The Max Planck Institute for Informatics in Saarbrücken, Germany and Google have announced a strategic research partnership to start the «Saarbrücken Research Center for Visual Computing, Interaction and Artificial Intelligence (VIA)» at the Max Planck Institute for Informatics. During the opening event, representatives from politics, science and industry are gathering in the Günter-Hotz lecture hall at Saarland University to learn more about the mission and research of the new Center
The «Saarbrücken Research Center for Visual Computing, Interaction and Artificial Intelligence (VIA)» conducts basic research in frontier areas of computer graphics, computer vision, and human machine interaction, at the intersection of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Google and the MPI for Informatics will realize joint research projects. The Center will work closely together with Saarland University and the numerous internationally renowned computer science research institutions on the Saarland Informatics Campus. The site is among the worldwide leading research locations in the fields of computer graphics, computer vision, human-machine interaction and artificial intelligence.
Professor Christian Theobalt, Managing Director of the Max Planck Institute for Informatics and Head of the «Saarbrücken Research Center for Visual Computing, Interaction and Artificial Intelligence», says: «We are very excited about this close cooperation with Google. There is great potential in this collaboration between one of the leading scientific institutes in computer science and one of the world’s largest industrial research departments. We see outstanding opportunities to gain pioneering scientific insights and to positively shape many areas of computer science that are already having a significant impact on people’s lives today.»
Dr. Shahram Izadi, Senior Director and Head of AR at Google, says: «Today is a great day for Google and our partners at the MPI for Informatics. The ‘Saarbrücken Research Center for Visual Computing, Interaction and Artificial Intelligence’ will pave the way for new algorithms that, on the one hand, empower profoundly advanced functional capabilities in the name-giving areas and, at the same time, enable better accountability for the underlying algorithms in the form of enhanced explainability, robustness and trustworthiness.»
Saarland’s Minister-President, Anke Rehlinger, says: «1,000 scientists and over 2,000 students from 81 nations make our federal state a future-oriented and competitive computer science hub with appeal far beyond its borders. The Max Planck Institute for Informatics is one of the supporting pillars of our internationally recognized research location, a beacon in the exploration of algorithms, machine learning and computer graphics. With this strong performance, the MPI has brought to Saarland an innovative leader like Google, who will give new impetus to our research and science location. The economy of Saarland also benefits from such partnerships between top-level research and top companies, for example, through start-ups or technology transfer with new added value and forward-looking jobs. This will help us to master the huge challenges posed by structural change.»
Above, Prof. Dr. Christian Theobalt, head of the VIA Center, together with Shahram Izadi, Senior Director and Head of AR at Google. Photo: Manuela Meyer
