Intelligent Systems

Intelligent Control, Virtual Reality and Robotics constitute one of the highest strategic priority areas set by the UK government and funding bodies. EPIC is significantly involved in a number of research projects in these areas and is playing a significant role in achieving the cluster’s strategic outcomes. EPIC academics and researchers have obtained EPSRC, European and industrial funding to carry out state-of-the-art research in these fields and are supported by dedicated laboratory spaces covering Controls, Autonomous Systems and Responsive Environments.

Our Intelligent Control research is concerned with principles and applications, the ethos being to link theoretical and technological advances with practical requirements for intelligent systems and advanced control. Important research achievements made include: new algorithms and tools for online system identification, proposal of ‘eng-genes’ neural network paradigm for grey-box modelling of nonlinear dynamical systems, advances in the field of Systems Biology, predictions of NOx emissions from coal fired plants and a unique wireless nervous system aim at providing an intrinsically robust and certifiable wireless networking capability for future aircraft in collaboration with University of Sheffield and Airbus. EPIC research in robotics include new co-operative motion planning strategies for robotic manipulators, enhanced simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) techniques, novel formation control algorithms for unmanned ground, air and marine vehicles and research on standardisation of marine ‘rules of the road’.

Ongoing Research Projects