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Dr. Stefan Heinrich

Stefan Heinrich

Photo: UHH/Stefan Heinrich

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Address

International Research Center for Neurointelligence (IRCN), Tokyo, Japan

Contact


B826 6798 4472 ACA0 4986 DF89 3F7E 078F 1EF0 7893 The University of Tokyo, Institutes for Advanced Studies, IRCN
Cognitive Developmental Robotics Lab
Medical Building #1, N 110
7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan

News

This website is not further maintained.

Effectively 03/2020 I joined the Cognitive Developmental Robotics Lab at the International Research Center for Neurointelligence (IRCN) of the University of Tokyo. I continue to collaborate with Knowledge Technology as a fellow and can co-supervise PhD, MSc, and BSc students from abroad. If you are interested, please read this note and contact me via email.

Research Interests and Background

My research interest is located in between artificial intelligence, cognitive psychology, and computational neuroscience. In my research I aim to explore the computational principles in the brain to foster our fundamental understanding of the brain's mechanisms but also to exploit them in developing intelligent systems. In particular, I look into the processes in the brain that form representations in multi-modal integration up to in acquisition of complex cognitive functions. As a central approach I model artificial neural networks, specifically continuous time recurrent neural networks (CTRNNs) and convolution neural networks (CNNs) on tasks in machine learning, natural language processing, and developmental robotics. A particular current focus is on dynamic timescales mechanisms in networks as well as on variational and approximate Bayesian learning schemes.

My latest research project at the University of Hamburg was entitled "Vision- and action-embodied language learning", a sub-project in the first phase of the Sonderforschungsbereich/Transregio Project TRR 169 "Crossmodal Learning" funded by the DFG. The central question in this project was how we can build an artificial neural network model that processes auditory, visual and proprioceptive information and, thus, learns language by grounding speech in multi-modal embodied perception.

My previous education includes computer science and cognitive psychology on MSc level with a dregree from the University of Paderborn and computational modelling on PhD level with a degree from the University of Hamburg, but also programming and robot engineering als well as higher education teaching and training.

Teaching

Currently I have no teaching obligations or mandates.

[Show former teaching]


Nevertheless, I can supervise BSc and MSc theses in my fields of expertise. Please check the WTM BSc & MSc Thesis Offers for a general or pre-defined topic or contact me with your own ideas.

[Show completed theses]


Previously I was the curriculum representative of Knowledge Technology Group.

For the BSc Informatik, I was part of the mentoring program; for the BSc Mensch-Computer-Interaktion, I was part of the quality circle and examination board.

Short Curriculum Vitae

Since March 2020 Postdoctoral Project Researcher (CREST project) with the Cognitive Developmental Robotics Lab of the International Research Center for Neurointelligence, University of Tokyo, Japan
April 2016 - December 2019 Postdoctoral Research Associate (TRR CML project) of Knowledge Technology Research Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Hamburg, Germany
2016 PhD degree in Computer Science (German Doktor der Naturwissenschaften/ Doctor rerum naturalium), Department of Computer Science, University of Hamburg, Germany
May 2010 - March 2016 Research and Teaching Associate of Knowledge Technology Research Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Hamburg, Germany
2009 Master degree in Computer Science (German Diplom-Informatiker), subsidiary subject: Psychology, Department of Computer Science, University of Paderborn, Germany
June 2006 - March 2010 Student Assistant as Developer and Programmer (PSI/REX Simulation Framework Project) of Institute of Polymer Engineering, University of Paderborn, Germany

Theses

Natural Language Acquisition in Recurrent Neural Architectures
Dissertation, Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Stefan Wermter, Department of Computer Science, University of Hamburg, Germany, March/June 2016.

Memes and Cooperation in Multiagent Systems
Diploma Thesis, Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Hans Kleine Büning, Department of Computer Science, University of Paderborn, Germany, October 2009.

Publications

Please find Stefan Heinrich's publication list here.

Community Service

I do not review for nor further publish with Elsevier.
Program Committee of the International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019;
~ International Joint Conference on Neural Networks 2017, 2018, 2019.
~ International Conference on Information Systems 2018.
~ International Conference on Intelligent Robots 2018, 2019.
~ International Conference on Development and Learning and on Epigenetic Robotics 2018, 2019.
Regular Journal Reviewing: Journal of Advances in Artificial Intelligence, Journal of Behavioral Robotics, Biological Cybernetics, Transactions on Autonomous Mental Development, PlosOne, Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems, Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction.
Invited Talk: Advanced Deep Learning - Ein Blick in die Forschung zum Lernen von Sequenzen. Handelskammer Innovation Campus, Hamburg, Germany, May 2017.
Invited Talk: Natural Language Acquisition in Recurrent Neural Architectures. Tsinghua University, Department of Computer Science, Beijing, China, September 2016.
Local Organising Support for the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems 2015.
Local Organising Committee Chair of the International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks 2014.
Local Media Interview: Rainer Hennig, Die Werkbank der Zukunft. LOG.Kompass, Issue 7/8-2013, DVV Media Group, July 2013.
Local Media Interview: Rainer Hennig, Bühne frei - für Roboter. LOG.Kompass, Issue 1/2-2013, DVV Media Group, January 2013.
Invited Talk: Effective and Adaptive Learning of CTRNNs for Multi-Modal Real-World Problems. CINACS Summer School 2012, Hamburg, Germany, September 2012.
Conference/journals: Further requests for reviews are welcome if the topics are matching my research interests!