A comprehensive framework for interactive home telehealth research. We propose the development of a comprehensive research framework for the next generation of home telecare technology. The framework will support the unattended recording of patient physiological data and allow for patient management and information review by health professionals. It will include knowledge management tools to support clinical decision making. Research will also be conducted into the development of mobile communit ....A comprehensive framework for interactive home telehealth research. We propose the development of a comprehensive research framework for the next generation of home telecare technology. The framework will support the unattended recording of patient physiological data and allow for patient management and information review by health professionals. It will include knowledge management tools to support clinical decision making. Research will also be conducted into the development of mobile community networks and ambulatory monitoring technologies based around Bluetooth piconets.
The long-term outcomes of this research will be improved patient health outcomes in the chronically ill and a decreased overall health care expenditure by reducing hospital admissions.Read moreRead less
Cardiac electrographic modelling and analysis. The outcomes of this project will improve the accuracy with which abnormal conduction pathways in the heart are found and will also use chaotic modelling tools to better predict the need and outcomes of patients with life threatening arrhythmias.
Acoustic trapping for life science applications. Force fields can be established to move suspended cells into predefined locations using high frequency vibration; randomly dispersed cells can be brought together into clusters. This project aims to develop such technologies and will have applications in drug discovery and cell to cell interaction studies and has the future potential to promote the health of Australians.
The Material Science of Biomimetic Soft Network Composites. Nature combines stiff and strong collagen fibres intertwined within a weak polymer matrix of proteoglycans into soft tissues with outstanding mechanical durability and biological properties. We converge a biomimetic design strategy inspired in the architecture of natural soft tissues and a novel additive manufacturing technology termed melt electrowriting (MEW) to manufacture advanced biomimetic soft network composites (BSNC). The SNCs ....The Material Science of Biomimetic Soft Network Composites. Nature combines stiff and strong collagen fibres intertwined within a weak polymer matrix of proteoglycans into soft tissues with outstanding mechanical durability and biological properties. We converge a biomimetic design strategy inspired in the architecture of natural soft tissues and a novel additive manufacturing technology termed melt electrowriting (MEW) to manufacture advanced biomimetic soft network composites (BSNC). The SNCs are composed of a weak polymer matrix and a MEW reinforcing fibrous phase printed at the nanometre scale, containing patterns mimicking the natural tissue architectures. Advanced computational tools are applied for the rational design of the SNC while reducing costs and times associated to experimental work.Read moreRead less
Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging at 7 Tesla: Resolving the fundamental radiofrequency field-tissue interaction problem at ultra-high field. Ultra-high-field Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems offer the potential for faster, more accurate diagnostic imaging. However, current applications are limited by the fundamental challenge of strong interactions between the electromagnetic field and human tissues, which result in poor image quality and/or compromised patient safety. Using a novel, s ....Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging at 7 Tesla: Resolving the fundamental radiofrequency field-tissue interaction problem at ultra-high field. Ultra-high-field Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems offer the potential for faster, more accurate diagnostic imaging. However, current applications are limited by the fundamental challenge of strong interactions between the electromagnetic field and human tissues, which result in poor image quality and/or compromised patient safety. Using a novel, subject-specific imaging approach, this research will design and develop an ultra-high-field radiofrequency technology capable of offering high-performance imaging without jeopardising patient safety. This research will lay the groundwork for the translation of ultra-high field MRI research into clinical practice, generating new capabilities for diagnostic technologies.Read moreRead less
Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Inhomogeneous Magnetic Fields-Part A: The Development of Imaging Methods Using Even Order Zonal Fields. Part B: Slice Correction Due to Non-linear Gradient Fields. The primary aims of this project are to contribute to the new generation of MRI methodologies through technical innovation, with particular emphasis on NMR imaging under inhomogeneous magnetic fields. The new techniques will be of enormous benefit for superconducting magnet design, reducing material usage ....Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Inhomogeneous Magnetic Fields-Part A: The Development of Imaging Methods Using Even Order Zonal Fields. Part B: Slice Correction Due to Non-linear Gradient Fields. The primary aims of this project are to contribute to the new generation of MRI methodologies through technical innovation, with particular emphasis on NMR imaging under inhomogeneous magnetic fields. The new techniques will be of enormous benefit for superconducting magnet design, reducing material usage, and eliminating the need for the expensive post-production shimming process. The entailed project is extremely challenging, while preliminary calculations presented in this application show some progress towards demonstration of feasibility. The program is an ambitious one with a full R&D program over 3 years, which will provide leadership, and to both foster and focus research interest in Australian engineering and scientific endeavors in the field of Magnetic Resonance technology.Read moreRead less
High Field Magnetic Resonance Engineering. The use of high resolution MRI is increasingly important in the quest for molecular imaging and the development of a range of gene therapies, stem cell research and the trialling of new drugs. This research will add momentum to Australia's health technology research community with positive impact on its international research and development profile. Successful outcomes will improve both the applicability and cost-effectiveness of numerous current and ....High Field Magnetic Resonance Engineering. The use of high resolution MRI is increasingly important in the quest for molecular imaging and the development of a range of gene therapies, stem cell research and the trialling of new drugs. This research will add momentum to Australia's health technology research community with positive impact on its international research and development profile. Successful outcomes will improve both the applicability and cost-effectiveness of numerous current and potential medical and non-medical imaging systems with subsequent potential for improved diagnosis in the biotech and health sectors in Australia and overseas. Successful outcomes will provide economic returns through licensing payments from the generated intellectual property.Read moreRead less
Advanced MRI Engineering. Magnetic Resonance Imaging is rapidly becoming the medical imaging modality of choice for soft tissue injuries. The technology development of MRI, however, is relatively young with only 20 years or so of commercial development. The major aim of this project is to contribute to this and the next generation of MRI scanners through technical innovation. New engineering design methods will be developed and used to generate novel superconducting magnet systems and associated ....Advanced MRI Engineering. Magnetic Resonance Imaging is rapidly becoming the medical imaging modality of choice for soft tissue injuries. The technology development of MRI, however, is relatively young with only 20 years or so of commercial development. The major aim of this project is to contribute to this and the next generation of MRI scanners through technical innovation. New engineering design methods will be developed and used to generate novel superconducting magnet systems and associated equipment. A strong focus of the design work will be to include electromagnetic models of the patient in the equipment design. This will not only ensure improved accuracy and speed of MRI scans, but also better patient safety, comfort and clinician access.Read moreRead less
Solutions for reducing magnetic resonance image degradations and tissue heating at high frequencies. This project will contribute to the development of the high-end Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems that can substantially improve the image quality, speed of imaging and patient safety in MRI. The project will develop innovative high radio frequency hardware and control methods for imaging. Successful outcomes of this project will, facilitate higher patient throughput in hospitals, provisi ....Solutions for reducing magnetic resonance image degradations and tissue heating at high frequencies. This project will contribute to the development of the high-end Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems that can substantially improve the image quality, speed of imaging and patient safety in MRI. The project will develop innovative high radio frequency hardware and control methods for imaging. Successful outcomes of this project will, facilitate higher patient throughput in hospitals, provision of more powerful clinical imaging tools to aid early diagnosis and various research modalities ranging from molecular to real-time imaging during interventional procedures.Read moreRead less
Real-time cardiac magnetic resonance imaging: a compressed-sensing framework incorporating sensor design and multidimensional signal reconstruction. Conventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology is fundamentally constrained by slow scan speeds. Taking a new approach to cardiac imaging - which integrates MRI hardware design with a novel dynamic imaging method based on compressed sensing - this project enables faster and more accurate dynamic imaging for the diagnosis of heart disease.