Research Themes
The AVRRC at Loughborough University has a long established international reputation in researching advanced systems, modelling, simulation and interactive visualization spanning over 20 years. This research has been applied to aerospace, automotive, construction, energy, emergency services, healthcare, manufacturing, sport, transport (road and rail) and Utility (electricity, gas and water) sectors.
Our research is advancing Virtual Engineering research and development new digitalisation techniques to provide critical understanding of increasingly complex and interconnected systems in order to tackle previously intractable problems. Our research is necessarily trans-disciplinary and breaks down barriers between traditional discipline boundaries. Figure 1 illustrates the interconnectness between Virtual Engineering, Visual Analytics, Multi-Scale Modelling & Simulation and Big Data which sit at the heart of our major research themes. Moreover, our research is targetted at problem solving in the real-world as illustrated by the diverse Application Sectors we work in.
Figure 1. Inter-relationships between AVRRC underpinning research activities.
Virtual Engineering and Big Data
- Advanced scientific visualization
- Advanced collaborative environments - connecting humans to virtual engineering environments
- Augmented/Virtual Reality
- Deep/Machine Learning
- Distributed visualisation across heterogeneous information architectures
- High performance computing (Improving human interaction and understanding - HCI focus)
- Interactive visualization
- Multi-criteria decision analysis
- Visual analytics for understanding and solving complex systems
Multi-Scale Modelling & Simulation
- Digital twin
- Model based design and engineering
- Model based systems engineering
- System architecture design through use of architecture patterns
- Coupled (cross-domain) modelling and simulation environments
- Flight and vehicle simulation (human in the loop)
- Pervasive computing environments
- Supply chain networks
- Synthetic environments
Human Factors
- Human Factors and human engineering
- Human in the loop simulation
- Human performance evaluation
Sensors
- Image processing
- Polarimetric image processing
- Sensor integration and networks
- Sensor modelling, simulation and performance evaluation
Systems Engineering
- Autonomous systems
- Systems architectures
- Systems of systems (architecture design and optimisation)
- Systems Engineering (Architectures, Methodologies, Processes and Thinking)
- Health Informatics – pervasive computing perspective
Virtual Reality
- Immersive computing environments
- Augmented reality
- Virtual interfaces
- Virtual Reality
- Visualisation – advanced 3D techniques
- Wearable computing