A new energy absorption system for brain injury mitigation. This research aims to propose and investigate a next generation high-energy absorbing helmet pad that will protect the Australian Defence Force soldiers against both ballistic and blast threats. New fundamental knowledge in the area of high-energy absorbing metamaterials will be obtained by using numerical modelling and experimental studies. The expected outcomes of the project include the development of a new wearable energy absorbing ....A new energy absorption system for brain injury mitigation. This research aims to propose and investigate a next generation high-energy absorbing helmet pad that will protect the Australian Defence Force soldiers against both ballistic and blast threats. New fundamental knowledge in the area of high-energy absorbing metamaterials will be obtained by using numerical modelling and experimental studies. The expected outcomes of the project include the development of a new wearable energy absorbing pad which can be used as the next generation combat helmet liners and accessories. The novel high-performance energy absorption system will have a wide range of direct applications in future personal armour, as well as sports gears and elderly healthcare products.Read moreRead less
Theoretical and experimental studies on magnetoelectroelastic bone remodelling process. The project combines biotechnology and material science which will have national economic, social and environment impact. It can benefit industry by providing knowledge that help scientists understand remodeling under coupled fields and is used to develop bone replacement. By better understanding remodeling due to multi-field loading, we can assist scientists in aeronautical industry in developing countermeas ....Theoretical and experimental studies on magnetoelectroelastic bone remodelling process. The project combines biotechnology and material science which will have national economic, social and environment impact. It can benefit industry by providing knowledge that help scientists understand remodeling under coupled fields and is used to develop bone replacement. By better understanding remodeling due to multi-field loading, we can assist scientists in aeronautical industry in developing countermeasures that reduce or eliminate bone loss resulting from long-duration space flight. It can provide knowledge that can be used to explore underlying mechanisms controlling bone remodeling and self-repair in gaining insight into debilitating diseases such as osteoporosis, to develop high-performance prosthetics for medical injury healing.Read moreRead less
Integrin Activation by Fluid Flow Disturbance: Mechanobiology Approaches. Understanding how cells can sense and respond to mechanical environment such as dynamic blood flow represents a fundamental question in the emerging field of mechanobiology. This project develops new biomechanical engineering approaches to determine the critical interrelationships among fluid flow disturbance, platelet clotting and the mechano-sensitive signal transduction mechanisms of integrin receptor – the most importa ....Integrin Activation by Fluid Flow Disturbance: Mechanobiology Approaches. Understanding how cells can sense and respond to mechanical environment such as dynamic blood flow represents a fundamental question in the emerging field of mechanobiology. This project develops new biomechanical engineering approaches to determine the critical interrelationships among fluid flow disturbance, platelet clotting and the mechano-sensitive signal transduction mechanisms of integrin receptor – the most important mechano-sensor implicated in cell adhesion, migration, growth and survival. Specifically, it integrates nationally unique cutting-edge techniques including single-molecule force probe, microparticle image velocimetry, microfluidics and molecular dynamics simulation, super resolution and 3D volumetric imaging modalities.Read moreRead less
Cost Effective Pipeline Condition Assessment Using Paired Pressure Sensor Arrays. Water distribution networks represent society's most important infrastructure asset. They are buried pipes and are often old and deteriorating. Cost-effective methods to assess their physical condition are urgently needed. This research will develop a novel and advanced approach to determine the interior condition of pipes quickly and effectively using small water hammer pulses or waves. Paired pressure sensor arra ....Cost Effective Pipeline Condition Assessment Using Paired Pressure Sensor Arrays. Water distribution networks represent society's most important infrastructure asset. They are buried pipes and are often old and deteriorating. Cost-effective methods to assess their physical condition are urgently needed. This research will develop a novel and advanced approach to determine the interior condition of pipes quickly and effectively using small water hammer pulses or waves. Paired pressure sensor arrays will be used to measure reflections of the waves in pipes and these methods will enable finer resolution and identification of pipeline faults, such as wall thickness loss and leakage while at the same time allowing operational continuity. The outcome will be powerful tools to more cost effectively manage these crucial assets.Read moreRead less
Fast Precision Robust Control of Resonant Flexible Systems. The project aims to produce new control system design tools to enable fast precision control of advanced engineering systems encorporating flexible structures. This should enable improved speed and accuracy in control systems for precision instruments such as atomic force microscopes along with improving control system performance in areas of precision engineering such as semiconductor manufacturing, robotics and microelectromechanical ....Fast Precision Robust Control of Resonant Flexible Systems. The project aims to produce new control system design tools to enable fast precision control of advanced engineering systems encorporating flexible structures. This should enable improved speed and accuracy in control systems for precision instruments such as atomic force microscopes along with improving control system performance in areas of precision engineering such as semiconductor manufacturing, robotics and microelectromechanical systems. The outcomes are expected to be new control system synthesis and modelling tools enabling fast and highly accurate control of industrial systems using nonlinear and switching elements and achieving high levels of robustness. This will benefit Australian precision manufacturing industries.Read moreRead less
Nonlinear Quantum Control Engineering. This project will develop tractable methods for the design of robust, nonlinear, coherent feedback control systems building on the approach of quantum risk sensitive control and extending classical nonlinear control methods. It will also develop methods to design robust and nonlinear filters and coherent observers for nonlinear and finite level quantum systems and apply these results to the design of robust measurement based quantum controllers. In addition ....Nonlinear Quantum Control Engineering. This project will develop tractable methods for the design of robust, nonlinear, coherent feedback control systems building on the approach of quantum risk sensitive control and extending classical nonlinear control methods. It will also develop methods to design robust and nonlinear filters and coherent observers for nonlinear and finite level quantum systems and apply these results to the design of robust measurement based quantum controllers. In addition, the project will apply coherent and measurement based robust control methods to achieve useful emergent behaviours in nonlinear quantum networks. Such emergent behaviours may involve the robust reduction of decoherence effects and the robust solution of quantum computational problems. Read moreRead less
Investigation of P Type Emitters for Future Generation Photovoltaics. The overseas market for photovoltaic panels is large and rapidly expanding - it is expected to grow six-fold over the next decade, to nearly US$10 billion per annum. Australia is well placed to capture a significant share of this market, creating employment and export earnings. The project is expected to make a significant contribution to the development of a vibrant and highly competitive photovoltaics industry in Australia, ....Investigation of P Type Emitters for Future Generation Photovoltaics. The overseas market for photovoltaic panels is large and rapidly expanding - it is expected to grow six-fold over the next decade, to nearly US$10 billion per annum. Australia is well placed to capture a significant share of this market, creating employment and export earnings. The project is expected to make a significant contribution to the development of a vibrant and highly competitive photovoltaics industry in Australia, since the results of the research are expected to lead to improved manufacturing processes. In addition, photovoltaics will be a key technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thus mitigate the magnitude and severity of the effects of global warming. Read moreRead less
High efficiency III-V solar cells based on low-dimensional quantum confined heterostructures. There is no doubt that clean and sustainable solar energy is one of the most viable energy sources to address the issues of climate change, global warming and depletion of conventional energy sources. With the great advantages offered by quantum confined nanostructures and nanotechnology, this project may lead to substantial efficiency improvement of current III-V solar cells (already higher efficiency ....High efficiency III-V solar cells based on low-dimensional quantum confined heterostructures. There is no doubt that clean and sustainable solar energy is one of the most viable energy sources to address the issues of climate change, global warming and depletion of conventional energy sources. With the great advantages offered by quantum confined nanostructures and nanotechnology, this project may lead to substantial efficiency improvement of current III-V solar cells (already higher efficiency than Si solar cells), making great contribution to the society and Nation in the areas of science, technology, environment, and economy.Read moreRead less
High Temperature Silicon Nitride for Improved Silicon Photovoltaics. The project is expected to make a significant contribution to the development of a vibrant and highly competitive photovoltaics industry in Australia, since the results of the research are expected to lead to improved manufacturing processes. A strong photovoltaics industry will lead to the creation of significant numbers of jobs and export earnings. There is a large and rapidly expanding overseas market for solar panels. In a ....High Temperature Silicon Nitride for Improved Silicon Photovoltaics. The project is expected to make a significant contribution to the development of a vibrant and highly competitive photovoltaics industry in Australia, since the results of the research are expected to lead to improved manufacturing processes. A strong photovoltaics industry will lead to the creation of significant numbers of jobs and export earnings. There is a large and rapidly expanding overseas market for solar panels. In addition, the large scale deployment of photovoltaic systems will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thus mitigate the magnitude and severity of the effects of global warming. Read moreRead less
Photonic structures for high efficiency, low cost solar cells. Photovoltaics is a non-polluting, environmentally sustainable way of converting sunlight directly to electricity. The reduction of cost is the most important issue in photovoltaic solar energy conversion. This project will lead to the development of solar cell structures and techniques that have the potential to significantly reduce the cost of thin film solar cells, which are the major contender for the lowest cost photovoltaic te ....Photonic structures for high efficiency, low cost solar cells. Photovoltaics is a non-polluting, environmentally sustainable way of converting sunlight directly to electricity. The reduction of cost is the most important issue in photovoltaic solar energy conversion. This project will lead to the development of solar cell structures and techniques that have the potential to significantly reduce the cost of thin film solar cells, which are the major contender for the lowest cost photovoltaic technology. If the cost of photovoltaics was sufficiently reduced it could have a major impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pollution in Australia.Read moreRead less