Improving road safety: advanced hybrid vehicle-based technology for monitoring driver drowsiness. Innovative technology geared towards reducing road accidents and fatalities (for improving public health) will constitute major socio-economic benefit to Australia. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau notes fatigue as a major cause of road accidents (2006). The World Health Organisation dedicated World Health Day 2004 to road safety and emphasized the importance of combating fatigue ('Road Safety ....Improving road safety: advanced hybrid vehicle-based technology for monitoring driver drowsiness. Innovative technology geared towards reducing road accidents and fatalities (for improving public health) will constitute major socio-economic benefit to Australia. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau notes fatigue as a major cause of road accidents (2006). The World Health Organisation dedicated World Health Day 2004 to road safety and emphasized the importance of combating fatigue ('Road Safety is no Accident'). This research will develop an innovative driver drowsiness detecting technology. With drowsiness attributable to substantial road fatalities, this technology aims to reduce this emotional and socio-economic burden on the community, contributing to national and community benefit by providing a safer road environment.Read moreRead less
The development of novel and tunable metamaterials. Metamaterials are designed materials with properties that cannot be found in nature. This project uses a new disruptive design that allows broadband metamaterials to be made using mass production techniques. The design opens up a range of new applications in environmental and medical sensing, improved security screening and active devices.
Metaphotonics and metasurfaces for disruptive sensing technologies. This project aims to address a big challenge in nanophotonics by developing revolutionary methods for efficient chiral sensing of molecules without the need for spectrometry, frequency scanning, or moving mechanical parts, and to enhance chiroptical signals a hundredfold with the help of metasurface structures. Resonant metasurfaces are arrays of engineered dielectric nanoparticles with extraordinary characteristics, and they wo ....Metaphotonics and metasurfaces for disruptive sensing technologies. This project aims to address a big challenge in nanophotonics by developing revolutionary methods for efficient chiral sensing of molecules without the need for spectrometry, frequency scanning, or moving mechanical parts, and to enhance chiroptical signals a hundredfold with the help of metasurface structures. Resonant metasurfaces are arrays of engineered dielectric nanoparticles with extraordinary characteristics, and they would allow to overcome current limitations of chiral sensing analytical tools. Detecting chiral molecules in low concentrations is crucially important to many fields of biology, chemistry, and pharmacy, as well as to the food and cosmetics industries, constituting a market of tens of billions of dollars.Read moreRead less
Detecting, preventing and responding to image-based abuse. This project aims to investigate the efficacy of digital tools and interventions to detect, prevent and respond to image-based abuse (the non-consensual creation or distribution of intimate images). Through a digital ethnography, victim and stakeholder interviews, online surveys, and an AI chatbot, the project expects to generate evidence and theory on both image-based abuse and internet governance. The expected outcomes include: increas ....Detecting, preventing and responding to image-based abuse. This project aims to investigate the efficacy of digital tools and interventions to detect, prevent and respond to image-based abuse (the non-consensual creation or distribution of intimate images). Through a digital ethnography, victim and stakeholder interviews, online surveys, and an AI chatbot, the project expects to generate evidence and theory on both image-based abuse and internet governance. The expected outcomes include: increased understanding of the responsibility of digital platforms and the drivers of image-based abuse; improved platform and service responses; enhanced industry and scholarly collaborations; and harm reduction. Expected benefits include improved laws, polices and practices to tackle image-based abuse.Read moreRead less
Novel technologies for motion-compensated simultaneous Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging. The aim of this work is to develop motion tracking and motion correction techniques for an emerging hybrid imaging technology, MR-PET. The MR-PET scanner simultaneously acquires structural MR images and functional PET images. The work will provide clearer images without the effects of motion blur for both research and clinical applications.
3'UTR switching in eukaryotic cells. The project aims to uncover conserved features fundamental to the mechanism and function of post-transcriptional gene-expression control. RNA systems interface the executive functions of DNA and the worker functions of proteins. mRNA often dictates the level, timing and location of protein synthesis. This project will use RNA-sequencing and bespoke bioinformatics to probe global RNA-dynamics. Mixing yeast-genetics with RNA-technologies, it focuses on 3’ untra ....3'UTR switching in eukaryotic cells. The project aims to uncover conserved features fundamental to the mechanism and function of post-transcriptional gene-expression control. RNA systems interface the executive functions of DNA and the worker functions of proteins. mRNA often dictates the level, timing and location of protein synthesis. This project will use RNA-sequencing and bespoke bioinformatics to probe global RNA-dynamics. Mixing yeast-genetics with RNA-technologies, it focuses on 3’ untranslated region (UTR) dynamics in eukaryotic cell biology. This project expects to significantly advance the understanding of eukaryotic gene function and gene regulation, critical in an age of personalised genomic medicine.Read moreRead less
Precision low energy experiments to search for new physics. This project aims to give experimental answers to long existing theoretical questions about the origins and nature of dark matter. Dark matter is a fundamental component of the universe, yet the nature of its composition is still unknown. There is growing evidence that dark matter is comprised of low mass and weakly interacting particles. By developing ultra-precise measurement tools and new techniques, this project aims to perform a st ....Precision low energy experiments to search for new physics. This project aims to give experimental answers to long existing theoretical questions about the origins and nature of dark matter. Dark matter is a fundamental component of the universe, yet the nature of its composition is still unknown. There is growing evidence that dark matter is comprised of low mass and weakly interacting particles. By developing ultra-precise measurement tools and new techniques, this project aims to perform a stringent and comprehensive new laboratory search for ultra-light dark matter particles, over likely mass ranges not yet searched. The knowledge gained will provide economic benefits through commercialisation and stimulation of new research and development, and to defence through applications in radar, communications and sensing.Read moreRead less
Wave-ice models of Antarctic sea ice. This project aims to design and execute autonomous observations above (unmanned aerial vehicles), below (autonomous underwater vehicles) and within (wave-ice interaction buoys) sea ice on international Antarctic research voyages. The project intends to advance the parameterisation of wave-ice interaction, critical to the seasonal advance and retreat of Antarctic sea ice, in climate models that do not reproduce the observed trends in regional Antarctic sea ic ....Wave-ice models of Antarctic sea ice. This project aims to design and execute autonomous observations above (unmanned aerial vehicles), below (autonomous underwater vehicles) and within (wave-ice interaction buoys) sea ice on international Antarctic research voyages. The project intends to advance the parameterisation of wave-ice interaction, critical to the seasonal advance and retreat of Antarctic sea ice, in climate models that do not reproduce the observed trends in regional Antarctic sea ice extent. The project expects to improve prediction of sea ice’s responses and feedbacks to changes in ocean and atmospheric forcing around the Southern Ocean. This work should place Australia at the forefront of polar climate research. Greater accuracy in climate projections will help to optimise the balance between human populations, economic growth and environmental protection in an uncertain future.Read moreRead less
A novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique to characterise white matter microstructure in the brain. Integrity of the cellular architecture of brain white matter (WM) is vital to normal signal conduction and is disrupted in diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Due to their characteristic molecular arrangements, WM microstructures have distinct magnetic susceptibility characteristics that can be detected with high-field and ultra high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The objective ....A novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique to characterise white matter microstructure in the brain. Integrity of the cellular architecture of brain white matter (WM) is vital to normal signal conduction and is disrupted in diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Due to their characteristic molecular arrangements, WM microstructures have distinct magnetic susceptibility characteristics that can be detected with high-field and ultra high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The objective of this project is to develop and validate a novel method of mapping susceptibility effects at high (sub-voxel) resolution with MRI. The outcomes will be a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between changes in MRI signal and WM microarchitecture and improved susceptibility mapping that may lead to earlier diagnosis and more effective therapeutic monitoring.Read moreRead less
A high flux continuous atom laser. This project aims to create an unprecedented ultra-cold atom source - a high brightness continuous atom laser. Such a device, the atomic analogue of an optical laser, may find near term application in precision inertial sensing based on atom interferometry. The proposed apparatus will utilise new techniques in cutting edge laser cooling and continuous all-optical wave-guiding to dramatically boost the density, collision rate and flux in a guided system. It is e ....A high flux continuous atom laser. This project aims to create an unprecedented ultra-cold atom source - a high brightness continuous atom laser. Such a device, the atomic analogue of an optical laser, may find near term application in precision inertial sensing based on atom interferometry. The proposed apparatus will utilise new techniques in cutting edge laser cooling and continuous all-optical wave-guiding to dramatically boost the density, collision rate and flux in a guided system. It is expected that the project will allow the study of previously unexplored territory in ultra-cold atom atomic physics.Read moreRead less