Professor David Bradley

Title of speech

Mechatronic futures: The challenge of complexity

Short Biography

Professor Emeritus David Bradley has been involved in the design and implementation of Mechatronics technologies since the 1980s working on engineering systems as diverse as construction robotics, power generation and eHealth, often focussing on the underlying design processes. This has involved him in working with a wide range of technologies including sensors, drives, robotics and applied AI as well as engaging with researchers from many other fields and disciplines.

Prof. Bradley joined the Engineering Department at Lancaster University as a lecturer and after a period on sabbatical leave with New Zealand Electricity worked to develop one of the first Masters courses in Mechatronics in the UK. This in turn led to his becoming one of the three co-founders of the UK Mechatronics Forum and the founder of the Mechatronics Forum conference series, the latest of which was held in 2023. From Lancaster University, Prof. Bradley moved first to the University of Wales Bangor and then to Abertay University.

Prof. Bradley is the author of two engineering textbooks, the lead author of two Mechatronics textbooks and a co-author of a book on Power System Harmonics. He has also been a contributing editor for a series of 5 books on Mechatronics for Springer, the latest of which is due out in late 2024 or early 2025. He has also been the author or co-author of over 50 journal papers and 150 conference papers along with book chapters and other material. He has been an invited speaker at conferences and on courses across Europe as well as in the US, Colombia, South Africa, Malaysia and Singapore.