Information about Peter Nordin

Peter Nordin

Born	July 9 1965 (1965--) (age 42) Helsingborg, Sweden
Residence	Sweden
Nationality	Swedish
Field	Evolutionary robotics Artificial Intelligence Text Mining Complex Systems
Institutions	iRobis
Alma mater	University of Dortmund Chalmers University of Technology Göteborg University

Peter Nordin is a Swedish computer scientist who has contributed to artificial intelligence, automatically generated computer programming, machine learning, and evolutionary robotics. He is currently (as of 2007) VP of Research at Institute of Robotics in Scandinavia AB (iRobis).

Studies and early career

Peter Nordin was born in 1965 in Helsingborg but moved to Gothenburg in 1967, where he was raised. He began studies at Chalmers University of Technology in 1984 and completed the M.S. in computer science in 1988. He then worked as a knowledge engineer for artificial intelligence (AI) company, Infologics AB,^[1] focusing on research and development of knowledge-based systems and complex system configuration. Projects often involved cooperation with Swedish Institute of Computer Science.

Peter began his research and publishing while at Infologics AB, Sweden and was responsible for monitoring the field of evolutionary algorithms. His work led to several European research projects (ESPRIT), including projects in machine learning (autonomous vehicles for example) and AI system development methods. He met with 12 other researchers in the summer of 1993 for the first international workshop on genetic programming (GP), which is regarded as the event that established GP as a field of international research. GP is a type of evolutionary algorithm and the first general automatic programming method that generates Turing complete algorithms – i.e. computers that write their own programs. In 1993, he started Dacapo AB,^[2] a research and development company that grew to employ 80 people before it was sold in 1999. Peter spent a large portion of 1995 and 1996 at the University of Dortmund, where he completed is doctoral studies under Professor Wolfgang Banzhaf. There, he initiated research in evolutionary robotics and demonstrated that GP can be used for real-time training and control of robotic systems.

In 1996, he became involved in an effort to create the first textbook on genetic programming^[3]. In 1999, Peter created search engine company VILL AB and AI-company Tific AB and received the year’s Sten Gustafsson prize for entrepreneuring, awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.

Robots and commercialization of AI

In 2000, he was offered a faculty position in Chalmers’ Complex Adaptive Systems. He started an international master’s degree program in CAS. Courses he developed included autonomous systems and humanoid robotics. He led the master’s program for several years and managed construction of hundreds of GP-based robots. During this time, he also started Chalmers’ Humanoid Project^[4] with among other accomplishments, Sweden’s first full-scale humanoid robots; Elvis, Elvina, and Priscilla, which currently reside in Sweden’s National Museum of Science and Technology. Robots from the Humanoid Project have even participated in “World Cup” soccer matches for humanoid robots^[5] (RoboCup) in Japan in 2002. Several of the robots were developed to the level of commercial quality prototypes. Much of this earlier work focused on evolutionary robotic training methods for: problem solving, sound and image processing, perception and advanced non-linear low-level control. Robots have also learned to walk on two legs without having foreknowledge by simulating the behaviour.^[6] Media interest in the robots resulted in over 100 interviews and debates in newspapers and on television in Sweden and elsewhere. The robot Elvis, for example was seen by the public in more than 15 countries. The popular science book; “Humanoider: Självlärande robotar och artificiell intelligens”^[7], was one result of this public interest.

During his time at Chalmers, he started another 6 spin-off companies based on his research, produced 80 publications, led several international conferences in Gothenburg, was reviewer for several international journals, and a popular invited speaker. He has 3 patents approved in the US and several patents pending, all related to genetic programming and evolutionary methods. In 2004, he worked for AstraZeneca on scientific method, scientific communication, and scientific reasoning. Since 2005 he has worked full-time on commercialization of AI and robotics. Peter’s greatest experience is in commercialization of AI software in Sweden with more than 10 successful start-ups. He lives with wife Carina and 6 children outside Gothenburg in Askim.

Career summary, research

Peter Nordin has a Ph.D. in Computer Science at University of Dortmund (1997) and a degree in computer science from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden (1988). His current research include commercial quality evolutionary robotics software^[8] and software for a complete cognitive system for robots^[9]. His earlier research includes : Evolutionary software architecture for robotics, evolutionary induction of mathematical proofs and of binary machine language, speech and vision recognition, and linear genetic programming for internet search.

Patents

• US patent on evolutionary program induction of machine code granted: Computer Implemented Machine Learning Method and System, Patent Number 5,841,947
• another three patents pending.

External links

• Institute of Robotics in Scandinavia AB (iRobis)
• The Humanoid Project
• HR-2

Notes

Persondata
NAME	Nordin, Peter
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Swedish Roboticist
DATE OF BIRTH	Auguest 9, 1965
PLACE OF BIRTH	Helsingborg
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH