Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354793
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
A Neural Network: Understanding Brain Function. This proposal focuses on the mechanisms that regulate brain function, particularly those underpinning the changes in circuitry (plasticity) caused by altered inputs. As such, its core goal is to create an interface between researchers in the neurosciences, computational modelling, robotics and cognitive sciences in order to facilitate optimum collaborative interactions, identify key research questions and promote training opportunities across a mul ....A Neural Network: Understanding Brain Function. This proposal focuses on the mechanisms that regulate brain function, particularly those underpinning the changes in circuitry (plasticity) caused by altered inputs. As such, its core goal is to create an interface between researchers in the neurosciences, computational modelling, robotics and cognitive sciences in order to facilitate optimum collaborative interactions, identify key research questions and promote training opportunities across a multidisciplinary spectrum. This will drive an integrated and accelerated program of discovery and technological development, enhancing Australia's leadership in this crucial field and helping to highlight new biotechnology opportunities and capture social and economic benefits for the nation. Read moreRead less
Integrating holistic processing and face-space approaches to the perception of facial identity. Recognising faces is a socially crucial task, and humans are remarkably good at it. Scientists investigating the 'software' our brains use to recognise faces have referred to two different theories -- one when explaining why we distinguish faces better than objects, and the other in explaining why we distinguish some people's faces more easily than others. The project aims to integrate these two theor ....Integrating holistic processing and face-space approaches to the perception of facial identity. Recognising faces is a socially crucial task, and humans are remarkably good at it. Scientists investigating the 'software' our brains use to recognise faces have referred to two different theories -- one when explaining why we distinguish faces better than objects, and the other in explaining why we distinguish some people's faces more easily than others. The project aims to integrate these two theories. This has two potential long-term benefits: it will give a stronger basis for understanding what goes wrong in people where face recognition does not develop normally; and, the improved knowledge from a biological system may also lead to improved computer face recognition algorithms (eg. for airport security).Read moreRead less
Neurobiological computation using self organization. Despite their phenomenal power and speed there are many simple things that computers still cannot do, that humans, and indeed many animals, are able to perform effortlessly. The research outlined in this proposal aims to develop new, biologically inspired, computational approaches that attempt to bridge this gap. This research will help place Australia, despite its relatively small size, as a leading research community in the development of ....Neurobiological computation using self organization. Despite their phenomenal power and speed there are many simple things that computers still cannot do, that humans, and indeed many animals, are able to perform effortlessly. The research outlined in this proposal aims to develop new, biologically inspired, computational approaches that attempt to bridge this gap. This research will help place Australia, despite its relatively small size, as a leading research community in the development of the next wave of computing devices. The development of new and "more natural" approaches to computing will deliver large dividends to a range of social, economic and environmental problems.Read moreRead less
Quantum Networks: Dynamics, Design and Control. The outcomes of this project have the potential to enhance the ability of researchers in Australia to invent significant new quantum technologies. The outcomes will provide researchers with new ways to consider architecture design for quantum technologies, new concepts and tools to help them model devices and systems, to interconnect them, to control them, to build them, and to understand how they behave. This will help place Australia in a leadi ....Quantum Networks: Dynamics, Design and Control. The outcomes of this project have the potential to enhance the ability of researchers in Australia to invent significant new quantum technologies. The outcomes will provide researchers with new ways to consider architecture design for quantum technologies, new concepts and tools to help them model devices and systems, to interconnect them, to control them, to build them, and to understand how they behave. This will help place Australia in a leading position internationally to engineer new quantum technologies.Read moreRead less
Synchrotrons, wavelet analysis and novel imaging techniques - applying physics tools to the war against breast cancer. Breast cancer leads to the second highest number of person-years of life lost due to cancer in Australia, with little known about its transport around the body. Current screening methods for breast cancer are neither 100% sensitive or specific and are heavily dependent upon expert training. This project will contribute by yielding valuable information on the transport of breast ....Synchrotrons, wavelet analysis and novel imaging techniques - applying physics tools to the war against breast cancer. Breast cancer leads to the second highest number of person-years of life lost due to cancer in Australia, with little known about its transport around the body. Current screening methods for breast cancer are neither 100% sensitive or specific and are heavily dependent upon expert training. This project will contribute by yielding valuable information on the transport of breast cancer and contribute to the development of an automated diagnostic method, with the possibility of its application to other diseases. The project will also involve members of the regional community, train regional scientists and provide synchrotron experience for Australian scientists in time for Australia's first synchrotron.Read moreRead less
Modelling the acoustical scattering properties of the human auditory system. The audio and entertainment industry is continually striving towards the development of immersive consumer technologies. Australian companies and researchers within this market sector utilise these audio technologies for many innovative applications, including virtual reality, communication, navigation, monitoring, and auditory products for the hearing impaired. These developments rely heavily on a fundamental understan ....Modelling the acoustical scattering properties of the human auditory system. The audio and entertainment industry is continually striving towards the development of immersive consumer technologies. Australian companies and researchers within this market sector utilise these audio technologies for many innovative applications, including virtual reality, communication, navigation, monitoring, and auditory products for the hearing impaired. These developments rely heavily on a fundamental understanding of our natural sense of spatial hearing. This project will extend the current understanding of the acoustic scattering mechanisms that govern the external auditory system, and provide critical enabling knowledge that will enhance the development of innovative audio technologies.Read moreRead less
Engineering phase and the flow of light in nanophotonics. Optical devices on the scale of only billionths of a meter impel photonic revolution in information technologies. The extraordinary sensitivity and tunability of light confined on nano-scale is caused by the yet unexplored and poorly understood world of tiniest flows of energy, the optical vortices. In this project we will learn to manipulate optical vortices with the light itself, introducing original concepts for intelligent engineering ....Engineering phase and the flow of light in nanophotonics. Optical devices on the scale of only billionths of a meter impel photonic revolution in information technologies. The extraordinary sensitivity and tunability of light confined on nano-scale is caused by the yet unexplored and poorly understood world of tiniest flows of energy, the optical vortices. In this project we will learn to manipulate optical vortices with the light itself, introducing original concepts for intelligent engineering of nano-elements of a photonic chip. This project will deliver underpinning knowledge, foremost practical expertise, and the prominent training of young researchers to secure Australia's international leadership in the rapidly growing and competitive field of nanophotonics.Read moreRead less
Virtual Star Clusters: The Dynamics and Evolution of Stars and Planets. Most stars are born in star clusters. When stars age
they swell and contract, change composition,
lose mass, and in dense regions they may collide.
Further, about 50% of stars are binary pairs,
and when these swell they can merge or
transfer mass. These effects dramatically
alter the lives of stars and their chemical makeup.
By combining special
purpose computers with newly developed simulation techniques,
we will ....Virtual Star Clusters: The Dynamics and Evolution of Stars and Planets. Most stars are born in star clusters. When stars age
they swell and contract, change composition,
lose mass, and in dense regions they may collide.
Further, about 50% of stars are binary pairs,
and when these swell they can merge or
transfer mass. These effects dramatically
alter the lives of stars and their chemical makeup.
By combining special
purpose computers with newly developed simulation techniques,
we will include all these effects to answer timely
and important astronomical
questions such as: can planets survive life in
a cluster? how do interactions between stars
affect the chemical enrichment of
clusters and galaxies?Read moreRead less
Some Outstanding Mechanics Problems in Layered Ferroelectromagnetic Composites with Enhanced Magnetoelectric Effect. The proposed research has high impact on both science and technology of ferroelectromagnetic materials. The outcomes will expand Australia's knowledge base and research capability in this emerging field. Relevant industries, such as smart materials and devices, can benefit from the results of this project. The theoretical, experimental and numerical results can be directly transfo ....Some Outstanding Mechanics Problems in Layered Ferroelectromagnetic Composites with Enhanced Magnetoelectric Effect. The proposed research has high impact on both science and technology of ferroelectromagnetic materials. The outcomes will expand Australia's knowledge base and research capability in this emerging field. Relevant industries, such as smart materials and devices, can benefit from the results of this project. The theoretical, experimental and numerical results can be directly transformed to design and application guidelines for the materials engineers and scientists to develop innovative and structurally/functionally reliable ferroelectromagnetic composites and their various devices and products.Read moreRead less
Inverse and related problems in statistics. Modern statistical inverse problems arise in fields from astronomy and biology to engineering and finance. Sometimes the problems involve the analysis of small samples of very high dimensional data, and are central to information aquisition in areas such as genomics and signal analysis. All these topics are of significant national importance, and their solution will bring national and community benefits. In addition, the program to which the proposa ....Inverse and related problems in statistics. Modern statistical inverse problems arise in fields from astronomy and biology to engineering and finance. Sometimes the problems involve the analysis of small samples of very high dimensional data, and are central to information aquisition in areas such as genomics and signal analysis. All these topics are of significant national importance, and their solution will bring national and community benefits. In addition, the program to which the proposal will lead will be used extensively for research training. In Australia, where the demand for research-trained statisticians greatly exceeds supply, this contribution to the nation and the community will be particularly important. Read moreRead less