Sean Walton

Swansea University | SWAN · Department of Computer Science

Two studies of a human-AI collaborative design tool were carried out in order to understand the influence design recommendations have on the design process. Whereas most previous studies of human-AI collaborative design focus on the effect the human has on the algorithm, here we focus on the effect the algorithm has on the human. The tool investiga...

A novel patented ducted winglet design is compared, using numerical simulations, to an unmodified wing tip and a standard winglet in the context of a wind turbine blade. The aim of the ducted winglet is to reduce the induced drag. This reduction of induced drag, at the wing tip, would be particularly beneficial to wind turbine performance. Througho...

You may have heard of evolution in terms of plants and animals, but did you know that this natural process can also be used by engineers to invent things? Animals and plants have evolved in amazing ways to survive in their environments. Biologists have been investigating how evolution works for a long time. Mathematicians and computer scientists ha...

Despite a significant volume of empirical research suggesting that augmented reality has a positive impact on student learning outcomes, it has not been widely adopted within education. This review critically analyses the literature to determine why this is the case. Our review methodology was based on the PRISMA strategy. A total of 169 papers wer...

Historically, fire testing of products was done via experimental and scale model testing. However, experimental fire testing is costly and can potentially miss phenomena observed within a full-scale setup. This motivates an interest in replicating fire testing with numerical methods to be able to model a full system building. Currently, open-source...

This study developed and evaluated a novel concurrent biofeedback system for the sprint start. Previous studies have investigated sprint start biofeedback applications, but these have either not considered important kinematics, coaching implications or key motor learning principles. The biofeedback system was developed to convey rear knee angle inf...

Eurogen 2021 Technical Session on Optimization Under Uncertainty-Hybrid Methods, Metaheuristics and Evolutionary Algorithms, and Machine Learning.

Results from a triple-blind mixed-method user study into the effectiveness of mixed-initiative tools for the procedural generation of game levels are presented. A tool which generates levels using interactive evolutionary optimisation was designed for this study which (a) is focused on supporting the designer to explore the design space and (b) onl...

The key contribution of this article to the domain of engineering optimisation is establishing best practices with respect to the development of evolutionary algorithms in the context of design engineering. Despite their various uses, the uptake of evolutionary algorithms in industry remains limited. In order to understand why uptake is low a surve...

Genetic algorithms have been developed for decades by researchers in academia and perform well in engineering applications, yet their uptake in industry remains limited. In order to understand why this is the case, the opinions of users of engineering design tools were gathered. The results from a survey showing the attitudes of engineers and stude...

Results from a triple-blind mixed-method user study into the effectiveness of mixed-initiative tools for the procedural generation of game levels are presented. A tool which generates levels using interactive evolutionary optimisation was designed for this study which (a) is focused on supporting the designer to explore the design space and (b) onl...

A methodology is introduced which uses three simple objective function features to predict effective control parameters for differential evolution. This is achieved using cluster analysis techniques to classify objective functions using these features. Information on prior performance of various control parameters for each classification is then us...

Educational games are potential tools for communicating climate science to the public and thus improving public understanding of climate change. In this article we explore the use of co-design methodologies, a participatory open design process, to communicate climate change to a wider audience. To this end, we hosted Climate Jam 2018, a game jam wi...

The Modified Cuckoo Search was used to customise the design of a pre-mixer for use in a pressure let-down station heater. This is a true industrial test application for this novel optimisation algorithm. A commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) mixer was used as a bench mark to assess the impact of Modified Cuckoo Search. In addition to customisation of t...

This study aimed to identify the continuous ground reaction force (GRF) features which contribute to higher levels of block phase performance. Twenty-three sprint-trained athletes completed starts from their preferred settings during which GRFs were recorded separately under each block. Continuous features of the magnitude and direction of the resu...

A methodology is introduced which uses three simple objective function features to predict effective control parameters for differential evolution. This is achieved using cluster analysis techniques to classify objective functions using these features. Information on prior performance of various control parameters for each classification is then us...

Throughout history, storytelling has been an effective way of conveying information and knowledge. In the field of visualization, storytelling is rapidly gaining momentum and evolving cutting-edge techniques that enhance understanding. Many communities have commented on the importance of storytelling in data visualization. Storytellers tend to be i...

Over the past decade there has been a surge in the interest, both academic and commercial, in supersonic and hypersonic passenger transport. This paper outlines an original approach for solving the problem of optimal design and configuration of a space vehicle operating in rarefied hypersonic flow. The approach utilises a novel flow solver based on...

Considering the use of commercial-off-the-shelf(COTS) devices in industry, a case study has been undertaken implementing the goal driven optimisation of a venturi-type pre-mixer. This COTS device is used to supply the correct ratio of a specific fuel and oxidiser to a pre-mix burner. Providing the correct quantity of excess air results in a reducti...

This paper presents an automated aerodynamic optimisation algorithm using a novel method of parameterising the search domain and geometry by employing user–defined control nodes. The displacement of the control nodes is coupled to the shape boundary movement via a ‘discrete boundary smoothing’. This is initiated by a linear deformation followed by...

This paper introduces developments in modified techniques for the generation of unstructured, non-uniform, dual orthogonal meshes which are suitable for use with co-volume solution schemes. Two new mesh generation techniques, a modified advancing front technique and an octree-Delaunay algorithm, are coupled with a mesh optimisation algorithm. When...

Proteomics analysis of biofluid-derived vesicles holds enormous potential for discovering non-invasive disease markers. Obtaining vesicles of sufficient quality and quantity for profiling studies has, however, been a major problem, as samples are often replete with co-isolated material that can interfere with the identification of genuine low abund...

Proteomics analysis of vesicles isolated from plasma and urine of prostate cancer patients using a multiplex, aptamer-based protein array

Proteomics analysis of vesicles isolated from plasma and urine of prostate cancer patients using a multiplex, aptamer-based protein array

Proteomics analysis of vesicles isolated from plasma and urine of prostate cancer patients using a multiplex, aptamer-based protein array

Proteomics analysis of vesicles isolated from plasma and urine of prostate cancer patients using a multiplex, aptamer-based protein array

Proteomics analysis of vesicles isolated from plasma and urine of prostate cancer patients using a multiplex, aptamer-based protein array

This paper outlines a new computational aerodynamic design optimisation algorithm using a novel method of parameterising a computational mesh using 'control nodes'. The shape boundary movement as well as the mesh movement is coupled to the movement of user-defined control nodes via a Delaunay Graph Mapping technique. A Modified Cuckoo Search algori...

A free aerodynamic design toolkit developed by researchers at Swansea University’s College of Engineering.

This paper outlines some recent developments in the process of generating well centered tetrahedral meshes. A well centered tetrahedron contains its circumcentre, which is a basic property required for a valid co-volume discretisation. Although most work in this area has focussed on improving meshes generated using classical techniques, in this pap...

A new robust metaheuristic optimization method, namely modified cuckoo search (MCS), is presented in this paper. MCS is inspired by breeding behavior of cuckoo birds and combined with Levy flight approach to efficiently search for optimal solutions. MCS is coupled with a filtering technique to provide the ability to handle nonlinear constraints. Th...

The cuckoo search is a relatively new gradient free optimization algorithm, which has been growing in popularity. The algorithm aims to replicate the particularly aggressive breeding behavior of cuckoos and it makes use of the Lévy flight, which is an efficient search pattern. In this chapter, the original development of the cuckoo search is discus...

A technique is presented for interpolating unsteady solutions to parameterised fluid flow problems, using a combination of proper orthogonal decomposition and radial basis functions. The technique is validated by considering simulations involving three dimensional unsteady compressible inviscid flow over an oscillating ONERA M6 wing. It is demonstr...

This paper discusses some engineering applications of gradient free optimisation techniques. This is achieved using the development of the cuckoo search algorithm as a case study. The motivations behind using gradient free algorithms are discussed and illustrated using two specific practical examples. The first involves aerofoil shape optimisation,...

SUMMARYA new mesh optimisation scheme, reduced order mesh optimisation, is introduced. The technique uses proper orthogonal decomposition to reduce the number of dimensions in a mesh optimisation problem. This reduction in dimensionality allows the expression of the optimisation problem globally rather than the more traditional local mesh optimisat...

A new robust optimisation algorithm, which can be regarded as a modification of the recently developed cuckoo search, is presented. The modification involves the addition of information exchange between the top eggs, or the best solutions. Standard optimisation benchmarking functions are used to test the effects of these modifications and it is dem...