Boris Motik, our Senior Research Fellow in Computer Science, is a co-founder of Oxford Semantic Technologies, a spinout from the University’s Computer Science Department which has been acquired by Samsung Electronics.
Professor Motik, who is a Professor in the Computer Science Department, founded Oxford Semantic Technologies in 2017 with two other professors from the Department, Professor Ian Horrocks and Professor Bernardo Cuenca Grau.
Professor Motik reflected, ‘I got interested in RDF (Resource Description Framework) and reasoning during my MSc in 1999, and I have been engaged with this area of computer science ever since. I am very excited to see the results of our research and development being applied in practice, and I look forward to working with Samsung on bringing semantic technology to its true potential.’
Oxford Semantic Technologies co-founders (L-R) Bernardo Cuenca Grau, Adam Parr, Boris Motik, and Ian Horrocks
The company’s objective was to commercialise their research on knowledge representation and reasoning. Oxford Semantic Technologies specialises in knowledge graphs, a machine-interpretable way of storing information as an interconnected network, which can be used to handle highly complex data sets.
OST’s innovative approach relies on Knowledge Representation and Reasoning (KRR), a branch of AI that represents a logical and knowledge-based approach. Unlike machine learning, which finds patterns in vast datasets and draws statistical outputs, KRR enables AI to draw accurate conclusions, and make explainable decisions based on data combined with expert knowledge.
The spinout’s main product is cutting-edge graph software RDFox® , which Samsung plans to apply across its mobile devices, televisions and home appliances, to deliver a hyper-personalised user experience. RDFox® also helps with smart diagnostics in healthcare, and improves decision-making in self-driving cars, both potentially saving lives. In all these uses, logical AI provides the necessary and vital accuracy.
This remarkable achievement by Professor Motik and his colleagues further highlights the potential within the University to turn world-leading academic research into successful commercial enterprises, with technologies deployed in products benefitting huge numbers of people all over the world.
You can find out more via Samsung’s press release.