Rationality and Resource Bounds in Logics for Intentional Attitudes. Formal philosophy is the discipline at the interface between traditional philosophy and modern mathematical logic. It has had a substantial impact in recent years and has benefited neighbouring disciplines, including computer science and artificial intelligence. It is a good example of how philosophical research can interact with more practical disciplines. This project will make substantial contributions to formal philosophy, ....Rationality and Resource Bounds in Logics for Intentional Attitudes. Formal philosophy is the discipline at the interface between traditional philosophy and modern mathematical logic. It has had a substantial impact in recent years and has benefited neighbouring disciplines, including computer science and artificial intelligence. It is a good example of how philosophical research can interact with more practical disciplines. This project will make substantial contributions to formal philosophy, which will in turn provide benefits in computer science and artificial intelligence, by providing a framework for logicians, computer scientists and researchers in artificial intelligence to discuss issues concerning knowledge, belief and rationality.Read moreRead less
ARC Complex Open Systems Research Network. Complexity is the common frontier in the physical, biological and social sciences. This Network will link specialists in all three sciences through five generic conceptual and mathematical theme activities. It will promote research into how subsystems self-organise into new emergent structures when assembled into an open, non-equilibrium system. Outcomes will include new technologies and software tools and deeper understanding of fundamental questions i ....ARC Complex Open Systems Research Network. Complexity is the common frontier in the physical, biological and social sciences. This Network will link specialists in all three sciences through five generic conceptual and mathematical theme activities. It will promote research into how subsystems self-organise into new emergent structures when assembled into an open, non-equilibrium system. Outcomes will include new technologies and software tools and deeper understanding of fundamental questions in science. An essential function of the network will be introducing researchers end users to new tools and broadening the horizons of graduate students.Read moreRead less
Decision-making in social insects and nature-inspired optimisation algorithms. Insect societies are ideal for the study of complex systems. Contrary to other complex systems, insect colonies can be modified without destroying the system. Computer scientists have found a source of inspiration in the behaviour of social insects for solving optimisation problems. Here we will study the influence of information flow on decision-making in real insect societies using:
1) Experiments aimed at investig ....Decision-making in social insects and nature-inspired optimisation algorithms. Insect societies are ideal for the study of complex systems. Contrary to other complex systems, insect colonies can be modified without destroying the system. Computer scientists have found a source of inspiration in the behaviour of social insects for solving optimisation problems. Here we will study the influence of information flow on decision-making in real insect societies using:
1) Experiments aimed at investigating how storage and transfer of information affects individual decision-making within a honey bee colony (University of Sydney)
2) Design of a new class of 'bee' algorithms that incorporate direct information transfer and are aimed at solving dynamic multicriterion optimisation problems (University of Leipzig).
Read moreRead less
New mathematics of fractional diffusion for understanding cognitive impairment at the neuronal level. As Australia's population ages, cognitive impairment due to cortical ageing and neurodegeneration is looming as the nation's greatest health problem. The project will deliver new, more realistic, mathematical models for a mechanistic understanding of cognitive impairment at the neuronal level. This understanding is a vital first step in targeting drugs, e.g., to influence neuronal spine proper ....New mathematics of fractional diffusion for understanding cognitive impairment at the neuronal level. As Australia's population ages, cognitive impairment due to cortical ageing and neurodegeneration is looming as the nation's greatest health problem. The project will deliver new, more realistic, mathematical models for a mechanistic understanding of cognitive impairment at the neuronal level. This understanding is a vital first step in targeting drugs, e.g., to influence neuronal spine properties, for preventative health care. The project will maintain international collaborations, between applied mathematicians at UNSW, Sydney and biomathematicians and neuroscientists at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, providing ongoing training opportunities for Australian scientists in this cutting edge biomathematical research.Read moreRead less
House hunting honey bees: speed-accuracy trade-offs in collective decision-making. This project will uncover the mechanisms that underlie the trade-off between speed and accuracy in collective decision-making. We will study two species of honey bee that differ in the relative importance of speed and accuracy when deciding on a new home. Natural selection has shaped the decision-making process differently in the two species, one favouring speed, the other accuracy. We will use the natural wisdom ....House hunting honey bees: speed-accuracy trade-offs in collective decision-making. This project will uncover the mechanisms that underlie the trade-off between speed and accuracy in collective decision-making. We will study two species of honey bee that differ in the relative importance of speed and accuracy when deciding on a new home. Natural selection has shaped the decision-making process differently in the two species, one favouring speed, the other accuracy. We will use the natural wisdom evolved by the bees to design new mathematical models of collective decision-making. These can be applied to create efficient decision-making tools that will be useful for any large organization.Read moreRead less
Spatial Cognition—Expressive Representation Formalisms and Effective Reasoning Mechanisms. The project will contribute significantly to the advancement of knowledge in breakthrough science in qualitative spatial reasoning and smart information use in geographic information systems. Expressive spatial languages are important in organising spatial knowledge, defining spatial query languages and guiding spatial data mining. Effective spatial reasoning mechanisms bring theory closer to applications ....Spatial Cognition—Expressive Representation Formalisms and Effective Reasoning Mechanisms. The project will contribute significantly to the advancement of knowledge in breakthrough science in qualitative spatial reasoning and smart information use in geographic information systems. Expressive spatial languages are important in organising spatial knowledge, defining spatial query languages and guiding spatial data mining. Effective spatial reasoning mechanisms bring theory closer to applications including consistency checking and spatial query pre-processing. The project will help in extracting knowledge from massive spatial databases, meeting the growing needs of naive users for spatial information and establishing Australia as a major player in spatial cognition research and in the development of geo-location services.Read moreRead less