Road to the future
Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:12:00 BST
Professor creates major research network
European experts gather at the University of Huddersfield to launch the ARTS network
A UNIVERSITY of Huddersfield professor’s vision that Artificial Intelligence can be harnessed to control the mounting complexities and curb the spiralling costs of future road transport systems has led to the creation of a major new network which links scientists from 18 European countries.
Professor Lee McCluskey – a globally respected expert in Artificial Intelligence – chairs the new network, which is being funded by the influential organisation named COST, which stands for European Co-operation in Science and Technology. Backed by the EU, it operates under the aegis of the European Science Foundation.
The new network is named Autonomic Road Transport Support Systems, or ARTS. It has now held its inaugural meeting at the University of Huddersfield. Some 45 scientists – most of them from overseas – convened for talks on how research would proceed. It was agreed to form four working groups to examine different aspects of the project.
The goal is to develop advanced computer systems able to make decisions that will enable them to control and optimise traffic flows and carry out other tasks designed to improve transport efficiency and control costs.
The ARTS network is multi-disciplinary, explained Professor McCluskey. It involves experts from fields that include transport studies, engineering and computer science.
“The network will provide a conduit so that novel and exciting new areas of computer science and engineering will flow into applications to do with road transport support,” he added. “This is a new scientific community and a new subject area.”
The ARTS network will be funded for four years by COST. The total sum will probably reach about 400,000 euros.
ARTS was launched at the University of Huddersfield – where visiting scientists from the UK and overseas were impressed by the campus and facilities, says Prof McCluskey – but will go “on the road” for future meetings, such as one planned for Bulgaria in September. The network will be administered from Huddersfield, with two PhD students becoming closely involved.
- A full description of the Autonomic Road Transport Support Systems project and its goals is at http://www.cost.esf.org/domains_actions/tud/Actions/TU1102.
