Hello,

I am Dr. Peter J. Bentley

Send me an email: peter@peterjbentley.com

I am an author and computer scientist

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

INVENTING

BOOKS

BUSINESS R&D

What I Do

SCIENCE

I have always loved to write. While science allows me to explore my curiosity, writing books allows me to express myself and help my readers enjoy learning about science and mathematics. Please take a look and enjoy!

SPEAKING

I enjoy giving talks, and I regularly give public lectures, and appear on TV and radioIf you need a computer scientist who knows how to communicate using normal language, I'm your guy. There's not many of us!

I'm a Visiting Professor at Autodesk. I also advise tech startups and have been Chief Technology Officer for two AI companies.

When I was a little boy I had a notebook full of inventions. I had fun building robots and  all kinds of strange gadgets. Now and again I still put on my mad professor's hat and invent something. Check out my iStethoscope app, our company Kazoova (Hubbub), and a few other things on my blog.

My primary passion is science. Science is just how to be curious if you want to do it really thoroughly. It requires vision, imagination, dedication, great attention to detail, and the ability to put your ego to one side. There are very few scientists who can do all that, but we try. If you'd like to find out more about my research and the research of my current and previous PhD students, check out my UCL Webpages.

For Evolutionary Design by Computers:
 

"Darwin would love this book"

- Prof Richard Dawkins, Oxford University

For The Undercover Scientist:
"Hugely enjoyable, this book demystifies science in such an amusing way that I found it hard to put down.

... The light touch and humorous presentation covers a great deal of complex science and detailed research - the mark of a great teacher."

- Janet Tester, reFresh Magazine

For Why Sh*t Happens:
"Why Sh*t Happens is a phenomenal book that even the least scientifically-inclined person, myself included, has a place for it on a bookshelf at home or permanently stashed in a backpack, ready at all times. Bentley accomplishes a feat of scientific writing that can only be described as, 'Thank you, sir.'"

- Ashley Mcgee, Piasano Magazine

For Digitized:

"This is an extraordinary book that not only maps the technological developments, but also looks at the lives of the extraordinary people that made the leaps of imagination required to achieve the amazing developments that are in common use today...

I have always thought that no book deserves 10 out of 10, but for this one I make an exception." 

- Shelia Bullas, British Computer Society

For The Book of Numbers:
"This is the first time in my life I've thanked an author in this manner, but I simply wish to say that your "Book of Numbers" is just a wonderful piece of work which I'm so glad I've stumbled across. It's totally absorbing reading.

Thank You."

- Des Conway (from Australia)

I regularly consult for companies wishing to develop Artificial Intelligence, and I assess progress of major research projects in Europe and around the world on behalf of the funders. It's always fascinating for me to hear the ideas and see the work of some of the best minds in the world.

CONSULTING

For iStethoscope Pro iOS app:
 

"I want to share my story with you. My husband and I are both RN's. So of course we have our own top of the line stethoscopes. I found your app and thought it would be fun to have on my iphone. I was pregnant with our third little girl and thought I could use it to listen to her heartbeat. When I was 7 months pregnant she had decreased movements. I was concerned and tried using my stethoscope to try a hear her heartbeat. I couldn't hear anything so I got the iStethoscope app out and was able to hear her heartbeat. Being a nurse I knew that it should be much faster than our so I was not concerned with the rate. I was more relieved that she still had a heartbeat. This was on the 4th of July. So the next day I called my OB and went in to have her checked out since she still was not moving. After the doctor listed to hear heartbeat with the ultra sound machine I was sent to the hospital. She was in distress. Her heart rate was well over 260. When I told them I had used your app to listen to her heartbeat the day before they did not believe that it worked. I was able to tell them that the rate was the same as what I heard the day before. So they were able to determine she was had been in heart failure since at least the day before. I was flown by helicopter to San Franciso where she was born by emergency C section. She was resusitated several times in the first 24 hours of her life. The doctors weren't sure she would make it. But I had faith and knew God would answer my prayers. She was in the NICU for 4 weeks and came home a few days after her due date. I am happy to report she is now 18 months old and has been off heart medications for one year. She is truly a miracle and has no long term effects from her traumatic birth. Now all my friends have gotten the App you created as well as many of the nurses who took care of us. I want to say thank you for creating this App. It played a large role in saving the life of my little miracle, Emily.

Sara Bradley, user of iStethoscope Pro.

REVIEWS

For iStethoscope Pro iOS app:
 

"This App Saved My Life! I was involved in an accident  ... I told my doctors I had recorded my nightime wheeze using the iStethoscope and wanted them to listen, at first they kind of snickered at it but after listening to the noise they went and got the head doctor. He was quite amazed at the noise and ordered a CT scan with contrast dye right away. An hour later I was in the emergency room with a Pulmonary Embolism. I feel very lucky to be here telling his story. That was Dec. 2011. If I hadn't been able to record it and show it to the doctors who knows what would have happened! Thank you Peter Bentley! This App Works!"

John, user of iStethoscope Pro.

For 10 Short Lessons in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics:

"Artificial Intelligence is both a fascinating topic and a pressing issue. But much of the commentary has been not-so-intelligent, discussing this technology as an awesome or terrifying form of black magic. Peter Bentley is a true expert, and has given us a lucid, balanced, and engaging tour of one of the most important phenomena of this century." 

- Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University