Training for critical thinking and decision making under stress associated with workplace accidents and disasters. Workplace accidents are a major concern for employees and employers alike. In the past two years, StateRail lost 7437 workdays to accidents, resulting in physical and mental distress for the employees, and considerable financial loss to the company. This project will test the effectiveness of employee training in critical thinking and decision making. In particular, the use of virtu ....Training for critical thinking and decision making under stress associated with workplace accidents and disasters. Workplace accidents are a major concern for employees and employers alike. In the past two years, StateRail lost 7437 workdays to accidents, resulting in physical and mental distress for the employees, and considerable financial loss to the company. This project will test the effectiveness of employee training in critical thinking and decision making. In particular, the use of virtual environments will be investigated as a means of simulating physically and mentally stressful situations. Ultimately, the projects seek to devise a training programme which will reduce the likelihood of accidents and improve employee response in the event that they occur.
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Multiscale stochastic modelling of genetic regulatory mechanisms. The completion of the human genome marked the culmination of one hundred years of reductionist science in cell biology. Although further bioinformatics analysis will continue, the focus is shifting towards synthesis and understanding how the regulatory genetic components dynamically interact to form functional phenotypes. The key to this is the understanding of the roles of stochasticity in cellular processes. This project will ex ....Multiscale stochastic modelling of genetic regulatory mechanisms. The completion of the human genome marked the culmination of one hundred years of reductionist science in cell biology. Although further bioinformatics analysis will continue, the focus is shifting towards synthesis and understanding how the regulatory genetic components dynamically interact to form functional phenotypes. The key to this is the understanding of the roles of stochasticity in cellular processes. This project will explore these roles and will develop an integrated complex systems modelling, simulation and visualisation framework for exploring and validating genetic regulatory models in general. This will be used on an exemplar application for understanding the induction process in lambda phage.Read moreRead less
Theatres Online: Achieving Theoretical and Practical Solutions to Problems of Theatre Space via Virtual Reality Computational Modeling. This project merges theoretical and practical approaches to theatre production to make the complex phenomenon of theatre space more accessible to both researchers and industry professionals. It achieves this by providing a virtual reality model of selected theatres, so that users might better comprehend a venue's spatial dynamics. This dimensionally-accurate rep ....Theatres Online: Achieving Theoretical and Practical Solutions to Problems of Theatre Space via Virtual Reality Computational Modeling. This project merges theoretical and practical approaches to theatre production to make the complex phenomenon of theatre space more accessible to both researchers and industry professionals. It achieves this by providing a virtual reality model of selected theatres, so that users might better comprehend a venue's spatial dynamics. This dimensionally-accurate representation permits a full understanding of a theatre space (and its potential for performance) even from remote locations, thus potentially making the production of theatre more cost effective. There is no other such project in the theatre world or in computer modelling research.Read moreRead less
Traversing a treacherous landscape: Modelling caterpillar movement and behaviour on whole plants at multiple scales. How caterpillars move on plants and where they feed is central to developing plants resistant to these insect pests. Our research program will generate computer models of caterpillar behaviour on virtual plants that interact in realistic ways with the changing structure of the plant as it grows, its micro-architecture and environment. We provide a set of tools that will form the ....Traversing a treacherous landscape: Modelling caterpillar movement and behaviour on whole plants at multiple scales. How caterpillars move on plants and where they feed is central to developing plants resistant to these insect pests. Our research program will generate computer models of caterpillar behaviour on virtual plants that interact in realistic ways with the changing structure of the plant as it grows, its micro-architecture and environment. We provide a set of tools that will form the cornerstone of important future research agendas in the ecology of foraging caterpillars, optimisation of insecticide spray application, and the development of novel genetically transformed plants for insect control central to the future of Australian agriculture.
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Stochastic Modelling of Genetic Regulatory Networks: Subtitle - Genetic Regulation is a Noisy Business. The completion of the human genome marked the culmination of one hundred years of reductionist science in cell biology. Although further bioinformatics analysis will continue, the focus is shifting towards synthesis and understanding how the regulatory genetic components dynamically interact to form functional phenotypes. The key to this is the understanding of the roles of stochasticity in ....Stochastic Modelling of Genetic Regulatory Networks: Subtitle - Genetic Regulation is a Noisy Business. The completion of the human genome marked the culmination of one hundred years of reductionist science in cell biology. Although further bioinformatics analysis will continue, the focus is shifting towards synthesis and understanding how the regulatory genetic components dynamically interact to form functional phenotypes. The key to this is the understanding of the roles of stochasticity in cellular processes. This project will explore these roles and will develop an integrated complex systems modelling, simulation and visualisation framework. This will be used on an exemplar application for lineage commitment in haematopoiesis and for exploring and validating genetic regulatory models in general.Read moreRead less
QUA:Queensland digital Ultra-Atlas. This project aims to design and develop a digital ultra-atlas of Queensland which integrates the capabilities of GIS(geographical information system) with interactive 4D graphical modelling,knowledge extraction and context-based query and retrieval. This ultra-atlas would allow users to discover knowledge on natural resources,cultural characteristics and historical changes,as well as simulating different effects by providing advanced search capabilities and en ....QUA:Queensland digital Ultra-Atlas. This project aims to design and develop a digital ultra-atlas of Queensland which integrates the capabilities of GIS(geographical information system) with interactive 4D graphical modelling,knowledge extraction and context-based query and retrieval. This ultra-atlas would allow users to discover knowledge on natural resources,cultural characteristics and historical changes,as well as simulating different effects by providing advanced search capabilities and engaging display of spatial and thematically-linked data. Such an ultra-atlas would have enormous impact on facilitating strategic planning and performance in many applications(e.g fire control,environment and urban planning).Read moreRead less
Dynamics of Locomotion: Visualisation in skill acquisition & rehabilitation. How does visual information and attention determine the control and coordination of locomotion? Using large-screen projection of computer graphics and immersive virtual reality, we will examine the influence of visual information on driver training, gait in the elderly, cardiorespiratory control, and the attentional interference of mobile phones on driving. Experiments will be based on principles from dynamical and comp ....Dynamics of Locomotion: Visualisation in skill acquisition & rehabilitation. How does visual information and attention determine the control and coordination of locomotion? Using large-screen projection of computer graphics and immersive virtual reality, we will examine the influence of visual information on driver training, gait in the elderly, cardiorespiratory control, and the attentional interference of mobile phones on driving. Experiments will be based on principles from dynamical and complex systems theory and will inform the design of innovative algorithms for autonomous mobile robots. Expected outcomes include improved road safety, new methods for the rehabilitation of those with gait disorders, and a deeper understanding of the physiological response to virtual exercise.Read moreRead less
Improving Efficiency and Safe Workplace Operations in Heavy Industry: Training Problem Solving and Decision Making through Immersive Simulation. Civil construction is critical to Australia's economic growth. Currently the industry suffers from significant accident rates and severe labor shortages. Simulators offer a means to tackle both issues by accelerating training and familiarizing staff with unsafe, hazardous situations. This project will test and refine training programs to ensure they ar ....Improving Efficiency and Safe Workplace Operations in Heavy Industry: Training Problem Solving and Decision Making through Immersive Simulation. Civil construction is critical to Australia's economic growth. Currently the industry suffers from significant accident rates and severe labor shortages. Simulators offer a means to tackle both issues by accelerating training and familiarizing staff with unsafe, hazardous situations. This project will test and refine training programs to ensure they are both valid and effective. Results will maximize quality of simulator-based training for heavy industry and contribute to safer workplace practices on high risk work sites. Training innovations in heavy industry are essential to keep Australia's competitive edge in the domestic labor market and Asia-Pacific region.Read moreRead less
Image processing techniques for artificial human vision systems. Blindness affects millions of people worldwide and over 100,000 Australians. Our project supports quality of life improvements for them by developing image processing techniques necessary for artificial human vision systems: "bionic eyes". Our approach will extract the most visually informative content in a scene,allowing low resolution images to be generated which optimise usage of the limited number of eletrodes available in prot ....Image processing techniques for artificial human vision systems. Blindness affects millions of people worldwide and over 100,000 Australians. Our project supports quality of life improvements for them by developing image processing techniques necessary for artificial human vision systems: "bionic eyes". Our approach will extract the most visually informative content in a scene,allowing low resolution images to be generated which optimise usage of the limited number of eletrodes available in prototype bionic eye implants. Psychophysical tests presenting such modified images to normally sighted participants will verify the effectiveness of this approach. The techniques developed will provide a real-time image processing toolkit for visual protheses, with significant commercial and social benefits including enhancement of Australilia's neuroprostheses industry profile.Read moreRead less