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Launch of UK Robotics Network

23 June 2015

• The Centre
• Loughborough University
• Heriot-Watt University

Major Boost To UK Robotics Capability With Launch of EPSRC UK Robotics and Autonomous Systems Network

The UK’s ability to develop and exploit the vast potential of Robotics and Autonomous Systems was given a major boost today with the formal launch of The EPSRC UK Robotics and Autonomous Systems Network (UK-RAS Network).

The Network will bring together the UK’s core academic capabilities in robotics innovation under national coordination for the first time and encourage academic and industry collaborations that will accelerate the development and adoption of robotics and autonomous systems. The Network will be unveiled this evening at the Science Museum in London following a public lecture on Robot Ethics, organised by IET Robotics and Mechatronics Network in association with the Science Museum Lates and supported by the EPSRC UK-RAS Network.

The founding network members are Imperial College London, Bristol Robotics Lab, University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University, University of Leeds, University of Liverpool, Loughborough University, University of Oxford, University of Sheffield, University of Southampton, University College London, and University of Warwick. The Network will organise a wide range of activities including network and strategic roadmap events such as the UK Robotics conference, symposia and focused workshops, public engagement and exhibitions. It will also have extensive online engagement activities using social media and web and user forums. The Network aims to strengthen the relationship with industry by supporting interdisciplinary mobility and industrial secondment and developing proof-of-concept (PoC) projects and running design challenges. There is also a strong emphasis on government policy and high-level engagement with international stakeholders.

Find out more about EPSCR UK-RAS Network here http://www.uk-ras.org    

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New CDT Co-Director

1 June 2015

• Academics
• Heriot-Watt University

We are delighted to announce Dr Keith Brown as the Co-Director of the CDT in Embedded Intelligence at Heriot-Watt University.

Keith was until recently Head of Discipline in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and a senior lecturer in the Institute of Sensors, Signals and Systems, which is part of the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences. His research interests are in underwater acoustics, in particular bio-inspired sonar systems. This work has application in the analysis of a variety of underwater assets (to aid with their condition based monitoring) and identification of underwater objects. He is looking at new approaches to finding out the content of underwater objects using wide-bandwidth acoustic signals.  He also has interests in the intelligent diagnostics and control of complex systems. This work has been applied to autonomous underwater vehicles that work in hostile remote environments with limited communications to operators.

Welcome to the CDT-EI team!

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5th May Annual Foresight Lecture - Jon Bruner

19 May 2015

• The Centre
• Loughborough University

The first Annual Foresight Lecture was given by Jon Bruner on the 5th May 2015 at Loughborough University

"a return to atoms: why technology's future is in physical devices"

 Presenter: Jon Bruner

 Jon Bruner discussed the emergence of Silicon Valley's current obsession with hardware and the Internet of  Things, and recent technological and business changes that have made these areas much  easier to work with.

Jon Bruner is co-chair of the O'Reilly Solid conference, focused on the intersection between software  and the physical world, and he oversees O'Reilly's publications on hardware, the Internet of Things,  manufacturing, and electronics. Before coming to O'Reilly, he was data editor at Forbes Magazine,  where he combined writing and programming to approach a broad variety of subjects, from the  operation of the Columbia River's dams to migration within the United States. He lives in San  Francisco and can occasionally be found at the console of a pipe organ.

If you have a Loughborough University account, you can view the lecture capture slides for the lecture here using your usual lboro log in credentials. Access for non Loughborough University Account holders will follow in the near future.

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Bright Sparks Helping to Keep the Lights On

28 April 2015

During the first year of their studies our students undertake two different company-led design projects. These are self-contained small R&D projects that are carried out for about 10-12 weeks. Working in teams of 3 or 4 our students liaise with companies as if they were their consultants and work closely with them to a set of milestones and deliverables.

You can read about the group projects that was set by Siemens on the Heriot Watt University Website.

This is a good platform to test-drive some concepts that you might want to explore. If you have a project idea in mind, get in touch with our Centre Manager Donna Palmer.

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Cundall in conversation about Embedded Intelligence

14 April 2015

• The Centre
• Loughborough University

As part of our CDT programme we run a fortnightly series of seminars (or webinars) delivered by esteemed members of the international scientific community or industrialists, working at the forefront of research and industrial best practice that underpin applications of embedded intelligence. This module has specifically been created to inspire and encourage our PhD students, keeping them aware of state-of-the art technology, and seeding further discussions and ideas. One of our recent speakers was Chloe Agg, a Senior Mechanical Engineer at Cundall. Chloe has prepared a blog post about her experience with us and it can read here.

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CDT-EI on Tour

7 April 2015

• New Students
• The Centre

The CDT team embarked on the 2015 recruitment roadshow earlier this month. The roadshow kicked off in Greece visiting the National Technical University of Athens. Our CDT Director Prof Paul Conway was invited to deliver a keynote titled “Embedded intelligence to enable operational efficiencies in automotive manufacturing”. He illustrated a number of embedded intelligence projects are currently being implemented in the UK by manufacturers. One project enables real time asset tracking for returnable transit items (RTIs) via the use of RFID tags. Each RTI is assigned a unique identity and the data collected can be used to perform business and process analysis enabling improved supply chain visibility and process optimisation. Developments in RTI intelligence improve functionality, increase location accuracy, allow condition monitoring and reduced RTI losses.

The keynote was followed by a presentation and Q&A session about our Centre for Doctoral Training given by our Deputy Director Dr Carmen Torres-Sanchez and PhD student Dimitris Pantazis.

Next on the schedule was the University of Patras, where the team presented at the National Conference of Students of Electrical and Computer Engineering (Sfhmmy8). The conference is the annual conference of students of Electrical and Computer Engineering and has been conducted since 2007 in various cities of Greece. The goal of the three-day conference is to bring together students of all departments of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering and Informatics to learn about new technological developments and new labour market challenges.

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New IMAPS Chair Announced

29 March 2015

• Heriot-Watt University

Heriot-Watt alumna Dr Suzanne Costello, who studied for both her Physics undergraduate degree and her Engineering doctorate at Heriot-Watt, has been elected Chair of the UK chapter of the International Microelectronics Assembly and Packaging Society (IMAPS); the first woman to hold the role.

IMAPS is the largest Society dedicated to the advancement and growth of microelectronics, electronics packaging and related sectors. The Society has created a global network with more than 8,000 worldwide members; the United Kingdom Chapter of IMAPS was the first international Chapter and continues to maintain strong links with other European countries, the USA and Asia.

Dr Costello, who studied with CDT-EI co-Director Professor Marc Desmulliez, is a Senior Development Scientist at MCS Ltd, Roslin, solving materials, manufacturing and reliability problems for the electronics industry. Professor Marc Desmulliez said “I am delighted to see Suzanne rise so quickly in her profession, and this most recent role highlights her as an important role model in the field of engineering, where we are striving to see women appropriately represented.”

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Prof Tom Jackson Inaugural Lecture

18 March 2015

Professor Tom Jackson, Director of Centre for Infomration Management at Loughbrough University, gave his inaugural lecture in February 2015 on ‘The Connected Jungle and the Digital Tree’.

A recording of the lecture can be viewed on YouTube here.

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