Electronic circuits in the space environment, which do not enjoy the protection of the earth's atmosphere, are constantly bombarded by high energy particles in addition to being exposed to higher levels of background radiation. Existing approaches to this problem have predominantly been to implement the circuits in a radiation-hardened semiconductor process. In this project we will be building the circuits in a conventional process but the effects of radiation will be mitigated by the actual circuit design. The project will focus on "Flash Memories" as a pilot application.

Fundamental to natural cognitive systems is the ability to detect and differentiate other living creatures in the world and to characterise their behaviour. Sound is the primary medium for long distance passive and active interaction between animals, and between animals and their environment; ranging from human speech communication to the active acoustic scene analysis of bats and dolphins using bio-sonar. The ultimate aim of this project is to prototype a real-time distributed system that is capable of forming composite representations of animate entities in the world exclusively through the use of information derived from sounds.

Biological memristive structures form the fabric of biological computation i.e. synapses, axons etc. Memristors are essentially non-linear resistors whose resistive state depends prior inputs. This project aims to design, simulate, manufacture and characterise new memristive devices, that are CMOS compatible, with view to using them in bio-inspired circuits. The new memristive devices will then be used in conjunction with conventional integrated circuit technology to design computational primatives, such as compact neurons that faithfully implement the Hodgkin and Huxley equations.