Bristol
is a research led University. This means that world class research
is carried out alongside our degree courses. It also means that our
teaching is continually being updated to reflect new advances and
you will be gaining in-depth knowledge from people who are at the
forefront of the subject. This is particularly true in a dynamic subject
like Computing, in which new ideas, techniques and applications are
always emerging.
We carry out research in the areas described below. The work is funded
by both government agencies and industrial sponsors, and we have close
collaborations with computing and microelectronic companies in the
Bristol region. There are plenty of opportunities for you to work
with our research groups, for example by undertaking a final year
project or by working on a project over the summer. Having graduated,
you may also want to continue your studies at a higher level by undertaking
a PhD degree within one of the research groups.
The Computer Architecture and Design group is tackling the problem of designing
microchips with millions of transistors on them, and then ensuring that they will work as
expected. It is particularly interested in systems handling sound, graphics and images,
in which data needs to be transferred and processed at greater and greater speeds in order
to meet the demands of new applications and appliances. Personal Systems: Ordnance Survey
In Digital Media we are exploring new techniques for manipulating, analysing and synthesising
images, video and audio. This ranges from algorithms which enable computers to recognise objects
in images, to efficient methods for generating realistic computer graphics and animation.
The work has numerous applications, including security systems based on face recognition,
medical screening systems, virtual reality devices and new ways of speeding up and improving
animation and games production.
Digital
Media: Vision and Graphics
Our Foundations group looks at the more mathematical aspects of the subject,
in particular Algorithms, Cryptography and Quantum Computing.
Of particular interest is the on potentially revolutionary research is being carried out by our
researchers in Quantum Computing, who are looking at new ways of building computers, based on the
interactions of atoms and the principles of quantum mechanics. In addition we have a
team looking at Cryptography, which specialises in new forms of cryptography for small, low power
computing devices such as chip-and-pin cards and mobile phones. This work is vital if the growth of
e-commerce is to continue at the rate seen in recent years, in which consumer confidence in the
security of electronic systems is paramount.
The Intelligent Systems group investigates how computers can automatically learn things from
data. For example, it develops data mining algorithms, which allow a computer to discover what a
group of things have in common, be they documents or protein sequences, and then to recognise them
automatically when analysing new data. It also works in the interface between computer science and
the biological scienes, finding links which not only help to make computers more intelligent but
also to provide a deeper understanding of human intelligence as well. This research will allow
sophisticated new information systems to be developed, enabling us to manage and make full use of the
vast amounts of data that can now be collected easily and at an unprecedented rate.
Our Personal Systems group design computer systems that you can wear or carry with you all
of the time. They design novel interfaces, sensing mechanisms and practical applications, including
wide-area interactive games and location mapping systems, many of which are based around its own
‘Cyberjacket’ wearable computer. This work will enable us to take advantage of the continuing
miniaturisation and increased portability of computing devices. In addition we also conduct a
number of projects to investigate novel uses of intelligent devices in the real world, especially
related to educational experiences.
Finally, we are involved in a number of research centres which span across different parts of the
University. For example, The Centre for IT and Law is a pioneering centre looking at the new
legal challenges associated with the rapidly changing world being created by the deployment of
information technology. It is a cross- disciplinary venture between the Law and Computer Science
Departments and is supported by a group of international businesses and legal experts.
