Litigation and Liability as Regulation to Reduce Tobacco Related Harm. The new National Tobacco Strategy, signed in November 2004 by all Australian Governments, explains that successful tobacco control interventions bring major social and economic returns, including healthy and independent ageing, sustainable health care systems, a stronger economy, stronger communities, stronger families, improved indigenous health, and less harm from illicit drugs. The NTS acknowledges that regulation is a key ....Litigation and Liability as Regulation to Reduce Tobacco Related Harm. The new National Tobacco Strategy, signed in November 2004 by all Australian Governments, explains that successful tobacco control interventions bring major social and economic returns, including healthy and independent ageing, sustainable health care systems, a stronger economy, stronger communities, stronger families, improved indigenous health, and less harm from illicit drugs. The NTS acknowledges that regulation is a key tobacco control intervention. The research will explore and make recommendations about new regulatory approaches that have the capacity to substantially reduce the harm caused by tobacco, and to maximise the social and economic returns of tobacco control to the community. Read moreRead less
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
Supervised autonomy for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) using limited bandwidth communication channels. The project aims to improve the feedback link between an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and an operator by developing novel acoustic communication schemes that exploit developments in machine learning, network, and communication theory and represents a step towards truly autonomous and intelligent surveying using AUV systems.
Automated vision-based aircraft collision warning technologies. Australia is a sparsely populated country with a number of unique airspace features. This project will investigate novel vision-based collision warning systems that can improve safety for piloted aircraft and also help achieve integration of UASs (Uninhabited Aerial Systems) into national airspace. The benefits of UAS technologies are particularly relevant to Australia, as governments and industry struggle to cope with providing equ ....Automated vision-based aircraft collision warning technologies. Australia is a sparsely populated country with a number of unique airspace features. This project will investigate novel vision-based collision warning systems that can improve safety for piloted aircraft and also help achieve integration of UASs (Uninhabited Aerial Systems) into national airspace. The benefits of UAS technologies are particularly relevant to Australia, as governments and industry struggle to cope with providing equivalent levels of service to remote communities over vast distances (or border protection of vast regions). The population base of Australia requires that cost-effective solutions are sought to meet this end. Read moreRead less
Fork safely: improving safety of ordinary forklifts by automating task-specific operations. Forklift trucks are used for goods handling extensively in all sectors of industry. However, statistics show high figures of forklift accidents, with an average of 250 serious injuries per year in Victoria alone. This project will seek to address the operational safety of forklifts by automating the execution of typical forklift tasks.
Improving the operation of large-scale irrigation networks through automation. Channel networks for irrigation are critical infrastructure. Efficient operation is important in terms of sustainability and food security. This project aims to deliver automatic control techniques for improving system-wide performance. The research outcomes will secure Australia's place at the forefront of irrigation network automation technology.
Novel vibro-acoustic technologies for detecting bearing and wheel defects in rail vehicles. Research will be conducted to provide the basis for the development of a novel automatic system that detects bearing and wheel defects in under-way railway wagons, thus helping to prevent catastrophic derailments and minimise fuel consumption. It will also maintain Australian industry at the forefront of the global track-side monitoring industry.
Mass-production of beneficial insects for commercial pest management - physicochemical definition of oviposition sites for development of cost-efficient artificial substrates. The mass-production of beneficial insects for commercial purposes demands the development of cost-effective techniques for breeding and distributing them to growers. Many predatory beneficial insects lay their eggs in sites that prevent effective mass culturing. To circumvent this difficulty, it should be possible to defin ....Mass-production of beneficial insects for commercial pest management - physicochemical definition of oviposition sites for development of cost-efficient artificial substrates. The mass-production of beneficial insects for commercial purposes demands the development of cost-effective techniques for breeding and distributing them to growers. Many predatory beneficial insects lay their eggs in sites that prevent effective mass culturing. To circumvent this difficulty, it should be possible to define such oviposition sites in chemical and physical terms, and then use the information to develop artificial substrates that are convenient for mass rearing the insects and for disseminating them to growers. We will use the mealybug predator Cryptolaemus montrouszieri to test the feasibility of this approach and to assess its application to other beneficial species.Read moreRead less
Managing Australia's water resources: Automated demand scheduling and supply control systems for large scale irrigation networks. Irrigation water delivery losses in Australia are equal in volume to the total non-agricultural water consumption nationwide. In a drought-prone country where water is such a scarce resource, precise water management is critical. Through the intelligent development and application of technology to the supply and management of water flows in irrigation networks, this p ....Managing Australia's water resources: Automated demand scheduling and supply control systems for large scale irrigation networks. Irrigation water delivery losses in Australia are equal in volume to the total non-agricultural water consumption nationwide. In a drought-prone country where water is such a scarce resource, precise water management is critical. Through the intelligent development and application of technology to the supply and management of water flows in irrigation networks, this project will deliver increased flexibility and security in water delivery to farmers, and substantial water savings overall. These benefits will lead directly to increased productivity and growth in the rural sector and wider economy, whilst providing improved environmental and catchment flows of benefit to all Australians.Read moreRead less
Task-centric Synthesis for Wearable Assistive Robots. Wearable Assistive Robots, designed to be worn on the human body, show tremendous potentials to provide what the wearer lacks in performing physically challenging tasks, such as seen in manufacturing, agricultural and healthcare industries. However, fundamental challenges still prevent the realisation of such benefits in the practical settings outside the laboratory. This project addresses these challenges by establishing (1) a systematic des ....Task-centric Synthesis for Wearable Assistive Robots. Wearable Assistive Robots, designed to be worn on the human body, show tremendous potentials to provide what the wearer lacks in performing physically challenging tasks, such as seen in manufacturing, agricultural and healthcare industries. However, fundamental challenges still prevent the realisation of such benefits in the practical settings outside the laboratory. This project addresses these challenges by establishing (1) a systematic design approach for wearable robots to achieve the intended task while optimising other relevant considerations, such as human factors and the practical bulk of the robot; and (2) a novel control and interaction strategy to accommodate the variations in realistic living and working environments.Read moreRead less