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Part of MDIA’s budget has been earmarked for the creation of support measures for the further diffusion of innovative technology arrangements within the public and private sector in order to increase efficiency, transparency and citizen engagement.

Applications 2023 Now Open

MDIA AI Applied Research Grant Call 2023 – Round 1 is on:
Saturday 30th September 2023 by not later than 13:00 (CET)

Interested applicants can send their application form via email on:
schemes@mdia.gov.mt

Overall Objective of MAARG

The overall objective of the MDIA AI Applied Research Grant (MAARG) is to support capacity-building efforts related to Artificial Intelligence research in Malta.

This Grant aims to encourage:

  • Increased capacity for AI-related research in Malta;
  • Increased investment in AI-related R&D activities;
  • Increased adoption of AI technologies by the public and private sectors;
  • Increased collaboration between academia and commercial entities.

AI Strategy Implementation and Governance

The AI Applied Research Fund is in line with the AI Strategy Implementation and Governance.

In terms of rationale and scope, this Grant is aligned with several of the goals of the Malta AI Strategy including:

  • Building awareness of AI and its potential benefits for society;
  • Stimulating R&D through AI-related activities;
  • Fostering a culture of collaboration between research institutions and industry;
  • Demonstrating the potential benefits of AI applications to both the public and private sectors.

Advancing Malta’s AI Action Points

This Grant aims to advance progress related to a number of Actions within the Malta AI Strategy. The MAARG opened in January 2022 and was open for the 4 rounds (i.e., 4 quarters of the year 2022).

Within the first round (i.e., Q1 – January 2022 – March 2022):

  • 3 applications were awarded the grant; and

Within the fourth round (i.e., Q4 – October 2022 – December 2022):

  • an application was received during Q4.
Project 1: MedicX-KE: Knowledge -Graph based Explainability for Drug-Drug Interactions
Project Title MedicX-KE: Knowledge -Graph based Explainability for Drug-Drug Interactions
Application Received Q1/2022
Applicant/ Beneficiary
Public Research Institution (PRI) University of Malta (UM)
Project Owner The Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Grant Amount €25,000

Project Summary

  • In the last decades, people have been consuming and combining more drugs than before, increasing the number of Drug-Drug Interactions (DDIs).
  • In research, it has been reported that only less than 50% of ADRs are usually detected during these trials since these are usually very labour -intensive, time consuming, and expensive, whilst the remaining ADRs are identified during the post market surveillance, known as pharmacovigilance (PV).
  • For these reasons, a platform that can predict DDIs and serve as a reference point for known DDIs is essential to help healthcare professionals provide better and safer healthcare.
  • In this research project, we will be extending the work done on the medicine Interactions (MedicX), end to end framework. The objectives behind this project include
    • Investigate explainability and how such a feature can be introduced to allow users to understand how MedicX arrived at its result and
    • Designing and developing the medicX-KE (medicX augmented with Knowledge graphs and explainability) online portal and making the service easily accessible to healthcare professionals and the general public.
Project 2: Intelligent Precision Cosmology in the Era of New Physics (IntelliVerse)
Project Title Intelligent Precision Cosmology in the Era of New Physics (IntelliVerse)
Application Received Q1/2022
Applicant/ Beneficiary
Public Research Institution (PRI) University of Malta (UM)
Project Owner Institute of Space Sciences and Astronomy Profile
Grant Amount €25,000

Project Summary

  • IntelliVerse endeavours to build a novel implementation of AI in a new cosmology pipeline that analyses data from multiple terrestrial and satellite observatories while also using these emerging technology implementations to enhance cosmology simulators that make up a core component of these cosmology pipelines.
  • This will accelerate the adoption of AI technologies in our research field and make Malta one of the leading actors in the community in this research theme.
  • This project will radically improve the current way in which cosmological studies are carried out. The new IntelliVerse pipeline will provide novel applications of AI technologies in connecting terrestrial and satellite observatory data with cosmology simulators using deep learning algorithms to entirely replace traditional Bayesian methods, which will drastically reduce the computing time needed for such analyses as well as provide a more data-driven approach to the development of new fundamental physics in cosmology.
Project 3: Optimising the cultural tourism experience through AI
Project Title Optimising the cultural tourism experience through AI
Application Received Q1/2022
Applicant/ Beneficiary
Public Research Institution (PRI) Superintendence of Cultural Heritage
Other Participants Culture Venture Ltd, Culture Hint, IE Limited, Fondazzjoni Centru ghall-kreattivita
Project Owner Directorate Corporate Services, Superintendence of Cultural Heritage
Grant Amount €24,722.80
 

Project Summary

  • The project is spearheaded by Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, a government body on the forefront of research for the cultural heritage sector.
  • This project is aimed at building a solid case study on the use of AI combined with audience development techniques on the tourism sector, specifically cultural tourism. As highlighted by Malta AI strategy, tourism is one of the key verticals for AI adoption. However, the sector still lags in the adoption and use of AI.
  • Thus, this project seeks to build on cultural participation research and introduce AI as a tool to monitor and forecast visitor flow at Spazju Kreattiv and inform strategic planning to optimise the visitor experience – specifically improving the Centre’s engagement with visitors.
Project 4: Intelligent Inventory (I²)
Project TitleIntelligent Inventory (I²)
Application ReceivedQ4/2022
Applicant/ Beneficiary
Public Research Institution (PRI)Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, MCAST
Project OwnerMalta College of Arts, Science and Technology, MCAST
Grant Amount€24,998

Project Summary

  • Given recent global events such as the COVID pandemic and war in Ukraine, the industry is facing an ever-growing challenge in maintaining lead times due to delays within the supply chain. In line with the emerging industry 4.0, this project aims to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to mitigate some of these issues by predicting disruptions before they impact supply.
  • Data from external sources and data gathered from local industry can be used to make these predictions and calculate the necessary inventory / stock parameters to minimize lead times and give local industry a competitive edge in today’s market.
Project 5: Customer Attitudes and Tolerance towards AI Chatbots (CATCH)
Project CodeMAARG23-001
Project TitleCustomer Attitudes and Tolerance towards AI Chatbots (CATCH)
Application ReceivedQ4/2023
Applicant/ Beneficiary
Public Research Institution (PRI)University of Malta
Project OwnerDepartment of Marketing & Department of Technology and Entrepreneurship Education
Grant Amount€24,974

Project Summary

The objective of the CATCH project is to develop a novel method to systematically assess chatbots based on criteria reflecting customers’ attitudes, expectations, and tolerance levels. This method will enable organizations to assess the extent to which AI-powered chatbots are able to meet and exceed customers’ expectations and hedonic needs.

By making use of the method developed through this project, organizations will be able to provide a positive experience to their customers when interacting with chatbots, which in turn contributes towards brand loyalty and more importantly increase the adoption of this technology.

At the onset of this project, the research team will investigate what are the expectations and attitudes of users who interact with AI-powered chatbots within a customer service setting. The data will be gathered through questionnaires as well as empirical research where users will interact with customer service chatbots.

The results of the research emerging with the project will be disseminated to the public as well as relevant stakeholders.

Project 6: Spoken corpus infrastructure for Maltese (SCIM)
Project CodeMAARG23-002
Project TitleSpoken corpus infrastructure for Maltese (SCIM)
Application ReceivedQ4/2023
Applicant/ Beneficiary
Public Research Institution (PRI)University of Malta
Project OwnerInstitute of Linguistics and Language Technology
Grant Amount€39,897

Project Summary

This project sets out to put in place the infrastructure for a corpus of spoken Maltese, starting from data already collected to data and/or harvested and moving on to additional data that will be collected and harvested in the context of this project.

The infrastructure will consist of:

  1. an organised server space for storing recordings (audio and/or video) of data collected, together with annotations of these data in different formats (e.g. transcriptions and time-aligned annotations) and associated metadata;
  2. a data collection and storing facility for crowdsourcing naturally occurring speech;
  3. a searchable interface.

The project will not aim at quantity but at a “Core” collection which:

  1. can be extended in a principled way;
  2. will be (as) demographically balanced and representative (as possible);
  3. will include good quality audio (possibly video) recordings, and transcriptions, ideally time-aligned, with annotation at different levels.
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Project 7: Exploring Malta’s Urban Space with AI Classification of Malta’s 3D Cloud Isle (MUSAC)
Project CodeMAARG23-003
Project TitleExploring Malta’s Urban Space with AI Classification of Malta’s 3D Cloud Isle (MUSAC)
Application ReceivedQ4/2023
Applicant/ Beneficiary
Public Research Institution (PRI)University of Malta
Project OwnerDepartment of Criminology, Faculty for Social Wellbeing
Grant Amount€39,622

Project Summary

This project aims to employ machine learning techniques to comprehensively analyse 3D point cloud data and gain insights into the evolution of urban areas in Malta over time.

Machine learning algorithms will be used to analyse these models, extracting valuable information about changes in building density, height changes, block structures, roof structures, building boundaries, urban expansion, and land use patterns. Through quantitative data analysis, the project seeks to uncover trends, drivers, and potential areas of concern within the Maltese urban landscape. These findings hold significant potential for policymakers, urban planners, and researchers, providing them with data-driven insights to inform future development strategies, optimise resource allocation, and promote sustainable urban growth and analyse morphing dynamic urban changes.

Project 8: Smart Valletta: Balancing Tourism and Livability with AI
Project CodeMAARG23-005
Project TitleSmart Valletta: Balancing Tourism and Livability with AI
Application ReceivedQ4/2023
Applicant/ Beneficiary
Public Research Institution (PRI)Malta Tourism Authority
Project OwnerMalta Tourism Authority
Other ParticipantsCulture Venture, Culture Hint LTD
Grant Amount€40,000

Project Summary

The project aims to harness the power of AI to promote sustainable tourism practices and enhance the liveability of Valletta. Valletta has seen a rapid increase in tourism, impacting the well-being of its residents and straining urban heritage: in 2022 Valletta had less than 6’000 residents, while welcoming the majority of Malta’s 2’286’597 visitors (NSO Malta, 2022). By leveraging AI-driven solutions, we seek to address these challenges.

The innovative approach involves coupling AI monitoring (though IoT sensors) with in-depth analysis of the resident population and local business through focus groups and surveys . Using IoT devices, we will monitor pedestrian and vehicular flows, as well as usage of street space by restaurants and bars.

The goal is to produce a research monitoring, for the first time using hard data over a continuous period of time, the usage of the public spaces and comparing this with the locals and businesses perception and liveability. The ultimate goal is researching guidelines on how to preserve Valletta’s unique cultural heritage while ensuring its sustainable future, ensuring a precise monitoring of its public spaces.

Project 9: AIMS-Lab: The setting up of the Artificial Intelligence Media Studio Lab
Project CodeMAARG23-006
Project TitleAIMS-Lab: The setting up of the Artificial Intelligence Media Studio Lab
Application ReceivedQ4/2023
Applicant/ Beneficiary
Public Research Institution (PRI)University of Malta
Project OwnerDepartment of Artificial Intelligence
Grant Amount€40,000

Project Summary

The AIMS-Lab project is specifically intended to develop next generation e-learning content employing cutting-edge R&D aimed at revolutionizing the e-learning industry. The smart creation of high-quality educational content by leveraging state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI)v research and deep audiovisual cloning technology is envisaged. To achieve such a goal, a high-tech audiovisual media recording studio is required, called The MDIA AIMS Lab that promises to reshape the future of online education.

The primary objective of this project is to develop a physical environment where AI academics together with their students are able to perform research and generate comprehensive e-learning courses from a basic outline or set of learning objectives. The incorporation of deep audiovisual technology is a pivotal element, aiming to simulate a real lecturer’s facial expressions and voice. The establishment of a high-tech audiovisual media recording studio equipped with advanced tools and facilities for content production will ensure the quality and authenticity of generated content.

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The closing dates for the submission of proposals are established in the Guidance Notes.

The Grant will close upon total exhaustion of funds or at the discretion of the MDIA, whichever is the earlier.

More information can be found in the Guidance Notes. Should you have any queries, do not hesitate to contact MDIA on info@mdia.gov.mt.