Multimedia & Vision (MMV)

The Multimedia and Vision Research Group at QMUL was formed in September 2000 to conduct research in image, video processing and computer vision. The mission of the group has been to complement traditional electronic areas well represented in the departments, such as antennas and telecommunications. When the group was founded in 2000, relatively new areas of multimedia signal processing were in a good position to strengthen the department and college portfolio in research and teaching. The vision was to discover new understanding in multimedia systems technology and to spread excellence through teaching and outreach. The approach taken is integrative since there are no clear boundaries with other groups. Specifically, synergies with the centre for digital music and the networks group are exploited.

The group is a member of the European Networked Electronic Media Platform and work with a group of international experts who make up the Future Media and 3D Internet Taskforce of the European Commission.

The group is made up of four academic staff, six research staff and more than 20 PhD students.

Since 2000 the group has:

• published over 100 journal papers, most of them in the highest ranked IEE and IEEE Transactions in the field, and over 400 refereed conference papers;
• graduated a MPhil and 26 PhD students;
• secured over £10 Million grant funding, including £1.2 Million UK Funding, £0.8 Million EU Funding in 2000-2003, £3.5 Million EU Funding in 2004-2008, £5 Million EU & other sources in 2008-2011

Industry collaboration

The group has had a number of significant collaborations over the years. It currently has existing collaborations with the Information Management department in the Ministry of Defence, Motorola, GE, Intel and BT. There has also been strategic research collaboration with United Technologies (an international corporation) and ST Microelectronics.

Focus for the future

The group’s vision is to continue to discover new understandings in multimedia systems technology and to spread excellence through its teaching and outreach work.

Specific objectives for the future include:

• To address critical technical challenges in emerging multimedia applications by strengthening existing research areas and building new research initiatives in a dynamic way according to technological trends.
• To enhance outreach activities by working more closely with industry and other research labs worldwide.
• To enrich Queen Mary, University of London’s overall research environment.