Investigating the future of Australian television. This project investigates the future of Australian television and the society 'served' by it. Regulation of free-to-air TV has tightly controlled the production and dissemination of news, information and entertainment in Australia. Now digital technology offers audio-visual content on many extra platforms, fixed and mobile. This sets up profound changes in Australian economics, politics and culture. Yet there is a marked lack of independent rese ....Investigating the future of Australian television. This project investigates the future of Australian television and the society 'served' by it. Regulation of free-to-air TV has tightly controlled the production and dissemination of news, information and entertainment in Australia. Now digital technology offers audio-visual content on many extra platforms, fixed and mobile. This sets up profound changes in Australian economics, politics and culture. Yet there is a marked lack of independent research available to Government and Industry to assist them to plan for the changes. And there is almost no context for careful public debate about these crucial changes. This project will play a vital role in promoting knowledge and informed, strategic decision-making for all constituencies.Read moreRead less
"Welcome to Television": A Cultural History of Australian Television 1956-1992. A5 PROJECT SUMMARY
Television is arguably the most significant cultural technology of the 20th century. It gives us a sense of nationhood within a globalised world, contributes to democratic discourse and fosters creative expression. This is a history of that important institution in Australia and will cover the period from its inception to 1992, when multi-channel, pay and internet forms of television began to t ...."Welcome to Television": A Cultural History of Australian Television 1956-1992. A5 PROJECT SUMMARY
Television is arguably the most significant cultural technology of the 20th century. It gives us a sense of nationhood within a globalised world, contributes to democratic discourse and fosters creative expression. This is a history of that important institution in Australia and will cover the period from its inception to 1992, when multi-channel, pay and internet forms of television began to transform it. It will focus principally on commercial free to air television and will promote debate about the changing significance of television in Australia and lead to better public understanding and appreciation of its cultural and creative legacy.
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The Special Broadcasting Service and Australian Cultural Democracy: Evolution, Uses and Innovation. This project seeks to assess the role and impacts of the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) as a force for democratic change. Four key themes will be investigated: evolution, uses, innovation and cultural democracy, with the aim of documenting and critically assessing how SBS has used cultural difference as a resource for enhancing democratic inclusion and representation. The approach used will be ....The Special Broadcasting Service and Australian Cultural Democracy: Evolution, Uses and Innovation. This project seeks to assess the role and impacts of the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) as a force for democratic change. Four key themes will be investigated: evolution, uses, innovation and cultural democracy, with the aim of documenting and critically assessing how SBS has used cultural difference as a resource for enhancing democratic inclusion and representation. The approach used will be primarily derived from new political theory which focuses on how democratic processes and practices can be deepened in increasingly complex multicultural societies. Such a comprehensive analysis of SBS's unique role has never been undertaken. The research will produce knowledge of SBS's past and present practices that can be used strategically to inform future policy developments and enhance the way the broadcaster approaches its Charter obligations.Read moreRead less
Safer Sex Beliefs and Practices in Multi-Partner Heterosexuals. Recent Australian research has indicated that heterosexuals with multiple or concurrent partners require targeted safer sex messages, and sexual health promotion resources. This is the first Australian study to address these groups, gaining community input into resource development. It is also the first local qualitative study to examine the attitudes, beliefs and safer sex practices of non-lesbian women seeking same-sex partners. T ....Safer Sex Beliefs and Practices in Multi-Partner Heterosexuals. Recent Australian research has indicated that heterosexuals with multiple or concurrent partners require targeted safer sex messages, and sexual health promotion resources. This is the first Australian study to address these groups, gaining community input into resource development. It is also the first local qualitative study to examine the attitudes, beliefs and safer sex practices of non-lesbian women seeking same-sex partners. The information gathered will assist researchers and educators nationally. Identification of media networks will also aid service provision in rural or regional areas.Read moreRead less
Young People, Technology, and Wellbeing Research Facility. Large numbers of initiatives now mobilise technology to support the wellbeing of young Australians. However, amongst communities undertaking this work, there is currently significant duplication and insufficient sharing of research and best practice models. A Research Facility that consolidates existing research, and guides new research and initiatives will improve service delivery to young Australians by: reducing duplication between or ....Young People, Technology, and Wellbeing Research Facility. Large numbers of initiatives now mobilise technology to support the wellbeing of young Australians. However, amongst communities undertaking this work, there is currently significant duplication and insufficient sharing of research and best practice models. A Research Facility that consolidates existing research, and guides new research and initiatives will improve service delivery to young Australians by: reducing duplication between organizations working with young people; providing an accessible interface with research that can help address the community’s concerns about the role of technology in young people’s lives, and inform future policy and programs; and model effective cross-sector knowledge brokering to Australian industry. Read moreRead less
Using 3D printing to improve access to graphics by vision-impaired people. This project aims to investigate the possible benefits of 3D printing for production of accessible materials for vision-impaired people. Currently tactile graphics are used to provide severely vision-impaired adults and children with access to graphical content used in education and in orientation and mobility training. This project is expected to clarify the kinds of graphics for which 3D prints are better suited than ta ....Using 3D printing to improve access to graphics by vision-impaired people. This project aims to investigate the possible benefits of 3D printing for production of accessible materials for vision-impaired people. Currently tactile graphics are used to provide severely vision-impaired adults and children with access to graphical content used in education and in orientation and mobility training. This project is expected to clarify the kinds of graphics for which 3D prints are better suited than tactile graphics, and to build capacity within the national accessible format provision sector for the production and use of 3D prints. Benefits will include increased educational opportunities and quality of life for Australians with severe vision impairment, through improved access to graphic materials used in education and orientation and mobility training.
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Spreading fictions: distributing stories in the online age. As the first systematic, large scale, public analysis of audiovisual distribution in Australia, Spreading Fictions will greatly improve understanding of a vital area for Australia's economic and cultural future. The high priority governments give to policies encouraging local audiovisual productions reflects a belief in their cultural resonance at home and abroad and the economic significance of creative work. This project will help to ....Spreading fictions: distributing stories in the online age. As the first systematic, large scale, public analysis of audiovisual distribution in Australia, Spreading Fictions will greatly improve understanding of a vital area for Australia's economic and cultural future. The high priority governments give to policies encouraging local audiovisual productions reflects a belief in their cultural resonance at home and abroad and the economic significance of creative work. This project will help to maximise the effectiveness of those policies. As digital TV switchover proceeds and the National Broadband Network is built, data about how Australians are using more powerful, functional mobile devices and faster, cheaper fixed line access will be critical.Read moreRead less
Industrial High Efficiency Solar Cells. Photovoltaics is a promising candidate for sustainable energy generation, with Australia well-placed to capture the economic and environmental benefits from maintaining its strong position with this technology. Suntech, a world-leader in silicon solar cell production with US$2 billion annual revenue, will provide a “high profile” showplace for the developed patterning technology. This will enhance commercial opportunities arising from the project and confi ....Industrial High Efficiency Solar Cells. Photovoltaics is a promising candidate for sustainable energy generation, with Australia well-placed to capture the economic and environmental benefits from maintaining its strong position with this technology. Suntech, a world-leader in silicon solar cell production with US$2 billion annual revenue, will provide a “high profile” showplace for the developed patterning technology. This will enhance commercial opportunities arising from the project and confirm Australia’s reputation as a world leader in innovative photovoltaic research. This reputation attracts high-calibre professionals to Australia, stimulates local research and will provide opportunities for local manufacturing to exploit the technology developed as part of this project.Read moreRead less
Using 3D printing technology to develop architecturally-controlled synthetic bone substitutes. With the ageing population, there is increasing demand for synthetic materials that can regenerate bone. However, purely synthetic bone-substitute biomaterials cannot regenerate large bone defects in weight-bearing conditions due to their fragility. This project aims to develop a customisable, biodegradable, biocompatible and mechanically strong and tough scaffold that overcomes this long-standing prob ....Using 3D printing technology to develop architecturally-controlled synthetic bone substitutes. With the ageing population, there is increasing demand for synthetic materials that can regenerate bone. However, purely synthetic bone-substitute biomaterials cannot regenerate large bone defects in weight-bearing conditions due to their fragility. This project aims to develop a customisable, biodegradable, biocompatible and mechanically strong and tough scaffold that overcomes this long-standing problem. The project aims to achieve this by applying an innovative combination of cutting-edge 3D printing technology, advanced computational modelling and design techniques to produce a next-generation bioceramic scaffold with optimised architecture. This approach aims also to enable the possibility of producing custom-made implants for individual requirements.Read moreRead less
Improving the scale-up of spray drying for bioactive extracts and fibres. The project will develop new processing techniques that will contribute to better functional foods and bioactive products from fruit and vegetable wastes. The total national crop of fruit and vegetables produces over 3 million tonnes of wastes, where the bioactive materials in the wastes have a potential value of $3 billion/year.