Novel “Digital Engineer®” AI Project Launches on World Innovation Day
Irish space industry start-up Nitrexo has announced the launch of their European-wide Digital Engineer® product, backed by the European Space Agency. Developed in response to an ESA call for COVID-related projects, Digital Engineer® is an Artificial Intelligence smart software robot (smartbot) designed for distributed learning and working environments. The project won €500,000 in support from the ESA in space-based funding to bridge the gap between engineering education and industry.
“The last year has changed not only how and where we work, but also how and where we learn,” explained Nitrexo CEO Yannick Melameka. “Students in the space industry can use Digital Engineer® to consult an expert engineering knowledge base in seconds via the AI chatbot and smart speaker. Both students and professionals can ask Digital Engineer® to execute standard tasks for them, and they can also teach the Digital Engineer® new skills, so the AI becomes smarter and faster for each project iteration. It’s like having a lab partner, tutor, and study buddy for engineers all in one.”
Based at National Space Centre’s (NSC) Space Campus in Cork, Nitrexo is leading a consortium with both NSC and German software company L-One Systems to develop and deliver the Digital Engineer® product to market over the next 9 months.
“We’re excited to be part of the Digital Engineer® project launch on World Innovation Day,” commented Bruce Hannah, CTO of National Space Centre. “Partnering individual engineers with AI smartbots is the kind of innovation that multiplies human potential and allows democratization of expertise. Digital Engineer® has the potential to revolutionise the engineering academic environment.”
The AI is currently beginning trials at four universities across Ireland, Belgium, Spain and the UK. It will be initially offered to colleges and universities providing space engineering studies to become a “study buddy” to students and reduce lab and research centre costs. Nitrexo is currently scouting partners for the next phase of trials.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Sabrina Dent
Head of Marketing and Business Development
National Space Centre
085 702 8212
sabrina.dent@nationalspacecentre.eu
ABOUT NITEXO
Nitrexo, Ltd. is a European start-up company specialising in engineering products and services, with specific expertise in thermal space engineering. To date, it has completed projects for clients in satellite manufacturing and launchers, spacecraft instrumentation, and cameras. It’s latest product, Digital Engineer®, uses artificial intelligence to provide thermal and mechanical engineers with support and guidance when performing analytical work and testing activities.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL SPACE CENTRE
The National Space Centre (NSC) is Europe’s most westerly teleport and Ireland’s only commercial ground station. Opened as Elfordstown Earthstation in 1984, the €24M facility will celebrate ten years of operation as the NSC in 2021. The company provides commercial broadcast services, ground control support for satellites and spacecraft, academic research partnerships and space industry consulting. The NSC’s co-located Space Campus is home to more than a dozen Irish space startups and EU-headquartered space enterprises.