New Research Centre Where Robots Will Rule
From: Press Association (UK) - 05/09/2007
By: Ian Graham

The University of Ulster recently opened the new Intelligent Systems Research
Centre at its Magee campus in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The center is
intended to become a leading force in research in the fields of robotics,
artificial intelligence, and intelligent systems. The university has launched
an international search to attract the world's leading talent in the fields
to Northern Ireland. The center's director, professor Martin McGinnity, said
part of the research will focus on developing robotic systems that are more
intelligent and have a better understanding of their surroundings and what is
happening around them. "Sophisticated robots are currently available but lack
the ability to adapt to changing circumstances or interact intelligently with
humans," McGinnity said. "We will be focusing not simply on robot-human
interaction, but robot-robot co-operation and collaboration as well."
Bio-inspired computational systems, designed to create more intelligent
machines, will also be a focus of the center, along with brain-computer
interfacing for the health care sector to help the disabled. McGinnity said
work is already underway examining how EEG signals in the brain can be
interpreted by computers and used to manipulate everyday objects, creating
new communication channels for the disabled. Finally, the center will work on
ambient intelligence, extracting intelligence from wireless sensors, a
technology that could be used to aid the increasingly large elderly
population in western Europe. 

Read the entire article at:
http://www.pressassociation.press.net/

Links:
Martin McGinnity
http://www2.ulster.ac.uk/staff/mcginnity-2.html
http://isel.infm.ulst.ac.uk/mcginnity.html

UU Unveils £20m Investment In Intelligent Systems Research
http://news.ulster.ac.uk/releases/2007/3184.html