C. James Taylor, BSc (Hons), PhD, FIET
Professor of Control Engineering,
School of Engineering,
Faculty of Science & Technology,
Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.
Email c.taylor AT lancaster.ac.uk
Room C16, Engineering Building (EB1)
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Research
Interdisciplinary statistical modelling and True Digital Control of uncertain systems in the natural sciences and engineering, with applied research spanning robotics, energy, health and the environment.
Developer of Matlab Toolboxes for time series analysis, forecasting and control. This includes CAPTAIN for data-based mechanistic analysis of nonstationary and nonlinear systems.
Funding (More)
EPSRC (2021–2025: £668k Lancaster, £1,208k total) Advancing Location Accuracy via Collimated Nuclear Assay for Decommissioning Robotic Applications (ALACANDRA), with Prof. Barry Lennox and Prof. Francis Livens (Manchester University), and Prof. Malcolm Joyce [Details|University|EPSRC]
EPSRC (2021–2024: £1,499k total) Autonomous Inspection for Responsive and Sustainable Nuclear Fuel Manufacture (AIRS-NFM), with Prof. Stephen Marshall and Dr Paul Murray (University of Strathclyde), and Prof. Malcolm Joyce and Dr Xiandong Ma [Details|University|EPSRC]
EPSRC (2021–2024: £528k Lancaster, £811k total) Novel high performance wave energy converters with advanced control, reliability and survivability systems through machine-learning forecasting, with Prof. Daniel Parsons and Dr Robert Dorrell (Hull University), and Prof. George Aggidis and Dr Xiandong Ma [Details|University|EPSRC]
EPSRC (2017–2022: £763k Lancaster, £12,257k total) National Centre for Nuclear Robotics, led by Prof. Rustam Stolkin (University of Birmingham) [Details|University|EPSRC]
EPSRC (2015–2018: £293k Lancaster, £547k total) Adaptive treatment and robust control, with Prof. Robin Henderson and Prof. Nicholas Young (Newcastle University) [Details|University|EPSRC]
Publications (More)
Bandala, M., Chard, P., Cockbain, N., Dunphy, D., Eaves, D., Hutchinson, D., Lee, D., Ma, X., Marshall, S., Murray, P., Parker, A., Stirzaker, P., Taylor, C.J., Zabalza, J. and Joyce, M.J. (2024) Digital twin challenges and opportunities for nuclear fuel manufacturing applications, Nuclear Engineering and Design, 420, 113013, pp. 1–13. DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2024.113013
Khan, I.U., Javaid, N., Taylor, C.J. and Ma, X. (2023) Robust data driven analysis for electricity theft attack-resilient power grid, IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, 38, pp. 537–548. DOI:10.1109/TPWRS.2022.3162391
Khan, I.U., Javaid, N., Taylor, C.J., Gamage, K.A.A. and Ma, X. (2022) A stacked machine and deep learning–based approach for analysing electricity theft in smart grids, IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid, 13, pp. 1633–1644. DOI:10.1109/TSG.2021.3134018
Clairon, Q., Henderson, R., Young, N., Wilson, E. and Taylor, C.J. (2021) Adaptive treatment and robust control, Biometrics, 77, pp. 223-236. DOI:10.1111/biom.13268
Avery, P., Clairon, Q., Henderson, R., Taylor, C.J. and Wilson, E. (2020) Robust and adaptive anticoagulant control, The Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series C (Applied Statistics), 69, pp. 503–524. DOI:10.1111/rssc.12403
Wilson, E.D., Clairon, Q., Henderson, R. and Taylor, C.J. (2018) Dealing with observational data in control, Annual Reviews in Control, 46, pp. 94–106. DOI:10.1016/j.arcontrol.2018.05.001
Burrell, T., Fozard, S., Holroyd, G.H., French, A.P., Pound, M.P., Bigley, C.J., Taylor, C.J. and Forde, B.G. (2017) The Microphenotron: a robotic miniaturized plant phenotyping platform with diverse applications in chemical biology, Plant Methods, 13, pp. 1–20. DOI:10.1186/s13007-017-0158-6
Tsitsimpelis, I., Wolfenden, I. and Taylor, C.J. (2016) Development of a grow–cell test facility for research into sustainable controlled–environment agriculture, Biosystems Engineering, 150, pp. 40–53. DOI:10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2016.07.008
Laboratory (More)
Dr Manuel Bandala Sanchez (Senior Research Associate, 2021-) Condition monitoring and control for responsive and sustainable nuclear fuel manufacture (co-supervisors: Dr Xiandong Ma and Prof Malcolm Joyce) (funder: EPSRC)
Dr Ioannis Tsitsimpelis (Senior Research Associate, 2021-) Advancing location accuracy via collimated nuclear assay for decommissioning robotic applications (co-supervisor: Prof Malcolm Joyce) (funder: EPSRC)
Olivia Albrecht (PhD student) Optimization and control for robotics in nuclear decommissioning applications (co-supervisor: Dr Steve Monk)
Graduates (More)
Dr Inam Khan (2022) Optimal demand-supply energy management in smart grids)
Dr Tomáš Fried (2022) In situ mechanical analysis of sludge in hazardous environments (funder: Sellafield Ltd NNL CINDe project)
Dr Yousaf Alarfaj (2021) A case study of fractional-order control
Dr Kieran Reeves (2021) Integrated optimisation for dynamic modelling, path planning and energy management in hybrid race vehicles
Dr Craig West (2019) Development of an assisted tele–operation system for a dual–manipulator nuclear decommissioning platform (funder: Lancaster University)
Dr Ioannis Tsitsimpelis (2017) Modelling for improved energy efficiency and reduced water consumption in an optimised closed–environment grow cell (funder: ERDF)
Dr David Robertson (2015) State–dependent control of a hydraulically–actuated nuclear decommissioning robot (funder: NDA)
Dr Philip Cross (2012) Continuous–time PIP control of marine energy converters (funder: EPSRC SUPERGEN)
Dr Stephen Quayle (2012) Investigation of high–lift multi–element profiles for vertical–axis tidal stream turbines (funder: Lancaster University)
Dr Kester Gunn (2012) Generic optimisation of wave energy converter performance (funder: E.ON, EPSRC)
Dr Vasileios Exadaktylos (2008) Model predictive control structures in the non–minimal state space (funder: Marie Curie Fellowship)
Dr Essam Shaban (2006) State dependent parameter control applied to construction robots and other nonlinear systems
Dr Matthew Stables (2006) Nonlinear control of a ventilation chamber (funder: EPSRC)
Dr Steven Wright (2006) Control of IVT based vehicles by intelligent selection between alternative solutions
Professional Activities
Research Group Lead, Robots & Control
Editorial Board, Biosystems Engineering
Editorial Board, Environmental Modelling & Software
Editorial Board, Progress in Nuclear Energy
Executive Committee, Automatic Control Council (UKACC)
Academic Accreditation Committee, Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
Member, IFAC Technical Committees on Control in Agriculture, Modelling & Control of Environmental Systems, Robotics, and Transportation & Vehicle Systems
Current Teaching
Engr202 Instrumentation and Control
Engr406 Intelligent System Control (MEng)
Engr506 Intelligent System Control (MSc)
Career & Education
Academic, Engineering Department, Lancaster University (2000–present)
Research Associate, Environmental Science Department, Lancaster University (1994–2000)
PhD Control Engineering, Lancaster University (1996)
BSc (Hons.) Environmental Science, Lancaster University (1992)
Ermysted’s Grammar School, Skipton, North Yorkshire (1982–1989)
Kirkby Malham Primary School, North Yorkshire