Roy Kalawsky is Professor of Systems Engineering and Human Computer Integration. He is the Director of the Research School of Systems Engineering and Technical Head of the Systems Engineering Innovation Centre. He heads up the Systems Division within the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering.
He is the Director of the Advanced VR Research Centre which was established in 1995. Research is currently being undertaken in the development of advanced modelling, simulation and visualization techniques to support a wide range of application areas. In this respect modelling, simulation and visualization (M,S,V) are regarded as a continuous continuum involving abstract or mathematical representations of system behaviour or function through to complex coupled models and simulations that represent significantly complex systems where the human is an integral part of the simulation. Visualization is an integral part of the continuum because it provides the means to interact, probe and investigate the system being modelled. Visualization research spans the field of visual analytics to high fidelity representations of the real world.
This approach is based on a systems engineering methodology where the wider context is considered in defining the relationship of the system with its environment and other components of the system as a whole. The systems engineering discipline ensures we consider the way the resulting models are used as part of a well defined and rigourous work flow. He has been applying these model based systems engineering methods to a wide range of sectors including: aerospace, construction, defence, energy, healthcare and transport. This approach has helped examine and refine system architectures to optimise overall system performance against defined requirements and goals.
No model or simulation can be reliably used without it being validated and verified so an important aspect of our research is involved in developing methods to provide validated system models.
The human dimension of modelling, simulation and visualization underpins all of his research. The human in this context is either a user of the system or is an integral part of the simulation loop (e.g. flight simulator). This research also explores how to improve user's interaction with their data (to gain new insight or greater understanding) by increasing human cognitive and perceptual capability. The use of distributed simulation methods in conjunction with advanced collaborative environments is a major theme of his research activity.
Professor Roy Kalawsky is also Adjunct Professor - Defence and Systems Institute, University of South Australia - Adelaide
Research member of the Leicester National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Unit in Cardiovascular Disease
Expertise
Advanced collaborative environments
Advanced scientific visualization
Advanced Visualization
Antennas
Applications of Systems Engineering
Augmented reality
Autonomous systems
Collaborative Systems Engineering Environments
Distributed visualisation across the grid
Grid computing
Health Informatics pervasive computing perspective
High performance computing (HCI focus)
Human Factors
Human performance evaluation and simulation
Immersive computing environments
Integration of complex systems
Model Driven Architecture for Systems Engineering
Modelling and Simulation (including virtual/synthetic environments)
Modelling Complex Adaptive Systems
Multimodal processing: visual and speech
Multisensor fusion
Pervasive computing environments
Sensors
Synthetic environments
System of systems engineering
Systems Engineering
Systems of systems
Systems Theory and Practice
Virtual Reality and virtual interfaces
Visualisation advanced 3D techniques
Wearable computing
Biomedical signal and image processing
Image processing
Intrusion detection
Sensor networks
Keywords
Systems Engineering
Human Factors
modelling
synthetic environments
simulation
visualization
image processing
high performance computing
model based systems engineering
Current Positions
Director Research School of Systems Engineering - University wide appointment
Technical Head of Systems Engineering Innovation Centre
Head of Systems Division – Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University
Director of Advanced VR Research Centre
Pastoral Responsibilities
1997- current - Warden Hall of Residence – The Holt (266 students)
1997 – 1999 - Warden of Hall of Residence – The Holt (165 students) and Falkner-Eggington (550 students)
Previous positions
Director of DTI Centre for Pervasive Computing: Integrated Home Environment
2000 – 2004: Head of Department, Department of Computer Science, Loughborough University
1995-1999 Professor Human-Computer Integration, Department of Human Sciences, Loughborough University
1989 – 1995: Head of Cockpit Research and Crew Systems Development, BAE Systems (Formally British Aerospace, Military Aircraft Division)
1988: Project Leader Advanced Cockpit Research, British Aerospace, Military Aircraft Division
1985 – 1988: Senior Engineer In Charge Avionic Systems Demonstrator Rig, British Aerospace, Military Aircraft Division
1984 – 1985: Senior Avionics Systems Design Engineer, British Aerospace, Military Aircraft Division
1982 – 1984: Engineer in Charge Pilot Group Avionic Systems Demonstrator Rig, British Aerospace, Military Aircraft Division
1978: Avionic System Design Engineer, British Aerospace, Military Aircraft Division
Example Awards
2009 Adjunct Professor University of Southern Australia, Adelaide
2009 Award for Services to Systems Engineering - BAE Systems
2007 Da Vinci awared (First Prize) - for a ground breaking technique to allow clinicians to remotely access superior quality 3D images of heart patients
2001 Best Paper award - Kalawsky, R. S., Simpkin, G., (2001). Letting Go: Automating the Display of Virtual Environments. SimTect, Canberra, Australia.
1993 - Royal Aeronautical Society Medal for outstanding contribution to cockpit technology and in particular for establishing the UK's first virtual cockpit and virtual environment simulator.
1992 - The University of Hull - Appointed Honorary Visiting Professor - Virtual Environments and Advanced Display Technologies.
1979 - Royal Aeronautical Society – 1979 Winner of the Brough Branch N.E. Rowe Medal Competition. Paper "The Concept and Application of Polarisation Image Detection".
Professor Kalawsky heads up the Systems Division within the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering and leads the Advanced Systems, Modelling and Simulation Research Group whose research advances modelling and simulation methods to provide greater insight and understanding of extremly complex systems. This research encompasses a wide range of methods from abstract mathematical representations, model driven engineering, sophisticated computer simulations through to hardware in the loop simulation. The focus of this research is not only on development of better modelling and simulation methodologies, but also on the application of state of the art techniques to help understand and predict the behaviour of complex systems. Applications for our research span many industry sectors including aerospace, automotive, construction, counter-terrorism, defence, energy, healthcare and transport.
Professor Kalawsky established the Advanced VR Research Centre (AVRRC) at Loughborough University (in 1995) which hosts a comprehensive state of the art virtual engineering laboratory. At the heart of this laboratory is a suite of advanced interactive visualisation and collaborative environment systems. The AVRRC was identified as one of the e-Science Centres of Excellence and has been extremely successful in securing research funding (several £m) and delivering high quality research for over 15 years.
At the heart of his approach is the strong desire to balance stakeholder perspectives with input from engineering, non-engineering and human factors disciplines. This application of a multi-disciplinary systems engineering methodology is key to performing the cross-domain trade-offs required to deliver future optimal solutions. Verification and validation are foremost in his approach in order to develop appropriate model based systems engineering solutions.
Professor Kalawsky is Director of the Research School of Systems Engineering and Director of the Advanced VR Research Centre.
Advanced VR Research Centre
Research School of Systems Engineering
Also Professor Kalawsky is the Technical Head of the £60m Systems Engineering Innovation Centre established in 2003 by Loughborough University, BAE Systems and the East MIdlands Development Agency.
In addition his personal research (funded) activities include:
Specific interests/activities include:
Advanced collaborative environments
Advanced visualization
Advanced Visualization
Augmented reality
Autonomous systems
Collaborative Systems Engineering Environments
Distributed visualisation across the grid
Human Factors
Human performance evaluation and simulation
Immersive computing environments
Model Driven Engineering (incl Model Based Systems Engineering)
Modelling and Simulation (including virtual/synthetic environments)
Multi-sensor fusion and modelling
Synthetic environments
Systems Engineering
Systems of systems
Systems Theory and PracticeVirtual Reality and virtual interfaces
Virtual engineering
Systems Engineering undergraduate projects
View all Professor Kalawsky’s publications in the central publications database
Selected Publications
Do, Q., Cook, S. C., Kalawsky, R. S., Jain, R., & Mansell, T. (2009). Special issue on systems engineering education. International Journal of Intelligent Defence Support Systems (IJIDSS), 2(3).
Kalawsky, R. S., Nee, S. P., Holmes, I., & Coveney, P. V. (2005). A grid enabled lightweight computational steering client: A.Net pda implementation. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A, 363(1833), 1885-1894.
Kalawsky, R. S., O'Brien, J., & Coveney, P. V. (2005). Improving scientists interaction with complex computational-visualisation environments based on a distributed grid infrastructure. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A, 363(1833), 1867-1884.
Kalawsky, R. S., & Simpkin, G. (2006). Automating the display of third person/stealth views of virtual environments. Presence, 15(6), 717-739.
Al-Najdawi, A., Kalawsky R.S. (2008.). Quantitative quality assessment of video sequences - a human-based approach. Paper presented at the The 6th IEEE International Conference on Information, Communications, and Signal Processing (ICICS07), Singapore.
Al-Najdawi, A., Kalawsky, R.S. (2008). Visual quality assessment of video and image sequences - a human based approach. Journal of Signal Processing Systems.
Al-Najdawi, A. Kalawsky, R.S. (2008). A multi-objective optimization framework for video compression and transmission. Paper presented at the Communication Systems, Networks and Digital Signal Processing, 2008. CNSDSP 2008. 6th International Symposium, Austria.
Holmes, I. R., & Kalawsky, R. S. (2007). Delivering effective and usable interactive 3d visualization on lightweight mobile devices. Paper presented at the Theory and Practice of Computer Graphics 2007 (TPCG'07), Bangor, Wales, UK.
Kalawsky, R. S. (2009). Gaining greater insight through interactive visualization: A human factors perspective. In A. T. Zudilova-Seinstra E., van Liere R., (Ed.), Trends in interactive visualization (pp. 119-154). Netherlands: Springer.
Kalawsky, R. S. (2009). Grand challenges for systems engineering research: Setting the agenda. Paper presented at the Conference on Systems Engineering Research, Loughborough, UK.
Kalawsky, R. S., & Al-Najdawi, A. (Dec 2007). Quantitative quality assessment of video sequences - a human-based approach. Paper presented at the Sixth International Conference on Information, Communications and Signal Processing, Singapore.
Kalawsky, R. S., & Holmes, I. R. (June 2007). Overcoming engineering challenges of providing an effective user interface to a large scale distributed synthetic environment on the us teragrid: A systems engineering success story. Paper presented at the INCOSE, San Diego.
Kalawsky, R. S., & Holmes, I. R. (2007). Overcoming engineering challenges of providing an effective user interface to a large scale distributed synthetic environment on the us teragrid: A systems engineering success story. Paper presented at the Systems Engineering: Key to Intelligent Enterprises, San Diego, California, USA.
Heatley, D. J. T., Kalawsky, R. S., Neild, I., & Bowman, P. A. (2006). Integrated sensor networks for monitoring the health and well-being of vulnerable individuals. In A. Steventon & S. Wright (Eds.), Intelligent spaces the application of pervasive ict series: Computer communications and networks (pp. 219 - 237): Springer.
Kalawsky, R. S. (2006). Human factors audit of selected e-science projects: Joint Information Systems Committee.
Awang Rambli, D. R., & Kalawsky, R. S. (2006). Distance estimations in static images: Does viewing distance matter? Paper presented at the ACM International Conference 7TH ACM SIGCHI New Zealands chapter's international conference, Christchurch New Zealand.
Clarke, K., Lewin, M. R., Atkins, D., & Kalawsky, R. S. (2005). Testing a framework for multimodal control in the home environment. Paper presented at the Perspectives in Pervasive Computing, London.
Green, W., Gyi, D., Kalawsky, R. S., & Atkins, D. (2006). A contextual enquiry: Studying user requirements for future home technology. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the International Ergonomics Association 2006 Congress:Meeting Diversity in Ergonomics, Maastricht, Nederlands.
Gyi, D., Kalawsky, R. S., Green, W., & Atkins, D. (2005). What do people really want from their 'smart homes'. Paper presented at the 11th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Las Vagas, Nevada, USA.
