Graduate School

Animation - Games - Intelligent Systems and Agents - Visualisation and Virtual Reality research overview

Creative Technologies - Virtual Reality Lab

The School of Creative Technologies’ researchers have a wide range of interests across the Creative Technologies multidisciplinary area, from the very artistic to the highly technical.

All our researchers’ work has its base in exciting new technologies and their application to support creative areas such as animation, jazz innovation, film narrative, communication design and figurative language. However, we also undertake research and supervise students who develop the technology itself to support new applications, particularly related to teaching and training.

The School boasts a wide range of high-tech laboratories and cutting-edge technology. We are especially proud of our Virtual Reality Visualisation Centre, representing a world’s first for its innovative use of technology to create a flexible and adaptable virtual environment, and which you will be able to use while conducting your research at the University of Portsmouth.

For more information about how to apply please contact the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries using the Contact us page.

If you have any questions about studying for a research degree at the University of Portsmouth, please complete our enquiry form.

Key Facts

RAE rating: Our researchers entered their work into three very successful Unit of Assessments (UoAs) in the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2008: Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering (UoA 28), Computer Science and Informatics (UoA 23) and Art and Design (UoA 63).

Academic staff: 38, please see link to staff list webpage.

Postgraduate research students: 26

Internal links: Our researchers collaborate under the umbrella of the Centre for Cultural and Creative Research and the Centre for Art, Architecture and Design, as well as with the School of Computing, the Department of Psychology, the Department of Sports Science and the Department of Electronic and Computing Engineering.

External links: The School has many research partnerships with advanced technology and entertainment companies, as well as large organisations in the defence and healthcare industries.We also have close links with prestigious international collaborators in China, Canada, USA and Europe.

Resources

While conducting research at the University of Portsmouth, you will have access to the School’s well-equipped research centre (CiTech), housing a wide range of technology, including:

  • Dedicated Optical motion-capture studio
  • Extensive Video studios and broadcast equipment
  • Sound studios
  • High-spec specialist equipment, such as Prosthetic Robot Hands and EMG capture devices
  • Multimedia laboratories, fully-equipped with the industry-standard animation, games, sound and video software.

A special mention goes to our cutting-edge Virtual Reality Visualisation Centre, boasting a range of virtual and augmented reality systems. The technologies range from large-scale immersive projection systems to smaller desktop tactile-feedback devices. While working on your research degrees programme, you will benefit from full access to the Centre, where you will be able to create interactive realities, immersive scenarios and interact with real and virtual objects.

Research Centres

Centre for Cultural and Industrial Technologies Research (CiTECH)
The Centre for Industrial and Cultural Technologies Research (CiTech) was established in 2009 to focus the computer-based research activities of the School of Creative Technologies (CT) and the Institute of Industrial Research (IIR), both within the Faculty of the Creative and Cultural Industries (CCI) at the University of Portsmouth.

CT was originally established in 2002 to deliver courses in the areas of computer games, graphics, animation, sound and music technology, video and broadcasting and web-based/mobile technologies.  Its research interests have grown steadily since its inception, and it achieved significant successes in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) and in external funding.  The research in CiTech falls mainly into two strands:

  • Application of advanced computer-based technologies in a wide range of domains (healthcare, defence, security, education, entertainment, knowledge management, science)
  • Research into the creative technologies themselves, and their impact on society.

Institute of Industrial Research
The Institute of Industrial Research (IIR) was established in 2006 to enable industry and businesses to become more globally competitive through the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques. This is achieved through capitalising on research and expertise across the University of Portsmouth and developing this knowledge into bespoke solutions for our industry and business partners. The research at the IIR is mainly focussed on developing and applying intelligent techniques and algorithms on real-world problems. The resulting software enables the application or system to detect and to perceive, reason, learn and predict then act accordingly.

Research Areas

Games

Our researchers in the Games area conduct research projects in the rapidly growing discipline of ludological research, putting the University of Portsmouth at the forefront for the future success of the UK games industry.

If you are interested in undertaking research in this are, you are in good hands. Our researchers are extending the boundaries of computer games technology, both within the world of games and by migrating the technology to other areas.

Animation

The Advanced Computer Animation researchers at the University of Portsmouth work in the understanding and application of animation in real life training situations.

Our researchers offer you supervision in the animation field and its applications, such as simulation of medical consultations and entertainment, where we excel at research in the recreation of photorealistic facial animations in games and film.

Intelligent Systems and Robotics

The Intelligent Systems and Robotics researchers at Portsmouth conduct and supervise postgraduate research students in projects studying pattern recognition, intelligent robotics and their practical applications.

We offer supervision to students interested the above area and also in projects implementing computing frameworks for human motion analysis, multi-fingered robot manipulation (including prosthetics), data novelty detection and intelligent control for electric vehicle suspension.

Visualisation and Virtual Reality

The Visualisation and Virtual Reality researchers at the University of Portsmouth produce high quality research in the fundamental characteristics of virtual and augmented reality technologies, user-focused virtualisation and its applied results.

If your research interests lie in this area, you will not only benefit from excellent supervision at the University of Portsmouth, but also to access to our high-tech laboratories and the Virtual Reality Visualisation Centre, where you will conduct your research using a wide range of virtual and augmented reality systems.

The Virtual Reality Visualisation Centre represents a world’s first for its innovative use of technology to create a flexible and adaptable environment. This is being extended with new interface developments to solve practical real world problems.