Artificial intelligence, online telephony, military radio communications and insurance system management-these are just a few of the many pursuits of companies active in ICT Pomerania, an information and communications technology cluster in northern Poland.

Businesses operating in the cluster have developed a number of innovative products based on Polish know-how. Here are examples.

AI from InteliWISE

The website of British IT company Crowley, www.crowleytech.com, features an option whereby a virtual assistant, with a pleasant female voice, provides visitors with information about the company. Polish IT company InteliWISE has developed this innovative data management system. As in computer games, the virtual assistant icon, referred to as an "avatar," is generated by an application using a Natural Language Processing mechanism and an advanced knowledge management system.
The virtual assistant looks almost like a human being, which is due to the InteliWise Assistant technology that makes it possible to create what are called "virtual humans." The technology combines Artificial Intelligence Mark-Up Language (AIML) with knowledge and multimedia database management, including dynamic image processing and speech synthesis.

As a result, instead of searching the website for answers to frequently asked questions, visitors may ask the virtual assistant their own question about how to contact the company and its managers, for example. The assistant will answer the question because it is equipped with a voice synthesis module.

In addition to their internet application, virtual assistants can also be used in the entertainment industry, medicine, various types of customer services, and even in military systems.

Along with the virtual assistant, InteliWise has designed InteliEmail software that uses neural networks for identifying the content of electronic mail. Such systems can intercept spam and work with anti-virus software in filtering out unsolicited mail.

System integration by Datera

Companies operating in ICT Pomerania also create data communication systems for businesses, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. IT and telecommunications system integration helps generate substantial savings, with the costs of telephone calls alone reduced by up to 70 percent.

The Datera Call-eX telecommunication server from the Datera company offers advanced access mechanisms for the internet and internet-related Voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephony. The server integrates all company telephone systems, including both digital and analog telephones and faxes, as well as computer systems and the entire network infrastructure. The server also makes it possible to use client contact systems based on FaxServer modules that enable automatic reception and transmission of fax messages. Other compatible modules include VoicemailServer that handles voice mail and sends recorded messages to electronic mailboxes, and CallCenter for handling customer calls, with an advanced call queuing feature.

Datera Call-eX maybe be installed between the telecom operator's terminals (Public Switched Telephone Network, GSM or VoIP) and company equipment (computers, servers, telephones and faxes). In this way, part of the traffic can be redirected to a new telecommunications operator, for example a VoIP operator, which makes it possible to use the cheapest operator for making telephone calls. It is also possible to direct cellular phone traffic to GSM gates and make free local, long-distance or even international calls between company departments or subsidiaries.

Datera Call-eX is compatible with FreecoNet, a VoIP platform that enables free telephone calls between registered numbers, regardless of the users' operator or country of residence. In the case of numbers not registered with FreecoNet, it is possible to make calls via any VoIP operator or operators registered in TelArena, a FreecoNet module.

Hi-tech insurance courtesy of Atena

Another company active in ICT Pomerania, Atena Usługi Informatyczne i Finansowe Sp. z o.o., offers comprehensive IT systems for insurance companies. Atena is among Poland's largest producers of software for the insurance sector. It ranks third on the Teleinfo 500 list of the country's biggest IT system providers for insurance companies and pension funds.

Atena offers many modules for the management of insurance company operations. The modules can be used independently or combined into a comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. These include the Olimp fee calculation wizard, the Uranos insurance data management system and "back and front office" modules for insurance companies and their agents. Other modules include Tezeusz for receivables management; Kallisto for human resources management; and Demeter for multi-agent office system management. There is also the Perseusz insurance offer wizard and the Iris customer service module that makes it possible to sell insurance policies via the internet.

Radmor radio stations

Radmor SA, yet another member of ICT Pomerania, has clinched some new deals with foreign partners this year. In July, the company signed a zl.3.5 million contract in Latvia under which it will deliver several hundred Radmor 3501 (pictured) portable military radio stations complete with accessories to the Latvian defense ministry over three years.

One of the latest products from Radmor is the ZT3801-160 mobile/stationary retransmitting radio station that can be quickly mounted on a car or the top floor of a building. It is particularly useful for rescue and crisis management operations that require a temporary extension of the radio communication area.

Another Radmor product, the RRC 9210 "backpack radio set," is a modern portable radio communications system designed for the military. It is a fast wireless communication device that enables fast and stable data transfer (46.6 kbps) with a high level of protection against electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM).

The system comes with an Internet Protocol card and an integrated GPS receiver with a "multiplex" operation mode that provides for simultaneous and independent voice and data transfer from one or several network users. Owing to its properties, the RRC 9210 may be used as a component of a tactical internet network.

A small portable radio station called Radmor 3501 can play a similar role. It is designed for the smallest tactical units such as platoons and companies. It can work on one of 190 pre-programmed frequencies and allows for data transfer. The device's aluminum casing protects the system from dust, water and moisture. The device is resistant to shock, vibration, water and extreme temperatures. It is one of the least expensive products of this type that meet NATO requirements for military tactical communications systems.

Marek Mejssner