A Scalable Theory of Behavior Composition for Practical Engineering Models of Human Performance. Minimizing human error and maximizing human performance is a major design goal in safety critical systems. The development of methods for affordable human performance modeling has widespread applicability for evaluating user-system interfaces. The compositional method explored here has been shown to make accurate predictions reduce model development time by an order of magnitude. Large safety critica ....A Scalable Theory of Behavior Composition for Practical Engineering Models of Human Performance. Minimizing human error and maximizing human performance is a major design goal in safety critical systems. The development of methods for affordable human performance modeling has widespread applicability for evaluating user-system interfaces. The compositional method explored here has been shown to make accurate predictions reduce model development time by an order of magnitude. Large safety critical applications, such as military or air traffic control systems, would benefit greatly. The proposed work tests whether the compositional methods will scale to more complex domains. The work will be coordinated with Australian industry, academia, and government research efforts.Read moreRead less
Perovskite Quantum Dots for Solar Hydrogen Generation. Sustainable hydrogen production is highly significant towards decarbonised economy. This project aims to develop new classes of organometal halide perovskite quantum dots (OHPQDs) for efficient photoelecrochemical hydrogen production. The key concept is to design toxic Lead free/less OHPQDs for use as stable photoelectrode materials in self-powered sunlight driven water splitting devices. Expected outcomes include new generation advanced mat ....Perovskite Quantum Dots for Solar Hydrogen Generation. Sustainable hydrogen production is highly significant towards decarbonised economy. This project aims to develop new classes of organometal halide perovskite quantum dots (OHPQDs) for efficient photoelecrochemical hydrogen production. The key concept is to design toxic Lead free/less OHPQDs for use as stable photoelectrode materials in self-powered sunlight driven water splitting devices. Expected outcomes include new generation advanced materials and revolutionary technologies for efficient solar hydrogen generation. The successful completion of this project will significantly benefit Australia by positioning the nation at the frontier of renewable hydrogen supply technologies. Read moreRead less
Determinants and consequences of conscious visual awareness. Usually salient images can disappear from awareness without corresponding stimulus changes. This project is based on an innovative account linking such disappearances to a functional adaptation which facilitates vision in cluttered environments. Project completion will expand Australia's knowledge base, forge links between junior and senior Australian based investigators and provide excellent training opportunities. Publication of rese ....Determinants and consequences of conscious visual awareness. Usually salient images can disappear from awareness without corresponding stimulus changes. This project is based on an innovative account linking such disappearances to a functional adaptation which facilitates vision in cluttered environments. Project completion will expand Australia's knowledge base, forge links between junior and senior Australian based investigators and provide excellent training opportunities. Publication of research in top-ranking international journals will further promote Australian science abroad. Ultimately, this research will have implications for the design and implementation of artificial visual systems, which must overcome many of the same dilemmas faced by the human visual system in cluttered environments.Read moreRead less
Human Time Perception. Most human tasks require timing on a scale of tens to hundreds of milliseconds. We must judge time to produce and comprehend speech, to move about and interact with our dynamic environment, to determine causality and decode information from sensory receptors. However, the neural bases of time perception are largely unknown. This project will explore temporal phenomena to determine how and where durations, temporal order and coincidence are encoded in the human brain. Proje ....Human Time Perception. Most human tasks require timing on a scale of tens to hundreds of milliseconds. We must judge time to produce and comprehend speech, to move about and interact with our dynamic environment, to determine causality and decode information from sensory receptors. However, the neural bases of time perception are largely unknown. This project will explore temporal phenomena to determine how and where durations, temporal order and coincidence are encoded in the human brain. Project results will provide new insight into the mechanisms of time perception, with implications for disorders associated with impaired time perception, such as autism, dyslexia and schizophrenia.Read moreRead less
Why does time seem to drag and fly? This project aims to investigate varying perceptions about the passage of time. It is unclear if these variations reflect functional adaptations that allow fast information processing in the face of disaster or if such sensations are inferred after the events in question. Nor is it clear if such experiences are similar across individuals. The project aims to answer these questions, with long-term potential to inform artificial intelligence systems that rely on ....Why does time seem to drag and fly? This project aims to investigate varying perceptions about the passage of time. It is unclear if these variations reflect functional adaptations that allow fast information processing in the face of disaster or if such sensations are inferred after the events in question. Nor is it clear if such experiences are similar across individuals. The project aims to answer these questions, with long-term potential to inform artificial intelligence systems that rely on temporal sensitivity. The project also has potential to provide insights into conditions associated with impaired time perception-place roles.Read moreRead less
Novel psychophysical paradigms for examining predictive coding in vision. Human vision is shaped by predictive signals in the brain. Despite a century of speculation, we do not know how this interplay is implemented - particularly during natural viewing. This project will establish and validate new psychophysical protocols for investigating predictive coding in human vision. Experiments will involve natural viewing and eye tracking, so results will generalize to real-life. Studies will seek to c ....Novel psychophysical paradigms for examining predictive coding in vision. Human vision is shaped by predictive signals in the brain. Despite a century of speculation, we do not know how this interplay is implemented - particularly during natural viewing. This project will establish and validate new psychophysical protocols for investigating predictive coding in human vision. Experiments will involve natural viewing and eye tracking, so results will generalize to real-life. Studies will seek to clarify how predictions are formed and signalled. This could inform future developments in artificial intelligence, as that cutting edge technology continues to be informed by our understanding of predictive coding in human vision.Read moreRead less
Distorted Time Perceptions: Altered neural coding or decisional criteria? Human time perception is subject to systematic distortions. For instance, prolonged exposure to a movie wherein sounds lead the visual footage can result in this timing relationship seeming to be synchronous when it did not previously. As yet, it is unclear if such effects reflect altered neural processing times (in this example, visual analyses could be sped, or auditory analyses slowed), or if neural processing times are ....Distorted Time Perceptions: Altered neural coding or decisional criteria? Human time perception is subject to systematic distortions. For instance, prolonged exposure to a movie wherein sounds lead the visual footage can result in this timing relationship seeming to be synchronous when it did not previously. As yet, it is unclear if such effects reflect altered neural processing times (in this example, visual analyses could be sped, or auditory analyses slowed), or if neural processing times are unchanged, with people simply altering the decisions they make about sensory inputs. This project will determine which type of scenario is responsible for a number of distortions of human time perception. Read moreRead less
Boolean plasmonics: the design of nano-optical logic gates. The success of this project will see the development of an all-optical nano-scale logic gate. Such a device will drastically improve communications and information technology. Standard lithographic techniques will be used ensuring reproducibility and mass production, placing Australia at the forefront of the photonic market.
A new photoelectrochemical system for solar hydrogen and electricity. This project aims to develop a new integrated photoelectrochemical (PEC) system for converting solar energy into hydrogen and electricity simultaneously. The key concept is to design innovative advanced materials which will be integrated into PEC devices with capacitor function for both solar fuel production and electricity storage. This project expects to generate new knowledge in understanding the fundamental mechanism of de ....A new photoelectrochemical system for solar hydrogen and electricity. This project aims to develop a new integrated photoelectrochemical (PEC) system for converting solar energy into hydrogen and electricity simultaneously. The key concept is to design innovative advanced materials which will be integrated into PEC devices with capacitor function for both solar fuel production and electricity storage. This project expects to generate new knowledge in understanding the fundamental mechanism of developing functional materials for more efficient solar energy conversion and storage. Expected outcomes include prototypes of the next generation advanced materials and technologies for sustainable energy utilisation systems for converting solar energy into hydrogen and electricity.Read moreRead less
The initiation and control of action in motor vehicle driving. Every time we pull up to a traffic light or overtake another vehicle our brain is making a whole series of critical decisions about when and how to carry out the manoeuvre accurately and safely. This project seeks to better understand the processes involved. Using the latest, high fidelity GPS and accelerometer technology, highly accurate measurements of driver behaviour and vehicle dynamics will be made in a real vehicle. Understand ....The initiation and control of action in motor vehicle driving. Every time we pull up to a traffic light or overtake another vehicle our brain is making a whole series of critical decisions about when and how to carry out the manoeuvre accurately and safely. This project seeks to better understand the processes involved. Using the latest, high fidelity GPS and accelerometer technology, highly accurate measurements of driver behaviour and vehicle dynamics will be made in a real vehicle. Understanding when and how we carry out these types of basic tasks will play a central role in future brake, suspension and steering system design; will help guide the specifications of road and road sign design; and will help motivate additions or alterations to current driver training programmes.Read moreRead less