Complexity Measures Of Design Spaces As Basis For Mass Customisation Of Novel Designs. This project aims to develop, implement and test a means to determine the potential of any arbitrary design generator to produce a diversity of designs and to utilise that means to control the mass customisation of novel designs. Globalisation of markets has produced the need to be able to mass customise designs that are not simple variants of existing designs. Any improvement in Australia's capacity to provid ....Complexity Measures Of Design Spaces As Basis For Mass Customisation Of Novel Designs. This project aims to develop, implement and test a means to determine the potential of any arbitrary design generator to produce a diversity of designs and to utilise that means to control the mass customisation of novel designs. Globalisation of markets has produced the need to be able to mass customise designs that are not simple variants of existing designs. Any improvement in Australia's capacity to provide this service will improve both its internal efficiency and increase its competitiveness in the increasing international marketplace for designing through the production of the basis for a new class of designing tools.Read moreRead less
Curious Places: Agent-Mediated Self-Aware Worlds. This project develops and demonstrates a model of curious places: physical and digital environments that adapt their behaviour based on their experiences. This means that we can implement new kinds of places, rooms, public spaces, that respond to human activity and new technology by creating their own goals and behaviours. This is a benefit to Australia by expanding its capability in home automation and leading developments in novel human-comput ....Curious Places: Agent-Mediated Self-Aware Worlds. This project develops and demonstrates a model of curious places: physical and digital environments that adapt their behaviour based on their experiences. This means that we can implement new kinds of places, rooms, public spaces, that respond to human activity and new technology by creating their own goals and behaviours. This is a benefit to Australia by expanding its capability in home automation and leading developments in novel human-computer interfaces. This benefit can provide economic gain to Australia through the development of frontier technologies.Read moreRead less
Improving the Environmental Performance of Australian Construction Projects. This project aims to investigate the environmental impacts of construction in Australia through the development of a sophisticated hybrid environmental assessment model. The project aims to assist in identifying the most significant environmental impacts, critical areas for mitigation efforts and informing environmental policy and programs within the Australian construction industry. The development of one of the most s ....Improving the Environmental Performance of Australian Construction Projects. This project aims to investigate the environmental impacts of construction in Australia through the development of a sophisticated hybrid environmental assessment model. The project aims to assist in identifying the most significant environmental impacts, critical areas for mitigation efforts and informing environmental policy and programs within the Australian construction industry. The development of one of the most sophisticated and comprehensive models for assessing environmental impacts ever produced is expected to enable cost- and time-efficient evaluation of multiple environmental impacts at a high level of detail and completeness. This should lead to considerable improvements to the environmental performance of Australian construction projects.Read moreRead less
Development of structural-functional integrated concrete. This project seeks to create a structural concrete to control indoor temperature using thermal energy storage aggregates (TESA). Such concrete would improve indoor comfort without human intervention and significantly reduce the energy consumed in heating and cooling. TESA concrete is made of porous lightweight aggregate impregnated with phase-change materials. The aim of this project is to investigate and optimise the structural and funct ....Development of structural-functional integrated concrete. This project seeks to create a structural concrete to control indoor temperature using thermal energy storage aggregates (TESA). Such concrete would improve indoor comfort without human intervention and significantly reduce the energy consumed in heating and cooling. TESA concrete is made of porous lightweight aggregate impregnated with phase-change materials. The aim of this project is to investigate and optimise the structural and functional performance of TESA concrete. In particular, it aims to reveal the microstructure, mechanical, thermal, durability properties of TESA concrete and ways to optimise its overall performance. This knowledge would provide a solid foundation for the numerical simulation of TESA concrete and its use in engineering applications.Read moreRead less
New generation nanostructured coatings with combined control of spectral and angular emissivity. The aim of this project is to generate a complete scientific understanding of a new generation of hybrid, tri-layered, optically-selective coatings. The new design paradigm combines the very different attributes of smooth and nanostructured layers so that superior and simultaneous control of both spectral and angular properties of light can be achieved. Existing theory will be extended so that quanti ....New generation nanostructured coatings with combined control of spectral and angular emissivity. The aim of this project is to generate a complete scientific understanding of a new generation of hybrid, tri-layered, optically-selective coatings. The new design paradigm combines the very different attributes of smooth and nanostructured layers so that superior and simultaneous control of both spectral and angular properties of light can be achieved. Existing theory will be extended so that quantitative analyses of these new systems and other hybrids become possible and new and improved fabrication techniques will be developed. The work will unlock new technological possibilities for coating performance and application and is likely to be associated with significant improvements in energy conservation and generation. Read moreRead less
Self-assembled surface arrays of mesoscale plasmonic devices for switchable control of coloured surfaces. This project has a well-defined outcome with potentially significant commercial interest. The proposed device is novel and the development of it will enhance the science and technology infrastructure within Australia, taking it into original and exciting directions. A successful demonstration of it will enhance Australia's competitive position in the field of nanotechnology and could conceiv ....Self-assembled surface arrays of mesoscale plasmonic devices for switchable control of coloured surfaces. This project has a well-defined outcome with potentially significant commercial interest. The proposed device is novel and the development of it will enhance the science and technology infrastructure within Australia, taking it into original and exciting directions. A successful demonstration of it will enhance Australia's competitive position in the field of nanotechnology and could conceivably lead to a manufacturing activity either located in Australia or in which Australian entities have an interest. Envisaged applications include optical circuitry, 'smart' windows and display surfaces on consumer devices.Read moreRead less
Institutional abuse and organisational reform in the Australian defence force. This project aims to investigate institutional abuse within the Australian Defence Force (ADF) since 1969. It will collect survivor accounts of Defence abuse and the formal ADF institutional responses to abuse. The focus is to uncover the experiences of survivors of Defence abuse within the historical context of the military at the time. The research intends to analyse the processes of change to policies and practic ....Institutional abuse and organisational reform in the Australian defence force. This project aims to investigate institutional abuse within the Australian Defence Force (ADF) since 1969. It will collect survivor accounts of Defence abuse and the formal ADF institutional responses to abuse. The focus is to uncover the experiences of survivors of Defence abuse within the historical context of the military at the time. The research intends to analyse the processes of change to policies and practices, matched to wider cultural shifts influencing the ADF to diversify its workforce. It is intended the project outcomes will inform wider questions about how institutions respond to social change.Read moreRead less
George Eliot: Literature as Experimental Philosophy. This project aims to make significant and innovative contributions to research excellence in philosophy, history of ideas and literary studies. In addition it aims to provide a new conceptual framework and concepts necessary for constructive debate on current moral and social issues, many of which are complex legacies from Victorian thinkers, such as Eliot and her contemporaries. The overarching aim of rendering philosophy more inclusive and r ....George Eliot: Literature as Experimental Philosophy. This project aims to make significant and innovative contributions to research excellence in philosophy, history of ideas and literary studies. In addition it aims to provide a new conceptual framework and concepts necessary for constructive debate on current moral and social issues, many of which are complex legacies from Victorian thinkers, such as Eliot and her contemporaries. The overarching aim of rendering philosophy more inclusive and relevant is vital to the maintenance of a healthy, free and democratic public culture in contemporary Australia. Read moreRead less
Exporting risk: the Australian deportation project. This study will investigate the use of deportation. It will test our claim that deportation has a significant impact on institutions, individuals and communities, and will contribute to a more ethically and legally robust approach to deportation.
Field experiments motivated by behavioural economics to understand prosocial behaviour and improve blood supply. Blood and plasma shortages are common in most countries; for example, in 2005 Australia imported nearly 30% of the plasma it used. This project will develop and test in the field several policies to improve Australia's blood supply. The policies will build on robust behaviours observed in economic experiments, but that have generally not been tested outside the lab. The policies inclu ....Field experiments motivated by behavioural economics to understand prosocial behaviour and improve blood supply. Blood and plasma shortages are common in most countries; for example, in 2005 Australia imported nearly 30% of the plasma it used. This project will develop and test in the field several policies to improve Australia's blood supply. The policies will build on robust behaviours observed in economic experiments, but that have generally not been tested outside the lab. The policies include non-binding commitments, giving gifts and narrowing the perceived distance between blood donors and recipients. This project offers Australia many potential benefits including greater economic efficiency to supply blood and plasma, fewer shortages, and consequently improved health services, and greater recognition as a pioneer in blood donor supply methods.Read moreRead less