Konica Minolta awarded in Czech Republic for NLP Research collaboration

| 19 June 2019

On 13th June, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Czech, spol. s r.o. (Konica Minolta) received an award for its continuous support and investment in R&D to Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic.


Commemorating the educational institution’s 100th anniversary, Masaryk University recognised Konica Minolta for their collaboration in the research areas of Natural Language Processing (NLP), Semantics and Data Analytics, and Human Computer Interaction (HCI).

Since the opening of the first Konica Minolta laboratory in Brno in September 2015, the technology giant has established a close relationship with several research groups at Masaryk University. In particular, Konica Minolta’s Global R&D unit has been working with the Faculty of Informatics, the first of its kind in the country, to develop European and national-level projects to support PhD theses across NLP, Semantics and Data Analytics and HCI.

Within the area of NLP, the collaboration with Masaryk University generated interesting results about smart search components. Aggregating different company unstructured data sources, such as wiki, emails and task management tool, it is possible to deliver a powerful and integrated search engine. The results achieved within this research activities, constitute the backbone of Search & Priority solution that is soon to be part of the Workplace Hub ecosystem.

Search & Priority is a free of charge, on-premise, browser-based software, and will be the first publicly-available AI-enabled solution from Konica Minolta. The solution serves as a personal ‘digital office assistant’, blending human intelligence with artificial intelligence, and bringing structure above the noise of information and task overload. Integrating these Cognitive Services into the existing Workplace Hub platform, Konica Minolta is able to provide an all-in-one solution for IT management and AI services to the SMB market.

 

 

About Konica Minolta Global R&D

Since its establishment in 1873, Konica Minolta has had a long history of innovation. Konica Minolta Global R&D is the hub where innovative solutions in the field of information and communications technology come to life to transform the next generation of platforms and services from Konica Minolta. Konica Minolta Global R&D takes advantage of the most advanced technologies to support new business opportunities that are driven by innovation and our customers’ needs, with innovative applications for digital workplace, sensors information and automation, digital healthcare and smart data systems.

https://research.konicaminolta.eu/


About Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe


Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe GmbH, based in Langenhagen, Germany, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Konica Minolta Inc., Tokyo, Japan. With its unique expertise in imaging, data processing and data-based decision making, Konica Minolta creates relevant solutions for its customers - small and medium-sized businesses, large enterprises and public sector - and solves issues faced by society.


As a digital workplace solution provider, Konica Minolta helps its clients to identify and unlock the potential digitalisation holds and reach the next level in the digital maturity of their organisation by rethinking the workplace. In support of an ‘Intelligent connected workplace’, Konica Minolta offers cloud, IT, managed print and video solution services for remote working, collaboration, workflow management and automation and security. The company’s success in driving transformation is also confirmed by IDC, since the ‘IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Print Transformation 2023 Vendor Assessment’ has named Konica Minolta a “Leader” in print transformation. Konica Minolta has been a Microsoft Global Managed Partner since 2021.


Konica Minolta's Igniting Print Possibilities offering helps printers, converters and brand owners maximise workflow automation to increase efficiency. The company delivers consultancy in all communication matters as well as top-of-the-line production, packaging as well as label printers. Its finishing devices create print products that stand out and create added value. Konica Minolta has established itself as the production printing market leader for more than a decade in Europe (InfoSource).


For an increasing number of organisations, success today is more than the narrow definition of financial prosperity – it also includes protecting the environment and having a positive impact on their workforce as well as the societies they are embedded in. With its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Konica Minolta has pledged to consistently pursue its sustainability and social responsibility goals.


The company has been repeatedly recognised for its rich history of social contribution as well as for working towards achieving the SDGs throughout its business and supply chain. Konica Minolta received a GOLD Level Recognition Medal in the EcoVadis sustainability ratings for 2024.


For its remote services, Konica Minolta was awarded the prestigious ‘Buyers Lab (BLI) 2023-2024 Pacesetter Award in Remote Service for the Western European market’ from Keypoint Intelligence.


Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe is represented by subsidiaries and distributors in more than 80 countries in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa. With more than 8,800 employees (as of April 2024), Konica Minolta Europe earned net sales of over EUR 2.13 billion in financial year 2023/2024.


Worldwide, the company has over 40,000 employees and is operating in over 150 countries.


For more information, please visit https://www.konicaminolta.eu/eu-en/news and follow Konica Minolta on LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.


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