Professor Barry Porter

Professor of Adaptive Systems

Research Overview

I research and develop cutting-edge emergent software platforms to solve problems of software complexity and optimality, with the aim of redefining the role of the programmer to be a designer of intent rather than a writer of low-level behavioural fragments. To do this I work heavily with component models, meta-software platforms and machine learning. I am particularly interested in distributed systems elements of this including cloud integration with small devices like sensor nodes; malleable green computing; multi-core software organisation; and real-time software visualisation.

Selected Publications

Experiments in Genetic Divergence for Emergent Systems
McGowan, C., Wild, A., Porter, B.F. 2/06/2018
Conference contribution/Paper

Defining emergent software using continuous self-assembly, perception and learning
Rodrigues Filho, R., Porter, B.F. 20/09/2017 In: ACM Transactions on Autonomous and Adaptive Systems. 12, 3, 25 p.
Journal article

REX: a development platform and online learning approach for Runtime emergent software systems
Porter, B.F., Grieves, M., Rodrigues Filho, R., Leslie, D.S. 2/11/2016
Conference contribution/Paper

Losing control: the case for emergent software systems using autonomous assembly, perception and learning
Porter, B.F., Rodrigues Filho, R. 8/12/2016
Conference contribution/Paper

Experiments with a machine-centric approach to realise distributed emergent software systems
Rodrigues Filho, R., Porter, B.F. 13/12/2016
Conference contribution/Paper

Runtime modularity in complex structures: a component model for fine grained runtime adaptation
Porter, B. 06/2014
Conference contribution/Paper

Managing software evolution in large-scale Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks
Porter, B., Coulson, G., Roedig, U. 07/2013 In: ACM Transactions on Sensor Networks. 9, 4, p. 1-28. 28 p.
Journal article

Flexible Experimentation in Wireless Sensor Networks
Coulson, G., Porter, B., Chatzigiannakis, I., Koninis, C., Fischer, S., Pfisterer, D., Bimschas, D., Braun, T., Hurni, P., Anwander, M., Wagenknecht, G., Fekete, S.P., Kroeller, A., Baumgartner, T. 01/2012 In: Communications of the ACM. 55, 1, p. 82-90. 9 p.
Journal article

  • Centre of Excellence in Environmental Data Science
  • DSI - Foundations
  • DSI - Health
  • Lancaster Intelligent, Robotic and Autonomous Systems Centre
  • LIRA - Fundamentals
  • SCC (Distributed Systems)