Robust Control Design using Micro-Actuators. Recent advances in micro-actuators have enabled many new applications in complex systems. Examples include ultra-high density disk drives, low-cost vibration tables, and micro-robotic systems. However, control design for these systems is very challenging because the micro-actuators have severely limited dynamic ranges and strong couplings. The proposed project aims to study new control design approaches for these complex systems. The work will focus o ....Robust Control Design using Micro-Actuators. Recent advances in micro-actuators have enabled many new applications in complex systems. Examples include ultra-high density disk drives, low-cost vibration tables, and micro-robotic systems. However, control design for these systems is very challenging because the micro-actuators have severely limited dynamic ranges and strong couplings. The proposed project aims to study new control design approaches for these complex systems. The work will focus on both theoretical studies and experimental applications of such systems. The outcome of the project will help put Australia in a more advanced position in this niche area of leading age technology.Read moreRead less
Reliable Truly Deep Sub-micron VLSI Computational Systems. The phenomenal growth of the digital integrated circuits is founded on the fundamental assumption of reliable operation of logic gates on silicon chip. In the Deep Sub-Micron domain this fundamental assumption can no longer be guaranteed. This project, in association with with Dongshin University, Korea with strong links to the semiconductor industry, will develop design techniques for the reliable computational hardware, in the presence ....Reliable Truly Deep Sub-micron VLSI Computational Systems. The phenomenal growth of the digital integrated circuits is founded on the fundamental assumption of reliable operation of logic gates on silicon chip. In the Deep Sub-Micron domain this fundamental assumption can no longer be guaranteed. This project, in association with with Dongshin University, Korea with strong links to the semiconductor industry, will develop design techniques for the reliable computational hardware, in the presence of unreliable circuit fabric. This significant research, with potential for generation of IP, will raise the profile of Australian research in integrated circuits design in the global community and will result in significant publicity for the research team and, through them, for Australian industry.Read moreRead less
MEMS Based Chip-to-Chip Optical Interconnect for Future Generation of Systems In a Package. The project will bring Australian technical known-how into the forefront of the information and communication technology revolution. The technology developed in this project will enable computers to operate at very high speeds. More information can be communicated than ever before. This has significant impact on Australian society where speed of information is increasingly important. The technical knowl ....MEMS Based Chip-to-Chip Optical Interconnect for Future Generation of Systems In a Package. The project will bring Australian technical known-how into the forefront of the information and communication technology revolution. The technology developed in this project will enable computers to operate at very high speeds. More information can be communicated than ever before. This has significant impact on Australian society where speed of information is increasingly important. The technical knowledge of how to make computers operate faster has great commercial value and would be very much sought after. Hence, its impact on the national economy. Read moreRead less
Theoretical and Numerical Analyses on Smart-Cut Technology. Smart-cut is an innovative and effective technique for fabricating high quality silicon-on-insulator structures which are widely used in the semiconductor and microelectronics industries. The quantification of the effects of processing parameters and the optimization of smart-cut process will be conducted in this project. The results are expected to make significant contributions to reducing cost, increasing efficiency and optimizing pr ....Theoretical and Numerical Analyses on Smart-Cut Technology. Smart-cut is an innovative and effective technique for fabricating high quality silicon-on-insulator structures which are widely used in the semiconductor and microelectronics industries. The quantification of the effects of processing parameters and the optimization of smart-cut process will be conducted in this project. The results are expected to make significant contributions to reducing cost, increasing efficiency and optimizing procedure by providing a theoretical and quantitative design methodology to improve the smart-cut technique. Consequently, the outcomes and results of the project will bring many benefits to and encourage further R&D in the semiconductor and microelectronics industries in Australia.Read moreRead less
Design Methodology for Low- and Ultra-Low Power Integrated Circuits. This project will develop low-power and ultra low-power technology that is applicable to wide range of products and electronic devices. The results will benefit many areas, for example, wireless sensors employed in environmental monitoring, bio and life monitoring, bio-sensors to improve patient care, reduce medical costs, implantable devices and bio-interfaces that will enhance the quality of life and public health. This proje ....Design Methodology for Low- and Ultra-Low Power Integrated Circuits. This project will develop low-power and ultra low-power technology that is applicable to wide range of products and electronic devices. The results will benefit many areas, for example, wireless sensors employed in environmental monitoring, bio and life monitoring, bio-sensors to improve patient care, reduce medical costs, implantable devices and bio-interfaces that will enhance the quality of life and public health. This project will benefit Australia by developing frontier technologies with a strong potential for global impact. Bringing these solutions to the public and realizing their financial benefits will add a valuable component of economic diversity to the country in addition to positioning Australia as a leader in this field.Read moreRead less
Advanced microwave and millimetre-wave microelectromechanical technologies for wireless communications. The project deals with the development and integration of radio frequency microelectromechanical devices that can reduce space and cost concomitant with enhanced performance. The outcomes of this proposal are devices with increased functionality required for multi-gigabit data rate transmission and millimetre wave wireless technologies.
Hardware Acceleration for Neural Systems. To really understand how brains work, we need to simulate neural networks of a size similar to that of the human brain (100 billion neurons, 100 trillion connections). Simulating such a network on standard computers in not possible because of its sheer size. Several groups are currently building very expensive and proprietary hardware to solve this, but the output from these projects will not be accessible to other researchers. In order to make real prog ....Hardware Acceleration for Neural Systems. To really understand how brains work, we need to simulate neural networks of a size similar to that of the human brain (100 billion neurons, 100 trillion connections). Simulating such a network on standard computers in not possible because of its sheer size. Several groups are currently building very expensive and proprietary hardware to solve this, but the output from these projects will not be accessible to other researchers. In order to make real progress in neuroscience, many more researchers need to be enabled to participate. To do this, the project will build a system from commercial hardware (FPGAs) that will cost only a few ten thousand dollars and it will make this design and software available for free. Read moreRead less
Probe based nano-fabrication of micro-electronic and mechanical systems. Integrated circuits (ICs) are the ubiquitous core of today's computers, medical devices and mobile phones. Unfortunately, advanced ICs are becoming more costly and difficult to fabricate. This project proposes a new method that uses a tiny, intense spot of light to create low-cost ICs that are small, fast and will enable a vast range of new technologies.
Electronic Auditory Pathway. We will develop electronic building blocks to investigate biological signal processing. In particular, we will investigate the auditory pathway and develop the most accurate electronic model of the biological cochlea and auditory nerve. These will be followed by electronic circuits that model the processing of sensory signals in the brain. Processing signals with neural spikes offers distinct advantages over current analogue and digital signal processing techniques i ....Electronic Auditory Pathway. We will develop electronic building blocks to investigate biological signal processing. In particular, we will investigate the auditory pathway and develop the most accurate electronic model of the biological cochlea and auditory nerve. These will be followed by electronic circuits that model the processing of sensory signals in the brain. Processing signals with neural spikes offers distinct advantages over current analogue and digital signal processing techniques in terms of noise, energy consumption and extraction of temporal information. We will implement the first spike-based models of pitch and timbre perception, and a neural model of speech recognition in noisy environments.Read moreRead less
Microfabrication of integrated silicon optical cross-switches interfaced with silica optical waveguides. Project aims to fabricate novel silicon based optical switches in the form of cantilevered mirrors integrated to interface with silica optical waveguides integrated collimation lens. Significantly, it paves the way for low cost integration of optical switches with array waveguides for an all-optical dynamically reconfigurable dense wavelength division multiplexing network used in modern broad ....Microfabrication of integrated silicon optical cross-switches interfaced with silica optical waveguides. Project aims to fabricate novel silicon based optical switches in the form of cantilevered mirrors integrated to interface with silica optical waveguides integrated collimation lens. Significantly, it paves the way for low cost integration of optical switches with array waveguides for an all-optical dynamically reconfigurable dense wavelength division multiplexing network used in modern broadband telecommunication systems. International market demand for such devises is enormous. Expected outcomes include the development of arrays of low loss 2x2 integrated optical waveguide cross-switches prototypes, securing the intellectual property rights and disseminating the work internationally.Read moreRead less