Explore research themes at the School of Computing and discover what areas our researchers are active in.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This domain deals with the development and study of intelligent systems that mimic human intelligence.
Our staff are active in several AI-based sub-disciplines, including multi-agent systems, where we create ‘socially aware’ software (e.g., those used in robots), that can learn human concepts such as social norms, trust and reputation, and apply them when interacting with other humans or artificial agents.
Our AI research also cuts across several of the School’s active areas of research, including Cloud Computing, Computer Graphics, Computing Education, Data Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Information Retrieval, Software Engineering, and Systems Research.
- Visit the Artificial Intelligence research group website
- Visit the Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning Lab website
Cloud Computing and Computing Education
Cloud computing concerns the delivery of various services on the cloud, including networking, software and intelligence.
Our researchers work in the areas of cluster computing, architecture, security, distributed systems and performance optimisation.
Under the computing education area our research expertise is based around education and learning analytics as well as the application of augmented and virtual reality to learning environments.
Computer Graphics and Visual Computing
With computer graphics and vision converging and becoming interdisciplinary, researchers in the School are active in a range of disciplines within this space, including computer graphics, image processing, visualisation, computer vision, and virtual and augmented reality.
Our work uses visual input to make models of the world, understanding images and the models we build from them using tools from machine learning, visualising data in the context of the world around us, and allowing people to interact with data and information in new ways.
Data Science
Data Science covers extraction, analysis and interpretation of large datasets to gain insights and knowledge.
Researchers at Otago explore various computational intelligence methods and their application to scheduling, optimisation, data mining and multi-objective problem solving.
We also conduct spatial research including the use of machine learning techniques for modelling spatio-temporal patterns and the use of spatial systems for modelling ecological behaviour, aspects of public health and theoretical population genetics.
We also work in areas of digital preservation and data model translation.
Human-Computer Interaction
This domain deals with the design and evaluation of computer interfaces, ensuring their usability.
Researchers at Otago are active in the areas of Augmented Reality, 3D Teleconferencing, psychological aspects of Mixed Reality, three-dimensional user interfaces (3DU) and computer-aided therapy and rehabilitation.
Researchers in the School are also interested in exploring the ethical implications of technology use.
Information Retrieval
Information Retrieval and Computational Linguistics is the foundation for a broad range of applications such as Search Engines, Text Mining Applications, Machine Translation, Digital Libraries, and Knowledge Management.
Our current active research themes in this domain include efficiency, retrieval models, distributed information retrieval, information extraction and representation, natural language processing for information retrieval, social media analysis, multimedia indexing and retrieval, document image processing, and eCommerce search.
Software Engineering
Software engineering deals with the analysis, design, development, testing, and maintenance of software systems.
Our staff are actively involved in this domain, researching software development methods, techniques and tools. They research both process and practice elements of software development, and contribute high quality empirical research.
We have strengths in AI for Software Engineering, Software Analytics, Dependability and Security, Software Evolution and Maintenance, Human and Social Aspects, Testing and Analysis, and Software Engineering Education.
- Visit the Information Systems and Software Engineering research group webpage
- Visit the Autonomous Systems research group webpage
Systems Research
This area draws on computer science and electrical engineering.
At Otago, our aim is to explore many aspects of parallel and distributed computing, computer networks, and green computing.
We study such diverse areas as wireless sensor networks, multicore computing, distributed event-based systems, ad-hoc and mesh networks, cyber-physical systems, parallel and distributed algorithms, transactional memory, parallel programming environments, energy saving in parallel/distributed systems, embedded systems, mobility management and QoS in mobile networks, and target localization.
Postgraduate study advice
For further information or if you are interested in postgraduate study in one of these fields, please contact our postgraduate adviser.