30 million euros: Largest research funding in Europe for Cottbus start-up
Agentur für Innovation in der Cybersicherheit GmbH (Cyberagentur) signed a 30 million euro contract with Cottbus-based start-up Zander Laboratories GmbH on 15 December 2023. The company is to develop neurotechnological prototypes in four years, thereby revolutionising the interaction between humans and machines as well as artificial intelligence. High-risk brain surgery to control machines will no longer be necessary.
The management and project management of Cyberagentur’s new research contract with the contractor Zander Laboratories GmbH (Zander Labs) met today (15 December 2023) at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) to sign a contract worth around 30 million euros. The Cottbus-based start-up was able to prevail over four other providers in the competition to participate with the most innovative idea for research in neurotechnology in the context of human-machine interaction. The contract is the largest single research project funding in the European Union awarded by Cyberagentur.
On 7 October 2022, the Agentur für Innovation in der Cybersicherheit GmbH (Cyberagentur) published its call for proposals for ‘Secure neural human-machine interaction’ (https://www.cyberagentur.de/cyberagentur-startet-zweites-millionen-forschungsprojekt/). Aim of the call for tenders was to develop the use of human-machine interactions in a way that is beneficial and safe for the citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany in terms of cyber security at an early stage.
Start-up convinces with groundbreaking idea
Zander Labs is proposing the innovative project ‘Neuroadaptivity for Autonomous Systems’ (NAFAS), which aims to revolutionise the interaction between humans and machines. Even though technology has made enormous strides, machines still have limited abilities to understand, learn from and respond to human emotions, mental states and cognitive decision-making. This limitation results in cumbersome communication between humans and technology and limits the potential of human-computer interaction. The NAFAS project aims to change this paradigm. The project works with a so-called passive brain-computer interface (pBCI). This means that, in contrast to conventional approaches in neurotechnology, the user does not have to actively imagine certain things, but simply performs the desired action, as one is accustomed to doing in everyday life.
The researchers then try to determine, on the basis of the brain signals, which mental states the person used to achieve their goal. The aim is to identify categories that can be transferred to artificial systems and enable machines to interpret human mental reactions in a given context. The goal is to explore a new generation of machines that can adapt in real time to the cognitive and affective states of the user in order to personalise the user experience and improve the effectiveness of autonomous systems without the need for manual input.
Prof. Dr. Thorsten Zander, managing director of Zander Labs and Lichtenberg Professor of Neuroadaptive Human-Technology Interaction at BTU, and his team are looking forward to the start of the NAFAS project on behalf of the Cyberagentur. ‘Our aim is to redesign the interaction between humans and technology: we are striving for systems that can intuitively adapt to the individual user based on brain activity, and AI applications that learn directly from the human brain.’
‘The project convinced us with its conceptual strength and innovative approach,’ said Dr. Andreas Schönau, deputy project manager and research consultant in the Human-Machine Interaction unit of the Safe Society department at Cyberagentur. ’The implicit approach is unique and has the potential to set new scientific standards in neuroscience.’
The researchers at Zander Labs will be developing neurotechnological prototypes over the next four years. These should be able to read information from a brain so that a person can exchange information with an external system via their thoughts and thus guide it to complete a task or learn new skills.
If this is successful, humans and machines can carry out actions, pursue goals and exchange information together via pBCI. At the end of the project, four demonstrators will be created that contextualise the principle presented and transfer it to specific applications in internal and external security.
Human-machine interaction without invasive interventions
‘The revolution will be that we enable machines to capture and interpret brain data in real time, giving them insight into the user’s current, individual perception and interpretation. This enables us to transfer the user’s knowledge, values and aims to the machine, allowing intuitive interaction,’ says Prof. Dr. Zander, summarising his concept. ‘This approach in the field of brain-computer interfaces (BCI) clearly shows the differences in approach between the USA and Europe. While the USA favours invasive methods and focuses mainly on medical applications, we rely on non-invasive technologies and aim to serve users without restrictions. This will revolutionise human-machine interaction.’ Zander Labs places the highest value on security and privacy when processing brain data and when passing it on to the machine. This is achieved because the systems become compatible with humans and thus the artificial intelligence is in alignment with that of humans. Despite the significantly higher level of funding in the USA, this groundbreaking research approach is therefore being reconsidered and further developed in Germany and Europe. In this area, Europe is at the forefront of research.
As the leading force behind this project, Zander Laboratories GmbH is combining its own expertise with the specialised knowledge of the subcontracted institutions. These include the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology (IDMT), TNO in the Netherlands, Brain Products GmbH in Munich, Eaglescience Software B.V. in Haarlem, and academic institutions at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, the University of Vienna and the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg.
Science fiction ‘Made in Cottbus’: Great importance for the science centre
Prof. Dr. Christian Hummert, Scientific Director of Cyberagentur, opened the event by reading the welcoming message from Dr. Manja Schüle, Brandenburg’s Minister for Science, Research and Culture: ‘No, this is not a new film project by Steven Spielberg or Ridley Scott – this is science fiction ‘Made in Cottbus’: Prof. Thorsten Zander from the BTU wants to develop neurotechnological prototypes with his start-up Zander Laboratories GmbH and thus revolutionise the interaction between humans and machines as well as artificial intelligence. It’s a highly exciting project. And it’s sensational that the Cyberagentur is providing 30 million euros for this disruptive and innovative approach. This is another great boost for science and research in Lusatia. And who knows: maybe we’ll see Thorsten Zander’s prototypes in a Hollywood blockbuster in the future.’
Prof. Dr. Hummert added: ‘Like in these visionary science fiction films by the two film greats, working at Zander Laboratories GmbH is like a cinematic odyssey that blurs the boundaries between man and machine. We are facing a challenge that is reminiscent of the complex plots of these directing legends: risky, but groundbreaking. With NAFAS, we could move to the forefront of technology. This research can be a leap forward for Germany’s digital sovereignty and also a possible catalyst for cultural resonance that goes far beyond the boundaries of science.’
Prof Dr Michael Hübner, Vice President for Research and Transfer at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, said: “We congratulate Professor Zander and his highly innovative start-up on being awarded the contract for this project. The technology that he and his team are researching can be used in many areas. These areas fit very well with the profile lines of BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg. In particular, the profile lines ‘Artificial Intelligence and Sensor Technology’ and ‘Health and Life Sciences’ offer the best points of contact. I am looking forward to the research results and the collaboration with his start-up.”
Tobias Schick, Lord Mayor of Cottbus, sent his regards through Dr Markus Niggemann, Deputy Mayor and Head of the Financial Management, Economic Development & Social Affairs Division: ‘The commissioning of Zander Labs will strengthen the city’s scientific excellence and influence the development of innovative technologies. This major scientific contract awarded to a Cottbus-based company will help to drive the transfer of our urban society into a future-oriented region. The city administration will therefore continue to promote cooperation between the local authority, scientific institutions and business in order to develop Cottbus, with its university and research facilities such as Zander Labs, into a centre of scientific progress in the Lausitz region.’
Further information:
https://www.cyberagentur.de/cyberagentur-startet-zweites-millionen-forschungsprojekt/
https://www.cyberagentur.de/bci
Scientific publication Brain-Computer-Interfaces:
Kapitonova, M., Kellmeyer, P., Ball T.: A Framework for Preserving Privacy an Cybersecurity in Brain-Computer Interfaces Applications. NeuroMentum AI GmbH on behalf of Agentur für Innovation in der Cybersicherheit GmbH. (2022). https://www.cyberagentur.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220705-OFFEN-BCI-Framework-Abstract.pdf
Zander, T. O., & Kothe, C. (2011). Towards passive brain–computer interfaces: applying brain–computer interface technology to human–machine systems in general. Journal of neural engineering, 8(2), 025005.
Zander, T. O., Krol, L. R., Birbaumer, N. P., & Gramann, K. (2016). Neuroadaptive technology enables implicit cursor control based on medial prefrontal cortex activity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(52), 14898-14903.