Lightweight security solutions for wearable healthcare sensor devices. The aim of this project is to develop new methods to secure the data and context associated with body-wearable health monitoring devices. The novelty of the scheme is in making the methods work on resource-poor devices, by combining new security capabilities derived from the operating environment with conventional cryptographic techniques. This project aims to increase the trust that medical practitioners and insurance provid ....Lightweight security solutions for wearable healthcare sensor devices. The aim of this project is to develop new methods to secure the data and context associated with body-wearable health monitoring devices. The novelty of the scheme is in making the methods work on resource-poor devices, by combining new security capabilities derived from the operating environment with conventional cryptographic techniques. This project aims to increase the trust that medical practitioners and insurance providers can place on health data from wearable devices, and showcase Australian innovation in developing world-class security solutions. The outcome of this project is expected to be the development and demonstration of ultra-lightweight algorithms and mechanisms that execute in wearable devices to safeguard the integrity of the data.Read moreRead less
Conformal Bionics - addressing the challenges in bringing miniaturised implants to the site of therapeutic delivery. Smaller, more sophisticated, lifetime-implantable bionic devices capable of being placed at the site of therapeutic delivery will facilitate new or improved opportunities for treatment of disease. Three critical areas of research aim to be explored in pursuit of this goal will be addressed within this study: introduction of new fabrication materials that enable devices to conform ....Conformal Bionics - addressing the challenges in bringing miniaturised implants to the site of therapeutic delivery. Smaller, more sophisticated, lifetime-implantable bionic devices capable of being placed at the site of therapeutic delivery will facilitate new or improved opportunities for treatment of disease. Three critical areas of research aim to be explored in pursuit of this goal will be addressed within this study: introduction of new fabrication materials that enable devices to conform to the anatomy of the targeted site of therapeutic delivery; improved means of addressing the data and energy transfer needs of devices implanted in confined spaces; and innovation of novel sensors for testing and monitoring of atmospheric conditions within the implant to anticipate and safely manage issues relating to a breach of hermetic encapsulation barriers.Read moreRead less
Circuit-based monitoring and characterisation of high performance semiconductor processes. As a frontier technology, this project extends Australia's leadership in wireless communications. Potentially this project provides the key enabling method for integrated circuits to take full advantage of future generations of semiconductor technology. National Research Priorities safeguarding Australia and promoting and maintaining good health will also be impacted through more capable circuits for def ....Circuit-based monitoring and characterisation of high performance semiconductor processes. As a frontier technology, this project extends Australia's leadership in wireless communications. Potentially this project provides the key enabling method for integrated circuits to take full advantage of future generations of semiconductor technology. National Research Priorities safeguarding Australia and promoting and maintaining good health will also be impacted through more capable circuits for defence electronics and anti-terrorism, medical remote sensing and networking. The innovations here will make Sapphicon, Australia's only commercial integrated circuit manufacturer, more competitive and indirectly benefit National ICT Australia (NICTA), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), the National Broadband Network and a host of other high-performance electronics concerns.Read moreRead less
Producing optimally short pulses at long wavelengths. This project aims to make the fluoride glass fibre platform the preferred material for generating ultrashort pulses at 2.8 nm and beyond. High power and efficiency from simple device architectures are essential for industry, medicine and defence. Modern sources of short pulses of light emitting mid-infrared wavelengths are complicated and inefficient. This project will improve fibre sources emitting short pulses and create the essential build ....Producing optimally short pulses at long wavelengths. This project aims to make the fluoride glass fibre platform the preferred material for generating ultrashort pulses at 2.8 nm and beyond. High power and efficiency from simple device architectures are essential for industry, medicine and defence. Modern sources of short pulses of light emitting mid-infrared wavelengths are complicated and inefficient. This project will improve fibre sources emitting short pulses and create the essential building blocks for future all-fibre arrangements that will be more robust. The sources are expected to have applications in non-linear optics and materials modification.Read moreRead less
Through a glass brightly: opening up the mid-infrared using dysprosium ions. By exploiting the dysprosium ion in a unique and practical way, the project will create high power mid-infrared light with unprecedented optical efficiency. The project will make use of the unusually wide fluorescence spectrum of the dysprosium ion to produce stable and bandwidth-limited ultra-fast light pulses in the mid-infrared. The proposed light sources will have application in mid-infrared nonlinear optics and wil ....Through a glass brightly: opening up the mid-infrared using dysprosium ions. By exploiting the dysprosium ion in a unique and practical way, the project will create high power mid-infrared light with unprecedented optical efficiency. The project will make use of the unusually wide fluorescence spectrum of the dysprosium ion to produce stable and bandwidth-limited ultra-fast light pulses in the mid-infrared. The proposed light sources will have application in mid-infrared nonlinear optics and will benefit medicine, defence, fundamental physics and manufacturing providing excellent opportunities for Australian research, industry and collaboration.Read moreRead less
Advanced Hybrid Fibres for Functional Biomedical Imaging. This project expects to develop new techniques and devices for biomedical imaging. Biomedical imaging is widely used for medical diagnosis and treatment, with different types of imaging providing different information. This project aims to develop techniques that will allow imaging using safer nonionising terahertz radiation, with better resolution than ever before. It plans to combine this with optical, visible and infrared imaging to gi ....Advanced Hybrid Fibres for Functional Biomedical Imaging. This project expects to develop new techniques and devices for biomedical imaging. Biomedical imaging is widely used for medical diagnosis and treatment, with different types of imaging providing different information. This project aims to develop techniques that will allow imaging using safer nonionising terahertz radiation, with better resolution than ever before. It plans to combine this with optical, visible and infrared imaging to give very broad spectral information. It also aims to develop probes for direct interfacing to tissue to collect and deliver electrical signals, light and fluids, and to image neural activity. The intended outcome of the project is to allow single cancer cells within tissue to be identified to allow early stage cancer detection, and to develop implantable devices for neuroscience research and pain management.Read moreRead less
Rapid detection of rare-event cells by strong UP-conversion
encoded nano-radiators (SUPER Dots): finding a needle in a haystack. Current diagnostic tests are not sensitive enough to detect cancer in its very early stages or early recurrence following treatment. The new technologies developed by this project will be able to find single cancer cells in blood and urine samples heralding a new era in medical diagnostics.
In vivo molecular imaging using engineered affinity reagents and fluorescent laser scanning confocal endomicroscopy. The goal of this project is to develop laser scanning confocal endomicroscopy as a tool for basic scientific discovery and rapid detection of disease biomarkers. The cutting-edge instrument and associated technologies will provide scientists with unprecedented access to dynamic biological processes as they occur in real-time. In addition, it will enable the development of virtual ....In vivo molecular imaging using engineered affinity reagents and fluorescent laser scanning confocal endomicroscopy. The goal of this project is to develop laser scanning confocal endomicroscopy as a tool for basic scientific discovery and rapid detection of disease biomarkers. The cutting-edge instrument and associated technologies will provide scientists with unprecedented access to dynamic biological processes as they occur in real-time. In addition, it will enable the development of virtual biopsies and instant diagnosis without the need for costly and time-consuming histopathological reports. Thus, it will not only drive transformative research but also transform health care delivery. It will also be a major boost to the Australian biotechnology industry with potential for enormous economic benefits.Read moreRead less
Beyond Spectral Detection: Engineering SUPER Dot Probes for High-Throughput Discovery. Molecules that are altered as a result of a pathological condition are generally present in very low abundance, and pose a “needle-in-a-haystack” problem. Current detection, quantification and localisation technologies use fluorescent probes that are limited by sensitivity and analysis time. This project will develop a new generation of nanophotonic luminescent probes (Strong Upconversion Photo-stable Encoded ....Beyond Spectral Detection: Engineering SUPER Dot Probes for High-Throughput Discovery. Molecules that are altered as a result of a pathological condition are generally present in very low abundance, and pose a “needle-in-a-haystack” problem. Current detection, quantification and localisation technologies use fluorescent probes that are limited by sensitivity and analysis time. This project will develop a new generation of nanophotonic luminescent probes (Strong Upconversion Photo-stable Encoded nano-Radiators (SUPER) Dots), based on purpose-engineered up-conversion nanocrystals that are ultra-bright and have low background interference, high specificity, speed, and large-scale multiplexing capacity. These probes will allow microscopy and flow cytometry to measure hitherto undetectable rare-event molecules and cells, opening new frontiers for the discovery of new biomarkers.Read moreRead less
Laser emission at the limit of glass transparency using nanocrystal doping . We will create a new composite glass providing strong fluorescence which fully exploits the high transmission of glass in the mid-infrared. When combined with emerging rare earth ion transitions and precise excitation processes, this project will help solve an important problem in optics; that the overall efficiency and power produced from deep mid-infrared light sources is not sufficient for all industries. The primary ....Laser emission at the limit of glass transparency using nanocrystal doping . We will create a new composite glass providing strong fluorescence which fully exploits the high transmission of glass in the mid-infrared. When combined with emerging rare earth ion transitions and precise excitation processes, this project will help solve an important problem in optics; that the overall efficiency and power produced from deep mid-infrared light sources is not sufficient for all industries. The primary outcome will be a series of robust fibre-based gain modules suitable for high power and very short optical pulses in the mid-infrared. These light sources will beneficially impact medicine, defence, sensing and manufacturing providing excellent opportunities for increasing Australian productivity and global competitiveness. Read moreRead less