28 May 2002

BTexact AI expert receives prestigious award

Nader Azarmi, chief artificial intelligence (AI) technologist and head of the intelligent systems laboratory at BTexact Technologies, BT's advanced research and technology business, has been awarded the prestigious Silver Medal for 2002 by the Royal Academy of Engineering. Nader received the medal at the Academy Awards Dinner on 27 May, which showcased the best of British engineering achievement and honoured the 2002 medal winners.

Nader has been involved in AI research and development within BTexact for more than 12 years and has successfully applied AI to a number of BT's key operations, including the automation of daily processes and tasks carried out by over 20,000 BT engineers, resulting in increased productivity, reduced cost and improved quality of service. Patents filed by Nader now form an integral part of a fieldforce process automation solution called TASKFORCE, marketed by AP SOLVE, a business currently in incubation in BTexact's corporate incubator, Brightstar. The AI and Intelligent Systems R&D programme that he has pioneered has resulted in over 85 filed and granted patents.

Nader has been awarded a number of international and national awards for his work in application of AI in industry, notably the INFORMS Franz Edelman medal in 1999. Prior to joining BTexact, he spent many years as an AI researcher and academic within UK universities.

Stewart Davies, CEO, BTexact Technologies said: "BTexact is extremely proud of Nader and his contribution to our business and the engineering industry. We are honoured that a member of BTexact's core R&D team has received this esteemed award."

ends

Notes for editors

1. The Academy's Silver Medals were instigated in 1995. They are awarded annually to engineers who have made outstanding contributions to British engineering. Candidates must be aged under 50. Up to four medals may be awarded each year.
   
   
2. This year's other Silver Medals go to Dr Andrew Rickman, Chairman of Bookham Technology plc in Abingdon; Professor Richard Friend, Cavendish Professor of Physics at the University of Cambridge and Chief Scientist of Cambridge Display Technology Ltd; and Colin Smith, Rolls-Royce Director of Engineering and Technology - Civil Aerospace, based in Derby.
   
   
3. The Royal Academy of Engineering aims to pursue, encourage and maintain excellence across the whole field of engineering in order to promote the advancement of the science, art and practice of engineering for the benefit of the public. The Academy comprises the UK's most eminent engineers and is able to use their combined wealth of knowledge and experience to meet its objectives.
   
   
4. BTexact Technologies, BT's advanced research and technology business, offers expertise and experience in communications technology and e-business, backed by a team of more than 3000 technologists and one of the world's largest communications research and development facilities. As the centre of technical expertise for the BT Group, BTexact established a record of world-first achievement and of successful delivery of projects, large and small. It has also created an intellectual property portfolio of some 14,000 patents based on almost 2000 inventions. BTexact is also responsible for corporate incubator, Brightstar.
   
   
5. BTexact Technologies also provides services to companies outside the BT Group. It is headquartered at Adastral Park, at one end of the Cambridge-2-Ipswich Hi Tech Corridor, and is a founder member of the Cambridge Network. BTexact has people based worldwide - including locations across the UK and in Asia, continental Europe, and North America. BTexact's employees include many who are world leaders in their specialist fields, working at the forefront of standards development and new technologies in areas including multimedia, IP and data networks, mobile communications, network design and management, and business applications. For more information about BTexact Technologies, please go to www.btexact.co
   

For more information please contact:

Jane Sutton at the Royal Academy of Engineering
tel: 020 7227 0536 (direct), mobile: 07989 513045, email: jane...@...org.uk

or

Joanna Hill, Pirate Communications, for BTExact Technologies tel. 0207 760 7057, mobile 07812 348222 or email: jo@piratecomms.com

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