Initially for three years, the partnership will see Fujitsu and Macquarie working together to drive AI research in healthcare, manufacturing, and other sectors.
The Fujitsu Small Research Lab program is designed to accelerate joint research, identify new themes, nurture human resources, and build medium- to long-term relationships with universities. To do this, Fujitsu researchers stay in the associated university permanently or on a long-term basis.
The inaugural project will focus on world-first research to develop an AI coaching platform to enhance human performance and decision-making.
It will bring together Fujitsu’s Actlyzer human-sensing technology and AI research capability. The program will be led by Macquarie University Professor Shlomo Berkovsky, from the Centre for Health Informatics at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation, and co-led by Professor Amin Beheshti, Director of the Centre for Applied Artificial Intelligence, and Professor Enrico Coiera, Director of the Centre for Health Informatics.
The new coaching platform will be developed using Macquarie University’s datasets, ultimately delivering personalised learning and advice on improving patient interactions, but it is expected to be adaptable for use in other applications.
Aims include improving patients’ adherence to medication, allowing clinicians to conduct automated check-ins with patients, and providing personalised suggestions to patients including encouraging regular screening and lifestyle changes.
Macquarie University Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton says establishing quality industry collaborations for impact is a key priority for the University.
“Partnership projects such as this one not only foster groundbreaking research, they also create invaluable opportunities for our students to gain deeper understanding and industry-relevant experience in their chosen fields,” he says.
“Macquarie has a proud history of working closely with industry leaders in healthcare technology, to further knowledge and help bring cutting-edge technology into a real-world setting.”
From left: Ian Manovel, Head of Health, Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand; Macquarie University Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Enterprise), Dan Johnson; Takahito Tokita, CEO, Fujitsu Limited; Macquarie University Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton; and Graeme Beardsell, CEO, Fujitsu Australia Pacific.
Fujitsu’s Head of Innovation for Asia Pacific, Sohan Domingo, says effective coaching should be personalised.
“By testing the coaching platform, clinicians can receive immediate feedback on patient interactions and gain insights on areas of improvement,” he says.
“This immediate feedback loop has the potential to significantly elevate the quality of healthcare services, and our aim is to replicate these learning benefits across other industries.
“This partnership seeks to leverage emerging AI technologies to not only transform learning and development for individuals, but also contribute to business and society challenges that our customers face.”
Fujitsu Research Head of Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Toshihiro Sonoda, says they have great expectations around the establishment of the new lab with Macquarie University, which represents the many possibilities unlocked when academia and industry collaborate.
“This marks an important step forward in deepening AI technology and its applications, and we are confident that it will bring innovation and contribute to solving global challenges,” he says.
“We anticipate many great results as we further deepen our work together with Macquarie.”
Work on the project will begin in February 2024, with the first results expected within 12 months.
