Ubicomp, Touch and Gaze by Hans Gellersen

Abstract:
Touch input and two-handed interaction were intensively studied in the mid 80′s but it’s taken 20 years for these ideas to emerge in the mainstream, with the advent of multi-touch interfaces. Gaze has been studied for almost as long as interaction modality and appears on the brink of wider use. This talk will present recent work that reconsiders touch and gaze to address challenges in ubiquitous computing: interaction across personal devices and large displays, and spontaneous interaction with displays using our eyes only.

Bio:
Hans Gellersen is a Professor of Interactive Systems in the School of Computing & Communications at Lancaster University. His research interests are in ubiquitous computing and systems and technologies for human-computer interaction. He has contributed on topics including location, context and activity sensing, device association and cross-device interaction, and interfaces that blend physical and digital interaction. In his recent work, he is particularly interested in eye movement analysis: as a source of contextual information on human activity, interest and well-being; and as a resource for interaction beyond the lab. Hans is closely involved with the UbiComp conference series which we founded in 1999, and served on the Editorial Boards of Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, and IEEE Pervasive Computing. He holds a PhD from Karlsruhe University.

Event details

  • When: 11th February 2014 14:00 - 15:00
  • Where: Maths Theatre B
  • Format: Seminar

Geometrisation of first-order logic

Dr. Roy Dyckhoff will give a talk titled, “Geometrisation of first-order logic”.

Abstract:

We show that every first-order theory T has a conservative extension G_T that is a geometric theory. Reasoning problems in T can therefore be replaced by problems in G_T, where the methods of geometric (aka ‘coherent’) logic are applicable. We discuss related work by Skolem (1920), Antonius (1975), Bezem and Coquand (2005), Fisher (2007–..), Polonsky (2011) and Mints (2012).

(A formula is **positive** iff built from atoms using \exists, \land and \lor. A **geometric implication** is the universal quantification of a formula C -> D where C and D are positive. A theory is **geometric** iff axiomatised by geometric implications. Lots of mathematical theories are geometric. Reasoning in a geometric theory usually avoids the unnatural conversions of resolution-based theorem proving, and produces intuitionistically sound proofs)

Joint work with Sara Negri (Helsinki).

Event details

  • When: 21st February 2014 12:00 - 13:00
  • Where: Maths 1A Tut Rm
  • Format: Talk

Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure

Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure, or ‘how to break into a nuclear power station for fun & profit’

Dr Richard Gold, Cisco Systems, UK

Cyber Security for Critical Infrastructures such as the power grid, oil & gas pipelines and dams has become a hot topic since the Stuxnet malware attack against the nuclear enrichment centrifuges in Iran. However, due to intrinsic issues with the field of Critical Infrastructure (a.k.a., ICS or SCADA), it is difficult to deploy standard IT security solutions “as is” to these systems. In this talk I discuss the problems associated with deploying effective security processes in Critical Infrastructures, the various types of security holes which these system contain and a step-by-step approach to exploiting a Critical Infrastructure installation. Thinking from the attacker’s perspective allows us to get an insight into how these systems are vulnerable and how a potential attacker might exploit them.

Event details

  • When: 18th February 2014 14:00 - 15:00
  • Where: Maths Theatre B
  • Series: School Seminar Series
  • Format: Seminar

Evaluation of Network Resilience and Survivability: Analysis, Simulation, Tools, and Experimentation by James P. G. Sterbenz, ITTC, University of Kansas

As the Internet becomes increasingly important to all aspects of society, the consequences of disruption are increasingly severe. Thus it is critical to increase the resilience and survivability of the future networks in general, and the Internet in particular. We define resilience as the ability of the network to provide desired service even when the network is challenged by attacks, large-scale disasters, and other failures. Resilience subsumes the disciplines of survivability, fault-tolerance, disruption-tolerance, traffic-tolerance, dependability, performability, and security. After an introduction to the disciplines and challenges to network resilience, this presentation will discuss analytical, simulation, and experimental emulation techniques for understanding, evaluating, and improving the resilience of the Future Internet. This includes a multilevel state-space based approach that plots network service delivery against operational state that is the basis for both mathematical- and simulation-based analysis, and graph-theoretic complex-system approaches that embed fundamental properties such as redundancy and diversity into all aspects of network structure, mechanism, and protocols. A set of tools to help in this analysis has been developed: KU-LoCGen (Location and Cost-Constrained Topology Generation), KU-TopView (Topology Viewer), and KU-CSM (Challenge Simulation Module). Plans to experimentally evaluate resilience include using the international programmable testbed GpENI: Great Plains Environment for Network Innovation. A new composable, cross-layered resilient transport protocol (ResTP) and geodiverse multipath routing protocol (GeoDivRP) are being developed.

Event details

  • When: 28th January 2014 14:00 - 15:00
  • Where: Maths Theatre B
  • Series: School Seminar Series
  • Format: Seminar

Techniques for Scalable Privacy-Preserving Record Linkage

Three-Hour Research Tutorial by Peter Christen, Australian National University

Privacy-Preserving Record Linkage (PPRL) is an increasingly important topic in data management, data engineering, and data mining, as organizations in both the private and public sectors are under pressure to share, integrate, and link their data in order to allow analysis that is not possible on individual databases. At the same time, sensitive information such as personal identifying details or confidential business data need to be protected. PPRL can for example be applied to match health databases without revealing any sensitive personal details of patients, or to detect individuals that have been involved in fraudulent activities across organizations without the need to share the full, potentially confidential, databases. Research in PPRL over the past decade has developed a variety of algorithms, however the challenge of linking very large databases in privacy-preserving, scalable, accurate, and automatic ways is still an open problem. In this half-day tutorial I will illustrate the significance of PPRL through several real-world scenarios, and introduce the concepts, techniques, algorithms, and research directions of PPRL.

This tutorial was previously held at CIKM 2013. Further details at: http://cs.anu.edu.au/people/Peter.Christen/cikm2013pprl-tutorial/.

There will be a limit on numbers due to the size of the venue. Attendance is free but prior registration is required. Please contact Graham Kirby <graham.kirby@st-andrews.ac.uk> if you wish to attend.

Event details

  • When: 11th February 2014 14:00 - 17:00
  • Where: Cole 1.33a
  • Format: Seminar

Funded PhD Research Studentships

The School of Computer Science  has funding for students to undertake PhD research in any of the general research areas in the school:

http://www.cs.st-andrews.ac.uk/research

We are looking for highly motivated research students with an interest in these exciting research areas Our only requirements are that the proposed research would be good, we have staff to supervise it, and that you would be good at doing it. 

We have up to 8 funded studentships, including industrial sponsored studentships, available for students interested in working towards a PhD. The studentships offers costs of fees and an annual tax-free maintenance stipend of about £13,726 per year for 3.5 years. Exceptionally well qualified and able students may be awarded an enhanced stipend of an additional £2,000 per year. Students should normally have or expect at least an upper-2nd class Honours degree or Masters degree in Computer Science or a related discipline.

For further information on how to apply, see our postgraduate web pages (http://www.cs.st-andrews.ac.uk/prospective-pg). The closing date for applications is March 31st 2014 and we will make decisions on studentship allocation by May 31st 2014. (Applications after March 31st may be considered, at our discretion.) Informal enquiries can be directed to pg-admin-cs@st-andrews.ac.uk or to potential supervisors.