Improving train flows with connected driver advice systems. The project aims to develop new train control theory to determine the efficient movement of multiple trains, and to demonstrate a practical system for coordinating trains, on busy intercity rail corridors. Railways around the world are now deploying driver advice systems developed by the research team and the partner organisation, TTG Transportation Technology. The project is designed to enable these systems to coordinate the movements ....Improving train flows with connected driver advice systems. The project aims to develop new train control theory to determine the efficient movement of multiple trains, and to demonstrate a practical system for coordinating trains, on busy intercity rail corridors. Railways around the world are now deploying driver advice systems developed by the research team and the partner organisation, TTG Transportation Technology. The project is designed to enable these systems to coordinate the movements of many trains on a congested rail network to improve timekeeping, smooth the flow of traffic, increase capacity and reduce energy use.Read moreRead less
Real-time scheduling of trains to control peak electricity demand. This project aims to develop new scheduling and control methods that will enable railways to reduce their demand for electricity during peak demand periods, without undue disruption to the timetable.
These new methods and systems will integrate with—and expand the capabilities of—an Australian train control system that is used by railways around the world. This will enable better management of electricity within a region and be ....Real-time scheduling of trains to control peak electricity demand. This project aims to develop new scheduling and control methods that will enable railways to reduce their demand for electricity during peak demand periods, without undue disruption to the timetable.
These new methods and systems will integrate with—and expand the capabilities of—an Australian train control system that is used by railways around the world. This will enable better management of electricity within a region and better use of renewable energy sources, with significant cost savings for railways and the wider community.Read moreRead less
Evaluating the long-term costs and benefits of community-based initiatives. The ultimate benefit from the research is a more efficient allocation of public funds to provide public services, i.e. an increase in the gain derived from the government budget. The relative advantages of alternative methods of delivering government services are subject to significant uncertainty, which means that policy decisions are often poorly informed. Improvements in the accuracy of predicting the costs and benefi ....Evaluating the long-term costs and benefits of community-based initiatives. The ultimate benefit from the research is a more efficient allocation of public funds to provide public services, i.e. an increase in the gain derived from the government budget. The relative advantages of alternative methods of delivering government services are subject to significant uncertainty, which means that policy decisions are often poorly informed. Improvements in the accuracy of predicting the costs and benefits of complex community-based initiatives will help policymakers identify the set of initiatives that provide the best outcomes for the community they serve, as well as informing the optimal specification of the individual initiatives.Read moreRead less
Development and implementation of biodiversity information for sustainable management of South Australian groundwater. Clean potable water is one of the most important resources for human health and a successful economy. Increasingly, subterranean aquifers are used for storage and recovery of water. These aquifers contain dynamic ecosystems, but little is known about species composition or about the importance of the presence of various species for water quality. We will use the latest laborator ....Development and implementation of biodiversity information for sustainable management of South Australian groundwater. Clean potable water is one of the most important resources for human health and a successful economy. Increasingly, subterranean aquifers are used for storage and recovery of water. These aquifers contain dynamic ecosystems, but little is known about species composition or about the importance of the presence of various species for water quality. We will use the latest laboratory techniques and DNA identification methods to provide a template for determining ground water diversity and food web dynamics throughout Australia. This project will lead to a better understanding of how to manage ground water in a sustainable manner.Read moreRead less
Understanding gender differences in pain: Cellular therapies for animal pain. Understanding gender differences in pain: Cellular therapies for animal pain. This project aims to relieve chronic pain in animals and lay the foundations for future human therapies, using molecular assays, cell technologies and immune/hormonal pain generators. Chronic pain affects females more than males. Establishing the fundamental mechanism in pain, the role of immune signalling and molecular mediators will enable ....Understanding gender differences in pain: Cellular therapies for animal pain. Understanding gender differences in pain: Cellular therapies for animal pain. This project aims to relieve chronic pain in animals and lay the foundations for future human therapies, using molecular assays, cell technologies and immune/hormonal pain generators. Chronic pain affects females more than males. Establishing the fundamental mechanism in pain, the role of immune signalling and molecular mediators will enable true pain-modifying treatments that address pivotal triggers in both genders. This project will then use specially selected stem cells separately targeting arthritic male and female pain and demonstrate novel veterinary chronic pain treatments. Expected outcomes are more effective gender-targeted treatments of pain and the realisation of economic value of molecular assays and cell technologies.Read moreRead less
Bio-inspired camouflage to prevent shark attacks on surfers. Bio-inspired camouflage to prevent shark attacks on surfers. This project aims to develop a new shark deterrent technology to protect surfers and paddlers. Shark attacks are physically and emotionally devastating for the victims, and make the community disproportionately afraid. Surfers are at most risk of attack, but current surfboard-mounted deterrents are ineffective and not widely used. This project will build on the recent discove ....Bio-inspired camouflage to prevent shark attacks on surfers. Bio-inspired camouflage to prevent shark attacks on surfers. This project aims to develop a new shark deterrent technology to protect surfers and paddlers. Shark attacks are physically and emotionally devastating for the victims, and make the community disproportionately afraid. Surfers are at most risk of attack, but current surfboard-mounted deterrents are ineffective and not widely used. This project will build on the recent discovery that white sharks do not attack counter-illuminated (light emitting) seal-shaped decoys, and use new information about shark vision to understand why this ‘camouflage’ is so successful. This will also help to protect threatened shark species by reducing reliance on culling programs to keep people safe in the water.Read moreRead less
Improving Insect-based Technology for Minimum Death Time Estimates in Forensic Investigations in Australia. This research will provide more accurate, narrower death time estimates for Australia. Focusing enquiries more accurately around the death time will result in significant financial savings in homicide investigations. Court evidence based on insects will become more robust, thus improving prosecution success. Partnerships will also be enhanced between laboratories with common aims, but di ....Improving Insect-based Technology for Minimum Death Time Estimates in Forensic Investigations in Australia. This research will provide more accurate, narrower death time estimates for Australia. Focusing enquiries more accurately around the death time will result in significant financial savings in homicide investigations. Court evidence based on insects will become more robust, thus improving prosecution success. Partnerships will also be enhanced between laboratories with common aims, but different experience and expertise, thereby avoiding research duplication and producing synergistic effects of collaboration. Casework methodology in Australia will become better aligned, thus avoiding courtroom conflicts between practitioners. Finally, high quality graduate students will be trained in entomological and forensic sciences.Read moreRead less
Improving the effectiveness of electronic deterrents to prevent shark bites. Existing commercial electronic shark deterrents, which attempt to deter sharks by emitting strong electric pulses into the water, are either ineffective, have limited deterrent range, or have only been tested with great white sharks. Moreover, uncertainty regarding the way in which pulsed electric fields deter sharks, and whether they may even attract sharks, hampers the development of improved deterrents. This project ....Improving the effectiveness of electronic deterrents to prevent shark bites. Existing commercial electronic shark deterrents, which attempt to deter sharks by emitting strong electric pulses into the water, are either ineffective, have limited deterrent range, or have only been tested with great white sharks. Moreover, uncertainty regarding the way in which pulsed electric fields deter sharks, and whether they may even attract sharks, hampers the development of improved deterrents. This project aims to investigate the effects of pulsed electric fields on shark physiology and behaviour, develop novel electronic pulse waveforms that maximise the deterrent effect on a range of shark species, and deliver innovative improvements in electronic shark deterrent technology that will save the lives of humans and sharks.Read moreRead less
Genomes on islands: Improving management of Australia's threatened mammals. This project aims to improve the management of endangered mammals by combining data on genomic and morphological variation with results from conservation translocations. Using new genomics methods, the project will measure the effects of small population size on genetic diversity and mutation load, in extinct as well as remnant and translocated populations. The project will monitor seven intensively managed marsupial spe ....Genomes on islands: Improving management of Australia's threatened mammals. This project aims to improve the management of endangered mammals by combining data on genomic and morphological variation with results from conservation translocations. Using new genomics methods, the project will measure the effects of small population size on genetic diversity and mutation load, in extinct as well as remnant and translocated populations. The project will monitor seven intensively managed marsupial species to better understand how to mix populations for fauna restoration projects. This project should improve methods to promote species recovery in Australia and globally.Read moreRead less
Bluebottle dynamics: towards a prediction tool for Surf Life Saving Aust. Many Australians have had a painful bluebottle sting, yet little is known about bluebottles and what brings them to the coast. This project will shed new light on bluebottle dynamics, pathways, and distribution of the beachings. We will use an innovative combination of lab work, ocean surveys, statistical and hydrodynamic modelling to fill knowledge gaps and ultimately provide the framework for prediction.
In partnership w ....Bluebottle dynamics: towards a prediction tool for Surf Life Saving Aust. Many Australians have had a painful bluebottle sting, yet little is known about bluebottles and what brings them to the coast. This project will shed new light on bluebottle dynamics, pathways, and distribution of the beachings. We will use an innovative combination of lab work, ocean surveys, statistical and hydrodynamic modelling to fill knowledge gaps and ultimately provide the framework for prediction.
In partnership with Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA), we will develop the first bluebottle risk prediction tool for our popular beaches.
Forewarned is forearmed. Forecasts will help mitigate bluebottle stings, lessen their public health burden, while having broad benefits for coastal communities.
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