Prof. Paul Havinga

Title: “Smart Sensing for a Better World”

• Abstract: Smart sensor systems have emerged as a revolutionary technology with the potential to address complex societal problems. The presentation will be focusing on the transformative power of smart sensor systems in solving critical challenges. The presentation will showcase real-world projects where smart sensor systems have been successfully employed to tackle societal issues, transcending traditional boundaries.

Climate changes and the decline of biodiversity is one of such challenges. Biodiversity preservation is crucial for maintaining the delicate balance of ecosystems, as each species contributes to essential ecological processes. Additionally, the conservation of biodiversity has practical implications for human well-being, as vital resources, including food, medicine, and ecosystem services, rely on nature.

Efforts to assess and monitor biodiversity are critical for informing conservation strategies and have been revolutionized using digital species identification tools. These innovative technologies leverage smart sensor systems and computational techniques to facilitate species identification and contribute to conservation strategies. Digital species identification enables the rapid and accurate identification of organisms using various data inputs, such as images, sounds, or genetic information. Through advanced machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence, these tools can classify and identify species with high precision, even in complex ecosystems.

• Bio: Prof.dr.ing Paul J.M. Havinga is a computer scientist with expertise in smart sensing systems and ubiquitous computing.  He serves as a full professor at the University of Twente in the Netherlands and is principal scientist at TNO. His research themes are focused on wireless sensor networks, Internet of Things, and sensor data analytics. The common theme in these areas is on the development of large-scale, heterogeneous, wireless, networked embedded systems, always with the aim to solve societal challenges for a better world.

He has been involved in numerous international research projects and has published extensively in journals and conferences. He has a significant experience as project manager in international research projects. In 2001 he initiated the first European project on wireless sensor networks. Many research projects on sensor networks followed, all addressing different aspects of wireless sensor networks and IoT. His work has also led to the development of several high-tech companies specializing in wireless sensor networking. Recognized for his contributions, Paul Havinga has received prestigious awards, including the “ICT Innovation Award” for knowledge transfer and the “Van den Kroonenberg award” for entrepreneurial achievements.