Improving novice drivers' speed and hazard management. The aim of the study is to extend the evidence-based approach we have developed for speed management (cognitive integration speed management training) to hazard management, thereby developing cognitive integration hazard management training for young drivers. Hence, this study is specifically designed to curb the alarming trend in young driver fatalities on Australian roads. The results of the research will provide clear direction to road au ....Improving novice drivers' speed and hazard management. The aim of the study is to extend the evidence-based approach we have developed for speed management (cognitive integration speed management training) to hazard management, thereby developing cognitive integration hazard management training for young drivers. Hence, this study is specifically designed to curb the alarming trend in young driver fatalities on Australian roads. The results of the research will provide clear direction to road authorities and driver training providers as to effective training strategies to improve young driver training, and ultimately improve road safety with this vulnerable population.Read moreRead less
Just add noise: the benefits of neural and stimulus noise for perception. This project aims to improve visual perception by maximising the beneficial effects of neural and stimulus noise, i.e. stochastic resonance (SR). SR challenges conventional thinking that noise decreases performance. We expect to reveal the underlying mechanisms using experimental and computational approaches. This project is expected to generate unprecedented insights into how noise influences brain processing, leading to ....Just add noise: the benefits of neural and stimulus noise for perception. This project aims to improve visual perception by maximising the beneficial effects of neural and stimulus noise, i.e. stochastic resonance (SR). SR challenges conventional thinking that noise decreases performance. We expect to reveal the underlying mechanisms using experimental and computational approaches. This project is expected to generate unprecedented insights into how noise influences brain processing, leading to a possible re-evaluation of the function of noise in the brain. Expected outcomes include protocols to optimise human performance through SR, and an augmented reality set-up to apply SR to real-world settings. Economic and social benefits include the ability to individually optimise performance in visual tasks using noise.Read moreRead less
How human vision separately determines object and scene motion. This project aims to enhance understanding of how people process visual scenes containing multiple moving objects of interest. The project intends to measure human visual performance to determine how the brain processes multiple motion signals simultaneously. Expected outcomes include an increased understanding of how we are able to use an evolving visual scene to distinguish between changes due to self-motion and those due to the m ....How human vision separately determines object and scene motion. This project aims to enhance understanding of how people process visual scenes containing multiple moving objects of interest. The project intends to measure human visual performance to determine how the brain processes multiple motion signals simultaneously. Expected outcomes include an increased understanding of how we are able to use an evolving visual scene to distinguish between changes due to self-motion and those due to the motion of multiple moving objects such as crowded city footpaths and busy roads. The results will improve our understanding of failures to see moving objects in challenging viewing conditions (for example, high density traffic), and inform work in the design of autonomous driving and augmented reality display systems.Read moreRead less
Improving human perception of low resolution face images. Low-resolution face images occur in several settings that require a human observer to identify the face or its expression. For example, a crime eyewitness may have seen the perpetrator's face blurred by distance. This project aims to improve low-resolution face perception. Previous approaches have attempted only to improve general image visibility. Here, the novel theoretical idea is to alter the face's structure, tapping knowledge about ....Improving human perception of low resolution face images. Low-resolution face images occur in several settings that require a human observer to identify the face or its expression. For example, a crime eyewitness may have seen the perpetrator's face blurred by distance. This project aims to improve low-resolution face perception. Previous approaches have attempted only to improve general image visibility. Here, the novel theoretical idea is to alter the face's structure, tapping knowledge about higher-level face coding. Manipulations are caricaturing and whole-then-part alternation, as derived from face-space and holistic processing theories, respectively. Effects of viewpoint and own-versus-other race faces are expected to test practical generalisability of the new methods, and thus refine theory.Read moreRead less
Reading facial expressions from real and virtual humans. This project aims to advance understanding of human emotional communication and improve human rapport with the virtual humans and avatars that are rapidly infiltrating our social world. Using two unique stimulus sets - naturalistic human expressions and highly realistic virtual faces - together with powerful genetic, experimental, and individual differences designs, the project expects to answer previously intractable questions in emotion ....Reading facial expressions from real and virtual humans. This project aims to advance understanding of human emotional communication and improve human rapport with the virtual humans and avatars that are rapidly infiltrating our social world. Using two unique stimulus sets - naturalistic human expressions and highly realistic virtual faces - together with powerful genetic, experimental, and individual differences designs, the project expects to answer previously intractable questions in emotion science, as well as deliver tangible outcomes, such as new psychological tests to better understand human social connection. This should provide significant benefits, by improving emotion communication and offering a new perspective on how artificial intelligence can best serve human social needs.
Read moreRead less
The shock of the old: Rediscovering the sounds of bel canto 1700-1900. Bel canto—beautiful singing—describes a forgotten tradition (1700–1900), epitomising clear communication of expression and meaning of text. This project aims to generate new research-based knowledge of bel canto sound vocabulary, music, and history through implementation of a multi-modal method—working with an international community of singers—to produce multi-faceted outputs that inform future scholarship and creativity in ....The shock of the old: Rediscovering the sounds of bel canto 1700-1900. Bel canto—beautiful singing—describes a forgotten tradition (1700–1900), epitomising clear communication of expression and meaning of text. This project aims to generate new research-based knowledge of bel canto sound vocabulary, music, and history through implementation of a multi-modal method—working with an international community of singers—to produce multi-faceted outputs that inform future scholarship and creativity in singing. Modern classical singing fails to communicate the meaning of the text in bel canto repertory. Expected outcomes are revitalisation of global practices to produce classical singers better equipped to convey the text, increasing audience engagement, and the sustainability of the classical music industry.Read moreRead less
Next generation garbage collection: discovery, design, and development. This project aims to improve the performance of programming languages used by millions of Australians every day, such as Java, JavaScript and PHP by developing improved memory-management algorithms. These languages use what is referred to as “garbage collection” to ensure memory is managed without data loss, but do so conservatively and consequently cause performance challenges and energy overheads. This project expects to p ....Next generation garbage collection: discovery, design, and development. This project aims to improve the performance of programming languages used by millions of Australians every day, such as Java, JavaScript and PHP by developing improved memory-management algorithms. These languages use what is referred to as “garbage collection” to ensure memory is managed without data loss, but do so conservatively and consequently cause performance challenges and energy overheads. This project expects to provide these languages with improved memory-management algorithms, and provides researchers and industry with a framework for innovation. This project will enable safe software that is more efficient on today's hardware and able to exploit emerging hardware. This project should lead to better performance and energy savings for server applications, phones, watches, and smart appliances, while ensuring memory safety.Read moreRead less
Staffing practices in Aboriginal primary health care services. This project aims to generate new knowledge about the impact of short-term staffing in remote Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services on service acceptability to patients, workload and attitudes of long-term staff and the effectiveness and cost of services. The project intends to compare these results to recent findings about the impact of short-term staffing in government-run clinics, in order to quantify and describe the po ....Staffing practices in Aboriginal primary health care services. This project aims to generate new knowledge about the impact of short-term staffing in remote Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services on service acceptability to patients, workload and attitudes of long-term staff and the effectiveness and cost of services. The project intends to compare these results to recent findings about the impact of short-term staffing in government-run clinics, in order to quantify and describe the potential positive effect of community control. Expected outcomes include rigorous evidence about the 'fly in/fly out' workforce and the impact of community control which can inform new policy that will stabilise the remote health workforce, save money and contribute to 'closing the gap' in health outcomes.Read moreRead less
Architectural design to improve Indigenous health outcomes. The project seeks to develop evidence-based knowledge on what Indigenous clients find supportive or stressful in health care settings, to formulate recommendations for architectural design and service delivery. Many Indigenous people fail to present for health care until chronically ill, due to fear or dislike of health services and their settings. This project aims to understand how design in healthcare architecture across different bu ....Architectural design to improve Indigenous health outcomes. The project seeks to develop evidence-based knowledge on what Indigenous clients find supportive or stressful in health care settings, to formulate recommendations for architectural design and service delivery. Many Indigenous people fail to present for health care until chronically ill, due to fear or dislike of health services and their settings. This project aims to understand how design in healthcare architecture across different building scales and services (clinics, hospitals, waiting rooms, wards etc) affects Indigenous people’s use and perceptions of these environments and consequent motivation to access health care services. Developing innovative and adaptable research methods, the project seeks to identify the necessary architectural design changes for health settings to facilitate access for Indigenous people.Read moreRead less