Bilateral Cochlear Implants for Children: Does a Second Implant Improve Language, Psychosocial and Other Outcomes? Severe-profound congenital hearing loss engenders significant costs to society. In 2005, specialised education cost -- on average $25,000 per child, loss of productivity cost -- $6.7 billion, and social security benefits were paid to approximately 129,000 individuals who were unemployed due to hearing loss. If bilateral cochlear implantation results in improved language, social dev ....Bilateral Cochlear Implants for Children: Does a Second Implant Improve Language, Psychosocial and Other Outcomes? Severe-profound congenital hearing loss engenders significant costs to society. In 2005, specialised education cost -- on average $25,000 per child, loss of productivity cost -- $6.7 billion, and social security benefits were paid to approximately 129,000 individuals who were unemployed due to hearing loss. If bilateral cochlear implantation results in improved language, social development, and academic outcomes, the community benefits arising will be greatly improved quality of life for these individuals and significant savings to society. In partnership with Cochlear Ltd, this study will provide some of the first data worldwide comparing the effects of an additional implant on language, social and educational outcomes.Read moreRead less
Improving Employment Outcomes in Early Psychosis: Social and Economic Benefits of Early Intervention. Over 74% of people with psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia, despite wanting to work, are unemployed, more than any other disability group. This project examines an evidence-based method in which young people with psychosis can be effectively supported to return to the competitive labour market. In Australia, unemployment of people with schizophrenia costs $927 million, over half the total il ....Improving Employment Outcomes in Early Psychosis: Social and Economic Benefits of Early Intervention. Over 74% of people with psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia, despite wanting to work, are unemployed, more than any other disability group. This project examines an evidence-based method in which young people with psychosis can be effectively supported to return to the competitive labour market. In Australia, unemployment of people with schizophrenia costs $927 million, over half the total illness costs of schizophrenia. For people with psychosis, unemployment exacerbates social and economic marginalisation. This project aims to reduce the economic cost of unemployment among the mentally ill as well as using employment to reduce social marginalisation of people with mental illness.Read moreRead less
Influence of an innovative shoe design on lower limb joint loading during walking. This project will provide new knowledge about the effects of shoe design features on lower limb loading and the influence of obesity and knee condition on the shoe-mediated biomechanical effects. This will be of relevance to researchers and clinicians. It is also likely to contribute to a marketable commercial product, a shoe designed to reduce knee loading. This shoe has the potential to contribute to reducing th ....Influence of an innovative shoe design on lower limb joint loading during walking. This project will provide new knowledge about the effects of shoe design features on lower limb loading and the influence of obesity and knee condition on the shoe-mediated biomechanical effects. This will be of relevance to researchers and clinicians. It is also likely to contribute to a marketable commercial product, a shoe designed to reduce knee loading. This shoe has the potential to contribute to reducing the societal and personal burden of knee osteoarthritis, one of the most prevalent and costly chronic conditions in the developed world. Read moreRead less
From rehabilitation to recovery after stroke : a model to optimise consumer and carer involvement. The National Research Priorities include 'ageing well, ageing productively'. Within this priority, it is necessary to be inclusive of those who have ongoing disabilities and/or chronic disease. This project aims to facilitate healthy lifestyles and community involvement in a group who have significant barriers to achieving their potential. The high incidence of depression and poor quality of life i ....From rehabilitation to recovery after stroke : a model to optimise consumer and carer involvement. The National Research Priorities include 'ageing well, ageing productively'. Within this priority, it is necessary to be inclusive of those who have ongoing disabilities and/or chronic disease. This project aims to facilitate healthy lifestyles and community involvement in a group who have significant barriers to achieving their potential. The high incidence of depression and poor quality of life in stroke survivors and their carers emphasises the need to enhance wellness in these people. The study will develop a model for promoting recovery and community reintegration in stroke survivors, with the goal of enabling stroke survivors and their carers to actively participate in the community and pursue personal goals.Read moreRead less
ELEMENTS: A Virtual-Reality Augmented Workspace for Movement Rehabilitation of Traumatic Brain Injury Patients. The broad aim of the project is to design, develop and evaluate an interactive virtual environment (VE) called ELEMENTS that supports movement assessment and rehabilitation for patients recovering from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). We will use current knowledge of the neural basis of movement control and learning to create VEs that will help re-train patients' sense of multimodal space ....ELEMENTS: A Virtual-Reality Augmented Workspace for Movement Rehabilitation of Traumatic Brain Injury Patients. The broad aim of the project is to design, develop and evaluate an interactive virtual environment (VE) called ELEMENTS that supports movement assessment and rehabilitation for patients recovering from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). We will use current knowledge of the neural basis of movement control and learning to create VEs that will help re-train patients' sense of multimodal space, their position within it, and the predictive control of actions. We will adapt our training environments for use on readily available technologies, creating a treatment method amenable to remote delivery. This will extend rehabilitation practices beyond their current constraints.Read moreRead less
Factors influencing functional locomotion in older adults. Ageing is associated with increasing limitations of physical function such as walking. Many older people also have concurrent medical conditions which may further limit function. This project adopts a multidisciplinary approach to investigate key factors that affect the ability to perform functional tasks of everyday locomotion, such as stair climbing and obstacle avoidance, in older adults including those affected by osteoarthritis. The ....Factors influencing functional locomotion in older adults. Ageing is associated with increasing limitations of physical function such as walking. Many older people also have concurrent medical conditions which may further limit function. This project adopts a multidisciplinary approach to investigate key factors that affect the ability to perform functional tasks of everyday locomotion, such as stair climbing and obstacle avoidance, in older adults including those affected by osteoarthritis. The results will increase knowledge about the adaptability of the ageing human locomotor system in both health and disease. This will provide a theoretical foundation for creating new strategies to reduce the impact of physical degeneration in older people.Read moreRead less
Cellular genomic approach to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. This project compares the levels of gene usage in two important immune cell types between patients with multiple sclerosis and people who do not have the disease. It aims to identify the molecular basis for the disease, in order to identify new diagnostic, preventative and treatment options.
Sound practice: Supporting sustainable careers in orchestral musicians through Occupational Health and Safety initiatives. This project will produce new knowledge about musician health, well-being and injury prevention and management. It will establish the first injury surveillance system for musicians internationally and the first set of rigorous studies to evaluate the effectiveness of injury management interventions for orchestral musicians. We will establish musician-specific assessment prot ....Sound practice: Supporting sustainable careers in orchestral musicians through Occupational Health and Safety initiatives. This project will produce new knowledge about musician health, well-being and injury prevention and management. It will establish the first injury surveillance system for musicians internationally and the first set of rigorous studies to evaluate the effectiveness of injury management interventions for orchestral musicians. We will establish musician-specific assessment protocols, practices and interventions leading to effective OHS policies, thus enabling global improvement in OHS in the music industry, preventing economic and personal loss from premature career termination due to injury, and assisting, through mentoring, the new generation of young orchestral musicians.Read moreRead less
Nanostructured films for optical document security. This project aims to develop a new class of synthetic thin films, with unique optical signatures as strong anti-counterfeiting features for future generations of Australian banknotes. The project expects to produce novel, ultra-thin films patterned on the nanoscale that produce vivid, easily recognisable optical effects building on recent advances in nanophotonic optical design and scalable nanofabrication strategies. The development of a range ....Nanostructured films for optical document security. This project aims to develop a new class of synthetic thin films, with unique optical signatures as strong anti-counterfeiting features for future generations of Australian banknotes. The project expects to produce novel, ultra-thin films patterned on the nanoscale that produce vivid, easily recognisable optical effects building on recent advances in nanophotonic optical design and scalable nanofabrication strategies. The development of a range of optical security features in Australia will ensure long-term confidence in our currency. An outcome of the project could be the commercialisation of new types of anti-counterfeiting features for use in Australia and overseas.Read moreRead less
Industrial-strength X-ray Phase Tomography. The unique 3D imaging capability provided as a result of this project will have application to advanced manufacturing as a non-destructive evaluation for materials and micro-components. For instance, the internal structure of aerogels, porous light metals, polymers and carbon fibre based materials can all be imaged at the microscale. Similar benefits flow in health sciences where organic processes can be observed in place and where, for instance, small ....Industrial-strength X-ray Phase Tomography. The unique 3D imaging capability provided as a result of this project will have application to advanced manufacturing as a non-destructive evaluation for materials and micro-components. For instance, the internal structure of aerogels, porous light metals, polymers and carbon fibre based materials can all be imaged at the microscale. Similar benefits flow in health sciences where organic processes can be observed in place and where, for instance, small animals used in research and clinical testing can be inspected internally without having to destroy them, thus allowing for repeated measurements.Read moreRead less