What learning is there in learning control? This project seeks to establish a meaningful definition and quantifiable measure of learning in the context of adaptive or learning control. The project is designed within the context of human motor skill learning, and assesses the speed of learning and the quality of learning (reflected by the accuracy of the motor task execution). The project plans to use measures to provide a mathematically precise meaning for the notion of learning. The outcome has ....What learning is there in learning control? This project seeks to establish a meaningful definition and quantifiable measure of learning in the context of adaptive or learning control. The project is designed within the context of human motor skill learning, and assesses the speed of learning and the quality of learning (reflected by the accuracy of the motor task execution). The project plans to use measures to provide a mathematically precise meaning for the notion of learning. The outcome has the potential to be applied to the design of technology-assisted training of motor skills, from the recovery of lost motor skills after trauma to the development of elite athletes.Read moreRead less
Innovative X-by-Wire Control Systems for Improved Vehicle Manoeuvrability and Stability. Future automobiles will be equipped with safety-critical ‘x-by-wire’ systems, such as ‘steer-by-wire’, ‘brake-by-wire’, and ‘drive-by-wire’, to enable active safety control and improve reliability and performance. This project aims to develop a new coordinated control strategy based on an in-depth understanding of the fundamental dynamics and stability characteristics of vehicles. Corresponding x-by-wire sys ....Innovative X-by-Wire Control Systems for Improved Vehicle Manoeuvrability and Stability. Future automobiles will be equipped with safety-critical ‘x-by-wire’ systems, such as ‘steer-by-wire’, ‘brake-by-wire’, and ‘drive-by-wire’, to enable active safety control and improve reliability and performance. This project aims to develop a new coordinated control strategy based on an in-depth understanding of the fundamental dynamics and stability characteristics of vehicles. Corresponding x-by-wire systems will then be implemented, using a novel networked bilateral-control concept and new haptic devices for enhancing the overall performance and safety of vehicles. This project will lead to the innovative design of vehicle active safety systems for automobile manufacturing in Australia and the rest of the world.Read moreRead less
Robust Coherent Control Engineering for Quantum Systems and Networks. This project aims to develop new methods for the design of robust coherent controllers for emerging applications to quantum systems and networks. Using robust controllers which are themselves quantum systems, tools from the theory of optimal risk sensitive control aim to enable technological systems to be designed with high levels of performance in the face of unavoidable uncertainties due to imperfect fabrication and interact ....Robust Coherent Control Engineering for Quantum Systems and Networks. This project aims to develop new methods for the design of robust coherent controllers for emerging applications to quantum systems and networks. Using robust controllers which are themselves quantum systems, tools from the theory of optimal risk sensitive control aim to enable technological systems to be designed with high levels of performance in the face of unavoidable uncertainties due to imperfect fabrication and interactions with the environment. The research aims to yield systematic control engineering methods to combat the effects of quantum decoherence which is critical in order to make quantum technologies such as quantum computing truly practical. Applications include computing, secure communications, sensing and simulationsRead moreRead less
Coherent control engineering for state estimation in quantum linear systems. This project aims to develop new methodologies for designing coherent controllers to facilitate optimal estimation in systems incorporating quantum sensors such as optomechanical and atom-interference sensors. New quantum sensors are being developed which have the potential to achieve sensitivities approaching fundamental physical limits. However to fully exploit these devices, this project will develop new control engi ....Coherent control engineering for state estimation in quantum linear systems. This project aims to develop new methodologies for designing coherent controllers to facilitate optimal estimation in systems incorporating quantum sensors such as optomechanical and atom-interference sensors. New quantum sensors are being developed which have the potential to achieve sensitivities approaching fundamental physical limits. However to fully exploit these devices, this project will develop new control engineering and signal processing methods taking into account the fundamental properties of quantum systems and noise. This will enable quantum sensors to be applied to a wide range of applications including transport, medical imaging, civil engineering, and the detection of hazards.Read moreRead less
Robust control of highly resonant flexible and nanoscale systems. This project aims to develop new methodologies to analyse and design control systems for highly resonant flexible structures occurring in emerging areas of precision engineering such as atomic force microscopes, scanning tunnelling microscopes and microelectromechanical systems. Critical to the operation of these instruments are feedback control systems. In order to enable microelectromechanical technologies to be developed at a l ....Robust control of highly resonant flexible and nanoscale systems. This project aims to develop new methodologies to analyse and design control systems for highly resonant flexible structures occurring in emerging areas of precision engineering such as atomic force microscopes, scanning tunnelling microscopes and microelectromechanical systems. Critical to the operation of these instruments are feedback control systems. In order to enable microelectromechanical technologies to be developed at a large scale, control systems are required with high levels of accuracy, speed and robustness. This project will enable the systematic synthesis of such control systems and thus facilitate advances in micro and nano-electomechanical sensors, biological, medical and materials imaging, and quantum computing devices.Read moreRead less
Optimisation methods for coherent quantum signal estimation and filtering. The project aims to develop an innovative systems theory and optimisation methods to enhance the design of components for next-generation quantum communication networks. It will advance new theoretical knowledge and efficient algorithms that can be applied to make networks more efficient and less costly. New technologies set to emerge within the next decade including specialised quantum processors and transformative cyber ....Optimisation methods for coherent quantum signal estimation and filtering. The project aims to develop an innovative systems theory and optimisation methods to enhance the design of components for next-generation quantum communication networks. It will advance new theoretical knowledge and efficient algorithms that can be applied to make networks more efficient and less costly. New technologies set to emerge within the next decade including specialised quantum processors and transformative cyber security systems will require ultra-fast networks, and the project will contribute significantly to advancing these technologies. This will benefit the Australia's economy and reinforce Australia's leadership in the quantum technological revolution through innovative engineering approaches.Read moreRead less
Electromagnetically Interconnected Suspension for Electrified Vehicles . This project aims to develop an innovative, electromagnetically interconnected suspension system to enhance vehicle ride comfort, stability and handling dynamics, and thus safety of electrified vehicles. Specifically, the project integrates a set of novel electromagnetic shock absorbers to form an effective electrical network so as to realise an electromagnetically interconnected suspension system. Advanced integrated con ....Electromagnetically Interconnected Suspension for Electrified Vehicles . This project aims to develop an innovative, electromagnetically interconnected suspension system to enhance vehicle ride comfort, stability and handling dynamics, and thus safety of electrified vehicles. Specifically, the project integrates a set of novel electromagnetic shock absorbers to form an effective electrical network so as to realise an electromagnetically interconnected suspension system. Advanced integrated control techniques can then be applied to improve vehicle performance and dynamics in three planes. The project will assist the rapid development of transportation electrification. The outcomes from this project will lead to tangible improvements in vehicle comfort and safety.Read moreRead less
Safe, Plug and Play, Multi Agent Dynamic Systems. From driverless cars, to networks of nano satellites, and complex biological networks, the modern world has many examples of multi agent dynamic systems that need careful coordination and control to perform correctly. In many cases, these systems are built up using designs based on intuition, computer simulations and empirical testing. However, there is a clear need to advance the fundamental understandings of such systems: (i) Verifiable overall ....Safe, Plug and Play, Multi Agent Dynamic Systems. From driverless cars, to networks of nano satellites, and complex biological networks, the modern world has many examples of multi agent dynamic systems that need careful coordination and control to perform correctly. In many cases, these systems are built up using designs based on intuition, computer simulations and empirical testing. However, there is a clear need to advance the fundamental understandings of such systems: (i) Verifiable overall dynamic system properties need to be derived to give assurance of performance in situations not previously envisaged; (ii) It is also critical to understand stable system behaviours not just with fixed configurations, but with agile configurations such as splitting, merging, and morphingRead moreRead less
Distributed Estimation, Control and Optimisation for Networked Systems. This project aims to study large scale networked systems in major infrastructures including power networks, transportation networks, internet of things, and other cyber-physical systems. This project is expected to develop new methodology and algorithms for distributed estimation, control and optimisation of these systems. Distributed solutions are essential because traditional techniques which were designed for small system ....Distributed Estimation, Control and Optimisation for Networked Systems. This project aims to study large scale networked systems in major infrastructures including power networks, transportation networks, internet of things, and other cyber-physical systems. This project is expected to develop new methodology and algorithms for distributed estimation, control and optimisation of these systems. Distributed solutions are essential because traditional techniques which were designed for small systems are not suitable for efficient operations of large scale systems. Application examples include distributed state estimation for power networks, control of multi-agent systems and optimal scheduling of transportation networks. The outcomes of this project are vital to the understanding and management of these systems. Read moreRead less
Fault tolerant control based on set-theoretic methods: robustness, nonlinear effects and probabilistic developments. This project will bring benefits to Australia by developing innovative self-healing technological systems that are able to maintain appropriate levels of performance while reacting to unforeseeable faults. The project will contribute to the National Research Priority area: Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries.