Peter Robinson (computer scientist)

Robinson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge in 1974 and continued with a year of post-graduate study in Mathematics before joining the Computer Laboratory, where he was sponsored by the BBC to work on Graphic Design with Computers under Neil Wiseman and graduated PhD in 1979.

{{cite thesis |degree=PhD |first=Peter |last=Robinson |title=Graphic Design with Computers |publisher=University of Cambridge |date=1979 }}

Robinson worked on computer-aided design systems for integrated circuits in the 1980s, undertaking the physical design of the video processor for early BBC computers as a case study.{{cite web |title=Video processor for Acorn/BBC computer |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/MKG9WQ8WSyasxVeM0Z9T3A |publisher=BBC |accessdate=31 July 2013 }}

He continued with work on self-timed (asynchronous) circuits{{cite journal |title=Rapid prototyping of self-timed circuits |journal=IEEE International Conference on Computer Design |year= 1998 | url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~pr10/publications/iccd98/iccd98.pdf |accessdate=31 July 2013}}{{cite thesis| first=Steev |last=Wilcox |title=Synthesis of asynchronous circuits |date=1999 |url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/techreports/UCAM-CL-TR-468.html }}{{cite journal |title=An on-chip dynamically recalibrated delay line for embedded self-timed systems |journal=IEEE ASYNC Symposium |year=2000 |url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~pr/publications/async00/ |accessdate=31 July 2013}}{{cite thesis| first=Paul |last=Cunningham |title=Verification of asynchronous circuits |date=2004 |url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/techreports/UCAM-CL-TR-587.html }}

and his students Paul Cunningham and Steev Wilcox started Azuro to exploit the ideas in designing low power integrated circuits.

The Rank Xerox Research Centre in Cambridge sponsored several of Robinson's research students in the 1990s to work on video cameras and projection as part of the user interface including Pierre Wellner's DigitalDesk, an early tabletop display featuring tangible interaction and augmented reality{{cite thesis |first=Pierre |last=Wellner |title=Interacting with paper on the DigitalDesk |date=1994 |url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/techreports/UCAM-CL-TR-330.html }}

and Quentin Stafford-Fraser's work leading to the webcam.{{cite thesis |first=Quentin |last=Stafford-Fraser |title=Video-augmented environments |date=1997 |url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/techreports/UCAM-CL-TR-419.html }}

Further work investigated augmenting paper documents{{cite journal |title=Digital manuscripts and electronic publishing |journal=Editio 13 |publisher=Max Niemeyer Verlag |date=Autumn 1999 |pages=337–346 |isbn=3-484-29513-9 }}

and high-resolution interactive tabletop displays{{cite journal |title=Territorial coordination and workspace awareness in remote tabletop collaboration |journal=ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computer Systems |date=April 2009 }}

leading to the commercial nuVa system developed by Thales.{{cite journal |title=A method and system for providing a collaborative working environment |url=http://www.ipo.gov.uk/p-find-publication-getPDF.pdf?PatentNo=GB2477762&DocType=A&JournalNumber=6378 }}

More recently, Robinson has led a team working on affective computing.{{cite web |url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/emotions/ |title=Emotionally intelligent interfaces |accessdate=31 July 2013 }}

This has included inference of mental states from facial expressions{{cite thesis |first=Rana |last=el Kaliouby |title=Mind-reading machines |date=2005 |url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/techreports/UCAM-CL-TR-636.html }}{{cite web |url=http://sms.cam.ac.uk/media/739445 |title=Mind-reading machines |year=2006 }}

non-verbal speech{{cite thesis |first=Tal |last=Sobol-Shikler |title=Analysis of affective expression in speech |date=2007 |url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/techreports/UCAM-CL-TR-740.html }}

and gestures{{cite web |url=http://sms.cam.ac.uk/media/739430 |title=Interactive control of music using emotional body expressions |year=2008 }}{{cite thesis |first=Daniel |last=Bernhardt |title=Emotion inference from human body motion |date=2009 |url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/techreports/UCAM-CL-TR-787.html }}

together with the expression of emotions by robots and cartoon avatars.{{cite thesis |first=Laurel |last=Riek |title=Expression synthesis on robots |date=2011 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2012-03-25/robot-head-is-star-of-the-show/ |title=Robot head is star of the show |year=2012 }}

His YouTube video on The emotional computer{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whCJ4NLUSB8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/whCJ4NLUSB8 |archive-date=2021-12-14 |url-status=live|title=The emotional computer |website=YouTube |year=2010 }}{{cbignore}}

has resulted in regular television and radio appearances{{cite news |title=BBC news report |year=2008 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7280000/newsid_7280400/7280401.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&bbcws=1 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/video/2011/11/01/researchers-look-to-darwin-for-emotional?videoId=224113552 |title=Researchers look to Darwin for emotional link between man and machine |website=Reuters |year=2011 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p013hg16 |title=BBC Click programme on Robots for humans |year=2013 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01d89hc |title=Dara Briain's Science Club |year=2013 }}

and his student Rana el Kaliouby founded Affectiva with Rosalind Picard to exploit the ideas commercially.{{cite web |title=Rana el Kaliouby's home page at the MIT Media Lab |url=http://web.media.mit.edu/~kaliouby/ |accessdate=31 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130710065254/http://web.media.mit.edu/~kaliouby/ |archive-date=10 July 2013 |url-status=dead }}

Robinson has supervised over thirty research students for PhDs.{{cite web |url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~pr10/research/students.html |title=Research students |accessdate=31 July 2013 }}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~pr10/ Peter Robinson's home page] at the Computer Laboratory
• [http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/ Computer Laboratory]
• [http://www.cai.cam.ac.uk/people/peter-robinson web page] at Gonville and Caius College
• [http://www.cai.cam.ac.uk/ Gonville and Caius College]

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Category:1952 births

Category:Living people

Category:British computer scientists

Category:Fellows of the British Computer Society

Category:Alumni of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge

Category:Fellows of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge

Category:Academics of the University of Cambridge

Category:Members of the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory

Category:People educated at King's College School, London