New Developments for Bayesian statistical models and computational methods. Bayesian methods of statistical analysis provide a flexible theory for addressing inference in the presence of uncertainty. Consequently Bayesian methods have enabled scientific discovery in areas characterised as complex systems where new developments in modelling and computational methods have been crucial. Significant barriers to further success involve challenges in formulating and validating models, dealing with l ....New Developments for Bayesian statistical models and computational methods. Bayesian methods of statistical analysis provide a flexible theory for addressing inference in the presence of uncertainty. Consequently Bayesian methods have enabled scientific discovery in areas characterised as complex systems where new developments in modelling and computational methods have been crucial. Significant barriers to further success involve challenges in formulating and validating models, dealing with large data sets, and developing efficient computational methods. The principal aim of this project is to develop new Bayesian modelling and computational methodology which address these challenges with broad application.Read moreRead less
A toolkit of statistical methodology for a state-of-the-art software and decision support system for forest assessment using new airborne data. The aim is to develop statistical methods for efficient collection and interpretation of airborne laser data and videography, used to describe characteristics of the forest such as tree species, stand history and vertical distribution of foliage, and hence biodiversity and biomass. This is significant for meeting Australia's international and national en ....A toolkit of statistical methodology for a state-of-the-art software and decision support system for forest assessment using new airborne data. The aim is to develop statistical methods for efficient collection and interpretation of airborne laser data and videography, used to describe characteristics of the forest such as tree species, stand history and vertical distribution of foliage, and hence biodiversity and biomass. This is significant for meeting Australia's international and national environmental obligations, providing quality information to farmers and industry, and hence developing potential jobs in regional areas. Outcomes include a toolkit of statistical methods applicable to spatial modelling and analysis of very large datasets, a statistically valid software product, marketable estimation methods in carbon accounting, technology transfer, training, publications.Read moreRead less
Novel Applied Bayesian Statistics for Monitoring Neuromuscular Diseases. Neurological diseases such as motor neurone disease are caused by the progressive death of motor units serving a muscle. Currently there are no ways of quantifying and detecting change in the number of motor units serving a muscle which are non-invasive. Our research will provide an objective method for the progression of neuromuscular diseases to be monitored with minimal inconvenience to patients. This will allow clinic ....Novel Applied Bayesian Statistics for Monitoring Neuromuscular Diseases. Neurological diseases such as motor neurone disease are caused by the progressive death of motor units serving a muscle. Currently there are no ways of quantifying and detecting change in the number of motor units serving a muscle which are non-invasive. Our research will provide an objective method for the progression of neuromuscular diseases to be monitored with minimal inconvenience to patients. This will allow clinical trials for possible effective treatments of neurological diseases such as motor neurone disease to be conducted with an objective measurement of disease progression. Read moreRead less
Fault tolerant multisensor feedback control. This project will advance knowledge by deepening the theoretical understanding of the interplay between multisensory data and feedback control mechanisms. It will also expand the tool sets of control engineering with innovative multisensory control designs. We see major benefits for Australia arising from this project both by enhancing its scientific reputation and by promoting technological advances in its industries and services. The project has pot ....Fault tolerant multisensor feedback control. This project will advance knowledge by deepening the theoretical understanding of the interplay between multisensory data and feedback control mechanisms. It will also expand the tool sets of control engineering with innovative multisensory control designs. We see major benefits for Australia arising from this project both by enhancing its scientific reputation and by promoting technological advances in its industries and services. The project has potential to contribute to the National Research Priority area: Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries, since it has direct impact on the relevant areas of biotechnology, information, communication technology, nanotechnology and sensor technology.Read moreRead less
Optimisation of Signal-to-Noise Ratio in Electrical and Electromagnetic Investigations. Electrical and electromagnetic geophysical methods have been used extensively for mineral exploration, and are developing a role in salinity mapping and contaminant identification. To enhance the utility of such methods for very shallow targets (in the case of salinity) and deep targets (minerals beneath regolith)improved signal processing methods are required. The project involves the development of time-ser ....Optimisation of Signal-to-Noise Ratio in Electrical and Electromagnetic Investigations. Electrical and electromagnetic geophysical methods have been used extensively for mineral exploration, and are developing a role in salinity mapping and contaminant identification. To enhance the utility of such methods for very shallow targets (in the case of salinity) and deep targets (minerals beneath regolith)improved signal processing methods are required. The project involves the development of time-series processing techniques using robust-statistical methods and remote-referencing to improve signal-to-noise data quality. Instrumentation hardware and software developments are required for in-field data acquisition and interpretation, applied to direct current (DC) resistivity, induced polarisation (IP) and time-domain EM (TEM).Read moreRead less
ARC Centre for Complex Dynamic Systems & Control. Complex dynamic systems are an inescapable feature of the world we live in. Modelling, analysing and optimizing complex behaviour is crucial for environment, process industry, biomedical, energy distribution, transportation and other applications. The Centre for Complex Dynamic Systems and Control will become an international authority in the analysis, design and optimization of complex dynamic systems, pursuing both outstanding fundamental and c ....ARC Centre for Complex Dynamic Systems & Control. Complex dynamic systems are an inescapable feature of the world we live in. Modelling, analysing and optimizing complex behaviour is crucial for environment, process industry, biomedical, energy distribution, transportation and other applications. The Centre for Complex Dynamic Systems and Control will become an international authority in the analysis, design and optimization of complex dynamic systems, pursuing both outstanding fundamental and cutting edge applied research outcomes. These outcomes will be of specific benefit to partner organizations including minerals, process, metal forming, and automotive industries.Read moreRead less
Multivariate Methods for the Analysis of Microarray Gene-Expression Data with Applications to Cancer Diagnostics. The project will benefit the Australian Society as a whole by developing statistical methodology for the analysis of high-throughput data. In particular, it will develop a novel and easily implemented model for the analysis of correlated and structured data that may be of high dimension. It thus has wide applicability to improving the quality and validity of applied research in most ....Multivariate Methods for the Analysis of Microarray Gene-Expression Data with Applications to Cancer Diagnostics. The project will benefit the Australian Society as a whole by developing statistical methodology for the analysis of high-throughput data. In particular, it will develop a novel and easily implemented model for the analysis of correlated and structured data that may be of high dimension. It thus has wide applicability to improving the quality and validity of applied research in most industries in Australia. More specifically, it is to be applied here to the diagnosis and prognosis of ovarian cancer. This cross-disciplinary project will strengthen Australian researchers' capacity and capability of participating in cutting-edge DNA microarray research.
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Control and safety monitoring systems for large scale irrigation networks. The water losses in irrigation channels in Australia are large, but they can be substantially reduced by employing advanced control and monitoring systems, leading to significant environmental benefits. Due to the large size of the irrigation networks, design of control and monitoring systems represents technical challenges for which there are currently no good methodologies. In this project we will develop design methodo ....Control and safety monitoring systems for large scale irrigation networks. The water losses in irrigation channels in Australia are large, but they can be substantially reduced by employing advanced control and monitoring systems, leading to significant environmental benefits. Due to the large size of the irrigation networks, design of control and monitoring systems represents technical challenges for which there are currently no good methodologies. In this project we will develop design methodologies, and in particular we will focus on issues relating to the communication constraints arising since data are transmitted over a radio network and the trade off between robustness and performance in centralised and decentralised designs.Read moreRead less
Improving the accuracy of phylogenetic reconstruction by improving models of sequence divergence. Phylogenies describe the relationships among species and provide the essential framework for understanding evolutionary processes. They are an essential tool in the identification of functionally important regions in DNA sequences. An important aspect of identifying phylogenies is measuring how DNA sequences change in time. The proposed research will develop sophisticated, practical models of sequen ....Improving the accuracy of phylogenetic reconstruction by improving models of sequence divergence. Phylogenies describe the relationships among species and provide the essential framework for understanding evolutionary processes. They are an essential tool in the identification of functionally important regions in DNA sequences. An important aspect of identifying phylogenies is measuring how DNA sequences change in time. The proposed research will develop sophisticated, practical models of sequence divergence and make them freely available in open source software. The software and models will positively impact on studies seeking to understand Australian biological diversity. The proposed resolution of the eutherian mammal orders will further significantly impact on utilisation of rodents as a model organism for human biology.Read moreRead less
Duality, singular perturbations and numerical analysis in infinite dimensional linear programming problems related to problems of control of nonlinear dynamical systems. Problems of control of nonlinear dynamical systems attract continued interest of eminent researchers motivated by important applications and by the fact that analytical and/or numerical analysis of a general nonlinear control problem presents a challenging task. The outcomes of the project will be both fundamental theoretical re ....Duality, singular perturbations and numerical analysis in infinite dimensional linear programming problems related to problems of control of nonlinear dynamical systems. Problems of control of nonlinear dynamical systems attract continued interest of eminent researchers motivated by important applications and by the fact that analytical and/or numerical analysis of a general nonlinear control problem presents a challenging task. The outcomes of the project will be both fundamental theoretical results and readily applicable (linear programming based) algorithms that will equip researchers and engineers with new tools for analysis and numerical solution of nonlinear control problems (including problems that have been intractable so far). The project will further enhance Australia's international reputation in Control Theory and its Applications.
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