Integrated Group for Engineering Research

Naval and Ocean Engineering involves research and development (R & D) in the field of maritime and offshore technologies. Its aim is to address the industry’s current and future needs. To this end the range of our work is wide: from carrying out basic research to get the right knowledge to developing definitive solutions that can be directly applied in industry.

The GII’s first steps in the field of artificial neural networks (ANN) entailed analysing and implementing networks and efficient training algorithms for autonomous robot controllers and signal processing. Our later work was related to algorithms for the automatic generation of networks. These networks included finite state automata (FSA) or those with modifiable synaptic delays, synaptic modulation, HAN type neurons, Gaussian synapses or promoter-based units (PBGA). In more recent work, the NEAT neuroevolution algorithm has been adapted so that it can be used in problems requiring accurate temporal processing (τ-NEAT).

This line of research marked the beginning of the Integrated Group’s activity in the field of naval engineering. The first projects were only concerned with vessel stability. However, this topic has now been extended to other, related ship safety issues. For instance, evacuation processes have been analysed and there have been studies on measures to ensure the safe return to port of passenger ships.