Turn On Your Future @ UWTSD's School of Applied Computing & Electronics

Posts tagged ‘Technology’

Guest Lecture: Emerging Trends & Digitisation of Society

Many thanks to David Jones (Consultant) and Geraint Williams (Director of Mission Control) from Fujitsu for recently visiting the University and speaking with our students.

Geraint Williams (right) & David Jones (left)

The talk titled ‘Digital Trends‘ covered the incredible rapid innovation and evolution of Technology that has brought about an incredible transformation and digitization of society. Highlighting significant historical and current innovations, positive impacts, and emerging trends & technologies, challenges and future impacts. A whistle stop tour of the digital landscape: past, present and future. A fascinating talk enjoyed by all, staff and students alike.

“Our Digital Trends talk, delved into the multifaceted impact of digitalisation on society, business, and daily life. It highlights key themes such as the integration of technology into everyday activities, the challenges of digital transformation, lifestyle shifts driven by digital innovation, and future trends including Robotics, AI, and Quantum Computing. Additionally, it introduces the concept of Human Centric Design and describes a workshop where participants tackle the ethical integration of Generative AI in organisations, focusing on creating value while mitigating risks such as misinformation and bias”. – David Jones (Guest Speaker from Fujitsu)

David went on to explain that the Digital Trends talk explored the ongoing digital transformation shaping society, business, and daily life. And that it’s purpose is to inform and inspire audiences about the profound impact of digitalisation, the benefits and challenges it brings, and the emerging trends that will define the future.

Key Themes Covered:

  • Digitalisation of Society: Examines how technology is blending virtual and physical environments, transforming commerce, education, finance, health, and communication. Highlighting the benefits of efficiency, global connectivity, economic growth, and access to information, while also addressing the importance of security and trust in digital systems.
  • Challenges of Digital Transformation: Discusses digital inequality, job displacement, ethical considerations (such as AI bias and privacy), cybersecurity threats, and the need for robust digital infrastructure. The content emphasizes the importance of inclusivity, ethical technology use, and collaboration among stakeholders to address these challenges.
  • Digital Living – Lifestyle Shifts: Explores how digital technologies have revolutionized the way we interact, work, consume, and manage our lives, from remote work and smart homes to online communities, e-learning, and digital entertainment.
  • Future Trends: Looks ahead to transformative innovations such as Robotics and AI, Quantum Computing, Cashless Societies, Extended Reality, Bionics & Cybernetics, and Regenerative approaches to society and energy and risks associated with these advancements, including ethical, economic, and societal implications.
  • Human Centric Design: Introduces a unique design thinking methodology focused on aligning business challenges with human needs, fostering creativity, and developing rapid, actionable solutions.

The Human Centric Design workshop provided students with a Challenge Statement: How can organisations harness Generative AI to create value for customers while preventing misinformation, bias, and intellectual property risks. It gave the students an opportunity to consider the introduction of AI into a company’s ecosystem and how they can work together to ideate and reach a consensus on what the key features and challenges are for ethical AI solutions.

“It was a pleasure to return to the place where it all began for me and give something back. I genuinely enjoyed the preparations, creation and delivery of both the talk and workshop and it was good to see the next generation of industry experts beginning their journey, there is much ahead of them, change is accelerating at a pace like we have never seen…” – David Jones

“Great to be back at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) today speaking with first year Computing students. As a former student of the university, it’s special to return to the place that set me up for success and share the lessons I’ve learned along the way e.g. stay curious, build your network, and keep evolving/adapting – the technology industry never stands still!” – Geraint Williams

The Academic staff at UWTSD’s School of Applied Computing would like to thank David & Geraint for taking the time to come back to the University and share their invaluable experience, industry knowledge and insights. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

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University Guide: UWTSD Computing #1 in Wales

We’re thrilled to announce that in the Guardian University Guide 2026, our courses have ranked 1st in Wales & 9th in the UK for Animation & Games Design and 1st in Wales & 11th in the UK for Computer Science and Information Systems. 🎉🎊

This achievement reflects our dedication to delivering hands-on, real-world industry relevant learning experiences, with exceptional student support. Our highly qualified, industry-experienced staff work hard to ensure students are prepared for a successful future with the practical knowledge & employability skills they need to excel.

A huge thank you to our students, staff, and supportive community for making this recognition possible. 🙏👍

For information about our courses, please click-here.

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UWTSD Host Workshop on Robots & Digital Healthcare

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) hosted a pioneering workshop, titled ‘Soft Exoskeleton Robots and Digital Healthcare,’ bringing together experts from across disciplines to explore the future of rehabilitation technologies.

Held at the University’s IQ Building at its SA1 Swansea Waterfront campus, the event marked a significant moment in cross-sector collaboration aimed at co-designing innovative, patient-focused solutions. 

Led by Dr Seena Joseph and Dr Tim Bashford from UWTSD, the workshop was part of the Soft Exoskeleton Robotics Project, a collaborative effort funded by the Wales Innovation Network (WIN). The project brings together partners from Cardiff Met ( Dr Wai Keung Fu), University of South Wales (Dr Leshan Uggalla) and Institute of Robotics, Bulgaria (Dr Tony Punnoose), all working together to advance rehabilitation technologies.

The full-day workshop convened leaders from robotics and engineering, healthcare and clinical practice, academia, and industry, sparking multidisciplinary dialogue on the development and real-world application of soft exoskeleton robots for rehabilitation. Attendees included academics, researchers, clinicians, innovators, and policy influencers, all united by a common goal: to shape more effective, accessible, and human-centred healthcare technologies.

Dr Kapilan Radhakrishan, UWTSD’s Academic Director (Applied Computing), delivered the welcome address and provided an overview of the project. He described the workshop as a valuable platform to introduce the project and set the stage of exploring new research ideas and to ignite meaningful collaborations with experts across disciplines in soft robotic and digital health. 

Dr Mark Cocks, Dean of the University’s Wales Institute of Science and Art who opened the event said: “Collaboration is the buzzword, and it is more important than ever. In today’s complex and fast-changing landscape, working together across disciplines and sectors is essential to drive innovation and achieve meaningful outcomes. This workshop perfectly exemplifies how bringing experts from academic, industry and healthcare together can spark new ideas. We are proud to host such an impactful and forward-thinking event.”

Highlights included:

The workshop featured a series of compelling talks and a live demonstration of the prototype of soft exoskeleton robot for stroke rehabilitation developed by Dr Tony Punnoose (Institute of Robotics, Bulgaria), one of the team members. 

Dr Fatma Layas and Dr Yajie Zhang (ATiC) presenting human-centred product evaluation approaches in healthcare.

“A Digital Healthcare Overview” was presented by Dr. Tim Bashford, one of the workshop organisers. His presentation provided a broad perspective on the evolving role of digital technologies in healthcare, setting the scene for the day’s discussions and highlighting opportunities for innovation and collaboration.

Dr Wai Keung Fung (Cardiff Metropolitan University) one of the co-organisers outlining core design principles of Soft Exoskeletons 

Dr Gokul Kandaswamy (NHS Wales) delivered an exciting talk on how robotic technologies are transforming patient care, sparking meaningful discussions, and inspiring ideas for future collaborations

Dr Udayanga Galappaththi  an  industry partner from Far UK Ltd exploring the integration of sustainable materials in robotic hand exoskeletons.

Dr Seena Joseph delivered an presentation on “Recent Trends in Soft Robotic Exoskeletons: Insights from a Systematic Literature Review,” offering a comprehensive overview of global research developments, emerging technologies, and future directions in the field.

Additional highlights included the presentation from several experts: Prof Eggbeer, Dominic from Cardiff Met discussed the impact of lead users and 3D printing on advancing adaptive sports technology, while Dr Rajan Prasad, from Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi shared innovative simulation-based designs for cable-driven exoskeletons aiding post stroke gait recovery. 

A live prototype demonstration by Dr Tony Punnoose (Institute of Robotics, Bulgaria), showcasing a bilateral soft exoskeleton robot for stroke rehabilitation. He underscored the importance of shifting research efforts toward developing small-scale, user-friendly parallel robotic systems that patients can take home, enabling more consistent, accessible, and effective rehabilitation beyond the clinical setting. 

The event culminated in an energetic panel discussion, moderated by Dr Fung, with panellists diving into practical applications, ethical considerations, and future research directions for soft robotic solutions in health contexts. Looking back on the event, he said: 

“Moderating the panel discussion reminded me that the future of rehabilitation isn’t just about smarter machines, it’s about deeper collaboration between engineers, clinicians, and users to co-create technologies that truly empower.”

The event also included a productive networking session, facilitated by Dr Leshan Uggalla (University of South Wales) from the project team. This session gave attendees a valuable opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and foster potential collaborations in a relaxed and engaging environment.

The workshop not only reinforced UWTSD’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary research and real-world innovation but also underscored its ambition to serve as a hub for cutting-edge dialogue that shapes the future of care and rehabilitation.

Adapted from original post & source here: https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/news/uwtsd-hosts-workshop-soft-exoskeleton-robots-and-digital-healthcare

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Project profile: James Frew

Fig.: James Frew

Name: James Frew

Course: BSc (Hons) Software Engineering

Project Title: An affordable device for monitoring noise levels in home studio environments to warn users of duration-based hearing damage.

Purpose: As a drummer and someone who regularly practises in home studio environments, I quickly became aware of how easily you can be exposed to loud sounds for long periods. Many people only think about hearing damage in terms of volume, but in fact, long durations of noises that aren’t excessively loud can be just as dangerous. I wanted to build a simple and affordable device that could help raise awareness of this overlooked danger and help people protect their hearing.

Fig.: Design

Implementation: The system consists of a small microphone and microcontroller, both housed in a compact 3D-printed case. The device connects to a desktop application built in Python. It monitors the noise in the room in real time, calculates how long it’s safe to be in that environment based on the current sound levels, and sends a warning when the average noise levels since starting the application reach a point where it becomes dangerous to continue listening.

Fig.: Case implementation

The GUI displays current noise levels, the average levels since starting, the time remaining before risk becomes high, and how long the app has been running. The system was built for under £20 and was tested with real users, receiving very positive feedback for its usability and clarity.

Fig.: Application

Conclusion:
The final product was a reliable, accurate tool that helped users understand their sound environment better. It successfully raised awareness of long-term hearing risks and provided clear, real-time feedback. The project met all its core goals and achieved an excellent System Usability Scale (SUS) score of 89.5. It also received valuable suggestions from users, which could shape future improvements, such as wearable versions and mobile app integration.

Next steps: I’m hoping to move into a role that allows me to work with people and ideally in music or creative environments. I’m particularly interested in opportunities that combine practical problem-solving with collaboration. My degree in Software Engineering has given me a strong foundation in project planning, technical thinking, and building things that work in the real world – skills that will be useful in many industries, not just computing.

Advice for students: Your time and energy are limited, so it’s important to prioritise your studies and project work, especially in your final year. Balancing other commitments is part of life, but giving focused attention to your degree when it counts will really pay off. Also, don’t be afraid to use the tools available to you – make use of AI, but without breaching academic standards. Do use it to help guide research and explore ideas related to your studies, don’t use it as a copy-and-paste tool to blindly research information. AI isn’t going to go away, so it’s important you learn how to use it to assist your studies as early as possible in your degree. Good luck with your studies!

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For further information about Computing & Computer Science courses at UWTSD, please click here.

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Project profile: Kelly Casey

Name: Kelly Casey

Course: BSc (Hons) Software Engineering

Project Title: Women in STEM Study Buddy – A Mobile Application for Academic Networking

Logo
Fig.: FemSTEMConnect

Project introduction:
The motivation behind this project was to address the under-representation and isolation that many women in STEM fields experience during their academic journey. I wanted to create a platform that would allow female students to connect, support one another, and collaborate through shared academic interests. The project reflects both my technical interests and my desire to contribute to inclusion and equity in higher education.

Overview of the Practical implementation:
The application was developed in Android Development Studio using the Kotlin programming language, with Firebase Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform providing services for authentication, data storage, and real-time messaging.

Kotlin, Android Studio and Firebase image
Fig.: Kotlin | Android Studio | Firebase

Key features include:

  • Email link login (no passwords required)
  • Personalised academic profiles
  • Study partner matching using course and location filters
  • A Messaging system for real-time communication.
Fig: Coding

The project was tested on both emulator and physical Android devices for performance and usability.

Here are some screenshots from the final app up and working

Fig.: Navigation screen
Messaging inbox
Fig.: Messaging inbox
Fig.: Home screen & News feed

Conclusion: The final product successfully met the core functional goals. Users can register, create a profile, search for study partners, and communicate within the app. Although some features like the community forum were postponed, the application is stable, secure, and ready for future expansion. It represents a strong foundation for a peer-support platform specifically tailored to women in STEM.

What Career and job role are you hoping to move Into after Graduation? I’m planning to progress onto a Master’s degree and then move into a software engineering role, ideally within a company focused on education technology or socially impactful work.

Top Tips for Students interested in completing a University Degree: Don’t procrastinate. Choose a project that is manageable not just exciting. It’s better to complete something simple and solid than to get stuck in something too complex to finish on your own. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

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For further information on Computing courses at UWTSD, please click-here.

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Skills Synergy 2025

The School of Applied Computing at University of Wales Trinity Saint David are thrilled to announce the annual ‘Skills Synergy 2025‘ event hosted at Swansea Arena.

A dynamic day of learning, and competition for students and networking for Teachers. The student events are designed to inspire, challenge, and showcase skills in Web Technologies, Cybersecurity, and Network Systems Administration, tailored for Year 12, Year 13, and Further Education students.

Student Team Competitions:

A taster competition event to give an experience to the participants about the competitions and competition environment.

Students who are interested in one or more than one of the below domains are welcome to register. Students will get a taste of the competition with a briefing about competitions followed by a small competitive activity.

Schools/FE’s can register their students who are interested to get a taste on competitions like Web Technologies, Cybersecurity, and Network Systems Administration.

Limited Registrations. First come First Serve. Register immediately.

Taster Sessions for School Students:

Explore Computing (Cybersecurity, Digital Forensics, Software, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science), Electronics, and Games Design, Development, Animation, VFX in engaging hands-on sessions.

Cisco Instructors Conference:

A parallel session for Head Teachers, Teachers, Lecturers and Cisco Networking Academy Instructors to share best practices, network, and collaborate.

Event Details:
Date: 26th March 2025
Time: 09:30 AM – 02.00 PM.
Venue: Swansea Arena

For further information and inquiries, please contact Nitheesh Kaliyamurthy via email: n.kaliyamurthy@uwtsd.ac.uk

For further information about Computing & Computer Science courses at UWTSD Swansea, please click here.

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Guest Lecture: Network Automation and CI/CD

Guest Lecturer:
Nagaraj Ravinuthala

This week, Nagaraj Ravinuthala, a DevOps trainer at HCL Technologies Limited and a specialised trainer for WorldSkills UK Squad on Infrastructure Automation, delivered a Guest Lecture on Network Automation and CI/CD to our students.

The lecture began with basic yet powerful concepts of deployment and CI/CD, connecting the dots between writing code, integrating APIs, and automating the process of pushing updates live. The session emphasized simplicity and clarity, presenting CI/CD as a pipeline that automates code testing, integration, and deployment to production environments.

“Think of CI/CD as a conveyor belt for your code,” explained Nagaraj. “You write it, test it, and deploy it—all in a streamlined process that ensures faster delivery and better reliability, which are essential in modern network automation workflows.”

Students were introduced to tools and techniques aligned with Cisco’s CCNA DevNet, providing a glimpse into industry-standard practices. To make deployment relatable, the lecturer drew parallels with the earlier lectures on Python and API during their Network Programmability Module where the students integrated the OpenWeather API creating and running a Python script, and explaining that deployment involves taking code that works locally and making it accessible to users.

The session concluded with an interactive Q&A, where students enthusiastically asked about real-world applications of network automation and the career paths that mastery in CI/CD can unlock.

This guest lecture was an eye-opening experience for students, sparking curiosity and laying the foundation for further exploration in network automation. It was a step toward preparing them for the evolving demands of the industry.

We would like to thank Nagaraj Ravinuthala for taking time to speak and share valuable industry knowledge with our students.

For further information about our courses, please click-here.

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University Guide: UWTSD Computing #1 in Wales

Guardian University Guide: #1 in Wales and #20 in UK

We’re thrilled to announce that in the Guardian University Guide 2025, our Computing courses have ranked #1 in Wales 🏆 and #20 in the UK for Computer Science and Information Systems subject area.

This achievement reflects the dedication we bring to delivering hands-on, real-world learning experiences, alongside exceptional support that guides our students every step of the way. Our highly qualified, industry-experienced staff work tirelessly to ensure students are prepared for a future in tech with the practical skills and knowledge they need to excel.

A huge thank you to our outstanding students, dedicated staff, and supportive community for making this recognition possible.

Together, we’re shaping the future of tech in Wales and beyond! 🌍💻

For further information about Computing courses at UWTSD, please click-here.

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MSc Project: Cyber Security

Student name:
Sakthi Sangeetha Kandaswamy

MSc Project title: Analysing risk in Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing Methodology

Course: MSc Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics

Introduction/rationale:
The motivation behind choosing the project stemmed from the growing need for more structured and standardized approaches to penetration testing and vulnerability assessment. With cyberattacks becoming increasingly sophisticated, organizations struggle to identify and remediate vulnerabilities efficiently.

TECH TERM: Penetration testing, often referred to as ‘pen testing‘, is a cybersecurity practice where ethical hackers simulate cyberattacks on a computer system, network, or web application to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious hackers. The main goals of penetration testing is to:
1. Identify security weaknesses
2. Assess the effectiveness of security measures
3. Improve overall security posture: By identifying and fixing vulnerabilities, organizations can strengthen their defenses against potential cyber threats.

The MITRE ATT&CK Framework provides a well-defined structure for understanding adversarial techniques and tactics, making it ideal for enhancing VAPT (Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing) methodologies. This project aimed to leverage MITRE’s capabilities to analyze risk, improve testing scope, and ensure that testing efforts are comprehensive and aligned with real-world threats.

Project overview:
In this project, we integrated the MITRE ATT&CK Framework into the traditional VAPT methodology to refine the testing scope and increase effectiveness in detecting vulnerabilities. The steps involved included:

  • Defining the Scope: The project began by clearly defining the boundaries and goals of the penetration test. Using the MITRE Framework, specific attack vectors and techniques relevant to the organization’s environment were identified.
  • Conducting Vulnerability Scanning: Automated tools were used to perform initial vulnerability scans, identifying weak points that attackers might exploit.
  • Simulating Attacks Using MITRE Tactics: We designed attack scenarios based on the tactics and techniques outlined in MITRE ATT&CK, simulating adversarial behavior. This allowed us to target the actual risks that real attackers would exploit, rather than theoretical vulnerabilities.
  • Analyzing Results and Refining Scope: Post-attack analysis identified network gaps and weaknesses in current defenses. The scope of the testing was iteratively refined based on these findings.
  • Reporting and Remediation: Finally, comprehensive reports were generated, providing actionable insights for the security team, along with specific recommendations for closing vulnerabilities.

Visual Representation: A flow diagram illustrating the process of integrating MITRE with VAPT in Penetration Testing Stages, is located below:

Project outcome & conclusion:
The integration of the MITRE ATT&CK Framework significantly enhanced the scope and depth of the VAPT process. By aligning testing activities with real-world adversarial tactics, the project was able to identify previously overlooked risks and vulnerabilities. The methodology provided a more focused, risk-based approach to penetration testing, ensuring that organizations could better prepare for and mitigate threats. The project demonstrated that using MITRE not only strengthens the identification of vulnerabilities but also offers a more comprehensive understanding of the adversarial techniques that could affect critical systems.

OpenVAS is a full-featured vulnerability scanning tool, that was used for this purposes of this project. An example output of vulnerability findings can be seen below:

Q. What Career and job role are you hoping to move into after graduation?
After graduation, I am hoping to pursue a career in cybersecurity, with a specific focus on roles like:

  • Penetration Tester: Using tools and methodologies (such as MITRE ATT&CK) to identify vulnerabilities in an organization’s IT infrastructure.
  • Cybersecurity Analyst: Monitoring, analyzing, and defending against cybersecurity threats.
  • Security Consultant: Advising organizations on how to improve their security posture by implementing effective VAPT practices.

These roles align with my passion for understanding and mitigating cyber risks, particularly in offensive security and ethical hacking.

Q. Please share a top tip/advice for students who are interested in completing a University Degree?
My top tip for students is to focus on practical applications of what you learn. Theoretical knowledge is important, but real growth happens when you apply it in real-world scenarios, whether through internships, projects, or labs. Hands-on experience not only solidifies your understanding but also makes you more marketable in the job market.

For further information about Computing courses at UWTSD, please click-here.

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MSc Project: Fusion neural network

Name: Ze Wu

Q. Course: MSc Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence

Q. Project title: Detection of fusarium head blight on wheat spikelets using a multi-scale feature fusion CNN model.

Q. Introduction/rationale: The motivation for choosing this project stems from the significant impact of fusarium head blight (FHB) on wheat production, which poses a threat to global food security. By leveraging advanced artificial intelligence techniques, this project aims to develop a robust detection system that can assist farmers in early identification of FHB, ultimately contributing to better crop management and yield optimization.

Q. Overview of the practical implementation:

  • Data Collection: Acquiring a dataset of wheat spikelet images, both healthy and affected by FHB.

Figure 1: Dataset Samples

  • Model Development: Designing a multi-scale feature fusion convolutional neural network (CNN) to analyze the images. Built on the advanced YOLOv9 framework, the model incorporates a Multi-Scale Feature Enhancement and Fusion (MSFEF) module, which plays a critical role in extracting and dynamically enhancing features from various scales. To enhance computational efficiency, as shown in Figure 2, optimized convolutional layers such as RepNCSPELAN and DWConv are used, reducing the overall computational load while maintaining high detection performance.

Figure 2: Proposed network overview

  • Training and Testing: The model was trained on the dataset using techniques like data augmentation (Mosaic) to enhance its robustness. Testing was conducted to evaluate accuracy and performance.

Figure 3: Training batch samples

  • Deployment: The final model can be integrated into a user-friendly application for real-time detection, offering researchers and farmers an efficient tool for early disease detection and management.

Figure 4: Model predictions

Q. Overview of outcome/conclusion:

The project successfully demonstrated that the proposed multi-scale feature fusion CNN model can accurately detect fusarium head blight in wheat spikelets, achieving an accuracy of over 90%, which highlights the potential of AI-driven solutions in agriculture, paving the way for future advancements in plant disease management and crop monitoring.

Q. What Career and job role are you hoping to move into after graduation?

After graduation, I aspire to work as a machine learning engineer, focusing on applying AI in agricultural technology. My goal is to contribute to innovations that enhance food security and sustainability through smart farming practices.

Q. Please share a top tip/advice for students who are interested in completing a University Degree?

One essential piece of advice is to stay curious and actively engage with your coursework beyond the classroom. Seek out projects, internships, and collaborative opportunities that apply your knowledge in real-world contexts. Building a strong network and gaining practical experience will significantly enhance learning and career prospects.

For further information about Computing courses at UWTSD, please click-here.

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