Coventry Branch Events 2007 - 2008

The first-half Branch Flyer (38Kb) sent out to all branch members is avaliable here as are the Maps(1.36Mb) page.
Now available is the second-half Branch Flyer (53Kb) (Please note, we've had to edit it a bit to get it to fit onto one page; the speakers' orignal synopsis is included on this web page).

Newyorkyo to Dubainghai

According to Gartner in September 2006, Birmingham based Storage and Infrastructure specialists, Kisdata, are resellers for the leader in Wide Area Optimisation Controllers: Riverbed. Wide-area Data Services (WDS) incorporate Application Acceleration, Bandwidth and Transport Optimisation to allow customers, where necessary, to consolidate both servers and storage with the very real ability to perform backups over the WAN.

Alan Edgecombe, Business Development Manager, Kisdata has promised us a presentation on WDS on a reasonably technical, non-commercial non-sales basis, explaining what it can do for an organization with NO changes to an organizations existing infrastructure. The talk will include a demonstration of the equipment.

Radio-frequency identification (RFID)

In this talk, Professor Keith A Osmand, the Research Manager & Pervasive Computing Leader at the Technology Innovation Centre, Millennium Point, Birmingham reviewed the current status of RFID technology and positioned it as a key enabler for distributed IT systems. The talk dispelled much of the hype, confusion and misunderstanding surrounding RFID and got down to the "nitty gritty" of what RFID can do within a systems context. The talk explored many of the possibilities offered by emergent sensory tags and the potential for real-time location using Wi-Fi tags. And not a drop of Deja Moo in site.

University Challenge Papers Evening

The Challengers (not in any particular order):

Name: Francesco Banterle (Warwick Manufacturing Group)
Title: Inverse Tone Mapping and its applications
Abstract:
"In recent years many tone mapping operators (TMOs) have been presented in order to display high dynamic range images (HDRI) on typical display devices. TMOs compress the luminance range while trying to maintain contrast. The inverse of tone mapping, inverse tone mapping, expands a low dynamic range image (LDRI) into an HDRI.
HDRIs contain a broader range of physical values that can be perceived by the human visual system. We propose a new framework that approximates a solution to this problem. The majority of today’s media is stored in the low dynamic range. Inverse tone mapping operators (iTMOs) could thus potentially revive all of this content for use in high dynamic range display and image based lighting (IBL).
Moreover, we show another application that benefits quick capture of HDRIs for use in IBL."

Name: James Sinfield (Department of Computer Science, Warks Uni)
Title: Fear and Loathing: On Building a Model of The Amygdala
Abstract:
"The amygdala is a part of brain which in humans is responsible for many emotional responses; specifically negative emotions such as fear and anxiety are known to be expressed in the amygdala.
It is my goal to understand the flow of information through the amygdala and therefore understand the nature of fear and other negative emotional responses.
In this talk, I will give a brief overview of computation neuroscience and how computers can be used to model the brain. I describe how I use techniques from Systems Engineering to approach an enormously complex problem such as building a brain ‘in silico’
I will then go on to describe the specific problems I am currently grappling with: this includes the solution of multiple differential equations, minimization problems and determination of causal relationships.
My talk reflects my research in that it is truly multidisciplinary, using real biological data as a starting point, I show how computers can be used in other sciences. The social impact of this research is enormous, given the prevalence of mental ill health and related emotional anxiety disorders."

Name: Tessa Daniel (Cogent Computing Applied Research Centre Faculty of Engineering and Computing Coventry University)
Title: Query Processing in Wireless Sensor Networks
Abstract:
"Greater availability and affordability of wireless technology has led to an increase in the number of wireless sensor network (WSN) applications where sense data is collected at a central user point, commonly outside the network (geographically and topologically) for processing.
Resource constraints on nodes in the network coupled with considerable redundancy in the data generated mean that applications have to be developed with an eye to maximising energy efficiency in order to extend network life. In-network computation, and in particular in-network information extraction from data, has been promoted as a technique for achieving this aim.
In-network processing, however, has been limited to systems where at most, simple aggregate queries are evaluated, the results of which are communicated to the outside world. There is currently little research into how the idea of in-network processing can be extended and implemented to allow more complex queries to be resolved within the network.
My work, therefore, investigates these concepts with a view to eventually implementing a system that will facilitate in-network processing of complex queries in WSNs. "

Name: John Kemp (Cogent Computing Applied Research Centre Faculty of Engineering and Computing Coventry University)
Title: Wearable Wireless Sensing System for Bomb Disposal Protective Clothing
Abstract:
"Bomb disposal technicians work in an environment that can potentially be very dangerous. The dense, heavy protective clothing worn to counteract this during assignments means that the technicians often experience high, uncomfortable and potentially dangerous temperatures. The aim of this research is therefore to develop a wearable wireless sensing system, suitable for deployment in manned bomb disposal missions.
The intended system will be capable of making autonomous decisions related to the actuation of the cooling system within the suit to increase the comfort of the wearer. In addition, it will allow an external observer to remotely monitor the health and comfort of the technician.
Systems for deployment in this situation are constrained in several ways however.

• First, they must be as small as possible to minimise any discomfort.
• Second, the power available is limited and must last throughout the duration of the mission.
• Third, whilst wires carrying signals within the suit are impractical, wireless communications are limited by the signal jammers carried by the technician.

We're planning a prize for the winner, plus certificates for each student who presents a paper. We therefore need you, our impartial branch members, to come along and vote for the best of the best!

Sorry, no lecture this year

2008

Working & Managing in a Multi-National Organisation

The Mainframe in 2008

ICT and Music

Where, in the early 1970s, EMI Abbey Road (the World’s largest and best equipped purpose-built music recording studios) needed to borrow additional analogue tape recorders from the BBC in order to complete Pink Floyd’s seminal Dark Side of the Moon, today’s software technology enables similar results to be achieved on a PC or Mackintosh workstation [or two!].

Information technologist, experimental composer and intrepid explorer of the Sonic Arts, our very own Tony Seaton tore himself away from marking coursework and helping to arrange the Schools Competition to talk to us on his "specialist subject".
The kit he used to demonstrate his talk all fitted in the boot of his Suzuki Ignis. You may be familiar with the suzuki Leano used on "Top Gear"; the Ignis is a lot smaller...

Transport Management

Over the years various aspects of transporation systems have been computerised, starting with signal control and developing to Urban Traffic Management and Control. Now we are starting to relate the Trunk roads and urban road network to all modes of travel, including ferries, air and rail.

The technology is fairly simple, once the extensions to DATEX II are sorted and a decision is made on whether to stay with CORBA for now or move to XML, but the hard part: the 'soft' engineering, will require significant effort, so that all stakeholders buy in.

Paul Welsh who is Head of Profession - Telematics for Owen Williams will show how the systems in use work door to door and where the issues are that need to be resolved under normal and incident or emergency conditions.

Examples, will include:

• the Kent corridor and M25 to the Midlands
• the Birmingham 'box'

Paul intends to make this a fun meeting; members will be surprised at how much of their travel is computer assisted, now we are working on the joined up thinking. Paul may have some very interesting things to say if a certain bid is won.

Coventry Branch AGM

Are we getting it right? Do you like our programme?
What should we be doing better? What should we keep the same?

Are the committee getting stale? Can you take an elected post and inject some freshness?

Please come along and tell us your views, help us to move the branch forward. There will be an excellent buffet accompanying the AGM. If you cannot attend, you can still have your say by emailing the

  Minutes of the 2007 AGM(123Kb)