Human models for accelerated robot learning and human-robot interaction. This project aims to develop novel approaches to teach robots to proficiently interact with humans in a safe and low-cost manner. To achieve this aim, this project will develop novel models from which various human behaviours can be generated and used to train human-robot interaction policies in simulation. Expected outcomes of this project include new computational models of human behaviour built using cognitive science th ....Human models for accelerated robot learning and human-robot interaction. This project aims to develop novel approaches to teach robots to proficiently interact with humans in a safe and low-cost manner. To achieve this aim, this project will develop novel models from which various human behaviours can be generated and used to train human-robot interaction policies in simulation. Expected outcomes of this project include new computational models of human behaviour built using cognitive science theories and limited data and new training schemes for robot learning in simulation. By training robots in simulation with accurate human models, this research will enable fast and safe robot training to support the deployment and adoption of robots in human contexts such as healthcare facilities, homes, and workplaces.Read moreRead less
The whisker sensory system: processing information about object features. This is a new direction for research on the whisker sensory system and will put Australia at the forefront in this competitive area. Of particular significance, it will promote cross-fertilisation among three distinct disciplines - neuroscience, animal behaviour and computational neuroscience, with implications for robotics research as well. Should the robotics potential come to fruition, Australia will be in a prime posi ....The whisker sensory system: processing information about object features. This is a new direction for research on the whisker sensory system and will put Australia at the forefront in this competitive area. Of particular significance, it will promote cross-fertilisation among three distinct disciplines - neuroscience, animal behaviour and computational neuroscience, with implications for robotics research as well. Should the robotics potential come to fruition, Australia will be in a prime position to make early inroads into an important technology-based commercial enterprise. The interdisciplinary approach has important ramifications for training Australian PhD students and postdoctoral fellows and for attracting overseas research fellows. Read moreRead less
Multi-sensory Fusion and Understanding in Robotic Assistive Technology Environments. The research will yield improved international standing through scientific advances disseminated through high impact refereed publications and open source software. The synergy between Language Technology and Robotics will attract post-graduate students in these areas, and potentially commercialisation interest. The demonstration prototype will provide proof of concept of an application that improves the capabil ....Multi-sensory Fusion and Understanding in Robotic Assistive Technology Environments. The research will yield improved international standing through scientific advances disseminated through high impact refereed publications and open source software. The synergy between Language Technology and Robotics will attract post-graduate students in these areas, and potentially commercialisation interest. The demonstration prototype will provide proof of concept of an application that improves the capabilities of human-centric environments, especially for people with limited mobility or cognitive function. The deployment of this research will extend the independence of such people beyond the time when they may otherwise need to be institutionalized, which will benefit both them and the remainder of society.Read moreRead less
A computational theory of strategic deception. This artificial project aims to develop a theory of strategic deception and test it through an Artificial Intelligence model. The project will combine computational Theory-of-Mind concepts with recent scientific findings to allow us to better understand whether and how intelligent technologies of the future might deceive humans. The findings will provide new insights into how Artificial Intelligence technologies of the future will impact applied are ....A computational theory of strategic deception. This artificial project aims to develop a theory of strategic deception and test it through an Artificial Intelligence model. The project will combine computational Theory-of-Mind concepts with recent scientific findings to allow us to better understand whether and how intelligent technologies of the future might deceive humans. The findings will provide new insights into how Artificial Intelligence technologies of the future will impact applied areas of computing, where simulating advanced forms of social behaviour and cognition, including deception, will become increasingly significant.Read moreRead less
Active Visual Navigation in an Unexplored Environment. This project will develop a new method for robotic navigation in which goals can be specified at a much higher level of abstraction than has previously been possible. This will be achieved using deep learning to make informed predictions about a scene layout, and navigating as an active observer in which the predictions informs actions. The outcome will be robotic agents capable of effective and efficient navigation and operation in previous ....Active Visual Navigation in an Unexplored Environment. This project will develop a new method for robotic navigation in which goals can be specified at a much higher level of abstraction than has previously been possible. This will be achieved using deep learning to make informed predictions about a scene layout, and navigating as an active observer in which the predictions informs actions. The outcome will be robotic agents capable of effective and efficient navigation and operation in previously unseen environments, and the ability to control such agents with more human-like instructions. Such capabilities are desirable, and in some cases essential, for autonomous robots in a variety of important application areas including automated warehousing and high-level control of autonomous vehicles. Read moreRead less
Nodal Power Saving for Disconnected Ad Hoc Sensor Networks. Bushfire, age care and farming is Australia's today and tomorrow.
A key aspect in bushfire control is early detection of ignitions by spreading miniature low power sensors in a large potential area in an ad hoc fashion and localizing. Response to panic alarm buttons by retirees in a retirement village where they are free to walk around while their location is monitored in real time using a wireless tag they carry to transmit data re ....Nodal Power Saving for Disconnected Ad Hoc Sensor Networks. Bushfire, age care and farming is Australia's today and tomorrow.
A key aspect in bushfire control is early detection of ignitions by spreading miniature low power sensors in a large potential area in an ad hoc fashion and localizing. Response to panic alarm buttons by retirees in a retirement village where they are free to walk around while their location is monitored in real time using a wireless tag they carry to transmit data relating to their physical health(i.e blood pressure, ECG etc). Locating live stocks roaming around in the dairy industry using sensory transmission used for monitoring their statues is vitals for the farmer for improving efficiency.
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Advanced Sonar Sensing for Robotics. Robotics research is heavily dependent on fast, accurate, reliable and cheap sensors. Sonar sensing can fulfil these requirements in air and underwater environments. This project will advance this sensor technology by providing sonar with high-speed accurate measurement and classification capabilities that function on moving platforms. The sonar will adapt and monitor differing environmental conditions allowing the sensor data to be integrated better with ....Advanced Sonar Sensing for Robotics. Robotics research is heavily dependent on fast, accurate, reliable and cheap sensors. Sonar sensing can fulfil these requirements in air and underwater environments. This project will advance this sensor technology by providing sonar with high-speed accurate measurement and classification capabilities that function on moving platforms. The sonar will adapt and monitor differing environmental conditions allowing the sensor data to be integrated better with other sensors, such as laser and stereo vision. Interference rejection will be incorporated that will allow the sensor to operate in conjunction with other sonar. Applications of the technology will be robotic mapping, localisation, navigation and exploration.Read moreRead less
Manoeuvrable burrowing robots for underground search. It is very difficult to locate items that have been buried underground or to find out their condition without digging them up. There are a number of situations involving leaking underground chemical storage tanks, and pipelines together with improperly disposed of chemical containers where chemical leaks can pose dangers to the environment and human health. This project aims to develop a robotic system that can burrow through the ground and h ....Manoeuvrable burrowing robots for underground search. It is very difficult to locate items that have been buried underground or to find out their condition without digging them up. There are a number of situations involving leaking underground chemical storage tanks, and pipelines together with improperly disposed of chemical containers where chemical leaks can pose dangers to the environment and human health. This project aims to develop a robotic system that can burrow through the ground and home in on sources of leaking chemicals. Such a system could pinpoint the sources of leaks without requiring extensive excavations.Read moreRead less
Visual Tracking: Geometric Fitting and Filtering. One of the most elementary things that people and sighted animals do is to follow moving objects with their eyes. Movement is a cue to the importance and relevance of objects in a scene. Visually tracking objects allows the determination of important characteristics - distance to the object, shape of the object, likely behaviour of the object etc. Though systems have been built that can perform visual tracking: accuracy and reliability must be i ....Visual Tracking: Geometric Fitting and Filtering. One of the most elementary things that people and sighted animals do is to follow moving objects with their eyes. Movement is a cue to the importance and relevance of objects in a scene. Visually tracking objects allows the determination of important characteristics - distance to the object, shape of the object, likely behaviour of the object etc. Though systems have been built that can perform visual tracking: accuracy and reliability must be improved though a better understanding of the underlying processes. Applications include visual inspection (industrial automation), surveillance (civil and military), robot vision for scene understanding and navigation, multimedia production (automatic human motion capture for example), and human computer interfaces.
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Gain modulation and stability in biological neural systems. This project is relevant to the National Research Priority area of Frontier Technologies and addresses fundamental cross-disciplinary issues of control and information processing in large, distributed neural systems that are at the cutting edge of intelligent processing systems. Applications are in rapidly growing fields of robotics, machine learning, adaptive control and intelligent systems, all with applications in diverse areas of ec ....Gain modulation and stability in biological neural systems. This project is relevant to the National Research Priority area of Frontier Technologies and addresses fundamental cross-disciplinary issues of control and information processing in large, distributed neural systems that are at the cutting edge of intelligent processing systems. Applications are in rapidly growing fields of robotics, machine learning, adaptive control and intelligent systems, all with applications in diverse areas of economic importance. Applications to cochlear implant speech processing will provide benefit for the hearing impaired. The project will provide students with training at an international level within Australia, thus helping ensure Australia maintains and extends its science and technology base into the futureRead moreRead less