Searching for Maximal Satisfaction. A wide range of practical problems such as scheduling, timetabling, planning and economic forecasting are not only computationally intractable in general, but often involve conflicting constraints that make them unsolvable. These problems can be represented as MaxSAT, the optimisation version of the satisfiability problem (SAT). This project aims to develop novel and efficient algorithms to address the problem of maximal satisfaction. It is proposed that these ....Searching for Maximal Satisfaction. A wide range of practical problems such as scheduling, timetabling, planning and economic forecasting are not only computationally intractable in general, but often involve conflicting constraints that make them unsolvable. These problems can be represented as MaxSAT, the optimisation version of the satisfiability problem (SAT). This project aims to develop novel and efficient algorithms to address the problem of maximal satisfaction. It is proposed that these algorithms will be implemented within prototype MaxSAT solver systems, which will be experimentally evaluated on large-sized real world optimisation problems of high economic and societal significance. These solvers are expected to also compete in the industrial track of the international SAT solving competitions.Read moreRead less
Privacy Preserving Data Mining as Autonomous Data Analysis Expands into Safeguarding from Threats like Crime and Terrorism. In a world characterized by digitally coded data, Data Mining allows automatic exploration of huge numbers of personal records for target marketing, as well as demographic, medical and criminal research. Investigations into terrorist attacks use this technology, but a balance with privacy protection is necessary. Even if names and unique identifiers are removed, computer me ....Privacy Preserving Data Mining as Autonomous Data Analysis Expands into Safeguarding from Threats like Crime and Terrorism. In a world characterized by digitally coded data, Data Mining allows automatic exploration of huge numbers of personal records for target marketing, as well as demographic, medical and criminal research. Investigations into terrorist attacks use this technology, but a balance with privacy protection is necessary. Even if names and unique identifiers are removed, computer methods can be used to infer confidential information about individuals. This project develops new techniques to ensure privacy and alleviate public concerns such as secondary use of personal data. We shall develop new methods for replacing original data with data that exhibits approximately the same patterns, but conceals sensitive data.Read moreRead less
Automatic Ontology Learning and Data Reasoning in Web Mining. This research has an impact on both research and practical applications. In research, it provides opportunities for research students to carry out research using both data mining and data reasoning to solving Web based application problems. In practical, it can help IT industry to design the new generation of Web mining systems in order to provide invaluable service to users. This research also develops new techniques for data automa ....Automatic Ontology Learning and Data Reasoning in Web Mining. This research has an impact on both research and practical applications. In research, it provides opportunities for research students to carry out research using both data mining and data reasoning to solving Web based application problems. In practical, it can help IT industry to design the new generation of Web mining systems in order to provide invaluable service to users. This research also develops new techniques for data automatic processing within areas of smart information use in Australia. In particular it further develops data mining techniques by introducing data reasoning models for using discovered knowledge. It must be useful to improve the efficiency of the existing data mining systems. Read moreRead less
Dynamics of Causal Knowledge. We operate in complex dynamic environments including highly sensitive and safety-critical situations such as medical emergencies, disaster management and air-traffic control systems. Our knowledge of what causes what plays a pivotal role in making correct decisions in such situations. To ensure robustness and sound behaviour of the underlying causal knowledge systems, their designs and implementations must be formally well grounded. This is an important but difficul ....Dynamics of Causal Knowledge. We operate in complex dynamic environments including highly sensitive and safety-critical situations such as medical emergencies, disaster management and air-traffic control systems. Our knowledge of what causes what plays a pivotal role in making correct decisions in such situations. To ensure robustness and sound behaviour of the underlying causal knowledge systems, their designs and implementations must be formally well grounded. This is an important but difficult challenge. This project aims to systematically develop a logic-based framework to adequately capture and reason about evolving causal knowledge. This research is expected to form the basis for smart decision making, and be evaluated on practical applications.Read moreRead less
Searching for near-exact protein models. This project aims to develop novel and efficient heuristic-based algorithms leading to near accurate protein tertiary structure models. Knowledge about protein structures is fundamental to our understanding of living systems. The progress on experimental determination of these structures has been extremely limited and remains an open challenge in molecular biology. Computational prediction of protein structures from sequences is emerging as a promising ap ....Searching for near-exact protein models. This project aims to develop novel and efficient heuristic-based algorithms leading to near accurate protein tertiary structure models. Knowledge about protein structures is fundamental to our understanding of living systems. The progress on experimental determination of these structures has been extremely limited and remains an open challenge in molecular biology. Computational prediction of protein structures from sequences is emerging as a promising approach, but its accuracy is far from satisfactory. The software systems developed in this project will be used in structural identification of target proteins in drug design. This will make drug design process more efficient, saving time and cost, potentially saving lives.Read moreRead less
Techniques to use stereo vision for improving person identification systems based on face recognition. The broad aim of this project is to use three-dimensional information available by processing images from stereo cameras in order to bridge the gap between constrained face recognition systems and viable systems that work well under varying illumination, changes in pose and variations in spectacles, facial hair and attire. Such a system will be useful in passenger verification at airports and a ....Techniques to use stereo vision for improving person identification systems based on face recognition. The broad aim of this project is to use three-dimensional information available by processing images from stereo cameras in order to bridge the gap between constrained face recognition systems and viable systems that work well under varying illumination, changes in pose and variations in spectacles, facial hair and attire. Such a system will be useful in passenger verification at airports and as a component of personal identification systems to counter terrorism. The key to successful face location and recognition is an effective combination of all data - range, luminance and colour - and techniques for this will be the discovered outcomes.Read moreRead less
Efficient multi-context systems for heterogeneous information reasoning and sharing. This project aims to investigate formal models and efficient methods for processing information from heterogeneous sources such as the World Wide Web. When the project is successfully completed, new theories, technologies and systems for reasoning about heterogeneous knowledge bases will be developed.
Towards automated and intelligent processing of web-based information. The successful outcome of this project will enhance Australia's research reputation in an important, practical area of ICT, will contribute to emerging Web standards, will produce frontier technology that will eventually be of benefit to Australian industry, and will train several postgraduate students.
Partially Observable MDPs, Monte Carlo Methods, and Sustainable Fisheries. Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes (POMDPs) provide a general mathematical framework for sequential decision making under uncertainty. However, solving POMDPs effectively under realistic assumptions remains a challenging problem. This project aims to develop new efficient Monte Carlo algorithms to significantly advance the application of POMDPs to real-world decision problems involving complex action spaces an ....Partially Observable MDPs, Monte Carlo Methods, and Sustainable Fisheries. Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes (POMDPs) provide a general mathematical framework for sequential decision making under uncertainty. However, solving POMDPs effectively under realistic assumptions remains a challenging problem. This project aims to develop new efficient Monte Carlo algorithms to significantly advance the application of POMDPs to real-world decision problems involving complex action spaces and system dynamics. Both theoretical and algorithmic approaches will be applied to sustainable fishery management --- an important problem for Australia and an ideal context for POMDPs. The project will advance research in artificial intelligence, dynamical systems, and fishery operations, and benefit the national economy.Read moreRead less
Rule-based reasoning systems for complex and dynamic ontologies. The successful outcome of this project will enhance Australia's research reputation in an important, practical area of ICT, will contribute to emerging Web technologies that will eventually be of benefit to Australian industry, and will train several postgraduate students.