The Research Group on Development of Intelligent Environments, headed by Prof Juan Carlos Augusto from the department of Computer Science, won the first prize in this year British Computer Society (BCS) Machine Intelligence Competition which took place at BCS Headquarters in London during the 4th of October. The Middlesex University team won by a big margin against other finalist entries from Imperial College, Manchester Metropolitan, Southampton Solent/Algobroz and the University of Lincoln.
The team gave a live demonstration transmitted from the Smart Spaces Lab, currently hosted in Mdx Farmhouse, showing real advances in ambient intelligence and context-aware intelligent support. This research particularly aims at supporting vulnerable people and their carers at home. The technology uses sensors and actuators in a home automation setup, supported by a sophisticated AI architecture that reasons by analysing sensor data and provides intelligent analysis and services based on context and personalisation in real time.
The team who presented the system during the competition consisted of: M. Ali, J. C. Augusto, O. Benes, J. G. Manuel Gimenez, G. Ogbuabor, Ch. Oguego, and M. Quinde. However the team of MDX colleagues who contributed to the system one way or another was much larger. The following colleagues contributed with technical advice: Jill Stewart (S.L. in Housing & Environmental Health), Mark Springett (S.L. in CS, Interaction Design Centre), Carl James-Reynolds (S.L. in CS) and Ralph Moseley (S.L. in CS).
And the team wishes to specially thank the Department of Computer Science, the Faculty of Science and Technology management for the sustained support, as well as technical support from our university infrastructure, without all of which this achievement would not have been possible. The team photo shows (anti-clockwise from left to right): Chimezie Leonard Oguego (PhD student), Mark Springett (S.L. in CS, Interaction Design Centre), Murad Ali (PhD student), Godwin Okechukwu Ogbuabor (PhD student), Jose Gines (MRes student), Ondrej Benes (MRes student), Juan Augusto (Head of Research Group on Intelligent Environments and of Smart Spaces Lab) and Mario Jose Quinde (PhD student).