Effective software process improvement in a large-scale defence contracting environment. Most organisations struggle to consistently develop high-quality software on schedule and within budget. Continuing changes in technologies and customer expectations complicate this challenge. Software process improvement frameworks aim to guide organisations towards best practice. This project will assess practical experience with individual software process improvement frameworks in a large-scale defence c ....Effective software process improvement in a large-scale defence contracting environment. Most organisations struggle to consistently develop high-quality software on schedule and within budget. Continuing changes in technologies and customer expectations complicate this challenge. Software process improvement frameworks aim to guide organisations towards best practice. This project will assess practical experience with individual software process improvement frameworks in a large-scale defence contracting environment, with the goal of developing an effective strategy for integrating them. The outcomes will include documented experience with specific process improvement frameworks and a strategy for an overall framework that combines them.Read moreRead less
Reducing the risks associated with developing large-scale, critical software-integrated systems. Industry, government and defence increasingly rely on large-scale, critical software-integrated systems. The scale and complexity of these systems means current methods of analysing, designing and assuring their dependability are struggling to provide the constructive support and assurance that is demanded. Consequently, there are significant risks of cost and schedule overruns and of system problems ....Reducing the risks associated with developing large-scale, critical software-integrated systems. Industry, government and defence increasingly rely on large-scale, critical software-integrated systems. The scale and complexity of these systems means current methods of analysing, designing and assuring their dependability are struggling to provide the constructive support and assurance that is demanded. Consequently, there are significant risks of cost and schedule overruns and of system problems and failures. This project builds on results from our current collaboration - a new method for modelling, analysis and defect detection for the requirements of large-scale systems. We will develop and scale-up to industry strength, simpler, more powerful, strategies for analysing, designing and providing the high level of assurance required.Read moreRead less
Gene Expression Profiling and de novo Transcriptome Sequencing using Geneballs. The purpose of the project is to demonstrate that bead-based technology can be used in applications that currently require DNA hybridisation in order to overcome existing deficiencies in microarray technology. By providing the capability to quickly and efficiently produce, screen and utilize biomolecule libraries of nearly unlimited size, this technology provides the key to unlock the power of genomics and proteomics ....Gene Expression Profiling and de novo Transcriptome Sequencing using Geneballs. The purpose of the project is to demonstrate that bead-based technology can be used in applications that currently require DNA hybridisation in order to overcome existing deficiencies in microarray technology. By providing the capability to quickly and efficiently produce, screen and utilize biomolecule libraries of nearly unlimited size, this technology provides the key to unlock the power of genomics and proteomics for use in real world applications. The project has two aspects. First, relatively small directed cDNA-bead libraries will be compared to known low-density cDNA microarrays to validate the technique for utility in gene expression profiling. Secondly, large libraries containing short oligonucleotide sequences will be used for de novo sequencing of a complete transcriptome. Proof-of-concept in either case will pave the way for many genomic applications and catapult the technology to 'blockbuster' status.Read moreRead less
Coproantigen detection tests for diagnosis of intestinal parasitic nematode infection. The aim of this project is to develop new tests for detection of hookworm and Strongyloides, two common intestinal worm infections of humans. These tests offer the potential to replace current tests, namely stool microscopy and serodiagnosis, both of whose performance is unsatisfactory due to deficiencies in sensitivity, specificity and operator convenience. The tests will rely on monoclonal antibodies to dete ....Coproantigen detection tests for diagnosis of intestinal parasitic nematode infection. The aim of this project is to develop new tests for detection of hookworm and Strongyloides, two common intestinal worm infections of humans. These tests offer the potential to replace current tests, namely stool microscopy and serodiagnosis, both of whose performance is unsatisfactory due to deficiencies in sensitivity, specificity and operator convenience. The tests will rely on monoclonal antibodies to detect parasite products in stool. Such testing technology is amenable to configuration in a robust format, suitable for large-scale manufacture. Given the worldwide prevalence of these parasites, the tests will have a market potential of international significance.Read moreRead less
Formal modelling and analysis of software requirements for air traffic management systems for improved integrity assurance. This project will significantly reduce the time and cost of developing software for critical applications such as aviation and air traffic management. As well as improving the trustworthiness of safety-critical computer-based systems, this project will also enable system improvements to be deployed faster and more reliably.
Development and commercialization of novel diagnostic assays for the early detection of acute dengue virus infection. Dengue is an emerging disease of the tropics and is endemic in more than 100 countries with up to 100 million cases annually. Of these, 500,000 result in dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF), a serious life-threatening complication of dengue virus infection. Dengue activity in northern Australia has increased in recent years with suggestions that it may be coming endemic in this count ....Development and commercialization of novel diagnostic assays for the early detection of acute dengue virus infection. Dengue is an emerging disease of the tropics and is endemic in more than 100 countries with up to 100 million cases annually. Of these, 500,000 result in dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF), a serious life-threatening complication of dengue virus infection. Dengue activity in northern Australia has increased in recent years with suggestions that it may be coming endemic in this country. Early diagnosis, using NS1 based assays should facilitate containment of such outbreaks through earlier identification, treatment, isolation and strategic mosquito control.Read moreRead less
An Integrated Environment for Verification of Large-Scale Railway Interlockings. Railway administrations produce tabular specifications called Control Tables that define the safety and operational requirements for Railway Interlockings. This project will address the critical problem of early detection and elimination of errors in Control Tables. The project will produce a prototype environment for verifying railway interlocking Control Tables, suitable for application to most of the interlockin ....An Integrated Environment for Verification of Large-Scale Railway Interlockings. Railway administrations produce tabular specifications called Control Tables that define the safety and operational requirements for Railway Interlockings. This project will address the critical problem of early detection and elimination of errors in Control Tables. The project will produce a prototype environment for verifying railway interlocking Control Tables, suitable for application to most of the interlockings on the Queensland Rail network. It will also deliver results that will improve the current state-of-the-art in the practical application of model-checking technology.Read moreRead less
Model-driven development and verification of railway interlocking control logic. Railway interlockings are an essential and safety-critical part of all rail infrastructure. The results of the proposed project are intended to reduce the cost of the development and improve the quality of railway interlockings control logic. This will contribute to safer and more cost-effective rail transport in Queensland, Australia and internationally. This project has the potential to improve both development an ....Model-driven development and verification of railway interlocking control logic. Railway interlockings are an essential and safety-critical part of all rail infrastructure. The results of the proposed project are intended to reduce the cost of the development and improve the quality of railway interlockings control logic. This will contribute to safer and more cost-effective rail transport in Queensland, Australia and internationally. This project has the potential to improve both development and V&V capabilities for organisations that plan to use model-driven architecture (MDA) for safety-critical systems. While the industrial usage of MDA is currently in its infancy, forecasts predict that MDA will fundamentally change software development practice, especially in developed countries like Australia.Read moreRead less
Investigation of a Dynamic Collaborative Framework for Multi-Modal Devices. Modern business and society increasingly call for agility through the rapid formation of groups and collaboration of individuals. Mobile computing devices have the potential to enable this collaboration. However this is currently unrealised; software is not keeping up with hardware. This project aims to investigate techniques and software tools to provide an adaptive framework for multimedia-rich applications, which seam ....Investigation of a Dynamic Collaborative Framework for Multi-Modal Devices. Modern business and society increasingly call for agility through the rapid formation of groups and collaboration of individuals. Mobile computing devices have the potential to enable this collaboration. However this is currently unrealised; software is not keeping up with hardware. This project aims to investigate techniques and software tools to provide an adaptive framework for multimedia-rich applications, which seamlessly support collaboration through multi-modal communications between heterogenous mobile devices. This combination of multimedia, smart devices and advanced communications has the potential to revolutionise many key industries by making information available and manipulable in new and better ways.Read moreRead less
Design of Neonatal Seizure Diagnosis Methods Using Time-Frequency Signal Processing Techniques. Seizures occur in approximately 0.5% of all newborns. They are often the only indicator of an early dysfunction in central nervous system (CNS). Their occurrence raises concerns about the underlying cause, its effect on the brain, and the appropriate treatment. Newborn seizures are mostly sub-clinical and only detected through the Electroencephalogram. For an efficient diagnosis, seizure classificatio ....Design of Neonatal Seizure Diagnosis Methods Using Time-Frequency Signal Processing Techniques. Seizures occur in approximately 0.5% of all newborns. They are often the only indicator of an early dysfunction in central nervous system (CNS). Their occurrence raises concerns about the underlying cause, its effect on the brain, and the appropriate treatment. Newborn seizures are mostly sub-clinical and only detected through the Electroencephalogram. For an efficient diagnosis, seizure classification systems were proposed based on visual observations. This project proposes developing a novel approach to automate the classification process using time-frequency (TF) signal processing techniques based on the multi-channel characteristics of the seizure; namely: A) TF signature B) origin, and C) propagation behaviour.Read moreRead less