Co-design and dynamic mission optimisation of hypersonic flight vehicles. This project aims to deliver fundamental knowledge by integrating the modelling and control with the design of next generation hypersonic platforms. In an era where Australia's national security reliance on geographic isolation and support from allied forces are being challenged, the research outcomes of this project will play an important role in understanding the capabilities of hypersonic systems. The project will also ....Co-design and dynamic mission optimisation of hypersonic flight vehicles. This project aims to deliver fundamental knowledge by integrating the modelling and control with the design of next generation hypersonic platforms. In an era where Australia's national security reliance on geographic isolation and support from allied forces are being challenged, the research outcomes of this project will play an important role in understanding the capabilities of hypersonic systems. The project will also have significant spillover benefits into other complex system domains, where computational tools can be used to aid in design leading to high embedded-IP products for Australian industry. Furthermore, the proposal encompasses a strong research training aspect, with graduates exposed to leading edge industry and academia.Read moreRead less
Enabling the Internet of Things (IoT): structured networked control systems. Networked control systems are an emerging technology that combines control, communication and computation to deliver solutions for a range of manufacturing, safety-critical infrastructure, such as transport, defence and other Industrial Interent of Things (IIoT) applications. The current analysis and design approaches often take a ``monolithic" view of the system, which render them inadequate for addressing many importa ....Enabling the Internet of Things (IoT): structured networked control systems. Networked control systems are an emerging technology that combines control, communication and computation to deliver solutions for a range of manufacturing, safety-critical infrastructure, such as transport, defence and other Industrial Interent of Things (IIoT) applications. The current analysis and design approaches often take a ``monolithic" view of the system, which render them inadequate for addressing many important IIoT applications. This proposal will exploit specific features and structure of the plant, the communication network and the distributed computation to provide an analysis and design methodology which will deliver significant advances in control and optimised performance of IIoT with benefits to the economy and society.Read moreRead less
Micro-electromechanical technology for harnessing terahertz waves. This project proposes novel low-cost miniature devices for spectral, spatial and temporal manipulation of terahertz waves realised using a unified platform based on a single material and fabrication technology sufficiently generic to span the entire very broad terahertz band. It inherently overcomes the most hindering issue of current terahertz instruments relating to the limited span of the spectrum each tool can cover and the h ....Micro-electromechanical technology for harnessing terahertz waves. This project proposes novel low-cost miniature devices for spectral, spatial and temporal manipulation of terahertz waves realised using a unified platform based on a single material and fabrication technology sufficiently generic to span the entire very broad terahertz band. It inherently overcomes the most hindering issue of current terahertz instruments relating to the limited span of the spectrum each tool can cover and the high costs associated with increasing this span; removing the need for making spectral band compromises in the design of future tools. The intended outcome is a platform for terahertz spectroscopic imaging, target recognition, detection of chemical composition of objects, and future high-bandwidth communications.Read moreRead less
Cooperative control of networked systems with constraints. This project aims to address the challenge of networked systems in deploying teams of robotic agents. Control of the networked system is extremely difficult due to real world constraints imposed on each agent. This project will focus on motion constraints, equipment/capability constraints, and spatial constraints. In addition to theoretical advances, the wider scientific community will benefit directly, because the control algorithms dev ....Cooperative control of networked systems with constraints. This project aims to address the challenge of networked systems in deploying teams of robotic agents. Control of the networked system is extremely difficult due to real world constraints imposed on each agent. This project will focus on motion constraints, equipment/capability constraints, and spatial constraints. In addition to theoretical advances, the wider scientific community will benefit directly, because the control algorithms developed are expected to allow straightforward deployment of robotic teams. There are myriad applications for cooperative robotic agents, ranging from surveillance, to environmental monitoring using underwater and aerial drone formations – with an array of benefits and impacts including economic, commercial and societal. The results are intended to ensure and cement Australia’s front-line position in the current technological revolution known as “Industry 4.0”.Read moreRead less
Seeing the light: high-power visible-light generation using silicate fibre. Unlike their near-infrared counterparts, visible-light-emitting lasers are inefficient and complicated, impacting their broader deployment in industry, medicine, and telecommunications. To address this, we will create a new class of laser and amplifier based on an entirely new doped silicate glass fibre that will display low background loss and resilience to photodegradation from high-power visible light. This will solve ....Seeing the light: high-power visible-light generation using silicate fibre. Unlike their near-infrared counterparts, visible-light-emitting lasers are inefficient and complicated, impacting their broader deployment in industry, medicine, and telecommunications. To address this, we will create a new class of laser and amplifier based on an entirely new doped silicate glass fibre that will display low background loss and resilience to photodegradation from high-power visible light. This will solve one of the last important problems in fibre laser research. The primary outcome will be a series of high-power continuous-wave, ultrashort-pulse, all-fibre lasers emitting at yellow and red wavelengths, with significant benefits for space, defence, manufacturing, and human health.Read moreRead less
When stabilization and optimization meet: a codesign approach. The next generation of engineered systems need to perform complex tasks with precision, and be robust, resilient and adaptive to their environment enabled by the confluence of control, optimization, learning and computation Understanding the interplay between robust stability and optimization is key to this endeavor. Many techniques, such as model predictive control and reinforcement learning, rely on an intricate interplay between ....When stabilization and optimization meet: a codesign approach. The next generation of engineered systems need to perform complex tasks with precision, and be robust, resilient and adaptive to their environment enabled by the confluence of control, optimization, learning and computation Understanding the interplay between robust stability and optimization is key to this endeavor. Many techniques, such as model predictive control and reinforcement learning, rely on an intricate interplay between an optimization-based control algorithm and an optimization routine used to calculate the control law. This project aims to develop a general design framework for stability, suboptimality and robustness of such algorithms, that can be used in range of novel applications, such as driverless cars and drones. Read moreRead less
Cyber-Physical Security Analyses and Enhancing the Resilience of Smart Grid. The electrical power industry in Australia is undergoing a massive revolution to an intelligent, low-carbon and sustainable smart grid environment. However, due to the heavy reliance on cyber infrastructure and the intermittence of renewables, smart grid will inevitably introduce new security issues, for example, cyber security. This project is to investigate emerging security issues together in a comprehensive framewor ....Cyber-Physical Security Analyses and Enhancing the Resilience of Smart Grid. The electrical power industry in Australia is undergoing a massive revolution to an intelligent, low-carbon and sustainable smart grid environment. However, due to the heavy reliance on cyber infrastructure and the intermittence of renewables, smart grid will inevitably introduce new security issues, for example, cyber security. This project is to investigate emerging security issues together in a comprehensive framework where quantitative models and analysis methods will be explored for smart grid cascading failure analyses. Then innovative three-stage reinforcement strategies (three lines of defence) will be developed to enhance the resilience of smart grid against natural disasters and intentional attacks, and potential large blackouts. Read moreRead less
The Global Fireball Observatory: Illuminating Solar System Origins. Virtually everything we know about the origin and evolution of our solar system comes from analysis of meteorites. But reading the record they contain has proven to be difficult: we have almost no constraint on where they come from. With ARC LIEF support, Australian planetary scientists are leading a consortium of 14 international teams to build a Global Fireball Observatory. The facility, with a unique global footprint, will be ....The Global Fireball Observatory: Illuminating Solar System Origins. Virtually everything we know about the origin and evolution of our solar system comes from analysis of meteorites. But reading the record they contain has proven to be difficult: we have almost no constraint on where they come from. With ARC LIEF support, Australian planetary scientists are leading a consortium of 14 international teams to build a Global Fireball Observatory. The facility, with a unique global footprint, will be complete by end-2019. It will track 100s of meteorite falls, and for each one, pinpoint its origin in the solar system. A NASA partnership will provide administrative support. Curtin University will fund its operation. The proposal here is for a researcher and student who can drive the science program.Read moreRead less
Wind Tunnel Testing of a Hypersonic Plasma Engine. This project intends to evaluate an electric engine that is capable of speeds in excess of 10000 km/hr, for access to space and responsive surveillance in our region. The expertise of Lockheed Martin, Lockheed Martin Australia, the University of Qld and DST Group are to be combined to complete experimental and theoretical evaluations of an air-breathing plasma engine that is capable of out-performing rockets and scramjets. US Air Force Research ....Wind Tunnel Testing of a Hypersonic Plasma Engine. This project intends to evaluate an electric engine that is capable of speeds in excess of 10000 km/hr, for access to space and responsive surveillance in our region. The expertise of Lockheed Martin, Lockheed Martin Australia, the University of Qld and DST Group are to be combined to complete experimental and theoretical evaluations of an air-breathing plasma engine that is capable of out-performing rockets and scramjets. US Air Force Research Laboratory results will also be compared and shared. This project provides opportunities for young Australian researchers to be participate and lead an exciting new field of propulsion. It is anticipated that the program will be the foundations to future flight demonstrations from Woomera, Australia.Read moreRead less
Performing cold microwave measurements with warm diamonds. Detecting weak microwave signals at room temperature is an exceptionally difficult task, due to the excessive thermal microwave noise that exists all around us. At present, the best microwave receivers must be cooled to cryogenic temperatures, restricting their widespread use. This project aims to apply diamond-based quantum technologies to achieve unprecedented microwave signal detection sensitivities with a room-temperature setup, prov ....Performing cold microwave measurements with warm diamonds. Detecting weak microwave signals at room temperature is an exceptionally difficult task, due to the excessive thermal microwave noise that exists all around us. At present, the best microwave receivers must be cooled to cryogenic temperatures, restricting their widespread use. This project aims to apply diamond-based quantum technologies to achieve unprecedented microwave signal detection sensitivities with a room-temperature setup, providing more accessible ultra-low noise detectors. The ability to measure weak microwave signals is crucial for a range of sectors and the results of this project are expected to have applications in defence (radar), space exploration (satellite communication), and fundamental research (spectroscopy).Read moreRead less