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Centre for English Language Communication (CELC) |
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The Centre provides support to students in improving their English language communication skills. To realize the individual needs of a student, the Centre facilitates through individual tutorials, by providing self-study material, by conducting workshops and intensive English classes, and through faculty outreach programs. By taking a variety of support initiatives effort is made to enable a student to improve grasp, make progress, and even excel in the language. The main thrust is on capacity-building for learning and expressing. The idea is that students who are otherwise capable of doing well but for the weak communication skills should not suffer because of their previous insufficient training. |
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The Centre aims at improving proficiency in communicative English, written as well as spoken. This activity has a spill over effect of improving the student’s work in other subjects. The idea is to develop communication skills of students and also to help them become good professionals. The Centre purports to carry research activity on issues related to language teaching and learning. |
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Centre for Information Visualization and Intelligent Computing (Civic) |
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Centre for Information Visualization and Intelligent Computing (CIVIC) has been established at the Lahore campus with the aim of conducting research in various areas of Intelligent Computing, Knowledge Engineering, Image Processing and Computer Graphics. Many groups are actively participating in research and development under the umbrella of CIVIC. A brief introduction to these groups and their related research activities is given below: |
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Computer graphics and data visualization: |
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The group is exploring various theoretical and practical aspects of geometric modeling approaches to path planning algorithms. In addition to path planning they are also working actively in the area of reverse engineering where it is required to capture 2D objects, outline of planar images, or generation of 3D geometric models of existing objects for which no such models exist. |
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Data mining and data warehousing: |
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This research group is exploring state of the art techniques for storing, retrieving and analyzing data for developing business intelligence tools and systems. It is also working in the area of Intelligent Information Retrieval and Text Mining from databases. |
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Human computer interaction: |
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The focus of research of this group is in the area of developing and designing intelligent user interfaces according to Cognitive Systems Engineering, Cognitive Psychology and behavioral aspects of different users |
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Image processing and computer vision: |
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This group is actively developing different applications using latest techniques in Image Processing and Machine Vision. Recently, members of this group have gained nationwide recognition by winning various prizes in the software and programming competition at NaSCon. |
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Machine learning: |
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The machine learning group is exploring various theoretical techniques in supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms. This research group is working in collaboration with top researchers from the Electrical Engineering Department of University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore. |
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Projects |
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Following is a list of the current research projects undertaken by CIVIC: |
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Surveillance Eye: The system provides the user with Automated Intelligent Surveillance in order to monitor malicious activities at entry points in various buildings. |
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Needle 1.0: Construction of a 3D dynamic scene using the least number of cameras possible. |
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The lounge: Creation of an effective and easy graphical interface for new users of the Windows XP operating system. |
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MB 1.02: The system enables content based image and video re-ranking and prioritization capabilities using novel clustering techniques. |
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AELTS: Adaptive English language teaching tool (proposal submitted for funding). |
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Development of intelligent tutoring system using techniques in user and cognitive modeling. |
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Mixture modeling for causal feature selection. |
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Development of novel and improved algorithms for unsupervised clustering. |
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Fair path planning using Pythagorean hodograph quintic spiral functions |
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Energy efficient motion planning for nonholonomic (car like) mobile robots using cubic spirals |
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An evolutionary fair path planning for mobile robots with obstacle avoiding. |
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Capturing outlines of planar images. |
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Surface reconstruction with spline functions using evolutionary heuristics. |
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Psyche Mining using automated psyche features extraction from text documents. |
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DSD Studio: Construction of Database Schema Designer Studio using database design theory and methodology. |
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Members: |
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Qaiser Durrani, Zulfiqar Habib, Liaquat Majeed Sheikh, Hassan Khan, Ishaq Raza, Mehreen Saeed, Sabeen Durrani, Sana Altaf, Zohaib Hassan, Rana Saad Nawaz, Haroon Babri (UET) and Kashif Javed (UET). |
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Centre for Research in Urdu Language Processing (CRULP) |
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Visit www.crulp.org |
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CRULP was formed in 2001 with a vision to develop computing in local languages of Pakistan to enable access to technology and information for Pakistanis. This is essential for socio-economic development of digitally divided population within Pakistan and is also essential for preserving our linguistic and cultural identity in Information age. |
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CRULP has been involved in linguistic research into languages spoken in Pakistan, developing computing standards and also using this research to develop speech, script and language processing applications for the end-users. Now the scope of research has increased and researchers are looking into other Asian languages as well. CRULP facilities include dedicated Speech Processing Lab, Script Processing Lab and Language Processing Lab, equipped with relevant software and recording equipment. Facilities also include a R&D centre to seat 40 full-time research staff working on funded research. Researchers at CRULP also actively participate in national and international bodies, including PTCL R&D Fund, Urdu Computing Standardization Committee of National Language Authority, Editorial Board of Localization Focus published by Localization Research Centre at University of Limerick in Ireland, and Unicode’s Bidirectional Committee List. |
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The centre offers specialization in Script, Speech and Language Processing (SSLP) at under-graduate and graduate level, with an active student body consisting of BS, MS and Doctoral students. Specialized courses include Phonetics and Phonology, Morphology and Syntax, Computer Speech Processing, Script Processing, Computational Linguistics, Urdu Computational Grammar and Statistical Language Processing. CRULP is also involved in (and has successfully completed) many R&D projects. |
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CRULP team consists of about 35 full-time R&D staff, supported through research funding. |
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Major Projects |
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Urdu Localization Project (funded by E-Government Directorate, Ministry of Information Technology (IT), Govt. of Pakistan; www.crulp.org/ulp) to develop Urdu Online Lexicon, English to Urdu Machine Translation and Urdu Text to Speech System |
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PAN Localization Project (funded by International Research Development Centre (IDRC) Govt. of Canada; www.PANL10n.net). CRULP leads the collaboration of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal and Sri Lanka to develop local language computing across Asia. The collaboration is being extended to include Mongolia, Philippines and TAR, China. |
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Sindhi Lexicon (funded by SALRC, Univ. of Chicago), in collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. |
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Urdu Lexical Resources for Speech Applications for Urdu (funded by IDRC, APNIC UNDP; partially supported by Microsoft; www.crulp.org; Completed) |
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Localization of Microsoft Vista and Microsoft Office (recently funded by Microsoft USA). |
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Nafees Font Family for Urdu (funded by IDRC, APNIC UNDP; partially supported by Microsoft; www.crulp.org; Completed) |
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Urdu Spell Checker for Microsoft Office (funded by Microsoft USA; Completed). Incorporated in Microsoft Language Interface Pack for Microsoft Office 2003 recently released by Microsoft. |
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Financial Mathematics Research Centre (FMRC) |
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Financial Mathematics Research Centre (FMRC) is the platform where the students of mathematics and computing, with strong ardency for mathematical study learn about one of the most indulging areas of mathematics and statistics. Financial mathematics is the base of all the progress in the various areas of economics and finance; in which immense emphasis is being placed in the progressive countries for finding affable solutions to cases of contention and competition for all competitors and predicting the outcomes of various financial scenarios. Here in Pakistan, this centre is amongst the few in the country trying to surface some innovative ideas and theories in the area of financial mathematics. We encourage and support our students and participants to further the related research and to hold seminars and workshops on the latest developments in this area. |
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Multi-Media Lab (MML) |
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Multimedia covers text, graphics, audio, pictures, and streaming video. The objective of research in multimedia is to enable better communication in the future, especially in the internet connected world. MML is investigating both the processing and transmission of different types of information on medium such as Local Network Area LAN and telephone lines. Limited bandwidth of the transmission medium and consumer demand for good quality of service is high, which poses interesting challenges for the researchers. |
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The Multimedia lab is developing a reference implementation of ITU-T H.323, the standard currently in force for multimedia communication. The lab has already implemented H.263 compliant software for video conferencing along with its optional modes, and transmitted video over LAN (broadcast as well as multicast). The current direction of the lab is in implementing the H.323, and developing algorithms objective quality measures for Wideband speech and audio (VoIP). The other areas of research are MPLS and distributed QoS algorithms over Wireless LAN 802.11e. |
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Projects |
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Dynamic Scheduling and Call Admission Control for Quality of Service (QoS) Provision in Real-time Multimedia Application over IEEE 802.11e Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). This project is funded by PTCL R&D Fund for Thematic Research Grant. |
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Currently, this group is developing efficient algorithms for multimedia communication over WLAN under PTCL R&D Grant. The goal of this research activity is to develop novel scheduling and call admission control (CAC) mechanisms for IEEE 802.11e WLANs along with a complete simulation model of the upcoming WLAN standard. The Scheduler would dynamically allocate transmission opportunities to different stations to cater for the variable input data rates of real time applications, variable transmission rate in the wireless medium and mobility. A scheduling mechanism provides timely transmission opportunities to mobile stations so that their QoS requirements can be fulfilled. A CAC mechanism restricts new flows from utilizing the network resources when the network is running under heavy load conditions in order to maximize network utilization. Four graduates and three under-graduates are being supported by this grant. |
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MML is also developing a reference implementation of ITU-T H.323, the standard currently in force for multimedia communication. H.263 compliant software for video conferencing along with its optional modes has already been implemented and video has been transmitted over LAN (broadcast as well as multicast). The current direction of research is towards the implementation of H.323, and development of objective quality algorithmic measures for Wideband speech and audio (VoIP). |
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Another area of research is design and analysis of congestion control algorithms for wireless networks (cellular, WLANs Wi-fi and Wi-Max, and satellite networks). The goal is to develop unified mechanisms of congestion avoidance and congestion control for such diverse wireless networks. |
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Software Engineering Research Centre (SERC) |
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Visit www.serc.org.pk |
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Software Research Engineering Centre is dedicated to conducting research and development in various facets of software engineering. The centre has been established to promote theoretical research in the software engineering area, resolve problems faced by the software industry, and help establish software engineering practices in the industry. Through the establishment of the SERC, the University seeks to help and support the local software industry in establishing and improving their processes and practices through continuous feedback and training. SERC aims to achieve these objectives by collecting the industry data to understand productivity, cost, and quality parameters. This will hopefully also help in developing more suitable process and lifecycle models for different types of projects being undertaken by our local industry in the offshore and distributed environment. During the last few years, this Centre has arranged many seminars and workshops in the software engineering domain. |
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Projects |
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DISC – Design using integrated software chips |
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Development and analysis of a new Object to Relational Mapping technique |
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Mining code repositories for automatic detection of bad smells in the code |
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An Empirical Study to Analyze the Impact of Testing and Code Inspections on Overall Productivity. |
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