Centre for Autonomous and Intelligent Systems

Professor Mauro Vallati

School of Computing and Engineering
University of Huddersfield
Queensgate, Huddersfield
HD1 3DH

Email: m.vallati@hud.ac.uk

Healthcare

The realm of healthcare stands on the cusp of a revolution, driven by the rapid evolution of AI technologies. From machine learning algorithms that can predict disease outcomes to AI-driven robotics aiding in precision surgery, the potential of AI in healthcare is both vast and profoundly impactful. The Healthcare thematic area of the Centre for Autonomous and Intelligent Systems is dedicated to exploring these potentials, focusing on developing AI solutions that are ethical, effective, and enhance the quality of life.
Our mission is to harness the power of AI to solve some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare. We aim to achieve this through a multidisciplinary approach, combining expertise in computer science, medicine, ethics, and public health to create AI technologies that are not only innovative but also accessible and equitable.
Our research spans various domains, including but not limited to: Disease diagnosis and prediction, Clinical Decision Support Systems, Medical image analysis, Remote monitoring and telehealth, Bioinformatics and genomics, Healthcare operations and management, and more. The Healthcare thematic area is also closely linked to the Resilience and Transport thematic areas of the Centre, underscoring the critical role that healthcare occupies within our society, as well as its connections to resilience and transportation.

(Leader, Tianhua Chen)

Resilience

Recent events have brought into question the ability of communities and infrastructure worldwide to withstand disruptions or to quickly recover from them. From the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change to major geopolitical events and the cost of living and energy crisis, resilience to internal and external factors, foreseen or unpredictable, has become a critical requirement. At the same time, advancements in AI have significantly increased our ability to understand complex systems and their interactions, predict their behaviour and develop intelligent decision support systems that can be proactive, rather than reactive, against risks. 
The Resilience thematic area of the Centre for Autonomous and Intelligent Systems brings together leading AI research in strengthening resilience of systems, communities and infrastructure. Application areas where we are currently focused include, supply chains, manufacturing, robotic systems, complex networks, geographic information systems and natural disasters. Due to criticality of resilience and the importance of developing solutions that are trustworthy, ethical and responsible, our research focuses on AI approaches that afford a minimum level of interpretability and/or explainability. The Resilience thematic area is also closely tied to the Transport and Healthcare thematic areas of the Centre, given the importance resilience plays in transport infrastructure and healthcare systems.

(Leader, George Bargiannis)

Transport

In the UK, the annual cost of congestion has reached £8 Billion in lost time and fuel consumption, and transport is the single largest contributor to domestic greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, accounting for 24% of the total and further has become a major health threat that goes beyond the cardiac and respiratory systems. Advancements in AI are unlocking capabilities for transport control and management that are beyond the abilities of human operators and of existing technology, and can support a more sustainable and efficient transport. 
The Transport thematic area of the Centre for Autonomous and Intelligent Systems brings together leading AI research in strengthening transport and mobility infrastructures. Application areas where we are currently focused include, urban traffic control, intelligent traffic systems, traffic routing, public transport, railways, and sustainable mobility. 
The Transport thematic area is also closely tied to the Resilience and Healthcare thematic areas of the Centre, given the importance transport plays in our society.

(Leader, Mauro Vallati)