The Mildner Memorial Lecture 2018 and Research Poster Presentation

“Driven to Not Drive”

Professor Paul Newman, Director of the Oxford Robotics Institute and Founder of autonomous vehicle company Oxbotica

Abstract

Talk of machine autonomy is everywhere, and so it should be. We won’t always have to drive ourselves and make terrible mistakes, smash rocks in mines, lug goods around warehouses, not explore planets and struggle to clear up after disasters. But what are the technical components of such an autonomy system, what lies under the hood? What has become easy and what remains hard? How will these systems share data to evoke superhuman skill acquisition? How will they be insured and where and when will they appear in our lives. This talk will address these coupled questions which span the technical, the economic and social spheres. Questions are particularly welcome!

The 2018 Mildner Memorial Lecturer: Professor Paul Newman

Paul Newman is the BP Professor of Information Engineering at the University of Oxford. He is Director of the Oxford Robotics Institute (ori.ox.ac.uk) within the Department of Engineering Science. The ORI enjoys a world leading reputation in mobile autonomy - developing machines which roll, walk, poke, swim and fly in the real world. His focus lies on pushing the boundaries of navigation and autonomy techniques in terms of both endurance and scale. In 2014 he founded Oxbotica - a spinout company focussed on Mobile Autonomy. He was elected fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the IEEE with a citation for outstanding contributions to robot navigation.

Professor Paul Newman

Programme

1.30pm Registration, Research Poster and Table Top Demonstrations - North and South Cloisters, Wilkins Building, Gower St, UCL. Registration (South Cloisters).

3.30pm Reception - South Cloisters, Wilkins Building, Gower St, UCL

4.45pm Lecture - Cruciform B304 - LT1, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, UCL

About the Mildner Memorial Lecture

The Mildner Lecture is held biennially in memory of Raymond Charles Mildner [1907-1977] who, having obtained a BSc (Eng) [1927] and an MSc (Eng) [1931] from UCL, started his distinguished research career as the holder of the Robert Blair Fellowship. He made major contributions to the technology of power and communication cables, his work spanning an interdisciplinary spectrum from electromagnetic theory through to materials science. In 1969 he was empowered by the Dow Chemical Company to nominate the recipient of a $2,500 gift. He nominated the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at UCL and the then Head of Department, Professor Alex Cullen FRS, instituted the Mildner Lecture. The first Lecture was given by Harold Barlow in 1972.

Alongside the Mildner Lecture we also celebrate the current research of the Department with a Research Poster Display. The research work carried out by both postgraduate and post-doctoral researchers is a vital element of all leading research departments and we showcase presentations of the work of our staff, Masters, PhD, and EngD researchers.

UCL EEE Mildner Memorial Lecture and Research Poster Presentation 2018