Limassol: The ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence has announced the completion of the AI-OBSERVER project, which employs Artificial Intelligence to improve Earth Observation capabilities for Disaster Risk Reduction.
According to Cyprus News Agency, funded under the Horizon Europe Twinning programme, the project was realized through a strategic partnership involving the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), the University of Rome Tor Vergata (UNITOV), and the Cypriot company CELLOCK Ltd. The AI-OBSERVER project, initiated in October 2022 and concluding on 30 September 2025, marks a significant milestone for the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence.
Coordinated by Prof. Diofantos Hadjimitsis with Dr. Marios Tzouvaras serving as Project Manager, the project benefitted from the contributions of distinguished scientists including Dr. Gerd Reis (DFKI), Prof. Fabio Del Frate (UNITOV), and Dr. Haris Zacharatos (CELLOCK). The project has bolstered the scientific excellence and innovation capacity of the Centre through capacity-building activities in Artificial Intelligence for Earth Observation applications in Disaster Risk Reduction, alongside specialized training in research management and administration.
In partnership with its collaborators, ERATOSTHENES developed advanced AI technologies for monitoring and assessing environmental hazards in Cyprus, such as earthquakes, landslides, coastal erosion, fires, floods, and marine pollution, along with a dedicated platform. The project’s results were showcased on Friday, 19 September 2025, at the final workshop held at the Limassol Municipality Blue Innovation Centre.
The event attracted over 40 representatives from academia, the public sector, industry, and the wider public, providing ERATOSTHENES researchers with the opportunity to present and disseminate the project’s outcomes to a broad audience. The workshop concluded with an open discussion among participants aimed at exploring further collaboration and ensuring the continued utilization of the project’s results beyond its completion.