New quantum and robust control theory with applications to quantum optics. The application of quantum mechanics to the creation of quantum technology promises to be one of the most exciting technological developments of this century. Possible applications of quantum technologies include vastly improved sensors to search for minerals or gravity waves, secure quantum cryptography, and quantum computing. Quantum feedback control is a key tool in quantum technology. This project will lay the fou ....New quantum and robust control theory with applications to quantum optics. The application of quantum mechanics to the creation of quantum technology promises to be one of the most exciting technological developments of this century. Possible applications of quantum technologies include vastly improved sensors to search for minerals or gravity waves, secure quantum cryptography, and quantum computing. Quantum feedback control is a key tool in quantum technology. This project will lay the foundations of systematic theories of robust, coherent and nonlinear quantum feedback control and lead to advances in the control of highly resonant systems which underlie experimental quantum and nano technology. This will enable Australia to reap great benefits as this new technological area emerges.Read moreRead less
Image-based teleoperation of semi-autonomous robotic vehicles. This project will contribute strongly to Australia's robotic service industry in the development of semi-autonomous robotic inspection vehicles by; developing core technology in image-based teleoperation, training experts in the area, promoting the study of this topic within the Australian academia, and developing test facilities and prototype vehicles. Robotic inspection vehicles have the potential to replace direct human presence i ....Image-based teleoperation of semi-autonomous robotic vehicles. This project will contribute strongly to Australia's robotic service industry in the development of semi-autonomous robotic inspection vehicles by; developing core technology in image-based teleoperation, training experts in the area, promoting the study of this topic within the Australian academia, and developing test facilities and prototype vehicles. Robotic inspection vehicles have the potential to replace direct human presence in difficult, dangerous or simply uncomfortable inspection tasks such as; inspection of industrial pressure vessels, piping and conduits in factories or mines, undersea cabling, inspection of bridges, dams and other large scale civil buildings, amongst many other possibilities.Read moreRead less
Development of robust adaptive and nonlinear control methodologies. Techniques will be developed that will allow industrial plants to operate with lower direct or environmental cost, and airborne vehicles to operate more efficiently or more safely.
Development of Control Methodologies for Drug Dosing in Biomedical Engineering. This research proposal is very relevant to the National Research Priorities in the areas of Frontier Technologies and Breakthrough science. At a broader level, we aim to assist in the development of a national competence in what has been an emerging and promising discipline. The research will develop fundamental and enabling laws and techniques for drug administration to regulate physiological variables such as blood ....Development of Control Methodologies for Drug Dosing in Biomedical Engineering. This research proposal is very relevant to the National Research Priorities in the areas of Frontier Technologies and Breakthrough science. At a broader level, we aim to assist in the development of a national competence in what has been an emerging and promising discipline. The research will develop fundamental and enabling laws and techniques for drug administration to regulate physiological variables such as blood pressure and degree of consciousness in critical care patients.Read moreRead less
Safe Adaptive Control. Adaptive controllers are intelligent controllers, which can redesign themselves as they learn more about the environment. There are many algorithms for adaptive controllers; some of them can cause unacceptable behaviour during the learning process. Safe adaptive controllers are those for which this behaviour is ruled out. This project is concerned with developing procedures for guaranteeing the safety property in a wide variety of situations.
Foundations of Vision Based Control of Robotic Vehicles. Automated and partially automated robotic vehicles are an emerging technology in society. The safety and performance of such systems depends crucially on their sensing and control algorithms. Vision sensing is one of the few sensor modalities that has the potential to adequately represent the complexity of a real world environment. By providing simple and effective vision based control algorithms this project develops Frontier Technologi ....Foundations of Vision Based Control of Robotic Vehicles. Automated and partially automated robotic vehicles are an emerging technology in society. The safety and performance of such systems depends crucially on their sensing and control algorithms. Vision sensing is one of the few sensor modalities that has the potential to adequately represent the complexity of a real world environment. By providing simple and effective vision based control algorithms this project develops Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries by enabling a wide range of robotic vehicle applications, including aerial, submersible, and wheeled vehicles.Read moreRead less
Power systems with diverse generation - implications, control and capability. This research will generate a systematic methodology to handle the impact of the renewable energy sources on the NSW power grid. It increases our understanding of the impact of climate change policies relating to mandatory targets for greenhouse gas reduction helping to build Australia’s research capacity in the national priority area of an environmentally sustainable Australia. The anticipated methodology can also be ....Power systems with diverse generation - implications, control and capability. This research will generate a systematic methodology to handle the impact of the renewable energy sources on the NSW power grid. It increases our understanding of the impact of climate change policies relating to mandatory targets for greenhouse gas reduction helping to build Australia’s research capacity in the national priority area of an environmentally sustainable Australia. The anticipated methodology can also be seen as protecting the security of power infrastructure as well. Maintaining a critical energy infrastructure protects our way of life and ensures ongoing social, economic and environmental well being of Australia.Read moreRead less
Numerical Algorithms for Solving Convex Optimization Problems Arising in Systems and Control Theory. The need to optimize occurs frequently in engineering applications. Typically one has a set of constraints specifying what solutions are allowable or meet design specifications and one would like to choose from these allowable solutions one which is optimal with respect to some meaningful metric. Such optimization problems tend to be rather complicated and must be solved numerically. This project ....Numerical Algorithms for Solving Convex Optimization Problems Arising in Systems and Control Theory. The need to optimize occurs frequently in engineering applications. Typically one has a set of constraints specifying what solutions are allowable or meet design specifications and one would like to choose from these allowable solutions one which is optimal with respect to some meaningful metric. Such optimization problems tend to be rather complicated and must be solved numerically. This project is concerned with creating improved numerical algorithms for solving particular important classes of optimization problems that arise in systems and control theory.Read moreRead less
Mathematical, logical and computational foundations of hybrid control systems, and their application to design and synthesis problems in control engineering. Hybrid control systems are mathematical models of heterogeneous systems consisting of digital computer components interacting in real-time with continuous physical processes. Their many engineering applications include air traffic control, medical technology and automated transport. Motivated by such safety-critical and high-confidence appl ....Mathematical, logical and computational foundations of hybrid control systems, and their application to design and synthesis problems in control engineering. Hybrid control systems are mathematical models of heterogeneous systems consisting of digital computer components interacting in real-time with continuous physical processes. Their many engineering applications include air traffic control, medical technology and automated transport. Motivated by such safety-critical and high-confidence applications, the project aims to develop a unified framework of mathematical logics adequate to formally represent and reason about the structure, behaviour, and properties of hybrid control systems, and use this to develop methodologies for automatically synthesising hybrid control programs that are provably correct with respect to their specifications. Other outcomes include prototype software implementations of hybrid controller design tools.Read moreRead less