The University of California at Irvine and the University of California at Santa Barbara propose to establish an NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for High-Speed Image/Signal Processing. The Center will focus on fundamental approaches to high-speed computation and will include the development of algorithm, computer software, computer architectures, and electronic circuits for industrial applications. The Center will initially cover six principal research areas: 1) Digital Signal Processing Algorithms, 2) Parallel Architecture, 3) Pattern Recognition and Image Understanding, 4) Automatic Circuit Design, 5) Image Formation and Sensors, and 6) Robotic applications. The Center plans to support industries in several areas including Robotics and Automation, Non-destructive Evaluation, Remote Sensing, Medical imaging etc. Both the University of California at Irvine and the University of California at Santa Barbara have an outstanding research record in high-speed image/signal processing and the combined resources of the two universities will provide an outstanding interdisciplinary environment to attack the problems that will be addressed by the Center. The Program Manager recommends $100,000 for the first year of a five-year continuing award to be divided equally between the two universities participating in the Center. Near the end of each 12 month period the Program Manager and/or the Director of the Engineering Centers Division will review the progress of the Center on a number of criteria, including the following: (1) the extent to which the university-industry interaction and collaboration is developing; (2) the extent to which the support base is expanding; (3) the extent to which a robust research program is developing. If the review is satisfactory, the Program Manager will recommend support of the next period of this continuing award.
