Over the course of four decades, the research programme has produced a range of software tools and systems addressing challenges in water distribution monitoring, traffic information, distributed computing, and decision support. Several of these tools have been deployed in real-world operational settings.
Decision Support and Monitoring Tools
TCLAS: Telemetry Confidence Limits Analysis
A software system for quantifying the uncertainty of flows and pressures in water distribution networks. TCLAS implements Monte Carlo simulation, optimisation methods, and sensitivity matrix techniques to provide real-time confidence intervals for network state estimates. Developed through funded research projects in collaboration with water utility companies, the tool has been applied to operational networks in the UK.
CLA: Confidence Limits Analysis
The predecessor to TCLAS, CLA provides offline confidence limit analysis for water network planners and engineers. The system computes upper and lower bounds on network pressures and flows, enabling engineers to assess the reliability of their models against measurement uncertainties.
Neural Network Based Decision Support System
An early exploration of neural network architectures for supporting complex decision-making processes. The system demonstrated the viability of connectionist approaches for industrial process monitoring and anomaly detection.
Traffic and Travel Information Systems
ATTAIN: Advanced Traffic and Travel Information
A speech-enabled query interface for providing travellers with real-time route guidance and traffic conditions. ATTAIN integrates multiple data sources, including loop detector data and floating vehicle data, to deliver timely and contextually relevant travel information.
TripTimes Travel Information System
Developed for Nottingham City Council, TripTimes provides journey planning and real-time travel time estimates via SMS and mobile web interfaces. The system draws on GSM-based vehicle tracking data and historical traffic patterns to deliver predictive travel time information.
COMET Traffic Data Integration
A platform for integrating heterogeneous traffic data streams with mobile communication networks. The system enables the aggregation and dissemination of multi-source traffic information to travellers via SMS and early mobile web services.
OSIRIS: Inter-Operable Traffic Data Integration within GIS
A geographic information system framework for the fusion of traffic data from multiple sources into a unified spatial representation. OSIRIS supports traffic management centres by providing a map-based view of real-time traffic conditions.
Distributed and Parallel Computing Tools
XDSM: X11-based Distributed Shared Memory System
An implementation of a distributed shared memory model over networked workstations running the X Window System. XDSM provides a programming abstraction that simplifies the development of parallel applications on heterogeneous clusters.
FADI: Fault-tolerant Environment for Distributed Processing
A middleware framework ensuring reliability in distributed computing environments. FADI employs checkpointing and process migration strategies to maintain computation integrity in the presence of hardware and software faults.
DMME: Distributed Memory Environment
A low-level programming environment for distributed memory multiprocessors. DMME provides message-passing primitives and synchronisation mechanisms tailored to the communication patterns observed in scientific computing workloads.
TPML: Transpose Parallel Metalanguage for BSP Processing
A metalanguage for expressing Bulk Synchronous Parallel (BSP) computations. TPML enables programmers to describe data distribution and communication patterns in a notation that maps directly to BSP execution semantics.
Simulation and Modelling
POLSIM: Urban Air Pollution Simulator
A simulation tool for modelling the dispersion of pollutants in urban environments. POLSIM combines traffic flow models with atmospheric dispersion algorithms to predict air quality at street level, supporting urban planners in assessing the environmental impact of traffic management strategies.
MAGELLAN: Knowledge-based Temporal GIS for Ship Monitoring
A prototype system combining a knowledge base with temporal geographic information capabilities for tracking the movements and activities of maritime vessels. MAGELLAN demonstrates the integration of rule-based reasoning with spatial data management.
SHARE-LOC: WAP-based Maritime Location System
An early mobile application for maritime location services using the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP). SHARE-LOC enables shore-based users to track vessel positions and share location information through mobile devices.