Cognitive computing is characterised as the AI of the 21st century and has been embraced by the IT industry as a natural evolution in computer science riding the wave towards smart machines. Recent technological breakthroughs, such as deep learning and IBM’s Watson question answering machine, are underpinning this evolution. Cognitive computing is described by the British Computer Society (BCS) as a disruptive technology with machines moving into areas that were the province of the human brain.
In this context, our research is primarily driven by the fundamental question of what makes humans and machines intelligent. It draws on a variety of insights as provided by computer science, eg, smart algorithms and systems for understanding contents (e.g., data, text, images) and environment, enabling socially intelligent and ethically aware robots and autonomous systems, enabling intelligent user interfaces, brain sciences, eg, affective computing and sentiment analysis, neuroscience and ANNs, life Sciences, eg, evolution theory and biology. Key areas of our cognitive systems lab's expertise include the following:
- theoretical computer science
- foundations of algorithms
- semantic computing
- natural language processing
- question answering systems
- information retrieval and extraction
- knowledge engineering
- Web intelligence
- pattern search for time-series data
- integrated models of sensory-motor perception and interaction
- affect and emotion
- gesture and expression
- cognition and consciousness
- implementable systems based on robotic models.
For further reference on the research area, please also visit our blogging website.