Sensing and Communications for Tactical Radio: Mapping the RF Weather. This project investigates sensing, localisation and communication strategies to improve the performance of modern tactical radio networks. Such networks face all of the well-known design challenges of mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs) but with added complication of a contested and adversarial operating environment. By exploiting the power of radio nodes to sense the radio spectrum, as well as to communicate over it, a distribut ....Sensing and Communications for Tactical Radio: Mapping the RF Weather. This project investigates sensing, localisation and communication strategies to improve the performance of modern tactical radio networks. Such networks face all of the well-known design challenges of mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs) but with added complication of a contested and adversarial operating environment. By exploiting the power of radio nodes to sense the radio spectrum, as well as to communicate over it, a distributed network of nodes can create a detailed picture of the surrounding radio-frequency (RF) environment: the nodes can work together to map the “RF weather”. In this project we will design advanced sensing and localisation methods to accurately map the RF spectrum, and then exploit this map in communication system design.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL130100041
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,094,000.00
Summary
The electro-photonic interchange: a new green platform for communications signal processing. This project will deliver the science for a new generation of green optical networks, by identifying optimum combinations of electronic and photonic signal processing to solve fundamental data bottlenecks. This project will implement these technologies in powerful electro-photonic chips, upon which superior energy-efficient internet switches can be built.
Reconfigurable Conformal Antenna Arrays for Broadband in the Sky Networks. The project aims to develop the theory and technology for a novel type of antennas, namely, reconfigurable conformal antenna arrays, for future broadband in the sky networks (BISNets). BISNets are essential to providing digital services to users on the move and in remote areas. The antenna would be conformal to the surface of the mounting platform, and its elements would be reconfigured in situ to generate the optimum rad ....Reconfigurable Conformal Antenna Arrays for Broadband in the Sky Networks. The project aims to develop the theory and technology for a novel type of antennas, namely, reconfigurable conformal antenna arrays, for future broadband in the sky networks (BISNets). BISNets are essential to providing digital services to users on the move and in remote areas. The antenna would be conformal to the surface of the mounting platform, and its elements would be reconfigured in situ to generate the optimum radiation characteristics to suit the radio environment. It is expected that the project would advance the scientific knowledge of space-borne wireless communications and sensing in general, and antennas in particular, and significantly enhance the performance and reduce the cost of BISNets.Read moreRead less
Safeguarding Future Wireless Communications with Physical Layer Security. Wireless communication is vulnerable to eavesdropping attacks since the transmitted signal enters an open wireless medium allowing anyone to overhear it. This project tackles the challenging problem of secure wireless transmissions through the advancement of a new security technology termed physical layer security. Theoretical frameworks are expected to be developed to understand how this new technology extracts the intri ....Safeguarding Future Wireless Communications with Physical Layer Security. Wireless communication is vulnerable to eavesdropping attacks since the transmitted signal enters an open wireless medium allowing anyone to overhear it. This project tackles the challenging problem of secure wireless transmissions through the advancement of a new security technology termed physical layer security. Theoretical frameworks are expected to be developed to understand how this new technology extracts the intrinsic security from the wireless medium to protect the confidentiality of information transmission. The research outcome is expected to provide for innovative solutions to safeguard Australia's future commercial, government and military wireless networks, and to give pivotal insights into the impact of this new technology on national security.Read moreRead less
RAINBOW - RAdIo Networks Based On machine learning for situation aWareness. This project aims to develop software-defined and cognitive radio networks (SDR) to detect adversarial communications and achieve situation awareness on radio frequency (RF) spectrum. The project will generate novel SDR architectures and new attack-resistant detection algorithms through innovative approaches combining machine learning and game theory. Expected outcomes include a strategic alliance between the University ....RAINBOW - RAdIo Networks Based On machine learning for situation aWareness. This project aims to develop software-defined and cognitive radio networks (SDR) to detect adversarial communications and achieve situation awareness on radio frequency (RF) spectrum. The project will generate novel SDR architectures and new attack-resistant detection algorithms through innovative approaches combining machine learning and game theory. Expected outcomes include a strategic alliance between the University of Melbourne and the Northrop Grumman Corporation. Among significant benefits, the project will improve cybersecurity of RF spectrum as a national asset, help protect critical infrastructure relying on wireless networks such as telecommunications and defence, and build skills in cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence.Read moreRead less
Supervised autonomy for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) using limited bandwidth communication channels. The project aims to improve the feedback link between an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and an operator by developing novel acoustic communication schemes that exploit developments in machine learning, network, and communication theory and represents a step towards truly autonomous and intelligent surveying using AUV systems.
Catching the fast waves: high speed RF sensing using Brillouin scattering. This project aims to develop a room temperature approach to fast sensing of microwave electromagnetic waves by harnessing stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS), simultaneously achieving high frequency range, high resolution and high-speed performance. This project expects to generate new knowledge in microwave photonics and SBS, specifically elucidating the transient temporal response of SBS. Expected outcomes of this pro ....Catching the fast waves: high speed RF sensing using Brillouin scattering. This project aims to develop a room temperature approach to fast sensing of microwave electromagnetic waves by harnessing stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS), simultaneously achieving high frequency range, high resolution and high-speed performance. This project expects to generate new knowledge in microwave photonics and SBS, specifically elucidating the transient temporal response of SBS. Expected outcomes of this project include a proof of concept RF sensor that has multi-Gigahertz real-rime instantaneous bandwidth with high-resolution that can be miniaturized on to a chip. This compact RF sensor, will play a vital role for situational awareness in space, defence and communications applications. Read moreRead less
Opening a New Era of High-Performance Microwave Devices. We propose a conceptually new method of manufacturing high-performance microwave components at the low-cost and short lead time using liquid form conductors and 3D printing technology. Innovation consists in developing surface roughness free waveguide- and coaxial-based RF and microwave devices, in one-single-piece. This technique can be further extended to create high-performance reconfigurable RF and microwave devices such as filters, an ....Opening a New Era of High-Performance Microwave Devices. We propose a conceptually new method of manufacturing high-performance microwave components at the low-cost and short lead time using liquid form conductors and 3D printing technology. Innovation consists in developing surface roughness free waveguide- and coaxial-based RF and microwave devices, in one-single-piece. This technique can be further extended to create high-performance reconfigurable RF and microwave devices such as filters, antennas, directional couplers, phase shifters and switches by manipulating the locations of the liquid conductors. Furthermore, the method will enable the management of heat generated in high-power applications. Australian telecommunication industry and defence will benefit from the outcome of this project.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101700
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Development of terahertz metamaterials based on III-V compound semiconductors. This project will involve the theoretical design and experimental realisation of III-V semiconductors based terahertz metamaterials, which exhibit unique electromagnetic responses. Such development is expected to significantly benefit novel applications in defence, sensing and communications. The outcomes of this project will expand the capability of the existing systems in efficient real-time control and manipulation ....Development of terahertz metamaterials based on III-V compound semiconductors. This project will involve the theoretical design and experimental realisation of III-V semiconductors based terahertz metamaterials, which exhibit unique electromagnetic responses. Such development is expected to significantly benefit novel applications in defence, sensing and communications. The outcomes of this project will expand the capability of the existing systems in efficient real-time control and manipulation of terahertz radiations.Read moreRead less
Topological Analysis and Control Design for Heterogeneous Multi-agent Systems. A multi-agent system refers to a cooperative group of autonomous agents for achieving certain collective behaviour such as flight formation and micro-robot synchronisation. The project aims to: study network topologies in biological systems and understand their applicability to the control of man-made multi-agent systems; and, develop a new theoretical framework and design methodology for control of heterogeneous mult ....Topological Analysis and Control Design for Heterogeneous Multi-agent Systems. A multi-agent system refers to a cooperative group of autonomous agents for achieving certain collective behaviour such as flight formation and micro-robot synchronisation. The project aims to: study network topologies in biological systems and understand their applicability to the control of man-made multi-agent systems; and, develop a new theoretical framework and design methodology for control of heterogeneous multi-agent systems. The expected outcomes include: understanding and application of biologically inspired network topologies for multi-agent systems; new control design methodology for heterogeneous multi-agent systems; and, new applications of multi-agent control in collective robotics and smart electricity grid.Read moreRead less