Tim Kovacs
|
![]() |
Miscellaneous
- My publications
- My software
- The Bristol area's Mathematics, Computation and Biology (MCB) Research Initiative
- The Learning Classifier Systems Bibliography
- Viscous Fingers Fractal
- Russell on education
- A page about learning I set up
- Old miscellanea
Teaching
- COMS M0103: Object Oriented Programming with Java [SAFE pages for COMSM0103 and EMAT20921]
- COMS M0305: Learning in Autonomous Systems
- [Tutees log 2016]
Postgraduate Study in Bristol
- Study for an MSc in Machine Learning, Data Mining and High Performance Computing in Bristol
- How to apply for postgraduate study in Bristol and Research interests of staff
Research Interests
My interests are mainly in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. I'm interested in ways machines can learn without a teacher, so they can do things which I can't, or do them better than I can. Consequently the fields I'm interested in include Reinforcement Learning, Evolutionary Computation, Evolutionary Reinforcement Learning, Learning Classifier Systems and Bio-inspired computing. I'm also interested in Cognitive Science, theories of mind and the application of Computer Science to Biology. (Click here to apply for a PhD place in Bristol.)Some specific things I'm interested in (but don't necessarily know much about) include:
- hybridising and unifying teacherless learning methods
- playing games like chess, particularly with learning methods
- bio-inspired computing, particularly ways of formalising heuristics
- programming languages, especially visual languages
- applying software engineering to machine learning (and science generally)
Projects include:
- Work on ensembles of learners on the ADEPT project [ADEPT wiki].
- Studying social insect behaviour with James Marshall, Bob Planqué, Nigel
Franks and Anna
Dornhaus.
- Our EPSRC-funded Social Insects, Simulated Evolution and Biologically Inspired Algorithms project finished in July 2006.
- Combining reinforcement learning and temporal logic with Rob Egginton.
- Sentiment analysis with David Kirchheimer
- Evolving complex algorithms with Darren Chitty
- Learning Classifier Systems.
- Work with Manuel Filipe Santos and Wesley Mathew on the Particla project investigating distributed machine learning.
- My PhD thesis compared XCS's accuracy-based fitness with a more traditional strength-based approach.
Links
Research
- LCS & GBML Central
- LCS and other GBML. A blog.
- The Learning Classifier Systems Group at the University of the West of England.
- John Holmes' LCS mail alias is for discussion of Learning Classifier Systems.
- COGNIT - Bristol Cognition and Information Technology Research Centre
- Bristol Centre for Behavioural Biology
- BIRO-net The Biologically Inspired Robotics Network.
- NiSIS Nature-inspired Smart Information Systems
- Evonet Website - European Network of Excellence in Evolutionary Computing
- Reinforcement Learning Repository (at the University of Massachusetts).
- Online journals through Bristol library
- Links on how to do research by Toby Walsh and Sylvia Miksch
- Neat news
- Things to do in Bristol and beyond
- BBC or The Weather Channel forecasts for Bristol
- Dictionary.com
- Etymological dictionary
- transportdirect (good for bus routes within Bristol)
- Hospital and University Bus Shuttle
- Number to call if AV equipment doesn't work in a lecture theatre: (92)88288. See also the Learning Facility Management website.
- Bristol IT services help desk