Research areas and methodologies

The Automatic Control group, known as COSERITY (COmplex systems & SECuRITY) Lab, is characterized by a highly innovative and stimulating approach that combines theoretical research activities with the development of technological application solutions in various fields such as technologies for industrial automation, control and robotics, development of biomedical devices, study of home automation solutions to improve the quality of life and, mainly, security and Critical Infrastructures. 

The underlying objective of the various researches is the application of the tools of system theory and automatic control in order to understand, model and control the behavior of complex systems characterized by a high degree of interconnection of the constituent elements in order to develop innovative solutions aimed at improving the functionality and characteristics of systems, equipment and infrastructures. Main areas of interest are the design of smart environments, worker safety, sensor networks, Cyber ​​Security applied to Operational Technologies.

The Group is recognized as an excellence on issues related to Homeland Security and Critical Infrastructures. What characterizes the Group is the multi-disciplinary nature of its research capable of reconciling different aspects in an efficient, effective but at the same time safe and "acceptable" solution for the user as well as sustainable for the environment.

Thanks to ten years of experience in the field of critical infrastructure protection, the COSERITY Lab together with the Campus Bio-Medico University, created in 2009 a Post Graduate Program (PGP) in Homeland Security, the first of its kind in Italy and Europe. The PGP aims to train security experts, capable of dealing with current socio-technological threats of modern infrastructures.

Collaborations with other Research Centers

  • Network, Information and Computer Security Lab, University of Malaga (Spain)
  • Center of Intelligent Systems & Networks (KIOS), University of Cyprus (Cyprus)
  • Joint Research Center (EU Commission)
  • KENT
  • Old Dominion University (USA)
  • Gjovik University College (Norway)
  • Royal Holloway, University of London (UK)
  • Department of Industrial Organization, University of Navarra (Spain)
  • ENEA
  • Group for Research on Automatic Control Engineering, University of Sannio
  • Department of Ingengineering, University of Rome three
  • University of Palermo
  • University of Naples Federico II
  • National Inter-University Consortium for Transport and Logistics (NITEL)

Patents

Apparatus and method for videorhinohygrometric (vri) measures. F. Salvinelli, R. Setola, M. Casale, P. Soda, V. Cusimano, EU patent EP2010054, US application US2009221927

LABORATORIES

The Complex Systems & Security Lab (www.coseritylab.it) is directed by prof. Gabriele Oliva and is one of the main research centers in the field of Homeland Security and as regards Critical Infrastructure Protection. In this sector, research activities are focused on the development of innovative and multidisciplinary methodologies, tools and technologies able to support the analysis of infrastructures and the design of security countermeasures. With an All-Hazard vision that reconciles the aspects of security with those of safety, taking into account in a holistic framework common phenomena with the physical dimension of the system, with cyber and organizational aspects.

The laboratory, inaugurated in 2009, consists of 16 computerized workstations equipped with high-performance workstations. Within the laboratory, as part of the European project FACIES, an emulator of a water system with relative monitoring and control system was created which integrates the possibility of carrying out highly significant hardware-in-the-loop simulations. This system is used to carry out advanced teaching activities as well as for research in the field of water systems, industrial automation and security of large infrastructures. The laboratory has at its disposal two terrestrial mobile robotic platforms, equipped with various localization sensors and a mobile flying platform (drone) used for research activities in emergency and security contexts.

The development and prototyping of the different solutions are favored by the availability of rapid-prototyp systemsing of the latest generation and the skills of the group in different environmentsingProgramming tools (MATLAB, LabView, C++, C#, etc.). The technological equipment is completed by the presence of a sophisticated industrial test environment developed over the years starting from the technological core created in the context of the European FACIES project.