Event Details

Speaker: Professor Nick Colosimo BAE Systems

Talk: Industrial Perspectives of Artificial Intelligence

Date: Dec 10th, 2021

Time: 14:00-15:00

Teams Link: Join Seminar (We’d appreciate if you could optionally register to join our mailing list)

Abstract:

This talk will address the following:

• A discussion of key trends in AI and autonomous systems from a defence industrial perspective.

• Application areas and solutions in terms of products, services, and process improvement

• Outstanding challenges from a defence industrial perspective – relevant to safety and security.

• Views on how many of those challenges could be addressed.

• Future catalysts and “game changers”.

Biography:

Nick started with BAE Systems (then British Aerospace) in 1990 as a technical apprentice. Over the past 31 years a large proportion of Nick’s career has been within a research and development engineering environment where he has been instrumental in the research, development and demonstration of a number of state-of-the-art technologies achieving company, UK and world firsts.

He has worked on a wide range of defence projects and in a wide range of disciplines including as a stealth specialist, sensors specialist, systems engineer, and as an experimental aircraft manager. He led the development of the BAE Systems Surrogate Unmanned Air Vehicle (the Jetstream Flying Test Bed) with Cranfield University conducting a wide range of sensing, communications, and ‘autonomous systems’ demonstrations. In 2013 he led the BAE Systems Future Mission Systems collaborative research programme that created a world leading ‘mixed reality’ solution applicable to future command centres and combat aircraft cockpits.

Studying on a part-time basis he has acquired graduate qualifications in; Mechanical & Production Engineering, Mechatronics, Applied Physics & Electronics (joint honours), and postgraduate qualifications in Computing and Avionics. He is now a Visiting Professor at Cranfield University. He continues to learn and is studying a new MSc course in Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) that he has helped to curate with Cranfield University, industry, and the UK Government Office for AI.

Within his current BAE Systems role, Nick defines technology strategy and planning, and provides innovative solutions to hard technical problems in the context of the future combat air system (FCAS) project. He is also the Principal Technologist for Disruptive Technologies. The latter involves horizon scanning as a ‘futurist’ to identify and nurture technologies and relationships that could be transformative to defence. This includes a remit for AI and Autonomy within the Air sector business unit.

Please contact Jennifer for any Teams connectivity issues: j.mcculloch@lancaster.ac.uk