Visual Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping in Deformable Environments. This project aims to investigate the problem of building a three-dimensional map of a deformable environment in real-time using images and at the same time localising the camera within the map. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of simultaneous localisation and mapping in deformable environments using visual sensors. Expected outcomes include in-depth understanding of the fundamental sensing requirem ....Visual Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping in Deformable Environments. This project aims to investigate the problem of building a three-dimensional map of a deformable environment in real-time using images and at the same time localising the camera within the map. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of simultaneous localisation and mapping in deformable environments using visual sensors. Expected outcomes include in-depth understanding of the fundamental sensing requirements for the problem to be solvable, the achievable accuracy, and efficient algorithms for achieving accurate three-dimensional reconstruction of deformable environments. The research outcomes from this project offer significant benefits to diverse areas such as minimally invasive robotic surgery.Read moreRead less
Robotic Perception with Unconventional Sensors . Autonomy in robotic systems currently relies on conventional sensors such as lasers and cameras. Alternative sensing modalities as in the case of active electromagnetic sensors are commonly used to detect flaws, cracks and assess infrastructure’s integrity, however, fundamental research questions preclude their use for robotic perception. This project will develop the theory and algorithms to enable perception tasks such as localisation, mapping a ....Robotic Perception with Unconventional Sensors . Autonomy in robotic systems currently relies on conventional sensors such as lasers and cameras. Alternative sensing modalities as in the case of active electromagnetic sensors are commonly used to detect flaws, cracks and assess infrastructure’s integrity, however, fundamental research questions preclude their use for robotic perception. This project will develop the theory and algorithms to enable perception tasks such as localisation, mapping and recognition with unconventional sensors. The outcomes of this research have the potential to improve the effectiveness of critical civil infrastructure maintenance technology through accurate and reliable inspections, and the reduced need for human intervention.Read moreRead less
Unifying Foundations for Intelligent Agents. This project aims to drive forward the development of rigorous foundations for intelligent agents. The agent framework, the expected utility principle, sequential decision theory, and the information-theoretic foundations of inductive reasoning and machine learning have already brought significant order into the previously heterogeneous scattered field of artificial intelligence. This project aims to investigate an information-theoretic approach towar ....Unifying Foundations for Intelligent Agents. This project aims to drive forward the development of rigorous foundations for intelligent agents. The agent framework, the expected utility principle, sequential decision theory, and the information-theoretic foundations of inductive reasoning and machine learning have already brought significant order into the previously heterogeneous scattered field of artificial intelligence. This project aims to investigate an information-theoretic approach towards a unifying foundation for intelligent agents, which has recently spawned impressive applications. The theory is expected to provide a gold standard and valuable guidance for researchers working on smart software.Read moreRead less
Disassembly Automation of End-of-Life Electric Vehicle Batteries. This project aims to develop an automated disassembly solution for End-of-Life (EOL) Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries, which is flexible and modular to handle the uncertainties associated with model changes, condition of the EOL battery packs as well as the projected volume growth. The outcome of this project will lead to a better separation of EV battery components and materials. This will allow recycling of EOL EV batteries with ....Disassembly Automation of End-of-Life Electric Vehicle Batteries. This project aims to develop an automated disassembly solution for End-of-Life (EOL) Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries, which is flexible and modular to handle the uncertainties associated with model changes, condition of the EOL battery packs as well as the projected volume growth. The outcome of this project will lead to a better separation of EV battery components and materials. This will allow recycling of EOL EV batteries with a higher material recovery efficiency and a lower cost due to the significantly reduced labor cost; hence substantially reduce the environmental footprint associated with EOL treatment of these batteries.Read moreRead less
Learning Robotic Navigation and Interaction from Object-based Semantic Maps. Our project aims to develop new learning algorithms that enable robots to perform high-complexity tasks that are currently impossible. Compared to existing methods that rely on low-level sensor data, we aim to achieve this by learning from a high-level graph representation of the environment that captures semantics, affordances, and geometry. The outcome would be robots capable of using human instructions to efficiently ....Learning Robotic Navigation and Interaction from Object-based Semantic Maps. Our project aims to develop new learning algorithms that enable robots to perform high-complexity tasks that are currently impossible. Compared to existing methods that rely on low-level sensor data, we aim to achieve this by learning from a high-level graph representation of the environment that captures semantics, affordances, and geometry. The outcome would be robots capable of using human instructions to efficiently learn complex interaction and navigation behaviours that transfer to unseen environments. Our research should benefit new applications in domains of economic and societal importance that are currently too complex, unsafe, and uncertain for robot assistants, such as aged care, advanced manufacturing and domestic robotics.Read moreRead less
Active Visual Navigation in an Unexplored Environment. This project will develop a new method for robotic navigation in which goals can be specified at a much higher level of abstraction than has previously been possible. This will be achieved using deep learning to make informed predictions about a scene layout, and navigating as an active observer in which the predictions informs actions. The outcome will be robotic agents capable of effective and efficient navigation and operation in previous ....Active Visual Navigation in an Unexplored Environment. This project will develop a new method for robotic navigation in which goals can be specified at a much higher level of abstraction than has previously been possible. This will be achieved using deep learning to make informed predictions about a scene layout, and navigating as an active observer in which the predictions informs actions. The outcome will be robotic agents capable of effective and efficient navigation and operation in previously unseen environments, and the ability to control such agents with more human-like instructions. Such capabilities are desirable, and in some cases essential, for autonomous robots in a variety of important application areas including automated warehousing and high-level control of autonomous vehicles. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE240100068
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$931,950.00
Summary
Australian Advanced Metabolic Signal Discovery, and Imaging Platform. This proposal aims to establish an Australian Advanced Metabolic Signal Discovery and Imaging platform. The platform consists of an ultra-high resolution gas chromatography mass spectrometer and an imaging mass spectrometry upgrade for a second existing high resolution mass spectrometer. The facility will break barriers currently limiting discovery and localisation of metabolic changes during plant and animal development under ....Australian Advanced Metabolic Signal Discovery, and Imaging Platform. This proposal aims to establish an Australian Advanced Metabolic Signal Discovery and Imaging platform. The platform consists of an ultra-high resolution gas chromatography mass spectrometer and an imaging mass spectrometry upgrade for a second existing high resolution mass spectrometer. The facility will break barriers currently limiting discovery and localisation of metabolic changes during plant and animal development under environmental stress; integral chemical signals exchanged in host-microbe interactions; and volatile signatures linked to ecosystem health and developmental anomalies in animals. Results will inform innovative strategies to enhance biological adaptation, climate resilience and plant, animal, and ecosystem health.Read moreRead less
Mid-Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IM230100042
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$980,358.00
Summary
Unlocking the full reproductive potential for hybrid wheat breeding. Globally, wheat is cultivated as an inbred self-fertile crop with yield gains stagnating over the last decades. This contrasts with unabated yield gains and yield stability achieved for rice and corn through hybrid breeding and cross-pollination. Wheat hybrids hold potential for a 10-22% yield boost, but commercial deployment is restricted due to high seed production costs, a result of wheat’s floral architecture and poor outcr ....Unlocking the full reproductive potential for hybrid wheat breeding. Globally, wheat is cultivated as an inbred self-fertile crop with yield gains stagnating over the last decades. This contrasts with unabated yield gains and yield stability achieved for rice and corn through hybrid breeding and cross-pollination. Wheat hybrids hold potential for a 10-22% yield boost, but commercial deployment is restricted due to high seed production costs, a result of wheat’s floral architecture and poor outcrossing characteristics. This project aims to reduce costs by improving wheat’s female receptivity to airborne pollen, a major bottleneck to commercial realization of hybrids globally. Higher and more stable yields from wheat hybrids will ensure food security in the face of climate uncertainty and growing population.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL210100156
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,716,041.00
Summary
Re-Evolving Nature’s Best Positioning Systems for People and Their Machines. The aim is to develop next-generation positioning capabilities that reduce Australia’s increasingly risky strategic reliance on vulnerable GPS satellites owned by other countries, and that enable transformation of Australia’s most important sectors through enhanced automation and robotics. Our approach re-evolves, re-engineers, and re-combines the best performing and best understood components of nature’s best positioni ....Re-Evolving Nature’s Best Positioning Systems for People and Their Machines. The aim is to develop next-generation positioning capabilities that reduce Australia’s increasingly risky strategic reliance on vulnerable GPS satellites owned by other countries, and that enable transformation of Australia’s most important sectors through enhanced automation and robotics. Our approach re-evolves, re-engineers, and re-combines the best performing and best understood components of nature’s best positioning systems with new technological advances in sensing and computation. The expected outcomes are high-performance positioning systems that improve the competitiveness of Australia’s leading industries and provide the positioning reliability required by the defence sector to keep Australia secure.Read moreRead less
Cybersecurity ethics training simulations for values-based decision-making. This Project will investigate ways to train reflective ethical decision making in cybersecurity management through the design of interactive social simulations. The Project will advance understanding and management of human factors in cybersecurity breaches and the field of serious game design for cybersecurity training by using new techniques for building artificially intelligent virtual agents, drawing on interdiscipli ....Cybersecurity ethics training simulations for values-based decision-making. This Project will investigate ways to train reflective ethical decision making in cybersecurity management through the design of interactive social simulations. The Project will advance understanding and management of human factors in cybersecurity breaches and the field of serious game design for cybersecurity training by using new techniques for building artificially intelligent virtual agents, drawing on interdisciplinary expertise in ethics, artificial intelligence and serious game design. Expected outcomes of the Project include a new framework and technologies for cybersecurity training. This should provide significant benefits through deeper understanding of the ethical impact of new cybertechnologies and training solutions.Read moreRead less