Virtual testing of orthopaedic devices as part of the design and development process: strategies to account for patient and surgical variability. Novel computational tools will be developed through this project to help account for patient and surgical variability in the design of orthopaedic implants, such as hip and knee replacements and spinal products. These tools will reduce the design time, give greater insight in implant performance and ultimately lead to safer implants with improved longe ....Virtual testing of orthopaedic devices as part of the design and development process: strategies to account for patient and surgical variability. Novel computational tools will be developed through this project to help account for patient and surgical variability in the design of orthopaedic implants, such as hip and knee replacements and spinal products. These tools will reduce the design time, give greater insight in implant performance and ultimately lead to safer implants with improved longevity.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE170100057
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$250,000.00
Summary
A high-resolution X-ray microtomography system. This project aims to establish a Scanco microCT 50 high resolution X-Ray microtomography system, to non-destructively visualise and quantitatively characterise complex samples, including advanced composites, tissue engineering constructs, biological tissues, minerals and fossils. The non-destructive characterisation of these samples is critical to advance research. The versatile system offers high spatial resolution (down to 500 nm voxel size) and ....A high-resolution X-ray microtomography system. This project aims to establish a Scanco microCT 50 high resolution X-Ray microtomography system, to non-destructively visualise and quantitatively characterise complex samples, including advanced composites, tissue engineering constructs, biological tissues, minerals and fossils. The non-destructive characterisation of these samples is critical to advance research. The versatile system offers high spatial resolution (down to 500 nm voxel size) and large sample size (up to 100 mm diameter). The project will enable progress in advanced composites, additive bio-manufacturing, physiology of biological tissues and palaeontology which will benefit Australian science. Additionally, through commercialisation and the formation of new companies, the project could potentially result in economic and health benefits to the wider Australian population and economy.Read moreRead less
Regenerating articular cartilage with smart hydrogels and fabrication technologies. Osteoarthritis affects over 1.6 million Australians and a cure remains elusive. Tissue engineering promises to regenerate joints, but issues with tissue quality, organisation and cost have led to limited clinical application. This project will develop new tissue fabrication technologies to engineer cartilage with appropriate organisation and lower costs.
Advancing human movement evaluation using artificial intelligence. Human movement disorders affect one-third of Australians; however, conventional approaches to assessing joint motion are costly and largely clinic- or laboratory-based. This project aims to combine biomechanical modelling and advanced machine learning to non-invasively produce accurate, low-cost, user-friendly shoulder and elbow joint angle measurements using wearable inertial sensors. The technology will enable a non-expert to o ....Advancing human movement evaluation using artificial intelligence. Human movement disorders affect one-third of Australians; however, conventional approaches to assessing joint motion are costly and largely clinic- or laboratory-based. This project aims to combine biomechanical modelling and advanced machine learning to non-invasively produce accurate, low-cost, user-friendly shoulder and elbow joint angle measurements using wearable inertial sensors. The technology will enable a non-expert to obtain reliable kinematics data in any location. Accurate, wearable motion measurement will benefit next-generation healthcare including telemedicine and remote rehabilitation for isolated communities, performance monitoring of elite athletes and military personnel, and the gaming and film/animation industries.Read moreRead less
Ultra-low fouling active surfaces. This project aims to develop chemistries and fabrication approaches through innovative materials evaluation to develop ultra-low fouling active electrode surfaces. Development of ultra-low fouling surfaces will have significant impact in a range of applications where system or device failure is attributed to fouling. The growing field of bionics, where implantable electronic devices interface directly with the nervous system, is one such device. The expected ou ....Ultra-low fouling active surfaces. This project aims to develop chemistries and fabrication approaches through innovative materials evaluation to develop ultra-low fouling active electrode surfaces. Development of ultra-low fouling surfaces will have significant impact in a range of applications where system or device failure is attributed to fouling. The growing field of bionics, where implantable electronic devices interface directly with the nervous system, is one such device. The expected outcomes will be an understanding of the material requirements that lead to the elimination of protein and cell accumulation at surfaces that degrades the performance and lifetime of these implants. The findings will benefit any application where fouling is a problem.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100488
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Cellular dynamics of nanoengineered particles. Nanotechnology has the capacity to drive a new wave of biological innovation through engineering materials at the nanoscale. This project will advance understanding of how nanoengineered materials interact with biological systems to enable the development of nanomaterials for future translational research.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100922
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Diamond cybernetics: nanocrystalline diamond for interfacing bionic devices with the human nervous system. Bionic devices will soon be used to treat disorders such as epilepsy, Parkinson's and depression. We will use diamond to create high resolution, permanent electrical connections between devices and the human nervous system. These diamond connections will preserve nerve health and make bionic devices more effective and able to last a lifetime.
Multiscale Study on Biomechanical Roles of Soft Tissue on Bone Remodelling. The project aims to increase our knowledge of the processes of bone remodelling and the role of soft tissue in this process. Mechanical force is a key stimulus for regulating bone remodelling. A significant question in biomechanics is why orthodontics only use very small forces (1 Newton) to generate significant oral bone remodelling, whereas prosthodontics that apply three orders of magnitude higher forces (~1000 Newton ....Multiscale Study on Biomechanical Roles of Soft Tissue on Bone Remodelling. The project aims to increase our knowledge of the processes of bone remodelling and the role of soft tissue in this process. Mechanical force is a key stimulus for regulating bone remodelling. A significant question in biomechanics is why orthodontics only use very small forces (1 Newton) to generate significant oral bone remodelling, whereas prosthodontics that apply three orders of magnitude higher forces (~1000 Newton) do not move dental implants. This project aims to develop new multiscale modelling and remodelling techniques in computational mechanics to explore the roles played by connective soft tissue in bone adaptation. Expected project outcomes would increase our understanding in biomechanics and affect health care disciplines such as orthodontics, prosthodontics and orthopaedics.Read moreRead less
Real-time friction sensing, feedback and control for dexterous prosthetic and robotic manipulation. Prosthetic and robotic hands demonstrate poor dexterity during object manipulation, often dropping objects. Humans rarely allow objects to slip because we can sense when an object is slippery and adjust our grip. Exceptionally little research has been directed at replicating this ability to sense friction. This project aims to enable artificial hands to estimate frictional properties while graspin ....Real-time friction sensing, feedback and control for dexterous prosthetic and robotic manipulation. Prosthetic and robotic hands demonstrate poor dexterity during object manipulation, often dropping objects. Humans rarely allow objects to slip because we can sense when an object is slippery and adjust our grip. Exceptionally little research has been directed at replicating this ability to sense friction. This project aims to enable artificial hands to estimate frictional properties while grasping an object. Non-invasive methods to feed back this frictional information to an amputee will also be investigated. Finally, the friction-sensing system will be used to improve robotic gripper control. The outcomes of this research will significantly advance the fields of prosthetics, telesurgery, and service and manufacturing robotics.Read moreRead less
Tissue-like, nonlinearly elastic nanobiomaterials for soft tissue regeneration. The purpose of this project is to advance the discipline of soft tissue engineering and regeneration with novel biomaterials, nanotechnology and novel clinical treatment concepts. The key outcomes include new elastic tissue-like nanobiomaterials, new varieties of medical implants and innovative treatment methodology.