Prof Nikos Deligiannis makes intelligent machines collaborate more effectively
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) has once again confirmed its position as a European research hub with the award of a prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant. Professor Nikos Deligiannis, principal investigator at imec and member of the ETRO research group (Electronics and Informatics), has secured this funding. With a grant of nearly 2 million euros, he will conduct research in the coming years on collaboration between intelligent machines.
The IONIAN research project focuses on reinventing so-called multiterminal coding, a key technology that enables machines – such as self-driving vehicles, mobile robots and smart sensors – to communicate with each other efficiently and securely. This innovation is urgently needed, as the amount of data generated by such systems, for example through video streams and 3D point clouds, is growing explosively. As a result, traditional storage and communication technologies are increasingly reaching their limits. IONIAN addresses this challenge by seeking new ways for machines to share and process their information.
Deligiannis’ approach is innovative: he combines classical information theory with deep learning and explainable artificial intelligence (AI). The goal? Machines that not only communicate more intelligently, but also become more understandable and reliable for their human users.
“We want to make a fundamental leap in how intelligent systems perceive their environment and collaborate with each other,” says Deligiannis. “That is crucial for applications such as self-driving cars, where safety and trust are paramount.”
The award of this ERC grant is more than personal recognition for Professor Deligiannis. It confirms the EU’s confidence in the scientific excellence of VUB and its strategic partnership with imec. VUB is also among the top 20 European universities in attracting Horizon Europe funding.
IONIAN is not purely academic. The project has direct societal relevance: from safer traffic to more efficient robotics in healthcare and industry. By focusing on explainable AI, technology becomes more transparent and accessible – a crucial step in strengthening public trust in smart systems.
