The Image and Information Engineering Group has research interests in
all aspects of image analysis, including high performance classifier design
and image interpretation, image coding and video processing, colour and
texture feature analysis, and intelligent processing structures, and has an
international reputation for its work in a number of key application areas.
The research themes of particular current interest include the following:
- High Performance Image Analysis
- Biometrics and Security
- Visual Communications
- Handwriting Analysis
- Document Processing
- Medical Image Analysis
- Neural Systems Engineering and
Biologically-Inspired Processing
The Group is well represented on Programme and
Organising Committees of major national and international conferences and
workshops, and on Editorial Boards of International Journals. Members of the
Group are very active within the Professional Associations, international
standards bodies, and in the Research Council Peer Review Colleges, and have
participation in DTI-sponsored Technology Missions worldwide.
A more detailed appreciation of the Group's work
can be seen in the following lists.
Recent and current EPSRC-funded
research:
- Techniques for signature verification
- Detection of neglect in stroke patients
- Novel multiple classifier structures (several
grants)
- Intelligent agents in multimodal biometrics
(EPSRC/DTI LINK project)
- Distributed document security
- Assessing dyspraxia using drawing
analysis
- Writer identification in forensic
applications
- Document handwriting analysis
Recent and current EU-supported
research:
- Automated bank cheque processing
- On-card biometric authentication
- System access strategies and HCI issues
- Writing and drawing analysis for medical
diagnostics and rehabilitation
- Robot visual guidance systems
Research funding from other
sources:
- DSTL
- ETRI (Korea)
- NHS
- Medical charities
- Various individual industrial companies
Participation in national/international
research networks:
- EPSRC IRIS (Biometrics)
www.ee.kent.ac.uk/iris/
- EPSRC ViTAB (Video-based threat
assessment)
- EPSRC ICARIS (Interdisciplinary human
identification research)
- EU Network of Excellence: BIOSECURE
(Biometrics for secure authentication)
- International Association for Biometrics
- European Biometrics Forum
National Centre of Excellence in
Biometrics and Identification Technologies
The Group is at the forefront of an initiative to
establish a national Centre of Excellence in Biometrics and Identification
technologies. Such a Centre would provide a national focus for biometrics
and related technologies and would bring together the scientific community,
the UK industrial base, Government and end-users in a unique partnership to
ensure that UK excellence in this field is maintained and enhanced. Plans
are at an advanced stage and it is anticipated that the Centre can be
launched within the next twelve months.
Summary
The track record of the Group, in terms of quality and quantity of publications in the technical literature, our ability to attract external research funding from a wide range of sources (our current portfolio is drawn from the UK Research Councils, EU funding programmes, various government agencies, and industrial and commercial companies), and our participation in key events within the research community nationally and internationally, is excellent. Our collaborative links with other researchers in the UK, Europe and worldwide provide a stimulating research environment, and we support a large and thriving group of research staff and students. Our research laboratory is well-equipped with state-of-the-art computational facilities to underpin our work.
