(Source: University of Strathclyde Engineering)

Dr Dario Izzo of the Advanced Concepts Team at the European Space Agency presents the team activities and a few potentially disruptive ideas under study.

This seminar will be in room M329 of the James Weir Building from 1500hrs on 24 August 2010.

Abstract

The Advanced Concepts Team (ACT) of the European Space Agency studies advanced technologies and ideas that are of strategic importance in the long term planning of the Agency. Serving the function of a "think tank" it provides decision makers the support of a highly multidisciplinary research group performing high level research on topics potentially disruptive for the space business. After reviewing some selected team's success stories, including the use of global optimization methods in interplanetary trajectory design, the definition of asteroid deflection missions, the development of distributed control strategies for satellite swarming and the systematic study of bio-inspired solutions to space problems, this talk will focus on some of the most recent research trends coming from the ACT. In particular the talk shortly describes the attempt to use EEG recording to 'read the scientists mind', the open-source project PaGMO, its Google Summer of Code participation and the use of neuromorphic computations for the optic flow during a planetary landing sequence. The talk concludes by giving a short overview on how the ACT generates and nurtures new ideas, making a point on the importance of open communities characterised by a fast communication flow as key mechanisms of what is referred to as mass-innovation or open-innovation.