AI for Vision, Language and Reasoning

The ViLAR theme focusses on enabling machines to perceive, understand, and interact with the world in ways that mimic and ultimately exceed human capabilities. Comprising a team of experts in artificial intelligence, computer vision, natural language processing, software engineering, multi-agent systems, and lifelong learning, our aim is to enhance both vision and language representations to promote effective and robust AI models capable of solving complex and dynamic real-world problems.

We collaborate extensively with industry to ensure the relevance of its research. We have a very good track record of attracting funding from EPSRC, Newton Fund, Innovate UK, EU, Home Office, NHS and UK industry.

Objectives & Goals:

  • Computer vision and image analysis: develop models for critical real-world vision and imaging tasks, e.g., object detection, image segmentation, super-resolution, tracking, image generation, 3D reconstruction, and medical imaging.
  • Natural language processing: develop LLMs, agentic LLMs, and software debug automation; enhance trustworthy and ethical LLMs, and deploy LLMs in real-world applications.
  • Multi-modal learning: develop vision-language model, embodied AI, and multi-senor fusion.
  • Theoretical advancements: develop cutting-edge contributions in lifelong learning, multi-agent systems, few-shot learning, domain adaptation and self-supervised learning.

Our research:

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Computer Vision
  • Image Analysis
  • Object Detection
  • Image Segmentation
  • Super-Resolution
  • Tracking
  • Image Generation
  • 3D Reconstruction
  • Medical Imaging
  • Natural Language Processing (NLP)
  • Large Language Models (LLMs)
  • Agentic LLMs
  • Software Debug Automation
  • Trustworthy AI
  • Ethical AI
  • Applied LLMs
  • Multi-Modal Learning
  • Vision-Language Models
  • Embodied AI
  • Multi-Sensor Fusion
  • Lifelong Learning
  • Multi-Agent Systems
  • Few-Shot Learning
  • Self-Supervised Learning

Dr Haibin Cai (Senior Lecturer)

Research interests:

Computer vision, robotic sensing, and application of deep learning, particularly in research areas: eye-tracking, gaze estimation, facial expression recognition, motion recognition, robot vision, multi-sensor fusion, object detection, defect detection, deep fake generation and identification.

Professor Georgina Cosma

Research interests:

Artificial Intelligence (A.I), Natural Language Processing, data science. Innovative deep learning algorithms for fusing & aligning multi-modal data; identifying limitations of A.I in real-world scenarios, developing solutions to overcome limitations; ethical & continual lifelong machine learning.

Prof Nina Dethlefs

Research interests:

AI, natural language processing and sustainability

Shirin Dora (Lecturer)

Research interests:

Resource-efficient AI, Lifelong Learning, Neuromorphic Computing, Spiking Neural Networks, Earth Observation, Space Robotics, Cybersecurity

Dr Hui Fang (Senior Lecturer)

Research interests:

Applying visual computing and AI technologies for digital healthcare, precision agriculture, business intelligence, environment change monitoring, and contemporary transportation systems.

Dr Syeda Fatima (Senior Lecturer)

Research interests:

AI, Multi-agent systems, Game theory, Negotiation, Optimisation, Resource allocation, Learning.

Prof Baihua Li (Professor)

Research interests:

Computer vision, machine learning, deep learning. Human pose/activity/behaviour recognition, wearable sensors, HCI, medical image processing, autonomous underwater vehicle, large high-dimension multi-mode datasets modelling & pattern recognition.

Dr Russell Lock (Reader)

Research interests:

Socio-technical systems design/modelling/analysis, and sensor data gathering and analysis. The research Russell completes is applied with an emphasis on bridging the gap between academic theory and industrial practice.

Professor Qinggang Meng (Professor)

Research interests:

Biologically & psychologically inspired learning algorithms, service robotics, robot learning, autonomous systems verification & validation, multi-UAV cooperation, human motion analysis, ambient assisted living, driverless vehicles sensing & decision making, agricultural & underwater robots.

Christos Peridis

Research interests:

Gerald Schaefer (Senior Lecturer)

Research interests:

Colour image analysis, image retrieval, physics-based vision, medical imaging, and computational intelligence.

Dr Andrea Soltoggio (Reader)

Research interests:

Lifelong Machine Learning, Collective AI, Robotics, Neuromodulation, Evolutionary Computation, Artificial Life.

Dr Mohamad Saada (Lecturer)

Research interests:

Deep learning (DNNs, CNNs, GANs), computer vision, human computer/robot interaction, probabilistic modelling (Bayesian Networks, Dynamic Bayesian Networks, Hidden Markov Models, Kalman filters, Graphical Models), human activity recognition, anomaly detection, multi-object tracking.

Dr George Vogiatzis (Reader)

Research interests:

Computer Vision, Machine Learning, AI for traffic control, Graphics, Shape-from-X, Image search, Synthetic data, Reinforcement learning,  knowledge transfer.

Dr Chengyu Zhang (Lecturer)

Research interests:

Software Engineering, Programming Languages, Formal Methods, Artificial Intelligence

Ongoing projects:

  1. “Novel real-time algorithms and system architecture for defect detection on patterned textiles”, Qinggang Meng (PI), Eran Edirisinghe (CoI), Innovate UK, £421,482 in total, (£148K for Loughborough University), from Aug. 2018
  2. “Triple-Network Air Quality Monitoring and Carbon Credit Trading Platform for Sustainable Urban Environments”,  Qinggang Meng (PI),  Newton Fund, £470K in total (£131K for Loughborough University), from Aug. 2018.
  3. “AgriRobot: Autonomous agricultural robot system for precision spraying”, Qinggang Meng (PI), £499,964 (£126,370 for Loughborough University),  Innovate UK,  , total £840k for the project. April 2018—March 2020.
  4. “YOBAN- a companion robot to assist walking, sitting down and standing up for older people”, Qinggang Meng (PI),  £380,227 to Loughborough University, total about £1.1M. Newton Fund.  April 2017-March 2019.
  5. “STAR – Sky Transport Autonomous Robot”, Qinggang meng (PI),  EPSRC CDT studentship,  £40,000 to Loughborough University from the sponsored company Motion Robotics Ltd, 2018-2022,
  6. “AI supported mammographic interpretation training system”, Yan Chen (PI), Qinggang meng (CoI),  EPSRC CDT studentship, £40,000 to Loughborough University from the sponsored company Hologic. 2018-2022
  7. “Stabilisation and walking in a bipedal robot based on the Flexmotor”, Qinggang Meng (PI), 1 July 2016-30 June 2020, EPSRC CDT studentship, £40,000 to Loughborough University from the sponsored Motion Robotics Ltd,
  8. “Video based feature extraction and object tracking”, Qinggang Meng (PI), £70,000,  SUKE INTEL, Sept 2017-Sept 2018.
  9. "Real time camera view transformation and visualisation in mixed reality", Qinggang Meng (PI), EPSRC CDT studentship, £40,000 to Loughborough University from industry. 
  10. "FloodFinJava", NERC (£262,193), Russell Lock (CoI), 2018-2020
  11. "PCUK Radiologist Training",  Yan Chen (PI), £39,951 from Prostate Cancer UK (research), from January 2018 for one year. 
  12. "MyPEBs – Personalised Breast Screening", Yan Chen (PI), EU Grant £130,883, 1 January 2018-31  December 2025. 
  13. "Prospects UK Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Trial (Research)", Yan Chen (PI),  £380k August 2018-end July 2025.
  14. “Building Embedded Intelligence for Curiosity Driven Underwater Vehicle for Target Exploration”, EPSRC and industry (Witted Srl) sponsored project. Baihua LI (PI), industry contribution £40k to LU, 2018 – 2022
  15. “AI/Machine Learning based Algorithm and Software Development for Action Event Detection in Sports Videos”, EPSRC CDT PhD project, Statmetrix sponsored project. Baihua Li (PI), industry contribution £40k (Statmetrix) to LU.  2018 – Dec. 2022.
  16. “Developing Intelligent and Interactive HVAC Pipe Network”, PhD studentship Co-funded by Tata, £13k to LU, Paul Chung (PI),  Baihua Li (Co-I). 2016- 2020.
  17. “Hand-drawn Document Cognitive Systems”, EPSRC CDT industry (Surface Intelligence) sponsored PhD studentship. Eran Edirisinghe (PI), £40k to LU, 2018 – 2022.
  18. “Supper Resolution Videos from High Resolution”, EPSRC and ARM sponsored PhD project. Eran Edirisinghe (PI), £40k to LU, 2016 - 2020.
  19. “Defect Detection on Wind Turbine Surfaces using Artificial Intelligence.” EPSRC CDT studentship, Georgina Cosma (PI), Railston’s & Co Ltd. 2020-2023
  20. “Novel Approaches for Constructing Optimised Multimodal Data Spaces.” The Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant RPG-2016-252. Georgina Cosma (PI), 2016–2019. £115,355
  21. “A.I based models for optimising integrated care pathways of patients.” Partly funded by external partner and partly by Loughborough University. Georgina Cosma (PI), 2021-2024
  22. KTP project with Singular Intelligence, Hui Fang (PI),  Qinggang Meng (CoI), £197,792, 2021 - 2023 
  23. "An agent based modelling solution for reliable decision making in crisis and market turmoil in consumer retail", Innovate UK, Hui Fang (PI), Shaheen Fatima (CoI), £199,751 (£56,758 for Loughborough), 2020 - 2021
  24. "RAMP VIS: Making Visual Analytics an Integral Part of the Technological Infrastructure for Combating COVID-19", EPSRC, Hui Fang (Co-PI),  Led by University of Oxford, £427,038, 2021 - 2022.

Some recently Completed projects:

  1. "Towards more autonomy for unmanned vehicles: situational awareness and decision making under uncertainty", Qinggang Meng (CoI), Paul Chung (CoI), Wen-hua Chen(PI), EPSRC, 1 March 2012-31 Dec 2016,  £1,006,188 (£1M to LU) in total, £246,410 to Computer Science Dept.
  2. “Remote Monitoring and Shared Decision Making for Upper Limb MSK Conditions Using MS Kinect”, NHS England Regional Innovation Fund (NHS-IHW-COLAB-2142). Baihua Li (PI), Total £130k, Central Manchester University Hospitals, MIRA Rehab Ltd. and LU.  2015 – Dec. 2017.
  3. “A Face Mask for Real-time Facial Motion Capture”, Technology Strategy Board, Baihua Li (Co-I), £20k, 2009-2010.   
  4. “Virtual Reality Gaming to Improve Motor Control in Autism”, MIMIT-Manchester Integrating Medicine and Innovative Technology.  Baihua Li (Co-I), £24k. 2014-2015.
  5.  "PERFORMS", £365k, Prostate Cancer UK ,  Yan Chen (PI), April 2017/18.
  6. "Digital Breast Tomosynthesis in UK study",  £228,596 from Hologic Inc via LUEL, Yan Chen (PI), from April 2017 for 1 year.  
  • Deep learning computers with latest Nvidia A100 GPUs
  • LiDAR system
  • Camera Systems
  • Eye tracker systems
  • Wearable sensor systems, e.g. Delsys Trigno EMG, IMU, Fitbit
  • Kinect, LEAP Motion
  • Access to Vicon Motion Capture System
  • Access to High Performance Computer (HPC) systems