The Faculty of Engineering

1. Dr Liam MaguireSchool of Computing & Intelligent Systems Faculty of EngineeringMagee Campus, University of Ulster

2. The Faculty of Engineering • One of the largest in the UK and Ireland • Approximately 5000 students, 422 total staff • Based at Jordanstown, Magee, Coleraine • Attracts large income in Research and Consultancy • Range of expertise: Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics, Computing and Games • Range of collaborative programmes with Arts: Multimedia Computing & Design; Technology & Design • Engineering can provide technical “know-how” and design innovation

3. School of Computing & Intelligent Systems • 27 academic staff • Approximately 600 students • Research via Intelligent Systems Research Centre • Attracting substantial research funding • International Reputation for Bio-Inspired Computing • Courses in Computing, Electronics, Multimedia and Computer Games.

4. Dedicated to research and development of “intelligent computational systems”. • Behave in a way that humans would consider “intelligent” • Emulate (not replicate) biology • Broad range of application areas – industry, consumer, medical, educational etc • 20 academic staff • 8 Research Associates • Currently 31 PhD students • Major externally funded projects - currently working on projects of about £22million

5. Overview of ISRC Core Activities • Bio-inspired Intelligent Systems – Brain Modeling • Brain Computer Interfacing • Wireless sensor and location based services • Creative technologies • Serious Games • Intelligent Multimedia • Intelligent embedded microcontroller systems • Self-repairing systems • Re-configurable computing/FPGA systems • Intelligent Image processing • Cognitive Robotics • Human Computer and Human Robot Interaction

6. Examples of Current/Recent Externally Funded Projects • Centre of Excellence in Intelligent Systems – InvestNI/ILEX • SenseMaker - EU • Intelligent Systems in Process Control – CAST project (Seagate) • InterWave – North/South HEA Funded • ProculTech – InvestNI funded • Intelligent Imaging – EPSRC funded • Wireless Broadband Project – DETI/EU funded • EpiCentre – Interreg funded • EURON – EU funded • DIESEL – EPSRC funded • QUDOS –EU funded • SRIF 2 and 3 – HEFCE funded • Intelligent Diagnosis, Test and Repair – industry funded • Self-repairing Systems – industry funded PhD • Completed/Current 3 Fusion and 6 KTPs

7. Computing Power Courtesy: Moravec

8. BCI Thoughts, Images, Visual & Auditory Stimuli Neuronal Activity (firing) Feedback to help user adapt-optional External Devices Prosthetic Arm Cursor control, menu selection, writing EEG Amplification Digitisation Output ControlSignals Feature Extraction/Selection Classification / Translation Algorithm

9. EpiCentre • Electronics Production and Innovation Centre • Solving practical industrial problems • Access to specialised equipment • Access to expertise • Networking Centre • Knowledge Centre • Signposting • Critical role of further and higher education institutes on both sides of border

10. EURON – European Robotics Network

11. From Walled City to Wireless CityBroadband Flagship Project • Partners: • Derry City Council • University of Ulster, Faculty of Engineering, Magee • North West Institute for Further and Higher Education • Funded by: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Total project ~ £1.4 Million) via EU BSP • Wireless Demonstration Centre

12. HEIF Project with Banjax Studios • Animation company • Researchers in Image Processing – Motion • Capture hand gestures to control motion of 3D characters • Investigate use of optical flow techniques in animation • Funded via MIDAS and HEIF8

13. FUSION Project: Meedja • Games Company in Dundalk • Fusion project • RFID location sensitive technologies • Final application: Supply Chain Management • Developed 2 prototype games • Noughts and Crosses, Treasure Hunt • Aim to develop middleware for 3rd parties

14. FUSION Project: Meedja • Games Company in Dundalk • Fusion project • RFID location sensitive technologies • Final application: Supply Chain Management • Developed 2 prototype games • Noughts and Crosses, Treasure Hunt • Aim to develop middleware for 3rd parties

15. Games: Instinct Technology Instinct Technology based in Donegal • 20+ Employees (Games & Tools) • Expanding into Northern Ireland - new production studio based in Derry • Varsity partnership with SCIS – Instinct Studio • Exploit Tools for teaching and research • Potential KTP application • Aim to secure R&D funding for AI in games

16. PIXELearning • UK games based learning company • Specialises in applying computer game and simulation technologies to: • Vocational training • Management skills development • Have submitted two joint funding proposals • Discussing future collaborations • KTPs AND Joint funding opportunities for R&D projects • Develop serious game applications and license remote experimentation capability

17. PIXELearning • UK games based learning company • Specialises in applying computer game and simulation technologies to: • Vocational training • Management skills development • Have submitted two joint funding proposals • Discussing future collaborations • KTPs AND Joint funding opportunities for R&D projects • Develop serious game applications and license remote experimentation capability

18. SoFI: Song Form IntelligenceJonathan Doherty, Kevin Curran & Paul Mc Kevitt • Error Concealment for Streaming Music Across Wireless Bursty Networks • Aims to repair dropouts in wireless music streams • Uses self-similarity to repair missing segments • Utilises MPEG-7 description scheme for analysis and data reduction • Accuracy is a ‘Best Effort’ matching approach

19. SoFI: Song Form IntelligenceJonathan Doherty, Kevin Curran & Paul Mc Kevitt • Error Concealment for Streaming Music Across Wireless Bursty Networks • Aims to repair dropouts in wireless music streams • Uses self-similarity to repair missing segments • Utilises MPEG-7 description scheme for analysis and data reduction • Accuracy is a ‘Best Effort’ matching approach

20. Natural language stories Scriptwriter Script parser Prefabricatedobjects (knowledge base) lexicon grammar Natural Language Processing Text To Speech Soundeffects Language knowledge 3D authoring tools, existing 3D & character models semantic representations mapping visual knowledge Animation generation visual knowledge (3D graphic library) Synchronizing & fusion 3D world with audio inVRML Research into Automated StoryTelling

21. Natural language stories Script writer Script parser Prefabricated objects (knowledge base) lexicon grammar Natural Language Processing Text To Speech Sound effects Language knowledge 3D authoring tools, existing 3D & character models semantic representations mapping visual knowledge Animation generation visual knowledge (3D graphic library) Synchronizing & fusion 3D world with audio in VRML Automated StoryTelling

23. What is possible? • Scottish Computer Games industry: • Catalyst games course at Univ of Abertay • Started around 1998-99 • Cluster of games companies around Dundee • Employs nearly 1000 people • Estimated £50m turnover last year • SDA also supporting start-ups in other cities • Host National Dare-to-be-Digital competition • Creative Technology Centre in North-west?

24. Current Engineering contribution • Range of taught programmes – educated workforce • Visiting Prof in Computer Games funded by Royal Academy of Engineering • Centre of Excellence in Intelligent Systems • Increased AI in Games, Serious Games • Ongoing research in Intelligent Multimedia • Contribute to proposal for Creative Technology Centre • Exploit existing tech transfer mechanisms to support industry

25. Intelligent Systems