New fellowship will put Loughborough at the forefront of future automation
A new £1.6m fellowship will explore the future of automation to help develop better drones, driverless cars and healthcare technology.
Part of the Loughborough Future Transport campaign
Starting in February 2020, the project – led by Professor Wen-Hua Chen, of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering – will analyse and design tools for goal-oriented control systems (GOCS).
The EPSRC Established Career Fellowship aims to transform control engineering and unlock the potential of moving from low levels to high levels of automation.
The real-world applications of such a goal would include autonomous aircraft control systems capable of carrying out forced landings without human intervention.
It would also lead to safer driverless cars, autonomous factories and the next generation of exploratory space rovers.
The five-year fellowship will fund a new Lecturer, two Post-Doc Research Associates and three PhD students.
Prof Chen said: “I am very pleased to be have been awarded this prestigious EPSRC Established Career Fellowship, the first-ever in control engineering.
“This is a testament to the world-leading research activities taking place at Loughborough in the last 15 years, particularly in autonomous vehicles.
“Increased levels of automation would mean better productivity, efficiency, safety and reliability, and create new products and services.
“The fellowship will support me and allow me to develop analysis and design tools for goal-oriented control systems, which is fundamental for enabling the safe and efficient operation of future highly automated systems.
“Currently there is a huge concern about the safety implication of inserting drones and intelligent vehicles in the public environment.
“There are also gaps in knowledge when it comes to supporting elderly people living independently at home with robotic technologies.
“This research aims to provide a level of assurance and support both industry and regulatory bodies to build up safety cases.
“The fellowship will support our effort in establishing a world-leading capability at Loughborough in this emerging and important area for the UK’s highly automated economy.”
Loughborough’s expertise in control systems engineering has led to the creation of improved railway track points, the design of virtual vehicles and multiple projects involving unmanned and autonomous aircraft, cars and drones.
ENDS
Notes for editors
Press release reference number: 19/198
Loughborough University is equipped with a live in-house broadcast unit via the Globelynx network. To arrange an interview with one of our experts please contact the press office on 01509 223491. Bookings can be made online via www.globelynx.com
Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.
It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2019 QS World University Rankings, University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2019 and top in the country for its student experience in the 2018 THE Student Experience Survey.
Loughborough is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 4th in the Guardian University League Table 2020, 5th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019 and 8th in The UK Complete University Guide 2020.
Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.
The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.
Loughborough staff, students and alumni make a real difference. They challenge convention, think creatively and find solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing society today and in the future.
Meet the #LboroGameChangers at lboro.ac.uk/lborogamechangers
A new £1.6m fellowship will explore the future of automation to help develop better drones, driverless cars and healthcare technology.
Part of the Loughborough Future Transport campaign
Starting in February 2020, the project – led by Professor Wen-Hua Chen, of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering – will analyse and design tools for goal-oriented control systems (GOCS).
The EPSRC Established Career Fellowship aims to transform control engineering and unlock the potential of moving from low levels to high levels of automation.
The real-world applications of such a goal would include autonomous aircraft control systems capable of carrying out forced landings without human intervention.
It would also lead to safer driverless cars, autonomous factories and the next generation of exploratory space rovers.
The five-year fellowship will fund a new Lecturer, two Post-Doc Research Associates and three PhD students.
Prof Chen said: “I am very pleased to be have been awarded this prestigious EPSRC Established Career Fellowship, the first-ever in control engineering.
“This is a testament to the world-leading research activities taking place at Loughborough in the last 15 years, particularly in autonomous vehicles.
“Increased levels of automation would mean better productivity, efficiency, safety and reliability, and create new products and services.
“The fellowship will support me and allow me to develop analysis and design tools for goal-oriented control systems, which is fundamental for enabling the safe and efficient operation of future highly automated systems.
“Currently there is a huge concern about the safety implication of inserting drones and intelligent vehicles in the public environment.
“There are also gaps in knowledge when it comes to supporting elderly people living independently at home with robotic technologies.
“This research aims to provide a level of assurance and support both industry and regulatory bodies to build up safety cases.
“The fellowship will support our effort in establishing a world-leading capability at Loughborough in this emerging and important area for the UK’s highly automated economy.”
Loughborough’s expertise in control systems engineering has led to the creation of improved railway track points, the design of virtual vehicles and multiple projects involving unmanned and autonomous aircraft, cars and drones.
ENDS
Notes for editors
Press release reference number: 19/198
Loughborough University is equipped with a live in-house broadcast unit via the Globelynx network. To arrange an interview with one of our experts please contact the press office on 01509 223491. Bookings can be made online via www.globelynx.com
Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.
It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2019 QS World University Rankings, University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2019 and top in the country for its student experience in the 2018 THE Student Experience Survey.
Loughborough is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 4th in the Guardian University League Table 2020, 5th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019 and 8th in The UK Complete University Guide 2020.
Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.
The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.
Loughborough staff, students and alumni make a real difference. They challenge convention, think creatively and find solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing society today and in the future.
Meet the #LboroGameChangers at lboro.ac.uk/lborogamechangers
