Research Centres

Research in Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Research in the School of Engineering is broken down into research centres, there are three such centres associated with the Department of Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering. These centres are briefly described below. There are direct links to most of the research going on the in the department.

Research Centre in Applied Computing
The research in the centre is organised according to broad themes, namely:
- Biomedical Informatics, Signals and Systems Laboratory, Dr Theodoros Arvanitis
  (clinical information systems for biomedical decision support, electronic clinical trials, the integrated electronic healthcare record, e-learning for evidence-based medicine, telecommunication technologies in healthcare, integrative biology with a focus on metabolomics, biomedical image and signal processing with a focus on MRI/MRS, biomedical data standardisation)
- Educational Technology, Dr Susan Bull
  (adaptive learning environments, open learner models, computer-supported collaborative learning, mobile learning)
- Human Interface Technologies, Prof Bob Stone
  (Wearable Computing, Defence Human Factors, Medical Simulation, Virtual & Synthetic Environments, Ergonomics Information Analysis Centre)
- Multi-modal Interaction Laboratory, Prof Martin Russell.
  (speech, image, vision and signal processing, acoustics)
Research Centre in Devices and Systems
The primary (but not only) concern of this research centre is the development of devices and systems for communications and radar. The centre’s research covers both basic science and applications. Examples of basic science is the work on nano technology and the basic study of materials such as semiconductors and superconductors. This basic work is complemented by the development of devices such as new, passive and active microwave circuits for real world applications. The research in the centre is organised according to broad themes, namely:
- Communications, Professor Peter Hall
  (Antennas, microwave circuits, propagation, radar and communication networks)
- Emerging Device Technologies, Professor Mike Lancaster.
  (Microwave materials including superconductors and ferroelectrics, RF-MEMS, passive microwave circuits, semiconductors, nanotechnology)
- Microwave Integrated Systems Laboratory, Dr Mike Chernikov.
  (radar, wireless sensor networks)
Research Centre in Railway Engineering
The Railway Systems Group is part of the multi-disciplinary Railway Research Centre within the School of Engineering. Work in Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering has grown over 30 years from an interest in power electronic traction drives, train performance simulation and interactions with the signalling system. Current research ranges from the data handling and systems integration involved in railway asset management through high-level intelligent rail traffic control to emerging propulsion systems.

The group has long standing links with industry, policy makers and academics in the UK, Europe, Japan and Hong Kong. Recently, research has been supported by the EPSRC, the Department for Transport, the European Commission and operators and manufacturers worldwide, including: Network Rail, Atkins, Alstom, Carillion and the Railway Safety and Standards Board.
- Railway Systems Group, Dr Colin Goodman.
  (condition monitoring; systems integration and data management; rail traffic optimisation; train performance and power supply simulation; emerging propulsion systems; and electromagnetic compatibility).
Research in Energy
The institute for Energy research and policy (IERP) brings together eleven research groups at the University of Birmingham under one interdisciplinary umbrella. The institute brings together research from Chemistry, Engineering, Economics, Mathematics, Sociology, Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Physics, and Computer Science. This group of already established research aims to develop Energy research across a wide range of disciplines over the next decade. To this aim Engineering have appointed there senior staff on 2007. Work in Electronic, Electrical and computer Engineering includes.
- Power engineering and artificial intelligence applications in power systems. Professor Michael Negnevitsky
- Modelling and control of flexible AC transmission systems. Dr. Xiao-Ping Zhang
- Deterministic nonlinear control theory and its applications to power and mechatronic systems. Dr Jihong Wang