Parametric VR: An Interactive Virtual Reality System for Parametric Design. This project aims to create a new and intuitive set of user interactions for Virtual Reality (VR) to support parametric designers in architecture and design. Parametric tools are an emerging design technology dominating contemporary practices, yet their interfaces are on traditional desktop computers while VR is only employed to visualise the geometric models produced by the end design. This project will generate Paramet ....Parametric VR: An Interactive Virtual Reality System for Parametric Design. This project aims to create a new and intuitive set of user interactions for Virtual Reality (VR) to support parametric designers in architecture and design. Parametric tools are an emerging design technology dominating contemporary practices, yet their interfaces are on traditional desktop computers while VR is only employed to visualise the geometric models produced by the end design. This project will generate Parametric VR, a system of VR tools to support parametric design. Key outcomes include software tools and demonstrators to support parametric algorithms and processes in VR. This will have significant benefits for design industries, allowing designers to directly edit parametric design entirely in VR across the project lifecycle.Read moreRead less
Carbon neutral communities: making the transition. This project has well defined National benefits, both economic and social, for the collaborative partners, the business community, policy makers, community groups and the broader Australian community. It contributes toward NRP 1, through developing practical measures for reducing GHG emissions in Australian urban areas, and strategies for overcoming barriers to greater uptake of energy efficiency and alternative technologies; and helping Austra ....Carbon neutral communities: making the transition. This project has well defined National benefits, both economic and social, for the collaborative partners, the business community, policy makers, community groups and the broader Australian community. It contributes toward NRP 1, through developing practical measures for reducing GHG emissions in Australian urban areas, and strategies for overcoming barriers to greater uptake of energy efficiency and alternative technologies; and helping Australia to meet its greenhouse reduction targets. The project economic benefits to through energy savings; stimulating innovation in urban design, building design and transport use; promoting new business opportunities; and encouraging more sustainable lifestyle decisions. Read moreRead less
Campus: Building Modern Australian Universities. This project plans to examine the post-World War Two evolution of the Australian university campus. Modern campuses created opportunities for the realisation of innovative solutions in urban planning, architecture and landscape. The project plans to reveal the physical impacts of political, institutional, social and cultural demands through comparative thematic investigation, digital visualisation and detailed case studies. Foregrounding landscape ....Campus: Building Modern Australian Universities. This project plans to examine the post-World War Two evolution of the Australian university campus. Modern campuses created opportunities for the realisation of innovative solutions in urban planning, architecture and landscape. The project plans to reveal the physical impacts of political, institutional, social and cultural demands through comparative thematic investigation, digital visualisation and detailed case studies. Foregrounding landscape and site, the project aims to establish new historical knowledge, identify campuses as catalysts for urban thinking, and demonstrate strategies for their conservation and adaptation to meet future needs in the tertiary sector.Read moreRead less
Identification And Characterisation Of Novel Genes For Congenital Cataract
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$432,750.00
Summary
Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. The term describes a clouding of the lens which may lead to visual impairment. Congenital cataracts (present at birth) are less common than age-related cataract but the lifelong impact on vision can be severe, with a third of patients remaining legally blind. Late complications such as aphakic glaucoma may be blinding. We have shown that congenital cataracts are often inherited and have performed a population-based study in South-Eastern Au ....Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. The term describes a clouding of the lens which may lead to visual impairment. Congenital cataracts (present at birth) are less common than age-related cataract but the lifelong impact on vision can be severe, with a third of patients remaining legally blind. Late complications such as aphakic glaucoma may be blinding. We have shown that congenital cataracts are often inherited and have performed a population-based study in South-Eastern Australia over the past 5 years to determine the causative genes. A large number of families have been involved in the study and solid progress has been made in identifying mutations in cataract genes and understanding what effect these may have on the patient's prognosis. We have recently identified a new gene in a large Australian family with a syndrome of cataract, mental retardation and teeth problems. This syndrome, known as Nance-Horan syndrome was originally described in Australia 30 years ago and we have worked with the original family to find the exact gene responsible. We already know that this gene causes the same syndrome in other families and in this project we will examine whether it can cause cataract without the other features or mental retardation without cataract. We will perform a series of experiments to learn what this gene does and how it causes the disease. We have also selected 3 other very interesting families with congenital cataracts for further study as we either know already or strongly suspect that they will enable us to identify further new genes for cataract, and in one case mental retardation. Our work in other diseases indicates that understanding the genes in severe young onset cases can give valuable clues to the causes of age-related forms and may in the future enable new ways to prevent and treat the commonest cause of worldwide blindness.Read moreRead less
Recomputing the canon: using computational methods to develop an alternative understanding of the history of 20th century architecture. Because buildings are designed to last for many generations, and they represent a substantial economic investment, architecture remains one of the most tangible and persistent reflections of a culture's spiritual, social and political values. This is why it is said, to understand architecture is to understand society and its principles. This research develops an ....Recomputing the canon: using computational methods to develop an alternative understanding of the history of 20th century architecture. Because buildings are designed to last for many generations, and they represent a substantial economic investment, architecture remains one of the most tangible and persistent reflections of a culture's spiritual, social and political values. This is why it is said, to understand architecture is to understand society and its principles. This research develops an alternative history of 20th century architecture that will not only allow for a deeper understanding of, and appreciation for, our own constructed heritage, but will also inform the design and production of future buildings which are both socially and culturally responsive.Read moreRead less
Cultural heritage in the sustainability of remote planned communities. The project responds to one objective of ARC Linkage grants 'to support collaborative research on issues of benefit to regional and rural communities'. It will assist remote settlements struggling for survival because of the demise or downturn of specialised employment bases. Focusing on the heritage importance and attraction of planned settlements in particular, economic and social benefits include increased knowledge of the ....Cultural heritage in the sustainability of remote planned communities. The project responds to one objective of ARC Linkage grants 'to support collaborative research on issues of benefit to regional and rural communities'. It will assist remote settlements struggling for survival because of the demise or downturn of specialised employment bases. Focusing on the heritage importance and attraction of planned settlements in particular, economic and social benefits include increased knowledge of the design history and heritage of Australian post-WW2 planned special-purpose towns in international perspective; strategies for identifying how cultural heritage might be harnessed to revitalise and sustain at risk communities; and postgraduate training in applied history and heritage. Read moreRead less
Innovative procurement theories to optimise education per cost of school. Innovative procurement theories to optimise education per cost of school. This project aims to develop a whole-of-life procurement decision-making framework so schools can make delivering better education more cost effective. This framework—which draws on state-of-the-art and Nobel prize-winning theories and a new theory the project will develop—will be used in government and private schools. The effectiveness of this fram ....Innovative procurement theories to optimise education per cost of school. Innovative procurement theories to optimise education per cost of school. This project aims to develop a whole-of-life procurement decision-making framework so schools can make delivering better education more cost effective. This framework—which draws on state-of-the-art and Nobel prize-winning theories and a new theory the project will develop—will be used in government and private schools. The effectiveness of this framework in improving schools will be shown using a new approach to make school facilities deliver educational outcomes and account for their total production and transaction costs. This research is expected to deliver more efficient ways to future-proof schools to create a well performing school system and more resilient infrastructure vital to Australia’s future prosperity.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100328
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$374,000.00
Summary
Minimising transaction costs in Murray-Darling Basin water reform. Transaction costs provide social, economic, environmental and political barriers to the effectiveness of water reallocation policy in Australia. These costs are often difficult to quantify, but potentially are subject to measurement. This project aims to develop a comprehensive transaction cost framework for the Murray-Darling Basin that can be used to capture and measure transaction costs related to water policy. Further, the sc ....Minimising transaction costs in Murray-Darling Basin water reform. Transaction costs provide social, economic, environmental and political barriers to the effectiveness of water reallocation policy in Australia. These costs are often difficult to quantify, but potentially are subject to measurement. This project aims to develop a comprehensive transaction cost framework for the Murray-Darling Basin that can be used to capture and measure transaction costs related to water policy. Further, the scope of the cost measurement will involve a variety of data collection approaches. Outcomes include better water policy and management from arrangements that will span the divide between the Basin Plan and its implementation.Read moreRead less
Increasing confidence in Australian carbon disclosures. This project aims to investigate whether carbon disclosures made by Australian resource firms are less than actual emissions (i.e., carbonwashing) using satellite imagery technology. New knowledge will be generated by triangulating carbonwashing information against firm data, such as valuation, other disclosures, and hiring practices, to understand if and how carbonwashing impacts firm values and organisational controls. Expected outcomes i ....Increasing confidence in Australian carbon disclosures. This project aims to investigate whether carbon disclosures made by Australian resource firms are less than actual emissions (i.e., carbonwashing) using satellite imagery technology. New knowledge will be generated by triangulating carbonwashing information against firm data, such as valuation, other disclosures, and hiring practices, to understand if and how carbonwashing impacts firm values and organisational controls. Expected outcomes include improved ways to detect carbonwashing and its relationship to management control weaknesses, benefiting all stakeholders (including investors and regulators) in supporting government-proposed reforms to the Australian Safeguard Mechanism in instilling confidence in Australian carbon disclosures.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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