Investigating evidence of control system dynamics in visuomotor skill acquisition using multimodal functional magnetic resonance imaging. This project brings together mathematical and engineering methods with cognitive neuroscience in a novel way to better understand the fundamental processes associated with brain imaging, and the acquisition of motor skills. An improved understanding of the function of regions within the motor network will have a direct benefit for the rehabilitation of patient ....Investigating evidence of control system dynamics in visuomotor skill acquisition using multimodal functional magnetic resonance imaging. This project brings together mathematical and engineering methods with cognitive neuroscience in a novel way to better understand the fundamental processes associated with brain imaging, and the acquisition of motor skills. An improved understanding of the function of regions within the motor network will have a direct benefit for the rehabilitation of patients suffering motor deficits from developmental causes, following traumatic brain injuries, and after stroke and other neurodegenerative diseases. The outcomes of the research will also contribute to our understanding of the complexity of brain networks involved in motor skill acquisition.Read moreRead less
Modelling patient flows through hospitals: optimizing effective use of resources. Hospitals are complex, dynamic systems confronted by increased demand in the face of shrinking real capacity. Managing such systems is currently undertaken with sub-optimal analytical support, particularly when demand and capacity are changing and resources must be manipulated to respond to such changes. In this project, the investigators will apply a mathematical modelling approach to the analysis of hospital pati ....Modelling patient flows through hospitals: optimizing effective use of resources. Hospitals are complex, dynamic systems confronted by increased demand in the face of shrinking real capacity. Managing such systems is currently undertaken with sub-optimal analytical support, particularly when demand and capacity are changing and resources must be manipulated to respond to such changes. In this project, the investigators will apply a mathematical modelling approach to the analysis of hospital patient flows. Furthermore, they will employ statistical process control methodologies to the problem of recognising and responding to changes in the flows, so that performance objectives are met. In doing this, they will give health service managers and clinicians a significant advantage in deciding how best to manage a constrained resource to maximize access, throughput and patient outcomes.Read moreRead less
Maximizing Dimensional Efficiency With Minimal Cardinality Pattern Combinations. Making optimal use of dimensional capacity is often fundamental to the efficiency of processes in science and industry. Many important applications use combinations of patterns to achieve this. For example, in paper and in steel manufacturing, reels are divided lengthwise into cutting patterns, combined so as to minimize waste. In medicine, radiation patterns are combined to effectively treat cancerous tumours. ....Maximizing Dimensional Efficiency With Minimal Cardinality Pattern Combinations. Making optimal use of dimensional capacity is often fundamental to the efficiency of processes in science and industry. Many important applications use combinations of patterns to achieve this. For example, in paper and in steel manufacturing, reels are divided lengthwise into cutting patterns, combined so as to minimize waste. In medicine, radiation patterns are combined to effectively treat cancerous tumours. By addressing the common mathematical structure underlying pattern combination, this project will account for a hitherto neglected critical factor - the solution cardinality - making fully optimized solutions available for the first time to many applications in science and industry.Read moreRead less
Modelling, Identification and Control of Complex Networks. Australia has been well known for its leading research in systems and control and many real-world applications in, for instance, telecommunications, defence, power grids and life sciences. This project will further promote Australia's leading position in the emerging new research field - complex networks by theoretical breakthrough in modelling, identification and control of complex networks, and cutting-edge platform technology that can ....Modelling, Identification and Control of Complex Networks. Australia has been well known for its leading research in systems and control and many real-world applications in, for instance, telecommunications, defence, power grids and life sciences. This project will further promote Australia's leading position in the emerging new research field - complex networks by theoretical breakthrough in modelling, identification and control of complex networks, and cutting-edge platform technology that can help Australian energy industry to reduce greenhouse emissions. It will also result in education of the next generation research leaders in this emerging field.Read moreRead less
New Theory and Algorithms for Nonsmooth Optimisation with Application to Integer Programming. Mathematical optimisation plays a key role in a wide variety of applications in business, industry, engineering and science. For example, airlines cannot fly and radiation treatment for cancer cannot be delivered without solving (a series of) optimisation problems. Some classes of optimisation problem are very well solved, with clear mathematical foundations, efficient algorithms, and reliable software ....New Theory and Algorithms for Nonsmooth Optimisation with Application to Integer Programming. Mathematical optimisation plays a key role in a wide variety of applications in business, industry, engineering and science. For example, airlines cannot fly and radiation treatment for cancer cannot be delivered without solving (a series of) optimisation problems. Some classes of optimisation problem are very well solved, with clear mathematical foundations, efficient algorithms, and reliable software implementations. Both nonsmooth and integer optimisation problems have a good mathematical basis, but there are "gaps"; existing methods cannot always solve real industrial problems. This project will deliver better methods, built on better theory, and so will yield better solutions for important applications.Read moreRead less
Doubly Stochastic Matrices & The Hamiltonian Cycle Problem. The classical hard problem of determining whether a given graph possesses a Hamiltonian cycle contains the essential difficulty of the famous 'Travelling Salesman Problem'. A characterisation of this difficulty in terms of variability of returns (to the initial state) in a controlled stochastic process will be a significant conceptual advance with repercussions in a number of fields including optimisation and theoretical computer scien ....Doubly Stochastic Matrices & The Hamiltonian Cycle Problem. The classical hard problem of determining whether a given graph possesses a Hamiltonian cycle contains the essential difficulty of the famous 'Travelling Salesman Problem'. A characterisation of this difficulty in terms of variability of returns (to the initial state) in a controlled stochastic process will be a significant conceptual advance with repercussions in a number of fields including optimisation and theoretical computer science. Algorithmic advances exploiting such a characterisation will significantly contribute to existing technologies for solving problems in applications ranging from logistics to cryptography. Since TSP describes certain efficient ways of routing its applicability to information networks is clear.Read moreRead less
Dynamic Analysis and Control for Hybrid Systems and Networks. Hybrid systems are now accepted as the best way to model many high-tech situations in transport, energy management, networking, household and industrial automation. This project will develop the theoretical tools needed to ensure such systems operate stably and efficiently despite imperfections and outside disturbances.
Generalised quantum models of complexity with application to cognitive systems. Non-separable systems surround us. Our transportation, taxation, schooling, environmental and social policies are all interrelated, and it is increasingly recognised that we cannot consider them in isolation. Such systems are generally deemed complex, and it is often impossible to separate them from one another. Despite this, many of our most advanced modelling techniques are grounded in principles of separability a ....Generalised quantum models of complexity with application to cognitive systems. Non-separable systems surround us. Our transportation, taxation, schooling, environmental and social policies are all interrelated, and it is increasingly recognised that we cannot consider them in isolation. Such systems are generally deemed complex, and it is often impossible to separate them from one another. Despite this, many of our most advanced modelling techniques are grounded in principles of separability and non-contextuality. This project will develop a new set of models of non-separable systems and complexity that will in turn lead to new frontier technologies and theories.Read moreRead less
Development of Control Methodologies for Drug Dosing in Biomedical Engineering. This research proposal is very relevant to the National Research Priorities in the areas of Frontier Technologies and Breakthrough science. At a broader level, we aim to assist in the development of a national competence in what has been an emerging and promising discipline. The research will develop fundamental and enabling laws and techniques for drug administration to regulate physiological variables such as blood ....Development of Control Methodologies for Drug Dosing in Biomedical Engineering. This research proposal is very relevant to the National Research Priorities in the areas of Frontier Technologies and Breakthrough science. At a broader level, we aim to assist in the development of a national competence in what has been an emerging and promising discipline. The research will develop fundamental and enabling laws and techniques for drug administration to regulate physiological variables such as blood pressure and degree of consciousness in critical care patients.Read moreRead less
Occupational Measures Approach to Long Run Average and Singularly Perturbed Optimal Control Problems. Problems of optimal control of long-run average and singularly perturbed systems arise in many applications. The project will lead to the development of new linear programming based techniques for analyzing these problems (including problems intractable so far) and finding their numerical solutions. The new techniques will have a potential to be further developed into software that can benefit A ....Occupational Measures Approach to Long Run Average and Singularly Perturbed Optimal Control Problems. Problems of optimal control of long-run average and singularly perturbed systems arise in many applications. The project will lead to the development of new linear programming based techniques for analyzing these problems (including problems intractable so far) and finding their numerical solutions. The new techniques will have a potential to be further developed into software that can benefit Australian industries and technologies. The proposed topic is in the focus of interest of many eminent researchers around the world and the dissemination of our results will further improve Australia's standing in the international research community. Read moreRead less