Overview
Academic research often produces high-value code, such as algorithms, simulation tools, and
data-driven models. However, this output is frequently confined to publications or institutional
repositories. After a project ends, there is often little infrastructure or incentive to maintain or
package the code for broader use. Meanwhile, industry, especially SMEs, often lacks the capacity
or expertise to identify, assess, or adapt academic software. As a result, much of this potentially
impactful research remains unused in practice.
nihito aims to bridge the translational gap with a two-sided platform that makes academic code
easily discoverable and usable by industry. It provides an overview of existing tools, reducing
redundant or isolated development. Hosted on Swiss servers to ensure strong data protection
and legal compliance, the platform supports flexible licensing (e.g., Creative Commons) and
offers both open-access and paid tiers. Researchers can turn code into practical applications
without software engineering expertise. Key functionalities include:
• Automated code quality assessment and refactoring
• Generation of lightweight user interfaces (AI-supported, low/no-code)
• Scalable cloud hosting and container-based deployment (e.g., Docker)
• User and access management, including control over computing costs and resources
• Integration of third-party services (LLM APIs) or communication protocols (such as
MQTT, MCP)
Further features include improved discoverability through domain tags and AI-generated
summaries (using retrieval-augmented generation), mechanisms for academic and industry
feedback and interaction, and tools to support trust and transparency, such as community
validation and clear IP and licensing options.
By lowering technical barriers and enabling scalable knowledge transfer, nihito offers a timely,
innovative approach to improving the accessibility and real-world adoption of academic software.
