Noel Sharkey
Encyclopedia
Dr Noel Sharkey FBCS
, FIET is a Belfast
-born British
computer scientist
. He is best known to the British public for his appearances as an expert on the BBC 2 television series Robot Wars
and Techno Games
, and co-hosts Bright Sparks
, a science and engineering challenge series, for BBC Northern Ireland
.
at the University of Sheffield
, England
, and is supported by the EPSRC as a Senior Media Fellow.
He holds a doctorate in psychology
, a doctorate in science, is a chartered electrical engineer, a chartered information technology
professional, a fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology
, a fellow of the British Computer Society
, a fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation
, and a member of the actors union Equity.
and cognitive science
. Sharkey has written and spoken widely concerning the ethical responsibilities of governments and international organisations in a world where robotics applications are dramatically increasing, both in the military and policing contexts, and in the medical care of children, the elderly and the sick.
Dr Sharkey has helped set up robot competitions for young people around the world, including the national Chinese
creative robotics contest, and the national Egypt
ian schools AI
and robotics
contest.
Sharkey appeared as an expert on the BBC 2 television series Robot Wars
and Techno Games
. He presently co-hosts Bright Sparks
, a science and engineering challenge series, for BBC Northern Ireland
, and produces and presents a weekly radio show for the community radio station Sheffield Live! called The Sound of Science.
FBCS
FBCS is an abbreviation for Fellow of the British Computer Society . This is the most senior professional grade in the BCS. It is available to applicants with a minimum of five years of Information Technology experience in a senior IT position or who have an established eminent or authoritative...
, FIET is a Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
-born British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
computer scientist
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
. He is best known to the British public for his appearances as an expert on the BBC 2 television series Robot Wars
Robot Wars (TV series)
Robot Wars is a British game show modelled on a US-based competition of the same name. It was broadcast on BBC Two from 1998 until 2003, with its final series broadcast on Five in 2003 and 2004. Additional series were filmed for specific sectors of the global market, including two series of Robot...
and Techno Games
Techno Games
Techno Games was BBC Television's Olympic Games for robots. It was a spin-off from the hugely successful Robot Wars. The TV series was shown on BBC2 every weekday for a fortnight from the third Monday in March just after Science Week...
, and co-hosts Bright Sparks
Bright Sparks
Bright Sparks was a children's television educational series aired on Australian and UK television in 1989. It taught viewers about science and technology...
, a science and engineering challenge series, for BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland is the main public service broadcaster in Northern Ireland.The organisation is one of the three national regions of the BBC, together with BBC Scotland and BBC Wales. Based at Broadcasting House, Belfast, it provides television, radio, online and interactive television content...
.
Career
Dr Sharkey currently holds a chair in the Department of Computer ScienceComputer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
at the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and is supported by the EPSRC as a Senior Media Fellow.
He holds a doctorate in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, a doctorate in science, is a chartered electrical engineer, a chartered information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
professional, a fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology
Institution of Engineering and Technology
The Institution of Engineering and Technology is a British professional body for those working in engineering and technology in the United Kingdom and worldwide. It was formed in 2006 from two separate institutions: the Institution of Electrical Engineers , dating back to 1871, and the...
, a fellow of the British Computer Society
British Computer Society
The British Computer Society, is a professional body and a learned society that represents those working in Information Technology in the United Kingdom and internationally...
, a fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation
Royal Institute of Navigation
The Royal Institute of Navigation is a British institution devoted to the art and science of navigation established in 1947.Its aims are to bring navigators together, to develop navigational techniques and to increase public awareness of navigation. It is based in Kensington, London. It was...
, and a member of the actors union Equity.
Academic contributions
In the academic world, Sharkey is best known for his contribution to machine learningMachine learning
Machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence, is a scientific discipline concerned with the design and development of algorithms that allow computers to evolve behaviors based on empirical data, such as from sensor data or databases...
and cognitive science
Cognitive science
Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary scientific study of mind and its processes. It examines what cognition is, what it does and how it works. It includes research on how information is processed , represented, and transformed in behaviour, nervous system or machine...
. Sharkey has written and spoken widely concerning the ethical responsibilities of governments and international organisations in a world where robotics applications are dramatically increasing, both in the military and policing contexts, and in the medical care of children, the elderly and the sick.
Dr Sharkey has helped set up robot competitions for young people around the world, including the national Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
creative robotics contest, and the national Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian schools AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
and robotics
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
contest.
Media
Dr Sharkey is the founder and editor-in-chief of the academic journal Connection Science, and an editor for Artificial Intelligence Review and Robotics and Autonomous Systems.Sharkey appeared as an expert on the BBC 2 television series Robot Wars
Robot Wars (TV series)
Robot Wars is a British game show modelled on a US-based competition of the same name. It was broadcast on BBC Two from 1998 until 2003, with its final series broadcast on Five in 2003 and 2004. Additional series were filmed for specific sectors of the global market, including two series of Robot...
and Techno Games
Techno Games
Techno Games was BBC Television's Olympic Games for robots. It was a spin-off from the hugely successful Robot Wars. The TV series was shown on BBC2 every weekday for a fortnight from the third Monday in March just after Science Week...
. He presently co-hosts Bright Sparks
Bright Sparks
Bright Sparks was a children's television educational series aired on Australian and UK television in 1989. It taught viewers about science and technology...
, a science and engineering challenge series, for BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland is the main public service broadcaster in Northern Ireland.The organisation is one of the three national regions of the BBC, together with BBC Scotland and BBC Wales. Based at Broadcasting House, Belfast, it provides television, radio, online and interactive television content...
, and produces and presents a weekly radio show for the community radio station Sheffield Live! called The Sound of Science.
External links
Journals
Interviews
- Magazine interview in New ScientistNew ScientistNew Scientist is a weekly non-peer-reviewed English-language international science magazine, which since 1996 has also run a website, covering recent developments in science and technology for a general audience. Founded in 1956, it is published by Reed Business Information Ltd, a subsidiary of...
(September 1, 2009) - Magazine interview in CS4FNCS4FNCS4FN is a UK-based magazine on computer science aimed at school students. It is produced by Paul Curzon, Peter McOwan and Gabriella Kazai at the Department of Computer Science, Queen Mary, University of London, England, with support from the EPSRC. The magazine is also supported by the British...
(retrieved: 26 December, 2007) - Prism Magazine interview (September, 2005)
- ABC interview, transcript (25 August, 2005)
- Yorkshire Post interview (9 March, 2005)
- Guardian interview (15 February, 2002)