure and IOT-equipped excavator from Ylä-Savo Municipal Federation of Education, and the Applied Physics laboratory from University of Eastern Finland. In addition to these research and education institutions, local companies and organizations are invited to join the innovation environment. Collaboration between the education institutions will increase the availability of artificial intelligence expertise in the Pohjois-Savo region.The newly formed innovation environment will be tested with two projects. In the first project, artificial intelligence will be trained to drive an excavator first in a simulated environment, then in a laboratory environment, and lastly in a real working environment. The second project will utilize an artificial intelligence tool to analyze the operation and use of heavy machinery and to guide the operator in better ways of operation. The tool is also used to determine if it is suitable indicator for preventive maintenance.Heavy machinery manufacturers are currently looking for ways to utilize artificial intelligence in their products. By creating this innovation environment, we make it possible to develop artificial intelligence features and lower the threshold to start the development. This will strengthen the competitive edge of local companies as is recognized in the Pohjois-Savo smart specialization strategy (S3) by investing in technology that increases productivity and digitalization and by developing automation, machine and smart technologies.The AI-MaSi project has a separate investment project prepared called “AI-MaSi invest.” This project invests in the computing power needed in artificial intelligence training and in the electrical excavator required in the last phase of the first test project where a real excavator is transformed into an autonomous machine. These projects are connected and would not succeed if implemented separately. |
| Partners | Hanke toteutetaan yhteistyössä Savonian, LUT-yliopiston, Ylä-Savon ammattiopiston sekä Itä-Suomen yliopiston teknillisen fysiikan laitoksen kanssa.
Yrityskumppaneina hankkeessa ovat Ponsse Oyj, Normet Oy, Junttan Oy, LLP Farm Machinery Group Oy, Mantsinen Group Oy, Hydroline Oy ja Mevea Oy. |
