Biologically-inspired detection, pursuit and interception of moving objects by unmanned aircraft systems. Although it is well known that aggressive honeybees are very effective at detecting, pursuing and intercepting moving targets, this behaviour has never been studied quantitatively. This project will use high-speed video cinematography to investigate this behaviour, to develop visual algorithms for the detection of moving targets, and to create dynamical models of the mechanisms that control ....Biologically-inspired detection, pursuit and interception of moving objects by unmanned aircraft systems. Although it is well known that aggressive honeybees are very effective at detecting, pursuing and intercepting moving targets, this behaviour has never been studied quantitatively. This project will use high-speed video cinematography to investigate this behaviour, to develop visual algorithms for the detection of moving targets, and to create dynamical models of the mechanisms that control pursuit. The resulting algorithms will be incorporated into unmanned aerial vehicles for detecting, monitoring and tracking other objects in the sky, and their performance will be evaluated. The results will provide a better understanding of the biological basis of pursuit behaviour, as well as lead to novel technologies for aerial surveillance and safety.Read moreRead less
Ultraprecise sensing with microcavity optomechanics. New technologies will be developed to observe nanoscale motion with light confined on a silicon chip. Based on advances in integrated photonics and nanofabrication, these technologies will enable microscale magnetic field, mass, and gas sensing with precision surpassing today’s state-of-the-art. Important proof-of-principle applications will be realised, including ultrasensitive monitoring of greenhouse emissions, hydrogen absorption into fuel ....Ultraprecise sensing with microcavity optomechanics. New technologies will be developed to observe nanoscale motion with light confined on a silicon chip. Based on advances in integrated photonics and nanofabrication, these technologies will enable microscale magnetic field, mass, and gas sensing with precision surpassing today’s state-of-the-art. Important proof-of-principle applications will be realised, including ultrasensitive monitoring of greenhouse emissions, hydrogen absorption into fuel cell materials, space communication technologies, and magnetic resonance techniques for diagnosis of disease and airport security. The capacity to observe microscopic processes with record precision will further enable fundamental studies in areas such as condensed matter physics and photosynthesis.Read moreRead less
Defect generation in hetero-epitaxy on lattice mismatched substrates. High quality lattice mismatched semiconductor heterostructures are core enabling technologies for next generation electronic and optoelectronic devices with new functions and features such as monolithic integration, lower production costs, larger wafer size, and better system robustness. This project will generate new science on defect generation in lattice mismatched hetero-epitaxy with the aim of developing novel strategies ....Defect generation in hetero-epitaxy on lattice mismatched substrates. High quality lattice mismatched semiconductor heterostructures are core enabling technologies for next generation electronic and optoelectronic devices with new functions and features such as monolithic integration, lower production costs, larger wafer size, and better system robustness. This project will generate new science on defect generation in lattice mismatched hetero-epitaxy with the aim of developing novel strategies for their minimisation. The direct outcome will be higher quality HgCdTe materials on lattice mismatched Si or III-V substrates with defect density low enough for fabricating high performance mid-wave and long-wave infrared arrays with features of lower cost, larger array format size, and higher operating temperature.Read moreRead less
Silicon-germanium-carbon - a novel opto-mechanic material for optical micro-electromechanical systems. Evolving from past black-and-white images, through present red-green-blue multi-spectral capability, future remote imaging systems promise spectroscopic functionality across much broader wavelength ranges in a low-cost system. However, the high cost of multiple materials and technologies for each specific spectral band limits them to high-cost industry sectors. This project proposes a simple, l ....Silicon-germanium-carbon - a novel opto-mechanic material for optical micro-electromechanical systems. Evolving from past black-and-white images, through present red-green-blue multi-spectral capability, future remote imaging systems promise spectroscopic functionality across much broader wavelength ranges in a low-cost system. However, the high cost of multiple materials and technologies for each specific spectral band limits them to high-cost industry sectors. This project proposes a simple, low-cost, single material technology based on silicon-germanium-carbon thin films for mechanical and optical applications from ultraviolet to long-wave infrared, enabling widespread application of spectroscopic imaging to multiple fields extending from climate change research, through resource exploration, to cancer detection, and aerospace/defense.Read moreRead less
Producing optimally short pulses at long wavelengths. This project aims to make the fluoride glass fibre platform the preferred material for generating ultrashort pulses at 2.8 nm and beyond. High power and efficiency from simple device architectures are essential for industry, medicine and defence. Modern sources of short pulses of light emitting mid-infrared wavelengths are complicated and inefficient. This project will improve fibre sources emitting short pulses and create the essential build ....Producing optimally short pulses at long wavelengths. This project aims to make the fluoride glass fibre platform the preferred material for generating ultrashort pulses at 2.8 nm and beyond. High power and efficiency from simple device architectures are essential for industry, medicine and defence. Modern sources of short pulses of light emitting mid-infrared wavelengths are complicated and inefficient. This project will improve fibre sources emitting short pulses and create the essential building blocks for future all-fibre arrangements that will be more robust. The sources are expected to have applications in non-linear optics and materials modification.Read moreRead less
A stochastic geometric framework for Bayesian sensor array processing. This project develops a mathematical framework, and a new generation of techniques, for sensor array processing to address real-world problems with uncertainty in array parameters and number of signals. The outcomes will enhance the capability of sensors in many application areas including, radar, sonar, astronomy and wireless communications.
Fluid-structural interactions in high-speed flows. This project aims to perform experiments to measure fluid-structure interaction in hypersonic flows. The work will improve the accuracy of simulation tools that are urgently required to aid industry in the design of more structurally efficient and robust high-speed vehicles. These tools will in turn be used to reveal the underlying physics of the fluid-structure interactions and establish the relative significance of the driving parameters. Accu ....Fluid-structural interactions in high-speed flows. This project aims to perform experiments to measure fluid-structure interaction in hypersonic flows. The work will improve the accuracy of simulation tools that are urgently required to aid industry in the design of more structurally efficient and robust high-speed vehicles. These tools will in turn be used to reveal the underlying physics of the fluid-structure interactions and establish the relative significance of the driving parameters. Accurate prediction of the behaviour and lifetime of structural components subject to these fluid-structural interactions, in which the deformation of the structure induced by the local flow field, can in turn influence this flow field. This coupling can result in damage or even catastrophic structural failure and thus robust design tools must be developed to avoid this.Read moreRead less
Flow physics of porous wall fuel injection for scramjet combustion and drag reduction. This project combines world-class Australian scramjet science with German advanced high temperature materials, exploring potentially transformational technology for satellite launch. Australia’s credentials in the international space arena will strengthen, contributing to assured access to the space-based applications upon which we heavily depend.
Ultra-fast serialised all optical image processing: addressing the electronic bottleneck in the world's fastest camera. Serial time encoded amplified microscopy can capture over a million frames per second. At this rate, a megapixel image would fill a terabyte hard disk in a second. We will use photonics to condense and manipulated the video stream so that only the important features are 'seen', making it practical to process and store on a computer.
Breaking the glass ceiling: silicon-nitride (SiN) and doped silica glass for ultra high speed Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible optical processing and measurement chips. The global internet demands for energy and technology will soon be unsustainable. This project will pioneer faster, cheaper, far smaller, and more energy efficient optical signal processing and measurement chips compatible with silicon CMOS technology, for applications in telecommunications, silicon integ ....Breaking the glass ceiling: silicon-nitride (SiN) and doped silica glass for ultra high speed Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible optical processing and measurement chips. The global internet demands for energy and technology will soon be unsustainable. This project will pioneer faster, cheaper, far smaller, and more energy efficient optical signal processing and measurement chips compatible with silicon CMOS technology, for applications in telecommunications, silicon integrated circuits, and fundamental science.Read moreRead less