Automatic Control Engineering (ACE) Network
Lead Research Organisation:
Newcastle University
Department Name: Sch of Engineering
Abstract
We are increasingly dependent on complex "smart" systems: cities, houses, vehicles, electricity grids and a myriad of connected 'things' gathering information and performing automated decision-making with or without a human in the loop. This is in part possible because of technological advances in sensing, actuation, computer hardware, networking and communication, which enable the harnessing, processing and analysis of vast volumes of data. Major advances in Automatic Control Engineering have provided the underpinning theory, methodology and practice needed to design and implement highly complex control and decision-making systems. Automatic control engineering continues to play a vital role in realising the government's long-term industrial strategy of raising productivity and earning power within the UK. Specifically, automatic control is a key enabling technology for all four major societal challenge themes identified in the 2017 UK Industrial Strategy: AI and Data, Clean Growth, Future Mobility and Aging Society and the specific challenge areas within each theme.
Automatic control not only dramatically improves the productivity, efficiency, reliability and safety of a wide range of processes across all sectors, but also provides fundamental theory, methodologies and tools to further the understanding and enable discovery in other disciplines such as biology, medicine and social sciences. Whilst the UK led the First Industrial Revolution through the adoption of new technologies, including automation and control, today it lags behind its international competitors. This is evidenced in part by the slow productivity growth over the past decade, which is in sharp contrast to other economic indicators. It is argued that if the UK does not make a concerted effort to transition towards automation, it will miss a pivotal opportunity for growth, estimated to be worth more than £200 billion to the UK economy by 2030.
For the UK to become a global leader in intelligent automation and leapfrog international competitors, it is vital that it consolidates its research leadership in automatic control engineering. The UK has a strong control engineering community of well over 1000 active researchers, and engineering practitioners spanning all career stages, which are represented at an international level by the UK Automatic Control Council (UKACC), the United Kingdom's National Member Organisation (NMO) of the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC), acting as an effective link between the UK and the international control communities.
At the time of dramatic advances in automation, AI, sensing and computation technologies, in order to engage effectively with the UK Grand Challenge research agenda, avoid fragmentation of effort and to ensure control engineers are engaged from the outset with end-users or initiatives, there is a need for the UK control community to connect effectively with other academic and industry stakeholders, to develop a common research vision and strategy and to start addressing these challenges through ambitious pilot studies, paving the way for full-scale, high-impact grant proposals, novel groundbreaking research and knowledge transfer projects.
The Automatic Control Engineering Network aims to drive forward the UK's research and international leadership in next-generation automation and control, by bringing together and connecting the country's expertise in automation, the internet-of-things, cybersecurity, machine learning and robotics, with industry stakeholders and the wider research communities working towards addressing the same pressing societal challenges.
Through the creation of a Virtual Centre of Excellence in Automation and Control, the Network will ensure that the coordination of research efforts, industry engagement, training activities and resource sharing needed to address Grand Challenges, will continue beyond the end of the funding period.
Automatic control not only dramatically improves the productivity, efficiency, reliability and safety of a wide range of processes across all sectors, but also provides fundamental theory, methodologies and tools to further the understanding and enable discovery in other disciplines such as biology, medicine and social sciences. Whilst the UK led the First Industrial Revolution through the adoption of new technologies, including automation and control, today it lags behind its international competitors. This is evidenced in part by the slow productivity growth over the past decade, which is in sharp contrast to other economic indicators. It is argued that if the UK does not make a concerted effort to transition towards automation, it will miss a pivotal opportunity for growth, estimated to be worth more than £200 billion to the UK economy by 2030.
For the UK to become a global leader in intelligent automation and leapfrog international competitors, it is vital that it consolidates its research leadership in automatic control engineering. The UK has a strong control engineering community of well over 1000 active researchers, and engineering practitioners spanning all career stages, which are represented at an international level by the UK Automatic Control Council (UKACC), the United Kingdom's National Member Organisation (NMO) of the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC), acting as an effective link between the UK and the international control communities.
At the time of dramatic advances in automation, AI, sensing and computation technologies, in order to engage effectively with the UK Grand Challenge research agenda, avoid fragmentation of effort and to ensure control engineers are engaged from the outset with end-users or initiatives, there is a need for the UK control community to connect effectively with other academic and industry stakeholders, to develop a common research vision and strategy and to start addressing these challenges through ambitious pilot studies, paving the way for full-scale, high-impact grant proposals, novel groundbreaking research and knowledge transfer projects.
The Automatic Control Engineering Network aims to drive forward the UK's research and international leadership in next-generation automation and control, by bringing together and connecting the country's expertise in automation, the internet-of-things, cybersecurity, machine learning and robotics, with industry stakeholders and the wider research communities working towards addressing the same pressing societal challenges.
Through the creation of a Virtual Centre of Excellence in Automation and Control, the Network will ensure that the coordination of research efforts, industry engagement, training activities and resource sharing needed to address Grand Challenges, will continue beyond the end of the funding period.
Organisations
- Newcastle University (Lead Research Organisation)
- IBM UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED (Project Partner)
- ABB Group (International) (Project Partner)
- Yokogawa Measurement Technologies Ltd (Project Partner)
- Airbus Group Limited (UK) (Project Partner)
- Siemens plc (UK) (Project Partner)
- The MathWorks Inc (Project Partner)
- HIGH VALUE MANUFACTURING CATAPULT (Project Partner)
- Libertine FPE Ltd (Project Partner)
- Quanser Consulting Inc. (Project Partner)
- Active Building Centre (Project Partner)
- ADVANCED MANUFACTURING RESEARCH CENTRE (Project Partner)
- CELL THERAPY CATAPULT LIMITED (Project Partner)
- B Braun Medical Ltd (Project Partner)
Description | ACE EDI Survey |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The ACE Network conducted an Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) survey aimed at gathering insights from its members regarding the current state of EDI within the field. Although the survey received a modest number of responses, each provided valuable insights into the experiences and perspectives of participants. The survey sought to: - Identify specific needs and issues affecting underrepresented groups within the community. - Propose targeted EDI initiatives that address identified gaps and foster inclusivity. - Create a more welcoming and diverse environment for all members of the Automatic Control Engineering field. The survey was widely promoted within the network, encouraging participation from academics, researchers, and students. To maintain anonymity and confidentiality, all responses were collected without personal identifiers. Outcome/Impact: While response numbers were limited, the feedback gathered will play a crucial role in shaping future EDI strategies. The insights will inform tailored workshops, mentoring schemes, and policy recommendations. An action plan will be developed to address key areas for improvement, ensuring the network remains an inclusive and supportive space for all. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
URL | https://ukcontrol.org/soon-to-come-edi-survey |
Description | Altair/Newcastle University Collaboration Visit |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | On 20th February 2025, Professor Daniel Coca attended a visit to Newcastle University from Paulo Colombo (Director of Global Aerospace and Defence Strategy) at Altair. Altair develops and provides software and cloud services for product development, high-performance computing (HPC), simulation, artificial intelligence, and data intelligence. The visit included discussions on potential linkages with the ACE Network and Altair's end-to-end simulation-driven design solution. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
Description | CONTROL 2024: 14th United Kingdom Automatic Control Council (UKACC) International Conference on Control |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Professor Antonis Papachristodoulou and Professor Daniel Coca presented an overview of the network during the UK Automatic Control Conference in April 2024 in Winchester. This presentation showcased ACE's collaborative research efforts, facilitating engagement with leading experts in the field and fostering new academic and industrial connections. By raising awareness of ACE's initiatives, the talk contributed to expanding the network's reach, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, and promoting opportunities for future research partnerships and funding prospects. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://control2024.uk/ |
Description | ECR Webinar - AI meets Control (AI and Data) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | The ACE Network AI and Data Grand Challenge Research Committee, led an online early career researcher event on the 12th February 2025 for over 40 attendees. The event highlighted the most recent research works at the intersection of control, Artificial Intelligence (AI), learning/data and their applications to real-life systems. The event enabled connections between researchers in general and early career researchers (ECR) in particular who are interested in the interplay field between control theory and AI. The first two sessions highlighted the recent research advances at the intersection of control theory and AI. The speakers showcased their theoretical and applicative research in the field. The last session was dedicated to learning about industrial interests and problems requiring the hybrid field of control and AI. The session also opened-up discussions for follow-up potential collaborations between researchers having an interest in combining control theory with data and learning from AI to solve particular research problems. Main impacts included the highlighted cutting-edge research integrating AI and control theory, encouraging collaborations between ECRs and industry, addressing AI-control hybrid challenges and creating a platform for rapid research exchange and feedback via "rapid-fire" presentations. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
URL | https://ukcontrol.org/ecr-webinar-data-ai-learning-meet-control-theory-applications-12th-february-20... |
Description | ECR Webinar - Control for Smart and Sustainable Mobility (Future Mobility) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | The ACE Network Future Mobility Grand Challenge Research Committee, led an early career researcher webinar on the 7th February 2025 attended by 35 people. It featured ECRs working across diverse domains within the context of future mobility, including road and railway systems, mobility electrification, and other emerging transportation technologies. Industry presenters shared insights from early deployments and the challenges encountered. The insights from the seminar will be translated when creating a practical and impactful research roadmap, promoting research collaboration within the ACE network and preparing us for upcoming funding opportunities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
URL | https://ukcontrol.org/webinar-control-technologies-for-smart-and-sustainable-mobility-systems |
Description | ECR Webinar -Control Technique in Human-Machine Intelligence (Ageing Society) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | The ACE Network Ageing Society Grand Challenge Research Committee, led an early career researcher webinar attended by over 40 people on the 29th January 2025. The webinar gathered leading experts in human-machine intelligence to explore critical challenges and opportunities in the evolution of robotics and control systems, driven by cutting-edge AI and interactive control techniques. It featured prominent researchers and industry leaders working across diverse domains, including medical robotics, human-robot collaboration, and teleoperation. Industry representatives shared insights from real-world applications and the challenges faced in deploying advanced robotic systems. Key impacts included strengthening ties between academia and industry, encouraging partnerships for real-world applications of control technologies, empowering ECRs by providing a platform to showcase their research and engage with industry experts and enhanced collaboration opportunities within the ACE Network and future cross-institutional projects. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
URL | https://ukcontrol.org/ecr-webinar-control-technique-in-human-machine-intelligence-theoretical-underp... |
Description | ECR Webinar- Control for Clean Energy (Clean Growth) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | The ACE Network Clean Growth Grand Challenge Research Committee, led an early career researcher webinar on 26th February 2025 attended by over 40 people. The event connected and showcased early career researchers working at the intersection of control theory and clean energy. The event was split into two sessions. Session 1 focused on systems-level problems where control theory can be used to improve the efficiency and resilience of future power systems. Session 2 focused down to the device level and explored some emerging methods and toolboxes used to control, manage, and estimate lithium-ion battery systems. The main impacts included highlighting innovative control strategies for clean energy solutions, facilitating networking between ECRs, industry, and academia. It also explored future research opportunities in grid management and battery optimisation. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
URL | https://ukcontrol.org/ecr-webinar-control-for-clean-energy-systems-26th-february-2025 |
Description | PhD External Examiner Role- AI and Data Grand Challenge Research Committee |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Through active engagement within the ACE network - fostering collaborations and exchanging research ideas - Prof. Nabil Aouf gained a deeper understanding of the research led by Dr Allahyar Montazeri and his research group. As a result of these interactions, he was invited to serve as the external examiner for one of Allahyar Montazeri's PhD students, strengthening academic ties and enhancing the visibility and impact of our collaborative research |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
Description | RAS 2025 | 8th Annual IEEE UK and Ireland Robotics and Automation Society Chapter Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The event was attended by over 120 participants from the UK, Ireland and abroad. Two keynote speakers were invited from Cambridge and Johannes Kepler University Linz in the area of robotics and intelligent transportation. As one of the organisers of the conference, Dr Naeem organised a parallel special session on Extreme and Urban Environments, which is aligned with the Future Mobility group of the ACE Network where the Co-Chair of the GCRC, Dr Montazeri was invited to deliver a talk along with 3 other experts from academia and industry. The ACE Network was further highlighted by the Chair of the AI and Date GCRC, Prof Aouf who was invited to deliver a talk in the Robotics & AI session chaired by the ECR Group Co-Lead, Dr Van. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
URL | https://www.ieee-ukandireland.org/event/ras-2025-8th-annual-ieee-uk-and-ireland-robotics-and-automat... |