Date:

1989-

Themes:

Multimedia, Content Based Retrieval, Image Processing

VIPS is an open source image processing library which has evolved from many EU projects on imaging. It is designed for speed, automatic multithreading and ease of programming. Its NIP GUI provides a spreadsheet-like interface with its own functional language for scripting. It has a wide develop/user community around the world and runs on almost any platform (using C/C++/Python). It has been used for mosaicing images, dealing with multi-GB images and colour calibration.

Primary investigators

• Kirk Martinez
• John Cupitt

Partners

• Imperial College, London
• The National Gallery, London

Associated research group

• Intelligence, Agents, Multimedia Group

Date:

2005-

Themes:

Wireless Sensing and Sensor Networks, Pervasive Computing and Networks, Environmental Monitoring

Funding:

EPSRC

The Glacsweb designed a sensor network to monitor glaciers - including producing new hardware (node) designs, new radio communication network protocols and robust control and telemetry. It deployed systems in Norway and Iceland which produced continuous data previously unseen by glaciologists. The interdisciplinary research involved computer science, electronics, mechanical engineering, glaciology and GIS.

Primary investigators

• Kirk Martinez
• Jane Hart

Secondary investigators

• pjb08r
• le1d10
• cp1506
• Jeffrey Gough
• ddj07r
• aic1g11

Associated research groups

• Intelligence, Agents, Multimedia Group
• Pervasive Systems Centre
• Web and Internet Science

Date:

-2010

Themes:

Superconductivity, HTS power apparatus, Liquid dielectrics

This project has been established by the Electrical Power Engineering Group at the University of Southampton to address some fundamental issues associated with the application of superconducting technology to power apparatus. One of the critical aspects for the application of high temperature superconductor (HTS) technology is suitable electrical insulation materials. In many HTS devices, liquid nitrogen (LN2) is a cheap and excellent cooling medium and also a good electrical insulator. However, bubbles are easily formed due to trapped vapour on surfaces during filling, thermally or electrically induced. These bubbles are known to reduce the breakdown withstand level.

This project is studying the thermally induced bubble dynamics and boiling process under electric fields. To date results have been obtained using rod-plane and inclined-plane electrodes. These results are useful for understanding electrohydrodynamic (EHD) phenomena influencing the bubble behaviour in liquid nitrogen and for developing a means of removing the gas from the cryostat of HTS transformers or fault current limiters (FCL) during “quench�. In addition, the EHD technique can be used as an effective heat transfer enhancement method in liquids. Obtained experimental results of liquid nitrogen boiling curves under applied electric fields will allow future cooling equipment to exploit this phenomena.

Primary investigators

• Paul Lewin
• George Chen

Secondary investigator

• pw04r

Associated research groups

• Electrical Power Engineering
• Electronics and Electrical Engineering

Date:

2006-

Theme:

Communication and Networking

To develop algorithms and protocols that can improve the scalability of sensor networks by using cluster-based routing mechanisms. The network must be able to balance energy consumption between nodes and maintain a low message latency.

Primary investigator

• pneb06r

Secondary investigators

• Neil White
• Nick Harris

Associated research groups

• Electronic Systems and Devices Group
• Electronics and Electrical Engineering

Date:

2006-2010

Themes:

High Voltage Engineering, Modelling and Simulation, Condition monitoring

A partial discharge (PD) within a transformer can be considered as a high frequency transient event, therefore the development of high frequency models may inform the process of pd source location and evaluation. PD activity in large transformers can be detected using wideband sensors (vhf up to 500MHz)and therefore any model should be broadband. The use of a laboratory experimental model containing both interleaved and plain disk windings has provided a range of time and frequency response data that has yielded models based on lumped circuit parameters. Other modelling approaches are being investigated as well as techniques for determining PD source location based on the developed models and measurements of PD activity made at the bushing tap and neutral to earth points.

Primary investigators

• Paul Lewin
• djs

Secondary investigator

• rm05r

Associated research group

• Electronics and Computer Science

Date:

2008-2010

Themes:

Modelling and Simulation, Environmental modelling, Condition monitoring

The insulation used for a high voltage application is one of the most important components in any design because breakdown of the insulation may cause total failure of the whole component. The electrical insulation system is subjected to high electrical, mechanical and thermal stresses which can age and degrade the insulation to the point where partial discharges (PD) can become a regular occurrence ultimately leading to total breakdown. Detection and analysis of PD activity is therefore important to ensure the health and lifetime of any high voltage asset.

Partial discharge is a discharge event that does not bridge the electrodes within an electrical insulation system under high voltage stress. In high voltage components, the measurement of partial discharge is used in the performance assessment of an insulation system. Through modelling and measuring the discharge process a better understanding of the phenomena may be attained. This project describes the development of a mathematical model describing partial discharge in a spherical cavity and ellipsoidal cavity within a homogeneous dielectric. The model developed is used to study the influence of the applied frequency on partial discharge activity and also the influence of the cavity size and cavity location within the insulation material on partial discharge frequency dependent activity. The simulation results can then be used within insulation diagnostics to assist in the assessment of the performance of the insulation system.

Primary investigators

• George Chen
• Paul Lewin

Secondary investigator

• hai07r

Associated research group

• Electronics and Computer Science

Date:

2008-2011

Themes:

Assessment, Technology Enhanced Learning, Accessible Technologies

Funding:

JISC

A number of technical and policy issues are of concern within the University around e-assessment, including:

• an increasing need for interoperability;
• migration from legacy systems;
• quality assurance through item and test statistics;
• AER (additional educational requirements) and accessibility issues;
• provision of mathematical notation in science and engineering questions; and, most importantly,
• student and staff engagement with the relevant technologies (such as Web 2.0 and mobile devices) and services.

The University has received funding to accelerate the process of both implementing an open source, service based solution to institutional e-assessment and addressing institutional change by engaging academics and students in co-design and co-deployment. In line with the recently introduced University e-Learning Enhancement Strategy, which places the quality of student learning as its first objective, the EASiHE project intends to provide an open source solution for formative assessment by integrating services currently available within the JISC eFramework.

The project will:

• take the JISC-funded ‘EdSpace’ repository and elements of the ‘Faroes’ project to provide ‘Web 2.0’ content and services to users;
• incorporate the IMS Question and Test interoperability standard by integrating the ‘AsDel’ assessment delivery engine, integrating the ‘MathQTI’ standard, and providing QTI migration services sourced from the ‘MCQFM’ project;
• ensure the system is informed by the ‘LexDis’ project for accessibility;
• include relevant lessons from the ‘mPLAT’ and ‘Remora’ projects in providing for mobile learning and assessment; and
• incorporate a relatively underutilised and ‘new’ form of assessment, peer assessment, based upon the ‘Peer Pigeon’ project.

The main deliverables include:

• the provision of an open source e-assessment repository;
• services for the contribution and migration of assessment questions, tests, and peer assessments;
• services for the delivery of tests and peer assessments;
• documentation supporting the pedagogical design of e-assessments at higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy; and
• dissemination material for the wider sector dealing with institutional change using the processes of co-design and co-deployment.

As partners in the JISC Institutional Innovation Support Project, EASiHE will be actively involved in producing briefing materials and training activities for exemplary practice.

Primary investigators

• Gary Wills
• Dr Bill Warburton, iSolutions
• Lester Gilbert

Secondary investigator

• pz2g12

Associated research group

• Electronic and Software Systems

Date:

2008-

Theme:

Communication and Networking

The aim of this research is to beneficially redistribute energy consumption in wireless sensor networks. Typically, sensor nodes have scarce energy resources and must rely on energy harvesting to prolong their life. By contrast, the sink node is often integrated into a higher-level system and can benefit from the accompanying plentiful energy resources, such as the mains. It is therefore desirable to redistribute energy consumption from the sensor nodes to the sink node. This can be achieved using iterative decoding.

Primary investigator

• Robert Maunder

Secondary investigators

• Geoff Merrett
• asw05r
• Bashir Al-Hashimi
• Lajos Hanzo

Associated research groups

• Pervasive Systems Centre
• Communications Research Group
• Electronic Systems and Devices Group
• Electronics and Electrical Engineering

Date:

2006-

Themes:

Healthcare, Healthcare in ECS, Wireless Sensing and Sensor Networks

This project is investigating the development and demonstration of a pervasive home welfare monitoring system. The system aims to use unobtrusive sensors for early detection and automated reporting of deteriorating physiological health parameters and enabling independent living.

Primary investigator

• sjs05r

Secondary investigators

• Bashir Al-Hashimi
• Nick Harris
• David De Roure

Associated research groups

• Pervasive Systems Centre
• Electronic Systems and Devices Group
• Electronics and Electrical Engineering

Date:

2006-

Theme:

Environmental Monitoring

To develop algorithms and protocols that can improve the scalability of sensor networks by using cluster-based routing mechanisms. The network must be able to balance energy consumption between nodes and maintain message latency under predetermined values.

Primary investigator

• pneb06r

Secondary investigators

• Nick Harris
• Neil White

Associated research groups

• Electronic Systems and Devices Group
• Electronics and Electrical Engineering