Dr Liam MaguireSchool of Computing & Intelligent Systems

Faculty of EngineeringMagee Campus, University of Ulster

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

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.

• 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

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

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

Computing Power

Courtesy: Moravec

Thoughts, Images, Visual & Auditory Stimuli

Neuronal Activity (firing)

EEG Amplification Digitisation

Feature Extraction/Selection Classification /

Translation Algorithm

Output Control Signals

External Devices Prosthetic Arm

Feedback to help user adapt-optional

Cursor control, menu selection, writing

BCI

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

EURON – European Robotics Network

From Walled City to Wireless From Walled City to Wireless CityCity

Broadband Flagship ProjectBroadband 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

04/21/23

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

04/21/23

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

3D authoring tools, existing 3D & character

models

visual knowledge (3D graphic library)

Prefabricated objects(knowledge base)

Script writer

Script parser

Natural Language Processing

Text To Speech

Sound effects

Animation generation

Synchronizing & fusion

3D world with audio in VRML

Natural language stories

Language knowledge

mapping

lexicongrammar

semantic representations

visual knowledge

Research into Automated StoryTelling

3D authoring tools, existing 3D & character

models

visual knowledge (3D graphic library)

Prefabricated objects(knowledge base)

Script writer

Script parser

Natural Language Processing

Text To Speech

Sound effects

Animation generation

Synchronizing & fusion

3D world with audio in VRML

Natural language stories

Language knowledge

mapping

lexicongrammar

semantic representations

visual knowledge

Automated StoryTelling

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?

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

Intelligent Systems