Automated helicopter hover and recovery system for operations at sea. The small size and simplicity of the integrated system outlined in this project will significantly improve the effectiveness of maritime surveillance for homeland security whilst enabling substantially lower operational costs. The proposal aims to develop control and sensing techniques, enabling small rotary wing unmanned air-vehicles (UAVs) weighing less than 100 kgs to operate from small-size vessels. This will be achieved ....Automated helicopter hover and recovery system for operations at sea. The small size and simplicity of the integrated system outlined in this project will significantly improve the effectiveness of maritime surveillance for homeland security whilst enabling substantially lower operational costs. The proposal aims to develop control and sensing techniques, enabling small rotary wing unmanned air-vehicles (UAVs) weighing less than 100 kgs to operate from small-size vessels. This will be achieved by resolving the current lack of integration between ship motion and the unmanned vehicle guidance systems. The proposed research will make substantial contributions in areas of ship motion prediction and sensing and hover control of tethered and non-tethered small helicopters.
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Quantification and Modelling of Particle Flow Mechanisms in Conveyor Transfers. A critical area of solids handling and processing is the transfer of bulk material between conveyor belts. Design of conveyor transfers rely heavily on trial and error and/or experience and cannot cope with the complexities of varying particle properties and process requirements. Poor transfer designs can result in reduced QC and service life, significant maintenance/environmental costs and safety concerns. The main ....Quantification and Modelling of Particle Flow Mechanisms in Conveyor Transfers. A critical area of solids handling and processing is the transfer of bulk material between conveyor belts. Design of conveyor transfers rely heavily on trial and error and/or experience and cannot cope with the complexities of varying particle properties and process requirements. Poor transfer designs can result in reduced QC and service life, significant maintenance/environmental costs and safety concerns. The main aims of this project are experimental and theoretical investigations into the flow of particulates through conveyor transfers. This will result in: development of a novel conveyor transfer facility; quantification of transfer parameters and data; development of models to simulate and assist in the design of complete transfers.Read moreRead less
Optimisation of Mass Flow Bin Design Using 3D Parametric Modelling. The storage, feeding and transfer of bulk solids are of vital importance to the resource and process industries. The current techniques used for the design of storage vessels are reliable but time consuming and limit the degree of optimisation that can be achieved. This project will develop a design methodology for bulk solids storage vessels such that it can be integrated with the parametric design system developed by Gulf Con ....Optimisation of Mass Flow Bin Design Using 3D Parametric Modelling. The storage, feeding and transfer of bulk solids are of vital importance to the resource and process industries. The current techniques used for the design of storage vessels are reliable but time consuming and limit the degree of optimisation that can be achieved. This project will develop a design methodology for bulk solids storage vessels such that it can be integrated with the parametric design system developed by Gulf Conveyor Holdings to provide a reliable, accelerated design process that provides a high degree of optimisation. This will lead to greater use of the technique in industry and a consequent increase in reliability and cost effectiveness.Read moreRead less
The effect of cochlear implants on cognitive decline in ageing Australians. This project aims to investigate the impact of cochlear implants on cognitive function in elderly people with deafness. Deafness has been found to be independently associated with a 30–40 per cent accelerated rate of cognitive decline in elderly adults. There is currently no effective treatment for cognitive decline. The intended outcomes of this observational study will help us to understand the biological process of co ....The effect of cochlear implants on cognitive decline in ageing Australians. This project aims to investigate the impact of cochlear implants on cognitive function in elderly people with deafness. Deafness has been found to be independently associated with a 30–40 per cent accelerated rate of cognitive decline in elderly adults. There is currently no effective treatment for cognitive decline. The intended outcomes of this observational study will help us to understand the biological process of cognitive decline, whether hearing loss is causal, and whether the process can be altered. These findings should be applicable to all individuals with hearing loss. If cochlear implants delay cognitive decline, this would significantly affect policy, quality of life for the elderly, and the cost to society.Read moreRead less
Creating perceptual experts in Australia's policing and security agencies. This project aims to create the next generation of experts in Australia’s policing and national security agencies, by improving crime scene evidence interpretation. Agencies are under pressure to develop more rigorous training practices that go beyond mere intuition and tradition. This project will use a novel approach that directs learning toward the most diagnostic perceptual cues. Expected outcomes include a solid empi ....Creating perceptual experts in Australia's policing and security agencies. This project aims to create the next generation of experts in Australia’s policing and national security agencies, by improving crime scene evidence interpretation. Agencies are under pressure to develop more rigorous training practices that go beyond mere intuition and tradition. This project will use a novel approach that directs learning toward the most diagnostic perceptual cues. Expected outcomes include a solid empirical basis for national training programs designed to create experts that are accurate, reliable, and continuously improving. Improving the training of experts will ensure the integrity of forensics as evidentiary tools available to police, lead to more reliable courtroom convictions and help safeguard Australia from terrorism and crime.Read moreRead less
Reducing fire deaths - a new approach to smoke alarms. Disturbingly, those most at risk of dying in residential fires are also least likely to awaken to the current smoke alarm signal, now mandatory in Australian residences. This project will develop a new alarm (using Gibsonian, naturalistic sounds and/or a voice signal) and compare its waking efficacy with the current smoke alarm. Testing will involve three vulnerable groups; sleep deprived young adults, children and alcohol intoxicated. The r ....Reducing fire deaths - a new approach to smoke alarms. Disturbingly, those most at risk of dying in residential fires are also least likely to awaken to the current smoke alarm signal, now mandatory in Australian residences. This project will develop a new alarm (using Gibsonian, naturalistic sounds and/or a voice signal) and compare its waking efficacy with the current smoke alarm. Testing will involve three vulnerable groups; sleep deprived young adults, children and alcohol intoxicated. The research is innovative with important implications for community public safety, the national and international smoke alarm industry, performance based models of building safety and our theoretical understanding of cognitive processing during sleep.Read moreRead less
To map and enhance Australian musical improvisation as a creative industry. The project maps transforming improviser networks in Australian music since 1970, to inform how cultural innovation develops and disseminates. Application of new statistical techniques (temporal network analysis) will combine with in-depth focus groups to show how improvisation excellence depends on a mix of artistic craft, networked collaboration and institutional support. This knowledge will assist music venues and ind ....To map and enhance Australian musical improvisation as a creative industry. The project maps transforming improviser networks in Australian music since 1970, to inform how cultural innovation develops and disseminates. Application of new statistical techniques (temporal network analysis) will combine with in-depth focus groups to show how improvisation excellence depends on a mix of artistic craft, networked collaboration and institutional support. This knowledge will assist music venues and industry in nurturing improvisation as a cultural force and commercial opportunity for export and tourism attraction post Covid-19. The novel method, integrating computational network analysis with qualitative research, will also inform and build capacity for future understandings of cultural fields and industries.Read moreRead less
Utilization of fly ash in manufacturing polypropylene composites: a fundamental study. A large amount of coal fly ash is generated from thermal power stations and only a small amount has found applications, causing a significant economic and environmental problem in Australia and worldwide. This project aims to develop techniques to use fly ash in the manufacture of polymer composite and, in particular, explore the underlying fundamentals by means of various advanced characterization and simulat ....Utilization of fly ash in manufacturing polypropylene composites: a fundamental study. A large amount of coal fly ash is generated from thermal power stations and only a small amount has found applications, causing a significant economic and environmental problem in Australia and worldwide. This project aims to develop techniques to use fly ash in the manufacture of polymer composite and, in particular, explore the underlying fundamentals by means of various advanced characterization and simulation techniques. The expected outcomes may lead to an environmentally sustainable and large quantity use of fly ash and bring about new business opportunities. This, together with the proposed research training, represents a useful contribution to the development of a more competitive Australia.Read moreRead less
Cognitive Cue Analysis: Seeing the Unseen in Human Performance. The aim of this project is to examine a radically new approach to the assessment of pilots. We have created a new theoretical model that links the way in which cues are accessed to the application of various skills including decision-making. In validating this model, our objective is to develop a tool that will assist the evaluation of particular skills in a wide range of environments, including aviation. This significance of this p ....Cognitive Cue Analysis: Seeing the Unseen in Human Performance. The aim of this project is to examine a radically new approach to the assessment of pilots. We have created a new theoretical model that links the way in which cues are accessed to the application of various skills including decision-making. In validating this model, our objective is to develop a tool that will assist the evaluation of particular skills in a wide range of environments, including aviation. This significance of this project lies in the development of an innovative model of the relationship between between cues and the application of skills. We expect that the outcomes of this project will lead to much more efficient and accurate assessments of performance, and the opportunity to target particular skills. This will lead to savings for training organisations and increased safety in transportation industries.Read moreRead less
Protecting the Australian passport by developing face recognition training programs that effectively integrate human operators and machine systems. The security of the Australian passport is vital to the fight against crime and terrorism. This project will help detect identity fraud in passport applications by developing training programs drawing on the psychology of face processing to optimally combine human decision making with machine face recognition systems to maximise fraud detection.