Muscle-based Signals for Responsive Physically-Assistive Robotics. This project aims to develop a physically assistive robot for industrial use that interprets signals from the human user’s muscles during a physical activity and responds with appropriate assistance. This is significant because the robot must accommodate the complexity of movement required in industrial settings and adapt to variabilities in muscle activation signals among users that also change in time. The expected research out ....Muscle-based Signals for Responsive Physically-Assistive Robotics. This project aims to develop a physically assistive robot for industrial use that interprets signals from the human user’s muscles during a physical activity and responds with appropriate assistance. This is significant because the robot must accommodate the complexity of movement required in industrial settings and adapt to variabilities in muscle activation signals among users that also change in time. The expected research outcome is an intuitive, assistive robot worn by the human workforce that enhances their productivity and longevity, improves working conditions, lowers production costs, and increases workforce resilience. The robot’s capabilities will be demonstrated in this project through the challenging activity of sheep shearing.Read moreRead less
Assistive Robotic Systems for Augmenting Human Strength in Industrial Applications. A theoretical foundation needs to be developed in order for assistive robots to collaborate with human workers and optimise the capabilities of both the human and the robot. This project aims to develop methodologies that enable assistive robots to augment the strength of humans conducting physically demanding work, such as abrasive blasting, in complex industrial environments. It aims to address research challen ....Assistive Robotic Systems for Augmenting Human Strength in Industrial Applications. A theoretical foundation needs to be developed in order for assistive robots to collaborate with human workers and optimise the capabilities of both the human and the robot. This project aims to develop methodologies that enable assistive robots to augment the strength of humans conducting physically demanding work, such as abrasive blasting, in complex industrial environments. It aims to address research challenges associated with perception and control of robotic systems that provide assistance as- needed physical support to a worker intuitively and safely. The ultimate objectives are to improve productivity and reduce injuries. The outcomes intend to have significant and immediate impacts on assistive robotics research and industrial applications.Read moreRead less
A Vision Controlled Autonomous Multi-Robot Welding System. This developed system will increase the application of robotic welding in more Australian industries thereby increaseing the productivity and competitiveness of the nation. The system will provide a safer work environment for workers by reducing and potentially eliminating direct exposure of workers to the welding process. This fully automated welding system will give the Lincoln a significant advantage in commercialise this technology b ....A Vision Controlled Autonomous Multi-Robot Welding System. This developed system will increase the application of robotic welding in more Australian industries thereby increaseing the productivity and competitiveness of the nation. The system will provide a safer work environment for workers by reducing and potentially eliminating direct exposure of workers to the welding process. This fully automated welding system will give the Lincoln a significant advantage in commercialise this technology both in Australia and overseas. Therefore, this will reap considerable economic benefit for the company, and the nation. This project will also provide a realistic industrial environment for PhD student training.Read moreRead less
Next-Generation Intelligent Robotic Mobility Aid for Vision Impaired People. More than 253 million people worldwide are blind or have low vision, with over 575,000 in Australia. This research aims to develop the world's first functional robotic guide with advanced robotic sensing, navigation, control, machine learning-based decision making and user interfaces. The project will generate novel theoretical breakthroughs, produce feasible prototypes, train young researchers, innovate industry capabi ....Next-Generation Intelligent Robotic Mobility Aid for Vision Impaired People. More than 253 million people worldwide are blind or have low vision, with over 575,000 in Australia. This research aims to develop the world's first functional robotic guide with advanced robotic sensing, navigation, control, machine learning-based decision making and user interfaces. The project will generate novel theoretical breakthroughs, produce feasible prototypes, train young researchers, innovate industry capabilities and provide new research that will transform the lives of visually impaired people. The project is expected to further benefit the service and mobility aid industry, researchers and wider community in substantial social, economic and diverse terms. The mobility aid has potential for commercialisationRead moreRead less
An Intelligent Robotic System for Underwater Structure Maintenance. This project aims to build a theoretical and experimental foundation for developing robots for underwater structure maintenance in near surface and tidal environments where water current and wave action can be strong. A novel intelligent robotic system with multiple arms is planned to be developed. The project will address research challenges associated with perception, mapping, planning and control, and develop methodologies th ....An Intelligent Robotic System for Underwater Structure Maintenance. This project aims to build a theoretical and experimental foundation for developing robots for underwater structure maintenance in near surface and tidal environments where water current and wave action can be strong. A novel intelligent robotic system with multiple arms is planned to be developed. The project will address research challenges associated with perception, mapping, planning and control, and develop methodologies that enable the realisation of such robotic systems. The intended outcomes will contribute to marine robotics research and its industrial applications, and will improve productivity and occupational health and safety by replacing the humans needed to work in such hazardous environments.Read moreRead less
Biologically inspired robotic system for steel bridge condition assessment. Australia has many thousands of steel bridges which form a key infrastructure supporting urban and rural communities. Periodic inspection is a vital undertaking that minimises risk of bridge failures and associated community impact. This project will develop a robotic inspection system capable of crawling over the structure, inspecting all areas, acquiring essential information and appropriately presenting these to a hu ....Biologically inspired robotic system for steel bridge condition assessment. Australia has many thousands of steel bridges which form a key infrastructure supporting urban and rural communities. Periodic inspection is a vital undertaking that minimises risk of bridge failures and associated community impact. This project will develop a robotic inspection system capable of crawling over the structure, inspecting all areas, acquiring essential information and appropriately presenting these to a human operator to facilitate effective condition assessment. The project's outcomes will lay the foundation for the world-wide use of bio-inspired robots in civil infrastructure condition assessment, significantly increasing worker’ safety and greatly reducing the costs and improving the efficiency of the inspection process.Read moreRead less
Efficient Strategies for Coordinating Autonomous Vehicles for Maximising Australia's Waterfront Productivity. This project will lift the productivity of container terminals by enabling the effective deployment of autonomous vehicles in large numbers. The project outcomes of practically deployable and scalable algorithms, realised as live software, will significantly enhance Patrick Stevedores Holdings' world leading technology and the potential of such automation systems to revolutionise materia ....Efficient Strategies for Coordinating Autonomous Vehicles for Maximising Australia's Waterfront Productivity. This project will lift the productivity of container terminals by enabling the effective deployment of autonomous vehicles in large numbers. The project outcomes of practically deployable and scalable algorithms, realised as live software, will significantly enhance Patrick Stevedores Holdings' world leading technology and the potential of such automation systems to revolutionise material handling around the globe. Beyond the benefits of technology commercialisation, the project will also benefit Australia economically through extending its leading role in developing autonomous systems for material handling, enhancing the frontier technologies for building Australian industries, and alleviating looming capacity constraints.Read moreRead less
Use of CT Scanned Data in automation of Carcass Processing. Meat production is important to the Australian economy. The industry is threatened by inability to obtain sufficient labor for meat processing. Automation represents a potential solution, but brings challenges. Piecemeal automation has produced haphazard interspersing of automated and manual workstations. In meat processing automation, the greatest benefits are obtained when the process is integrated and data is passed down the process ....Use of CT Scanned Data in automation of Carcass Processing. Meat production is important to the Australian economy. The industry is threatened by inability to obtain sufficient labor for meat processing. Automation represents a potential solution, but brings challenges. Piecemeal automation has produced haphazard interspersing of automated and manual workstations. In meat processing automation, the greatest benefits are obtained when the process is integrated and data is passed down the process line. The outcomes of this project, a practically deployable robotic system, enabling methodologies and a common database, represent a big step towards integrated meat processing and bring enormous economic and health benefits to Australian community.Read moreRead less
Precision three-dimensional localization system for underground mining vehicles, offering improved productivity and personnel safety. The advanced machine guidance and monitoring technology developed by this project will significantly enhance the partner organisation's capacity as a leading supplier of mining machine control systems. The deployment of such enhanced machine control systems will offer an immediate national benefit to the Australian Mining Industry by dramatically improving produc ....Precision three-dimensional localization system for underground mining vehicles, offering improved productivity and personnel safety. The advanced machine guidance and monitoring technology developed by this project will significantly enhance the partner organisation's capacity as a leading supplier of mining machine control systems. The deployment of such enhanced machine control systems will offer an immediate national benefit to the Australian Mining Industry by dramatically improving productivity and occupational safety. The national interest will also be served by this project's significant contribution to Australia's leadership position as an innovator in frontier technologies for mining and robotics. Furthermore, the research outcomes will help to solve similar positioning problems in hazardous, GPS-denied environments such as urban search and rescue.Read moreRead less
Environment modelling of Great Barrier Reef habitats using Autonomous Transect Surveying. This project has as its goal the development of algorithms and methods capable of modeling unstructured, reef environments using data collected by an autonomous robotic system capable of surveying the Great Barrier Reef. The Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR) currently has a small research Umanned Underwater Vehicle capable of undertaking such survey work. Under the proposed project, this vehicle ....Environment modelling of Great Barrier Reef habitats using Autonomous Transect Surveying. This project has as its goal the development of algorithms and methods capable of modeling unstructured, reef environments using data collected by an autonomous robotic system capable of surveying the Great Barrier Reef. The Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR) currently has a small research Umanned Underwater Vehicle capable of undertaking such survey work. Under the proposed project, this vehicle will be equipped with appropriate sensors (such as vision systems, sonar, depth and temperature sensors). The proposed grant will support an APA (I) whose aim will be the construction of comprehensive models of the state of the reef over which the vehicle will operate.Read moreRead less