Laser-based sensing, measurement and control of multi-axis flexure-based mechanisms for nano manipulations. The project aims to investigate fundamental issues in measurement, design, optimisation, and control of multi-axis flexure-based nano manipulators. It aims to establish novel sensing methodologies for position and orientation measurements and feedback, and advanced control techniques for nano manipulation in view of actuators’ nonlinearities, interferences among motion axes, and external d ....Laser-based sensing, measurement and control of multi-axis flexure-based mechanisms for nano manipulations. The project aims to investigate fundamental issues in measurement, design, optimisation, and control of multi-axis flexure-based nano manipulators. It aims to establish novel sensing methodologies for position and orientation measurements and feedback, and advanced control techniques for nano manipulation in view of actuators’ nonlinearities, interferences among motion axes, and external disturbances. The research is significant as such nano manipulators and methodologies represent the building blocks for many future scientific and engineering nano manipulation systems. The project will establish new knowledge, methodologies, and instrumentations for measurement, characterisation and control of multi-axis flexure-based nano manipulators.Read moreRead less
Imaging the invisible. This project aims to develop imaging technology to see and quantify objects normally invisible with X-rays. It will develop an X-ray imaging system that should provide orders of magnitude greater sensitivity to subtle changes in material composition than conventional radiography. It will devise quantitative image analysis tools for isolating specific materials of interest from complex multi-material samples, including low density components that often go undetected. Indust ....Imaging the invisible. This project aims to develop imaging technology to see and quantify objects normally invisible with X-rays. It will develop an X-ray imaging system that should provide orders of magnitude greater sensitivity to subtle changes in material composition than conventional radiography. It will devise quantitative image analysis tools for isolating specific materials of interest from complex multi-material samples, including low density components that often go undetected. Industries that could benefit significantly from this technology include airport security, the mining sector, agriculture, manufacturing quality control, and biomedical researchers studying anatomical form and function.Read moreRead less
Magnetic liquid marbles: a new droplet manipulation technique for channel-free microfluidics. The project will explore the feasibility of developing a new droplet-manipulation strategy by using magnetically responsive liquid marbles capable of hosting various liquid droplets. It will significantly advance the development of a new generation of microfluidic devices: magnetic field-actuated channel-free droplet microfluidics.
X-ray Ghost Imaging and Tomography. This project aims to achieve safer, faster, and cheaper 3D X-ray imaging through a technique known as ghost imaging. X-ray imaging provides valuable information about internal structures, however, X-rays are carcinogenic and exposure (or dose) should be limited. Ghost imaging is an unconventional technique developed with visible light that has many potential benefits over conventional imaging. This research group are world leaders in ghost imaging and expect t ....X-ray Ghost Imaging and Tomography. This project aims to achieve safer, faster, and cheaper 3D X-ray imaging through a technique known as ghost imaging. X-ray imaging provides valuable information about internal structures, however, X-rays are carcinogenic and exposure (or dose) should be limited. Ghost imaging is an unconventional technique developed with visible light that has many potential benefits over conventional imaging. This research group are world leaders in ghost imaging and expect to develop software and hardware techniques to realise its potential and extend it to ghost tomography. The focus of this project is on reducing cancer risk in medical imaging, and allowing real-time quality control for 3D printing in safety-critical industries such as aerospace.Read moreRead less
Dark-field: A new kind of x-ray imaging. This project aims to develop new x-ray imaging capabilities that look inside an object and map out those details that are too small to be seen directly, by extracting the dark-field which is produced as x-ray light scatters. Dark-field images can reveal tiny cracks in manufactured parts, discover powdered explosives or drugs during security screening, and detect changes in the size of the many tiny air sacs in the lungs. Expected outcomes of this project ....Dark-field: A new kind of x-ray imaging. This project aims to develop new x-ray imaging capabilities that look inside an object and map out those details that are too small to be seen directly, by extracting the dark-field which is produced as x-ray light scatters. Dark-field images can reveal tiny cracks in manufactured parts, discover powdered explosives or drugs during security screening, and detect changes in the size of the many tiny air sacs in the lungs. Expected outcomes of this project include new instruments and methods of analysis that will allow x-ray dark-field imaging to be quantitative and widely adopted. These methods should benefit non-invasive multi-scale imaging at the Australian Synchrotron and equip x-ray imaging in industry, security and healthcare.Read moreRead less
New generation pulsed magnetron sputtering for the synthesis of advanced materials. Magnetron sputtering underpins the manufacture of many products ranging from semiconductor microelectronics to energy efficient windows. This project will create a new generation sputtering process fully compatible with current technology but capable of synthesising new phases and new film microstructures with greatly enhanced performance.