About

INSANE spun off Intelligent Interaction research group (ii.aegean.gr) a recently established (2016) group active in the areas of Human-Computer Interaction, Intelligent Systems and Cultural and Touristic synergies. The coordinator of its research and developmental activities is George Caridakis, Associate Professor at the Department of Cultural Technology and Communication at the University of the Aegean also affiliated as a research professor with the Athena Research Center and the National Technical University of Athens. He has been appointed Chair of the Tourism, Culture and Creative Industries council of the National Council for Research, Technology and Innovation as well as an expert at the Commission Expert Group on the common European Data Space for Cultural Heritage. The team consists of a core of postdoctoral researchers and doctoral candidates, with a flexible structure supporting interdisciplinary research collaborations within each project and hosting researchers from related and wider research fields. INSANE's affiliations include ACM SIGCHI, DG CNECT CEDCHE, gi-cluster and other International organisations and communities while its members have participated in numerous R&D projects.

Solution & Product

The spinoff aims to design and develop digital services and systems that will integrate pervasive computing technologies by expanding the context of the user's cultural and touristic experience towards a wider triangle of user - content - technology. The spinoff will adapt to the needs of each client/activity since, based on the proposed triangle, it will have user-centered functions and mechanisms to identify specific challenges that different technologies face when dealing with different cultural heritage content. More specifically, the spinoff will provide the following services: Recording and recording of cultural data, Interconnection of cultural data and highlighting cultural heritage. Its research interests include Affective Computing, Natural Interaction, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Gaming, Digital Storytelling and Mixed Reality Interaction. II is active in Research and Development areas related to Human Computer Interaction, focusing on the integration of intelligent systems and ubiquitous computing for the augmentation and enhancement of Cultural User eXperience. INSANE will utilize to the maximum extent possible the transferred know-how from the University of the Aegean in systems and applications related to the cultural heritage that it has, upgrading the means of their use in new areas up to now, increasing their added value and possibilities.

Innovation & Scalability

The innovation and the value of INSANE services lies in the interconnection of technology and cultural heritage with modern tools and methods, based on the triangle user-content-technology. We enable cultural institutions to embrace digital transformation, reaching wider audiences and enhancing their offerings with immersive and personalized experiences. For individual users, the company’s products will unlock the potential for deeper engagement and understanding of cultural heritage, providing personalized experiences that align with their interests and preferences. The innovation of INSANE is primarily focused on the use of high-tech products for the management of the cultural stock. In addition, the services provided will integrate and combine modern technological applications (gamification, context awareness, mixed reality) in an integrated environment for highlighting a cultural exhibition or activity Adaptation to the user's profile is a modern requirement that calls upon application and service designers to design their systems in such a way as to understand the particular requirements of each user and adapt their functionality accordingly. By meeting this requirement, INSANE will innovate by creating a fully personalized experience for the visitor by recording his movements in the space and correspondingly adjusting the function of the space. Using Context Aware Computing, the system will be able to better understand the current situation to optimise the UX.

Traction & achievements

Since the company was very recently founded, the initial actions are focused on establishing a working ecosystem, connected with the appropriate communities. Thus, there have been no actions towards implementing the growth plan of the company which is expected to start at January 2025.

Team & Why Us

INSANE members belong to the Intelligent Interaction research group.It was founded in 2016 by the coordinator George Caridakis, assistant professor of the Department of Cultural Technology and Communication of the University of the Aegean. George Caridakis will be the coordinator both at the research level and at the management level, looking for synergies, financing and collaborations in order to achieve the goals of INSANE. Konstantinos Michalakis will have the role of principal investigator with expertise in research fields such as internet of things, context awareness, pervasive computing, machine learning, recommender systems. Markos Konstantakis will have the role of principal researcher specializing in research fields such as user experience personalization, application prototyping, photogrammetry and laser scanning. Giorgos Alexandridis will have the role of researcher in the research field of artificial intelligence and machine learning, where he has extensive experience.

Funding Needs

Tools and services will be developed that can be used in cultural heritage highlighting environments, but also by extension in corresponding diffuse environments of other fields. Their incorporation will allow more users to come in, with the eventual influx of more profits for the host operator. The services provided by INSANE can be invoiced both as a flat rate and per use, based on the requirements of the client. The Pricing Policy will follow 2 axes: Specialized Solutions: the development of specialized services at a flat rate, with the aim of supporting specific customer requirements, e.g. the installation of a network of sensors or the 3D recording of large-sized objects, tasks that take advantage of INSANE’s know-how and equipment for specific customer needs. The costing of the services is done on a flat-rate basis, depending on the human effort requirements and specifications of each service. Software As A Service: customers will be able to directly access the digital platforms of intelligent systems and pervasive cultural heritage. The services will be a product of exploitation of the client based on their specifications and will be supported and adapted by a wide range of tools developed by INSANE. The fee for access to the services will be calculated based on the monthly subscription model, the amount of which will be determined by a number of parameters such as the number and duration of the subscription and the current business strategy of the technology startup.