Practical model-based control for low emission and low cost diesel engines. Practical model-based control for low emission and low cost diesel engines. This project aims to develop and implement robust multivariable model predictive control algorithms for low emission and low cost diesel engines that reduce calibration effort. Legislative and increasing consumer requirements demand better control approaches than have been deployed in production vehicles to date, and motivate the use of model bas ....Practical model-based control for low emission and low cost diesel engines. Practical model-based control for low emission and low cost diesel engines. This project aims to develop and implement robust multivariable model predictive control algorithms for low emission and low cost diesel engines that reduce calibration effort. Legislative and increasing consumer requirements demand better control approaches than have been deployed in production vehicles to date, and motivate the use of model based techniques to meet performance and emissions specifications. However, current model-based controllers amplify the calibration effort and increase development costs as the tuning parameters are not related to time domain specifications. The anticipated outcome is new model based control architectures that improve diesel engine operation and reduce its calibration effort and cost.Read moreRead less
Damage Detection and Quantification using Infrastructure Digital Twins. Structural health monitoring is vital for infrastructure assets management as early detection of structural conditions is key to both safety and ongoing maintenance. This project combines computer vision, vibration tests, finite element modelling and deep learning technologies to develop an efficient structural health monitoring system. Digital twins created from images taken by cameras or UAVs will be correlated through dee ....Damage Detection and Quantification using Infrastructure Digital Twins. Structural health monitoring is vital for infrastructure assets management as early detection of structural conditions is key to both safety and ongoing maintenance. This project combines computer vision, vibration tests, finite element modelling and deep learning technologies to develop an efficient structural health monitoring system. Digital twins created from images taken by cameras or UAVs will be correlated through deep learning with structural conditions and load-carrying capacities obtained from vibration tests and finite element model analysis for efficient structural damage detection and quantification. The project will lead to effective structural health monitoring and enhance structural safety and reduce maintenance costs. Read moreRead less
Wideband Silicon-Based Radio-Frequency Front-End Module for 5G New Radio . The project aims to advance knowledge in radio-frequency integrated circuit design in low-cost silicon technologies, particularly power amplifiers design with enhanced energy efficiency at output power back-off levels. The intended outcome of this project will be a wideband RF front-end module with beam steering capability that can cover the 24-50 GHz spectrum band. This will ultimately enable the creation of a low-cost a ....Wideband Silicon-Based Radio-Frequency Front-End Module for 5G New Radio . The project aims to advance knowledge in radio-frequency integrated circuit design in low-cost silicon technologies, particularly power amplifiers design with enhanced energy efficiency at output power back-off levels. The intended outcome of this project will be a wideband RF front-end module with beam steering capability that can cover the 24-50 GHz spectrum band. This will ultimately enable the creation of a low-cost and energy-efficient 5G millimetre-wave network that could potentially trigger the development of ultra-reliable low latency communications, which is critical for emerging intelligent transportation systems and will maintain Australia’s leadership position in the development of break-through wireless technology.Read moreRead less
Low-Cost Wireless Transmitter with Compact Package for Industrial Sensing . This project aims to provide a solid foundation for silicon-based transmitter design with beam-steering capability operating beyond 100 GHz. The project expects to advance knowledge in low-cost radio-frequency integrated circuit design with miniaturised packaging technology for use in industrial sensing. Expected outcomes of this project include a prototype consisting of a miniaturised 140-GHz phased-array transmitter wi ....Low-Cost Wireless Transmitter with Compact Package for Industrial Sensing . This project aims to provide a solid foundation for silicon-based transmitter design with beam-steering capability operating beyond 100 GHz. The project expects to advance knowledge in low-cost radio-frequency integrated circuit design with miniaturised packaging technology for use in industrial sensing. Expected outcomes of this project include a prototype consisting of a miniaturised 140-GHz phased-array transmitter with packaged antenna arrays, along with a developed selection guideline to choose the "best" silicon-based technology node for cost-effective design. This should provide benefits for organisations working on wireless sensing technologies and lead to new ways of using these technologies for a variety of emerging applications.Read moreRead less
Microfluidic platforms for studying foam cell formation in vessels . This project aims to create technology platforms, utilising microfluidics and machine learning, to study the fundamental biological processes underlying the accumulation of immune cells underneath the vessel wall, which is known as foam cell formation. This project expects to deliver technologies, which facilitate mimicking and analysis of the complex dynamics of the human vessels in a more accurate, time- and cost-effective ma ....Microfluidic platforms for studying foam cell formation in vessels . This project aims to create technology platforms, utilising microfluidics and machine learning, to study the fundamental biological processes underlying the accumulation of immune cells underneath the vessel wall, which is known as foam cell formation. This project expects to deliver technologies, which facilitate mimicking and analysis of the complex dynamics of the human vessels in a more accurate, time- and cost-effective manner. The expected outcome will be cutting-edge tools and techniques to better understand the fundamental biological mechanisms driving foam cell formation. This should facilitate the development of future cardiovascular drug discovery technologies, which would benefit the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.Read moreRead less
Detecting developing cracks before pipe bursts using smart sensor systems. This project aims to significantly reduce the number of pipe bursts in cities by detecting the leaks from developing cracks on water supply pipes just in time. New techniques will be developed for reliable and timely detection using the existing sensor network in the Adelaide CBD. Specialised monitoring stations will be developed with adaptive noise-cancellation algorithms to detect small leak signals in noisy city enviro ....Detecting developing cracks before pipe bursts using smart sensor systems. This project aims to significantly reduce the number of pipe bursts in cities by detecting the leaks from developing cracks on water supply pipes just in time. New techniques will be developed for reliable and timely detection using the existing sensor network in the Adelaide CBD. Specialised monitoring stations will be developed with adaptive noise-cancellation algorithms to detect small leak signals in noisy city environments. Expected outcomes include an effective pipe burst early warning system and the implementation of an active burst prevention and targeted pipe replacement strategy. This should significantly reduce the burst rates and associated interruptions in Adelaide and save millions of dollars every year in pipe relay programs.Read moreRead less
Task-centric Synthesis for Wearable Assistive Robots. Wearable Assistive Robots, designed to be worn on the human body, show tremendous potentials to provide what the wearer lacks in performing physically challenging tasks, such as seen in manufacturing, agricultural and healthcare industries. However, fundamental challenges still prevent the realisation of such benefits in the practical settings outside the laboratory. This project addresses these challenges by establishing (1) a systematic des ....Task-centric Synthesis for Wearable Assistive Robots. Wearable Assistive Robots, designed to be worn on the human body, show tremendous potentials to provide what the wearer lacks in performing physically challenging tasks, such as seen in manufacturing, agricultural and healthcare industries. However, fundamental challenges still prevent the realisation of such benefits in the practical settings outside the laboratory. This project addresses these challenges by establishing (1) a systematic design approach for wearable robots to achieve the intended task while optimising other relevant considerations, such as human factors and the practical bulk of the robot; and (2) a novel control and interaction strategy to accommodate the variations in realistic living and working environments.Read moreRead less
Development of far Infrared multispectral thermal image sensors . This project aims to develop a technology that will bypass limitations of existing thermal-image sensor pixels to produce multi-spectral imaging of objects with specificity, clarity and sharpness in a wide range of far infrared wavelength regions. This technology has applications in remote sensing, pest control, and precision agriculture. The project is based on an existing collaboration between The University of Melbourne and t ....Development of far Infrared multispectral thermal image sensors . This project aims to develop a technology that will bypass limitations of existing thermal-image sensor pixels to produce multi-spectral imaging of objects with specificity, clarity and sharpness in a wide range of far infrared wavelength regions. This technology has applications in remote sensing, pest control, and precision agriculture. The project is based on an existing collaboration between The University of Melbourne and the start-up company Digital Falcon. Digital Falcon provides extensive industry service in developing custom image analysis algorithms and post processing to visualisation tools. The University of Melbourne provides research expertise in image sensor pixel technology and sensor electronics.Read moreRead less
Next generation closed-loop brain-machine interfaces . Our partners Carbon Cybernetics have developed high-density neural recording and stimulation arrays that employ fine carbon fibres as the electrode material. The aim of the project is to exploit the properties of these materials to develop miniature implantable devices that are able to achieve long-term, closed-loop, high-resolution recording and stimulation within the brain. We aim to demonstrate an advanced algorithm for control of neural ....Next generation closed-loop brain-machine interfaces . Our partners Carbon Cybernetics have developed high-density neural recording and stimulation arrays that employ fine carbon fibres as the electrode material. The aim of the project is to exploit the properties of these materials to develop miniature implantable devices that are able to achieve long-term, closed-loop, high-resolution recording and stimulation within the brain. We aim to demonstrate an advanced algorithm for control of neural function. Devices that interface directly with the brain are increasingly important in neuroscience to understand how the brain processes information and creates memories and self awareness and are critically important to the development of technologies that interface electronics with the human body. Read moreRead less
Three dimensional nano-lithography: combined electron and ion beam fabrication. By adding one more dimension to a planar (hence two dimensional - 2D) lithography, it will become possible to structure and texture materials in three dimensions (3D) by combining electron beam lithography (2D) and ion beam milling (3D) with the highest precision of several nanometres. This will open new applications in photonics and sensing.