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List of research areas sorted by engineering school: Biomedical Engineering Chemical Sciences & Engineering Civil & Environmental Engineering Computer Science & Engineering Electrical Engineering & Telecommunications Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering Mining Engineering Petroleum Engineering Photovoltaic & Renewable Energy Engineering Surveying & Spatial Information Systems Biomedical Engineering Website: http://www.gsbme.unsw.edu.au/resact.htm ANALYSIS OF PATIENT THERAPIES R Odell Application of mathematical models for compartmental analysis. ARTERIAL HAEMODYNAMICS A Avolio, C Bertram Analysis of relationships of blood pressure and flow in arteries; application of wave transmission theory; mechanics of artery wall. ARTERIAL MORPHOMETRY A Avolio Quantification of arterial wall structure using image analysis algorithms. Application of mathematical techniques of pattern recognition. Relation of elastin structural changes to age and disease. ARTIFICIAL BLOOD VESSELS L Poole-Warren, J Whitelock Construction of artificial blood vessels by growing endothelial cells on bare mechanical scaffolds and other scaffolds that have been modified with extra cellular matrix molecules to encourage cell attachment and growth. BIOMATERIALS AND BIOCOMPATIBILITY B Milthorpe, R Odell, K Schindhelm, L Poole-Warren, D Regan, J Whitelock Interaction of material with specific tissues; biological reactions; mechanical properties of materials; interfacial reactions, protein interactions with materials. BIOMECHANICS OF JOINTS B Milthorpe, W Walsh Specification of articulation of joints in 3 dimensions. Modeling of joint movement. BIOMEDICAL INSTRUMENTATION AND COMPUTER ACQUISITION N Lovell Instrumentation used for data acquisition and signal analysis. BIOMEDICAL POLYMERS L Poole-Warren, D Regan, A Simmons Biomaterials with mechanical properties suitable for manufacturing implantable devices. BIOMEDICAL SIGNAL ANALYSIS AND PROCESSING C Bertram Analysis of time-series data from respiratory transducers and other measurement devices. Software for optimal graphical presentation of complex data. CARDIAC ASSIST DEVICES C Bertram Flow-field characterisation and numerical modeling of pulsatile and rotary ventricular assist devices. Muscle-powered pumping. Fluid-structure interactions. CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS OF BODY MOVEMENT A Avolio Body movement and ground impact during running causes changes in blood pressure due to interaction of movement of the thorax and cardiac ejection. This could be relevant in athletic training and in exercise testing of patients with heart disease. CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTION AND TASK PERFORMANCE A Avolio Analysis of changes in heart rate and blood pressure with external stimuli simulating stress. Measurement of reaction time to a range of stressful stimuli. Methods are applied to testing of specific groups, e.g. student airline pilots. CELL INTERACTIONS WITH THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURES C McFarland, J Whitelock Cell growth, differentiation and matrix remodeling in three-dimensional supporting scaffolds CELL RESPONSE TO MECHANICAL CUES C McFarland, B Milthorpe Differentiation of adult stem cells in response to cyclical uniaxial mechanical loading. CELL THERAPY TECHNOLOGIES R Nordon Medical devices for the production of therapeutic cellular subsets from cord blood or adult peripheral blood stem cells. Application to the prevention of neutropenia following high-dose chemotherapy of cancer. CEREBROSPINAL FLUID MECHANICS C Bertram Cerebrospinal fluid motion and pressure waves in the spinal cord. Aetiology of syringomyelia. COMPUTER-AIDED HISTOLOGICAL ANALYSIS B Milthorpe Pattern recognition analysis of cellular morphology. Applied to quantitative histology of biomaterials, prognosis of cancer. ENDOTHELIAL CELL/FLUID SHEAR INTERACTIONS L Poole-Warren, C Bertram Assessment of endothelial cell function in response to mechanical stress. ENDOTHELIAL DERIVED FACTORS AND ARTERIAL STIFFNESS A Avolio Effects of endothelium-derived factors in regulation of large artery stiffness. Investigations done in the iliac artery of the sheep and in humans undergoing diagnostic procedures. ENGINEERING THE EXTRACELLULAR ENVIRONMENT TO CONTROL CELL BEHAVIOUR AND GENERATE FUNCTIONAL TISSUE J Whitelock Extra cellular matrix glycoprotein's and proteoglycans control cell phenotype by providing cell adhesive surfaces and delivering growth factors and cytokines: An investigation of their roles and applications in Tissue Engineering. EXTRACORPOREAL THERAPIES R Odell, A Simmons Blood and fluid exchange techniques as used in the artificial kidney and other dialysis methodologies. FLOW IN COLLAPSIBLE TUBES C Bertram Mechanics of flow in tubes affected by external pressure. Analysis applied to studies of blood flow in veins, generation of auscultatory phenomena and fluid flow in other physiological systems. FLOW VISUALISATION AND MEASUREMENT C Bertram Measurement of flow fields using laser techniques (LDV, PIV) FLUID/STRUCTURE INTERACTION COMPUTATION C Bertram Application to strongly coupled fluid structure problems with large motions of flexible walls. HOME TELECARE/CLINICAL DECISION SUPPORT N Lovell Instrumentation and measurement of physiological parameters of ambulatory subjects in the home. Communication protocols and software for data logging, monitoring and decision-making. INFECTION ASSOCIATED WITH MEDICAL DEVICES L Poole-Warren Interactions of microorganisms with biomaterials and devices and antimicrobial coating strategies. MEASURING CELL ATTACHMENT AND GROWTH C McFarland, N Lovell Use of impedance measurements to quantitate attachment, spreading and growth of cells on artificial membranes. MECHANISMS OF AGE RELATED ARTERIAL DEGRADATION AND HYPERTENSION A Avolio Arterial mechanics associated with changes in wall properties with age and increased arterial blood pressure. Finite element modeling. Functional changes related to changes in wall stiffness. MECHANICAL FORCES AND REMODELLING OF VASCULAR TISSUE A Simmons, L Poole-Warren Examination of the role of mechanical stress within blood vessel walls on remodeling of tissue and development of capillary sprouts from existing blood vessels. MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING B Milthorpe Pattern recognition and image processing techniques applied to imaging of biological tissue. MEDICAL INFORMATICS N Lovell Development of databases related to efficient storage and retrieval of patient medical information. MODELLING OF ARTIFICIAL KIDNEY THERAPY R Odell Simulation of the dialysis process for calculation of flow rates and filtration parameters for efficient operation of the artificial kidney. MODELLING OF CARDIAC ELECTRICAL POTENTIALS N Lovell, S Dokos Development of simulation techniques describing biopotentials of cardiac cells. Analysis applied to studies of dynamic changes related to irregularities of the heartbeat. MODELLING OF CELL MOTILITY AND DIVISION R Nordon, D Regan Developing models to predict cell proliferation and dynamic behaviour in response to biological signaling. MODELLING OF MASS TRANSFER PROCESSES IN MEDICINE R Odell, D Regan Simulation of fluid exchanges across membranes. Calculation of water and solute transport in different compartments. NEURAL PROSTHESES N Lovell Development of sensors and stimulation techniques applied to replacement of neurological function such as artificial vision. NON-INVASIVE BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENT A Avolio, C Bertram Application of instrumentation, sensors and analysis techniques for the non-invasive measurement of arterial pressure. NONLINEAR DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS ANALYSIS C Bertram Analysis of a periodic time series. Application to experimental systems. Separating noise and chaos. OCULAR BIOMATERIALS K Schindhelm, B Milthorpe Development and use of materials for construction of contact lenses. ORTHOPAEDIC APPLICATIONS OF HYDROXYAPATITE B Milthorpe Specific applications of specialised materials for replacement of bone function. ORTHOPAEDIC IMPLANTS B Milthorpe Development, construction and mechanical testing of materials and devices used for implants to restore function of bones. PROCESSING AND INTERPRETATION OF BIOMEDICAL SIGNALS N Lovell Acquisition and processing of physiological signals derived from biopotential sources. Specific application to automated analysis of electrocardiographic signals. PULSATILE CROSSFLOW FILTRATION C Bertram The influence of pulsatile flow to efficacy of filtration through semi permeable membranes. RECOMBINANT PROTEINS FOR SMART SURFACES R Nordon, S Craig, F Foong, J Whitelock Synthesis of recombinant proteins to provide specialised signaling for support of cells on a polymer surface RESPIRATORY INSTRUMENTATION AND SYSTEMS K Schindhelm Devices and techniques applied to problems related to sleep apnea. SPINAL CORD MECHANICS C Bertram Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid motion. Application to understanding the origin of certain pathologies. STEM CELL TISSUE ENGINEERING C McFarlane, J Whitelock, L Poole-Warren, B Milthorpe, R Norden Growth and differentiation of adult stem cells on artificial scaffolds, skeletal, vascular and blood cells. ULTRASONIC DISTANCE MEASUREMENT C Bertram Analysis of ultrasound signals for the determination of distance VASCULARISATION OF TISSUE ENGINEERED CONSTRUCTS C McFarland, B Milthorpe Generation of three-dimensional tissue constructs containing inbuilt vascular structures. VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICES C Bertram Analysis of modalities for circulatory assist devices with specific application to artificial heart technologies. [Top of Page] Chemical Sciences and Engineering Website: http://www.chse.unsw.edu.au/research/research_index.html ELECTROCHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND BATTERY RESEARCH M Skyllas-Kazacos, B Welch Aluminium electrolysis in molten cryolite, inert anodes and anode effect reduction studies. Vanadium redox cell development and demonstration in electric vehicles and solar houses. Novel vanadium bomide redox flow cell development. Membrane modification and electrode activation studies, novel materials for lithium battery applications (in conjunction with ANSTO researchers), conducting polymer electrodes, conducting plastic electrodes for battery applications, copper and zinc electrowinning, electrode kinetics and mechanistic studies. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY AND POLLUTION CONTROL P Crisp, T Tran, AG Fane Environmental monitoring and the development of improved techniques for pollution control: air pollution; analysis of odours; measurement of individual PCB compounds; chlorinated aromatics in mineral oils; membrane introduction mass spectrometry; forensic chemistry. FOOD CHEMISTRY NA Lee, JD Craske The principal goals are to quantify the chemical deterioration of foods, especially lipids, during processing and storage; to characterise the nature of flavours and off-flavours in foods and beverages; and to characterise the nature of natural food constituents. Some current projects include: Lipid deterioration during deep fat frying Flavour components of fragrant rice cultivars Food aroma constituent research Flavour components of fried foods Flavour components of Australian bush foods Flavour components of varietal honeys Starch chemistry and technology Properties of wheat and flour in relation to end product quality FOOD, AGRICULTURAL and ENVIRONMNETAL CHEMISTRY NA Lee The principle goals are to identify and isolate biomarkers, design and develop affinity biomolecules and novel In-Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) technologies such as immunoassays, affinity sensors and antibody arrays for monitoring of food, agricultural and environmental contaminants and toxins or food nutrients and other bioactive compounds; applying these technologies in food safety research concerning modern issues such as mycotoxins, food allergies and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). Some current projects include: Identification and isolation of specific biomarkers from fungal resistance cultivars for control of mycotoxins by enhancing cultivar selection capacity Identification and isolation of novel biomarker(s) for food spoilage yeasts and development of food spoilage yeast screening immunoassay Development of novel multiplex rapid tests Mycotoxin surveillance surveys in developing countries using IVD technology Development of magnetized polymers and molecularly imprinted polymers for applications in sensors and chromatography Development of novel tests for EDCs based on IVD and imprinted polymer technologies Study EDCs in rural and urban water recourses and their potential effects on human health FOOD ENGINEERING RH Driscoll, JL Paterson, G Srzednicki The principal goals of food engineering research are to determine the thermo-physical and rheological properties of a range of food systems and food ingredients; to examine fundamental and applied aspects of grain, vegetable and crop storage and drying; process control of food processing operations; and develop computer models of food processing unit operations and of quality changes during processing. Some current projects include: Rheological properties of foods and ingredients Thermophysical properties of foods Drying of grains using fluidised bed and in-store systems Optimisation of quality of dried cherries Simulation and control of evaporators Bakery oven design, computer modelling and assessment Processing aspects of folate for fortification of cereal foods Viability of dried lactic acid bacteria Rheology of lactic acid bacteria in milk Extrusion of cereal foods FOOD MICROBIOLOGY GH Fleet, JM Cox The principal goals of the food micro-biology research program are to develop fundamental knowledge and understanding about the ecology, growth and biochemical activities of microorganisms associated with foods and beverages, and to apply this information to the management of food safety and food spoilage, the production of fermented foods and beverages, the use of microorganisms as potential sources of food ingredients and processing aids, to quality evaluation and hazard analysis. Parallel to these goals are programs to evaluate and develop modern systems for the detection, enumeration and identification of microorganisms in foods. Current projects in food microbiology include: Wine microbiology Yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria, bacteriophages, bioreactor technology Microbiological safety of salad vegetables Yeasts as spoilage organisms, sources of ingredients for food processing Microbiology of dairy products Investigation of properties of foodborne pathogens Salmonella, Listeria, Bacillus cereus, Yersinia enterocolitica and enterohaemorraghic Escherichia coli Rapid and molecular methods for detection, enumeration, identification, and differentiation of microorganisms associated with foods Probiotic microorganisms for humans and poultry FOOD PROCESSING JL Paterson, RH Driscoll, KA Buckle The principal goals of research in food processing are to examine the effects of processing variables on food quality and stability; to study food preservation by application of hurdle technologies; and to develop commodity technologies for application in the food industry. Areas of interest include: Cereal and legume processing, composition and functional properties Vegetable, fruit and seafood dehydration Fishery and cereal waste utilisation Quality changes during processing Microencapsulation of probiotic organisms FOOD REFRIGERATION T Pham, J Paterson Projects in this area include: Chilling and Freezing of Foods. Mechanical Stresses and Structural Damage during Food Freezing. Heat and Mass Transfer during Refrigeration. Computational Fluid Dynamics modelling of Refrigeration Processes. Modelling and Optimization of Refrigeration Systems. HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER T Pham Basic Heat and Mass Transfer - prediction and measurement of thermal properties and transfer coefficients, development of fast numerical methods in heat and mass transfer, mixed forced and free convection, combined heat and mass transfer; food industry applications - refrigeration and thermal processing of foods, microwave drying and treatment of foods, simulation and optimisation of food plants. MEMBRANE PROCESSES (UNESCO CENTRE FOR MEMBRANE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY) A Fane, D Wiley, V Chen, G Leslie Fundamental and applied membrane research. Membrane fabrication; conducting membranes, dynamic membranes, hydrogel coatings; membrane system & module design and control; membrane characterisation, ultrafiltration, microfiltration, nanofiltration; desalination of brackish water; ion separation; pervaporation, membrane distillation; liquid membranes; membrane bioreactors; water treatment; environmental applications; waster water redemption. MINERALS AND ENERGY T Tran, J Stubington, F Lucien, M Skyllas-Kazacos, R Amal, G Bickert Hydrometallurgical processing of minerals to produce value-added products, Fundamental aspects of leaching, electrowinning, cementation, precipitation and metal recovery by solvent extraction and ion exchange resins. Energy research is undertaken on fossil fuel utilisation, with particular emphasis on Australian coals and natural gas. Current work includes pressurised fluidised bed combustion, coal combustion, pyrolysis and gasification, optimisation of natural gas burners for high efficiency with low emissions and biomass utilisation. Vanadium Redox Batteries for renewable energy storage. NUTRITION J Arcot, H Greenfield The principal goals are to increase knowledge and understanding of food nutrients and other bioactive compounds and properties of foods, to develop and test nutritionally modified foods in line with dietary guidelines, and to increase knowledge and understanding of the relationship of food nutrients to health and chronic disease. Some current projects include: Food nutrients - vitamins, bioactive food components, micronutrient bioavailability from fortified foods (particularly folic acid), use of stable bioisotope techniques in assessing bioavailability of nutrients in humans, role of milk inhuman nutrition, especially peak bone mass formation Nutritional epidemiology - role of food composition data, impact of nutrient composition data on national dietary references, calcium and vitamin D status of adolescents Modern methods of nutrient analysis - ELISA, microbiological assay of vitamins PARTICLE AND CATALYSIS G Bushell, R Amal, MP Brungs, A Smith, T Tran, G Bickert DL Trimm, MS Wainwright Synthesis and application of nanoparticles and nanomaterials. Flame synthesis of nanoparticles with controlled characteristics. Synthesis and application of metal-doped photocatalysts. Functionalized nanoparticles for bioseparation. Nanostructured catalysts. Packing, flow, and processing properties of nanoparticles. Development of techniques for flocs characterisation. Coagulation and flocculation. Modelling and simulation of particulate processes. Development of catalytic converters for odour abatement. H2S removal with simultaneous recovery of hydrogen and sulphur. Methanol synthesis using Raney/Copper catalysts. Leaching of Raney/Copper catalysts. Car exhaust catalysts. Improving solid liquid separation through floc optimisation. Fundamentals of the high density sludge process for acid mine drainage. Solid waste classification and disposal. Biosensor development. Co-production of H2 in the photodegradation of organic pollutants in water. POLYMER CHEMISTRY AND ADVANCED POLYMER ARCHITECTURES (CENTRE FOR ADVANCED MACROMOLECULAR DESIGN) TP Davis, C Barner-Kowollik, M Stenzel Advanced polymerization control with expertise in living free radical polymerization and condensation polymerization. Free radical polymerization kinetics and laser-induced polymerization. UV polymerizations and surface coatings. New polymers for membranes applications. Complex macromolecular architecture such as star and brush polymers. Surface modification of polymers - plasma polymerization. Modified polypeptides and biosensor applications. Biomaterials and biocompatibility - especially contact lens polymers (hydrogels). Development of solid phases for combinatorial chemistry applications. Computer modelling of polymerization reactions. The leading facility for molecular weight analysis in Australia with four gel permeation chromatographs with on-line viscometric and light scattering detectors together with MALDI mass spectrometry. Polymers for therapeutic applications - polymeric pharmaceuticals. Polymerization in supercritical media. POLYMER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RP Burford, RP Chaplin Elastomer filler applications in rubber and plastics; thermal analysis of elastomer and plastics; interpenetrating polymer networks, fracture toughness of polymer composites and thermoplastics; conducting polymers, conducting polymer membranes, structure property relationships of optical polymers; rigid-rigid polymer blends. POSTHARVEST TECHNOLOGY OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES JE Paton, KJ Scott The principal goals are to develop improved handling and storage technologies, through fundamental and applied research, into the mechanisms and metabolic processes responsible for ripening, senescence, physiological disorders, decay and quality changes. Current projects include: Modified atmosphere packaging systems Edible coatings Biological control Application of UV radiation for ethylene removal PROCESS MODELLING, CONTROL AND OPTIMIZATION T Pham, J Bao, DE Wiley, A Adesina, DJ Clements Modelling and optimization of chemical processes, advanced computer control, application of artificial intelligence. Current research projects include: applications of genetic algorithms and computational fluid dynamics in chemical engineering; integrated approach to process modelling and robust control; decentralized control; active time-varying control of membrane separation processes; modelling of food refrigeration systems and cryosurgery. REACTOR ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY A Adesina, F Lucien Activities are concentrated in 4 areas of reactor engineering: development of new process reactors to minimize energy consumption and waste products such as catalytic distillation, membrane reactors and photocatalytic processes; synthesis and evaluation of novel catalysts to accentuate reaction rates and/or provide alternative facile pathways in a variety of commercially-important chemistries viz; natural gas conversion to olefins, synthetic fuels, solar-aided waste reduction and recovery; mathematical analysis and optimization tools to decipher regions for improved process performance (this includes application of computational fluid dynamics, statistical techniques and functional analysis, to various chemicalreactive systems); and high-pressure reaction processes. SENSORY ANALYSIS/PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT JE Paton The principal goals are to develop trained panels for assessment of food quality and to aid in product development; and to develop innovative value-added food products. Areas of interest include: Consumer testing for monitoring product consistency and shelf life Factors affecting sensory perception Factors affecting food choice and consumption New product development and assessment SUPERCRITICAL FLUID TECHNOLOGY N Foster The application of supercritical fluid technology for novel processing methods, eg. extraction of pesticides, fragrances, and for the formation of novel drug delivery systems. [Top of Page] Civil & Environmental Engineering Website: http://www.civeng.unsw.edu.au/research/ Engineering Construction and Management CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY J O'Brien, M Marosszeky, G Nawar Research is underway into the efficiency of materials handling systems, formwork and falsework systems, the performance of construction machines and processes, the development of construction robots and the development of automated metrology systems for field data capture. The Group is working with industry in the emerging areas of micro-tunnelling technology and in the exploitation of new construction materials and CAD/CAM technology. PROCESS MANAGEMENT D Carmichael, M Marosszeky, S Faniran, S Davis Process management involves the development of new and better ways of process and systems modelling and undertaking research to better understand system robustness and construction risks. Current research projects are developing management tools in the areas of safety, quality and production planning and control as well as performance measurement in the process management area. The scope of this research covers the entire construction and property supply chain. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN CONSTRUCTION S Davis, S Faniran, J O'Brien, M Marosszeky Research is being conducted to analyse the strategic impact of IT on the processes of the sector and the development of new techniques that offer improvements in construction efficiency and risk management. Key issues include improved inter-organisational collaboration within the supply chain via the web, the creation of accurate real time information for improved decision making and the power of 3D visualisation and object oriented technology to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of information flows and participation in the sector's processes. MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS D Carmichael, S Faniran, S Davis The Group is undertaking research into artificial intelligence planning systems as well as in the virtual reality and space-time domain modelling of construction operations. This work covers the future electronically extended firm, e-procurement, flexible automation systems and computer integrated construction as well as concurrent engineering practices and the management of fast-tracked operations. Theoretical models are validated through major joint projects with industry. Geotechnical Engineering N Khalili, K Douglas, G Swarbrick, C Song, R Fell, S Valliappan The major research projects currently undertaken are: contaminant transport in fractured porous media using finite element method; constitutive modelling of unsaturated soils subject to static and cyclic loading; cracking of embankment dams and the implications for internal erosion and piping; pre- and post-failure deformation of natural and constructed slopes; risk assessment of dams and slopes; modelling the breakdown of organic material in waste landfills; generation and dissipation of heat and migration of contaminants from landfills. In addition to the above funded projects, the other principal areas of research are transport of contaminants in unsaturated soils; thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling in unsaturated soils; laboratory and field tests measuring flow in unsaturated soil covers over landfills; laboratory tests for determination of rock mass strength, and reliability methods for rock slope stability; non-linear seismic analysis of gravity dams based on damage mechanics concept; scaled boundary finite-element method; dynamic soil-structure interaction. Structural Engineering CONCRETE STRUCTURES I Gilbert, S Foster, M Attard, M Bradford, N Gowripalan This is an area in which the School has a history of intense and successful research. Professor Gilbert was awarded an ARC Australian Professorial Fellowship in 2005. Areas of concentration include: the prediction of deflections and cracking of floor systems; shrinkage cracking in restrained members; time-dependent behaviour of reinforced and prestressed concrete elements; design of disturbed regions and strut and tie modelling; ductility of concrete members reinforced with low-ductility steel and FRP; analysis and design of structures and structural elements using high strength concrete; behaviour and application of ultra-high strength Reactive Powder Concrete; and strengthening and retrofitting of concrete structures using FRPs. STEEL STRUCTURES M Bradford, F Tin-Loi, M Attard, Z Vrcelj In 2004, Professor Bradford was awarded and ARC Federation Fellowship to work on the behaviour of steel structures subjected to fire. Work in this area has focussed on the buckling of thin-walled members, which includes the elastic and inelastic buckling of plates using advanced numerical techniques such as the complex finite strip method. Research on the large-scale elastoplastic analysis of space trusses under large displacements is also a developing interest. COMPOSITE STRUCTURES M Bradford, I Gilbert, Z Vrcelj Recent and on-going research topics include: the time-dependent behaviour of composite steel concrete beams under sustained service loads; the stability of beams in hogging moment regions; the behaviour of concrete-filled tubular steel sections; the behaviour of reinforced concrete beams using profiled steel sheeting as permanent formwork for both the sides and soffit of the beam; the development of procedures for repair and rehabilitation of plated concrete members; and the behaviour of composite structures curved in both plan and elevation. CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY N Gowripalan, M Attard, I Gilbert, S Foster Research in the field of concrete technology is very active in the areas of High Performance Concrete (HPC), Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC), durability and corrosion, fibre reinforced concrete (FRC) and fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) reinforcement. Interests include experimental investigations of corrosion of steel reinforcement and repair techniques using FRP sheets; use of fibres (steel, carbon and polypropylene) in HPC and RPC; early age properties of shotcrete; use of FRP tendons for prestressed concrete; bond and durability of FRP reinforcement; and new developments in very high strength concrete. STRUCTURAL MECHANICS F Tin-Loi, M Attard, M Bradford This group applies analytical and computational techniques to various fundamental, yet mechanically and practically motivated, problems in the board area of stability and non-linear material behaviour. Particular aspects of stability research include eigenmode calculations with Lagrange multipliers, bracing systems and chaos. Research on quasibrittle fracture is of continuing interest and an area of focus is the development of robust methods for capturing the multiplicity of solutions caused by constitutive softening. The identification of key softening parameters as a mathematical program with equilibrium constraints is of a recent area of interest. Transport Engineering P Hidas, U Vandebona Some on-going projects include: multi-attribute and multi criteria decision making techniques in transport systems and planning; variations in urban land use and travel behaviour occurring over time; road based transport planning; traffic demand associated with various transport modes; modal interchange facilities; analytical modelling related to network algorithms and development of a multimodal micro simulation model for urban transport systems (ARTEMiS); transport characteristics and requirements of Para transit systems; interactions between pedestrian movements and traffic operations; air quality modelling; predictive modelling of intersection noise and road surface noise; and decision making criteria in the planning and implementation of airport-CBD rail links, and the economic impacts of airport development. Water and Environmental Engineering SURFACE WATER HYDROLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES JE Ball, A Sharma, I Cordery, TG Chapman Flood and drought estimation; climate change; reservoir design; catchment runoff and water quality management; parameter estimation for catchment models; urban hydrology and water quality; information technology in surface water resources; interaction between surface and groundwater environments. GROUNDWATER RESOURCES AND MANAGEMENT I Acworth, I Turner, JE Ball, TG Chapman Groundwater hydrology; contaminated groundwater remediation; remote sensing using geophysical techniques; dry land salinity; interaction between the ground water system and surface water and coastal systems; hydraulics of shallow groundwater. WATER QUALITY AND MANAGEMENT N Ashbolt, D Waite, R Stuetz, I Acworth Contaminant transformation, transport and fate; chemistry and microbiology of natural and contaminated waters; ecological and health risk assessment; water quality regulations and systems; dry land salinity studies; investigation of salt and groundwater dynamics in thick swelling clay sequences; impact of land management on coastal water quality; odours and air quality. ENVIRONMENTAL FLUID MECHANICS B Cathers, R Cox, J Ball, W Peirson Design of hydraulic structures; computational hydraulics; water and contaminant motion in river, stream and estuarine systems; design and development of water quality treatment structures; wetland processes influencing water quantity and quality; sediment motion in riverine and coastal environments; water and contaminant movement in stratified fluids; numerical modelling of the transport, transformation and fate of contaminants. HYDRAULICS AND COASTAL ENGINEERING RJ Cox, JE Ball, W Peirson, B Cathers, I Turner Water and wastewater systems; flood hydraulics; and floodplain management; stormwater drainage systems; stormwater contamination and treatment devices; pumping stations; dams; spillways; culverts; weirs; levees. Interactions between waves and air; coastal structures; ports and harbours; estuarine processes; coastal processes and sediment transport. SOLID AND HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT S Moore, S Lundie, N Ashbolt, D Waite Materials accounting of substances and goods, including use of life cycle analysis, materials flux analysis, ecological footprints and total material requirements of nations; environmental management systems and approaches for corporations and regions; environmental impact assessment methods. SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT, WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT N Ashbolt, D Waite, R Stuetz, P Bliss Potable water treatment and distribution; municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plant design; water use minimization and reuse options including membrane use; sustainable water management. [Top of Page] Computer Science & Engineering Website: http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/research/index.html RESEARCH AREAS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE GROUP A Amin, M Bain, A Blair, P Compton, N Foo, A Hoffmann, N Indurkhya (adjunct), M Pagnucco, A Mahidadia, C Sammut, A Sharma (NICTA), A Sowmya, A Taylor, W Uther (NICTA), W Wilson, W Wobcke, T Zrimec (CHI) Active vision, AI in games, analogical reasoning, applications to the environment, artificial intelligence, belief merging, belief revision, cognitive and situated robotics, cognitive modelling, combinatorial algorithms, computational learning theory, computer vision and control for robotics, connectionist modelling of human analogical reasoning and relational cognition, conversational agents, data mining, diagrammatic reasoning, document image analysis and recognition, emergence, expert-systems, evolutionary computation, formal specifications, game theory, handwriting recognition, inductive logic programming, knowledge acquisition, knowledge discovery, knowledge engineering, knowledge representation, knowledge-based image understanding, knowledge-based systems, logic programming, logics of action, machine learning, model based reasoning, natural language understanding, neural networks, nonmonotonic reasoning, object-orientation, ontologies, pattern recognition, philosophical foundations of AI, recurrent network architectures, reinforcement learning, robotics, simulation and modelling, specification and verification of real-time concurrent systems, systems theory, temporal logic, tensor product networks, theory of neural networks. BIOINFORMATICS B Gaeta, M Bain, P Compton, H ElGindy, R Wong Bioinformatics is the application of computational sciences to the understanding of biological data. One of its major applications is the analysis of the large amounts of data generated by high-thoughput genomics projects. Bioinformatics of gene regulation, computational immunogenetics, systems biology, machine learning, text mining, biological pathway modelling, microarray analysis, automated diagnostic interpretation of data, high performance algorithms and architectures for sequencing and protein folding, modelling strategies and evolution, bioinformatic databases, bioinformatics education methods. COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE O Diessel, H Elgindy, A Ignjatovic, T Lambert Computer architecture encompasses the structure, organization, implementation, and performance of the basic building blocks of computer systems. Research in computer architecture in the group focuses on the reconfigurable computing architectures and on the relationship between algorithms and architectures. High performance computing, parallel processing, reconfigurable systems. Algorithms, computational geometry, parallel processing, reconfigurable computing and architectures. Computational geometry, computer graphics. Parallel and distributed computing. Applications of mathematical logic to computational complexity, feasibility in higher types, approximations, signal processing, image processing. COMPUTER SYSTEMS ENGINEERING GROUP M Chakravarty, K Elphinstone, G Heiser, G Keller, A Taylor, D Woo, J Xue CSEG is concerned with the overall design and implementation of computer systems, their components and interfaces. The research interests of CSEG range from processor architectures via operating systems and embedded systems to compilers, programming languages and human-computer interaction. Computer architecture, operating systems, microkernels and microkernel-based systems, embedded systems, low-power systems, real-time systems, highly configurable systems, OS support for component-based systems, persistent systems, parallel and distributed computing, scheduling and resource management in parallel and distributed systems, functional programming, compiler construction, compiler cache optimisations, dynamic compilation, dynamic binary translation, human computer interaction, speech recognition, speech synthesis, computer telephony, mobile computing. DATABASE GROUP X Lin, B Benatallah, J Shepherd, W Wang, R Wong The central focus of the group's research activities is the development of novel technologies for modern database applications. We aim to contribute foundations for the construction of future information processing systems. The research interests of group members cover a wide range of areas – from database theory to novel data-intensive system development. Specific research areas include bioinformatics, corporate knowledge bases, data mining, distributed and parallel databases, e-commerce, indexing methods, information visualisation, mobile databases, multimedia systems, object databases, spatial database systems, streaming data computation, workflow systems, web databases. NETWORKS GROUP C T Chou, M Hassan, S Jha, S Kanhere, A Mukerhjee (on leave in 2004) The Networks Group is engaged in research in the broad areas of computer networking and communications. Key areas of research are multimedia communications over the Internet, traffic control in computer networks, mobile and wireless access to the Internet, and programmability of networks for rapid deployment of customised services. SOFTWARE ENGINEERING RESEARCH GROUP R Buckland, K Engelhardt, P Ho, R Jeffery, J Jin, C Kutay, P Maheshwari, A Michail, C Morgan, A Nymeyer, N Parameswaran, J Plaice, J Potter, A Ramer, K Robinson, R van der Meyden, J Zic Software engineering is concerned with the processes, methods and tools for the development of high quality software systems. This involves the study of software specification, design, implementation, testing and documentation of software. Target systems may range from simple applications to mission critical real-time systems. Pattern recognition, image processing, computer vision, document image analysis and recognition, character recognition, natural language. Software configuration, version control, multilingual typography. Parallel and distributed computing, optimising compilers, hardware compilation, programming languages and environments and implementations, computer architecture, heterogenous computing, operating systems, embedded systems architecture, the internet and intranets, internetwork traffic management, mobile computing. Descriptive process modelling, software development cost modelling, software inspections, reverse engineering, mining software development experience, userinterface design in software engineering. Multimedia, electronic commerce, graph-theoretic algorithms, object-oriented design and technology, component software, object technology, objectoriented software engineering. Formal specification and refinement, probabilistic refinement, concurrency. Rigorous methods for program construction, epistemic and temporal logics in computer science, logic in computer science, communication protocols, performance specification, real time systems, formal methods of reasoning. Combinatorial problems and algorithms, fuzzy databases, fuzzy systems and evidence theory, management of uncertainty and possibility theory, theory of databases systems. [Top of Page] Electrical Engineering & Telecommunications Website: http://www.eet.unsw.edu.au/research/research.html CONDITION MONITORING OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AND RELIABILITY ASPECTS T Phung, TR Blackburn, R Morrow, RE James, R Stillman Insulation monitoring of electrical equipment, lightning modelling, partial discharge monitoring, on-line assessment of cable condition, Reliability of equipment and risk analysis of equipment failure. Efficiency of transformers particularly with harmonics. Application of composite materials, SF6 insulation. POWER ELECTRONICS AND MACHINE DRIVES C Grantham, MF Rahman, B Karanyil, W Lachs Development of variable frequency inverters for rotating machines and other power electronic applications. Power electronic filters for superconducting fault limiters. Rapid on-line parameter determination of rotating machines. RENEWABLE ENERGY HR Outhred, I MacGill, ED Spooner, M Watt, RJ Kaye Renewable energy systems: economics and utility aspects. Integration of renewable sources into the grid: remote area power supply based on renewable systems. ELECTRICITY INDUSTRY RESTRUCTURING HR Outhred, I MacGill Analysis and design of electricity restructuring processes, including the design of ancillary services and electricity spot and derivative markets, governance and the economic, environmental and social aspects of electricity industry regulation. This research takes place under the auspices of UNSW's interdisciplinary Centre for Energy and Environmental Markets. COMPRESSION AND PROCESSING OF IMAGES, VIDEO, SPEECH AND AUDIO D Taubman, E Ambikairajah, D Sen, S Marusic The signal processing group concentrates on the processing, compression, analysis and robust communication of audio, image and video information. Genomic signal processing is also an area of active research within the group. The members contribute actively to standardisation processes and hold numerous patents in the areas of image compression, video compression, image enhancement and signal processing. This work has attracted significant funding from Government agencies and Industry. Sample Project: Highly Scalable Compression of Video - the aim of this project is to overcome fundamental obstacles which have hindered the development of efficient highly scalable video compression algorithms. The project also aims to develop appropriate client-server interaction models, network protocols and real-time error management strategies to facilitate the exploitation of highly scalable compression algorithms for the delivery of video over the internet and other networks. MULTIPLE-INPUT-MULTIPLE-OUTPUT (MIMO) SYSTEMS, CDMA AND OFDM SYSTEMS, CHANNEL CODING, CHANNEL MODELING, PRECODING AND EQUALIZATION, MULTI-USER DETECTION, DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF CELLULAR AND SATELLITE SYSTEM J Choi, J Yuan, P Rapajic The mobile communications group concentrates on coding, modulation and equalization mechanisms for wireless multiple access systems. Research activities include space-time codes, MIMO systems, blind equalization and sequence detection over time varying channels, turbo iterative processing and smart antennas. The work of the group has attracted significant Government funding and Industrial support. Sample Project: Information Capacity of the Space Division Multiple Access Mobile Communication System. In this project the expression for the Shannon capacity lower bound of the space division multiple access (SDMA) mobile communication channels with interference was found. The bound is tightly approaching the Shannon capacity of the orthogonal SDMA system over Gaussian channel with no interference. The information capacity of the SDMA system with adaptive MMSE receivers is found as well. It is found that the SDMA system with MMSE receivers achieves at least 50% of the orthogonal SDMA system capacity for the input signal to noise ratio of practical interest in cellular mobile communications (10-30dB). These findings show that the capacity of the cellular mobile network is not interference limited. The capacity depends on the number of sensors in the network and the capacity is linearly increasing with the number of sensors in the network. PROVISION OF INTERNET SERVICES VIA CELLULAR AND SATELLITE SYSTEMS, MECHANISMS FOR QUALITY OF SERVICE (QOS) MANAGEMENT, WIRELESS LAN AND MOBILITY MANAGEMENT IN INTERNET ENVIRONMENTS, SECURE NETWORKING, LOCATION-BASED SERVICES FOR MOBILE TERMINALS A Seneviratne, T Moors, R Malaney The research work of the communication networks group focuses on new network technologies. Currently, there is a strong focus on wireless LAN, including services for QOS management, identity management and security management. Other work includes Programmable Networks, Sensor Networks, location-based services, and network dependability for end-users. The group's work is funded through Industrial research contracts and Government grants. Sample project: Mobile Aware Server Architectures -- The future telecommunication systems will provide ubiquitous access to information using a wide variety of networks. Users in turn will use a diverse range of equipment to access information. This project develops technologies for hiding the heterogeneity of the access networks and end devices, thus enabling users to roam seamlessly among the different networks, and swap the devices they use. MICROSYSTEMS (MEMS) CY Kwok, G Peng, N Lovell Microsystems (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) technology and design covers a range of inter-disciplinary areas using the resources in the Semiconductor Nanofabrication Facility. It is an enabling technology for many other disciplines to achieve sensing and actuation functions at a micro-scale level. Research projects undertaken include optical cross switch for planar silica waveguides, MEMS based optical interconnects between chips for Systems in a Package, VLSI chip cooling using synthetic jets, electrodes for intra-ocular implant, physical inertia sensors (optical accelerometer, gyroscope). Other research interests include the development of new microfabrication techniques and investigation of new materials for micromachining. SILICON QUANTUM COMPUTING AND NANOELECTRONICS A Dzurak, The Center of Excellence for Quantum Computing Technology is actively engaged in many research areas related to quantum computing and nanotechnology. Research projects include the top-down nanofabrication of single atom Si:P and exploring self-aligned single-ion phosphorus implantation, silicon nanoelectronic devices including an all silicon single-electron-transistor, and Quantum Cellular Automata. LOW VOLTAGE AND LOW POWER MOS CIRCUIT DESIGN T Lehmann, CY Kwok, Design of mixed analogue/digital CMOS microelectronics circuits and systems for biomedical applications, in particular cochlear implants and vision implants. Investigation of simultaneous electrical stimulation for use in cochlear and retinal implants. CMOS circuit design for very low temperature operation. CMOS circuit design for very low power operation. VLSI IMPLEMENTATION FOR SIGNAL AND IMAGE PROCESSING S Nooshabadi, D Taubman Research projects are in the area of hardware realization of signal & image processing as well as telecommunication algorithms in VLSI integrated circuits. Theses research activities into hardware design are concerned with efficient and cost effective VLSI implementation of variety of signal, image processing and telecommunications systems covering a wide range of applications requiring high-speed and low power implementation. The underlying philosophy of the work is a focus on the development of novel hardware techniques. RF AND MICROWAVE DEVICES, FERROELECTRICS AND HIGH TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTORS R Ramer Research projects include High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) Technology and Superconducting Devices, RF MEMS, Ferrimagentic-Ferroelectric based Tunable Microwave and Millileter-wave devices, Radio Propagation and Information Transmission. Single Photon Sources and Holographic Bragg Reflectors(HBR) F Ladouceur Projects include the development of efficient methods for designing and optimising densely integrated HBRs; optimise techniques for fabricating densely overlayed HBRs; identify and fabricate novel devices incorporating HBRs, develop methodology to embed single nitrogen containing N-V nano-diamonds into the core of an optical fibre for producing single photon source which requires the precise placement and manipulation of the single diamond particles in the required position on the fibre core. In the longer term these will be integrated with silicon-based planar waveguide structures. POLYMER OPTICAL FIBRES AND DEVICES GD Peng In taking advantage of the flexibility in synthesising functional organic materials, we develop polymer optical fibres for various applications meeting specific design requirements. In this area, one of our main efforts is to investigate and to improve the photosensitivity of polymer optical fibres and to develop techniques for polymer fibre Bragg gratings. We have been working on laser-dye doped and rare-earth doped for fibre amplifiers and lasers. We have also been developing polymer optical fibre with high electro-optic effect for optical switching and modulation applications. Electrical poling facilities for introducing (2) to POF and relevant (2) measurement and characterisation systems are developed. PLANAR OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE DEVICES GD Peng, CY Kwok Using HC-PECVD and HC-RIE techniques, we develop low loss planar optical waveguides meeting specific design requirements for photonic and biomedical applications. SILICA OPTICAL FIBRES AND DEVICES GD Peng, I Skinner Using MCVD technology, we develop silica optical fibres and devices for various applications. We have developed a well-established capability in making polarisation fibres, composite and multicore fibres as well as D-shaped fibres for many specific applications. We develop various passive fibre-optic devices --- fibre Bragg gratings, fibre couplers, wavelength-division multiplexers, etc. Also we develop active fibre-optic devices --- fibre amplifiers, fibre lasers, optical switches, logic elements etc. OPTICAL FIBRE SENSING AND SIGNAL PROCESSING GD Peng, I Skinner We develop optical fibre sensors for various industrial applications. In one particular area, we develop fibre Bragg grating based sensor systems for health monitoring of civil engineering structure. We also develop optical fibre hydrophone systems for seismic applications. We also developed optical signal processing and digital signal processing (DSP) techniques for sensor applications HEALTH INFORMATICS AND TELE-MONITORING BG Celler This project involves all aspects of setting up the necessary infrastructure for monitoring the health of people in the home environment and communicating this to appropriate agencies. ROBUST NONLINEAR CONTROL AND FILTERING A Savkin, DJ Clements, R Eaton The work of this group concentrates the design of nonlinear, robust controllers. The methods include backstepping designs, minimax designs and switched controller designs. FACTORISATION ALGORITHMS DJ Clements This work investigates algorithms for the factorisation of rational matrices into a product of two rational matrices. Such factorisation algorithms are central to a number of linear controller design methods. The algorithms should be implementable accurately and quickly. ADAPTIVE CONTROL V Solo, A Savkin, PD Neilson, T Hesketh Adaption, for both control and filtering, is an essential element of a number of the projects of the group. The applications of adaption vary from signal processing, to biomedical engineering, to neuro engineering, to telecommmunicatons. COMMUNICATIONS AND CONTROL V Solo, A Savkin This work includes communication in the presence of time varying, fading channels as well as limits to control performance due to communication bandwidth limitations. SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION V Solo, A Savkin, DJ Clements System identification covers a range of areas including group interest in spatio-temporal systems, biomedical and chemical systems. COMPUTER VISION AND CONTROL V Solo, A Savkin The work here concerns motion estimation from image sequences with application to autonomous vehicle navigation and control. MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL AND MULTI-RATE SYSTEMS J Sheng, T Hesketh Such controllers support a variety of control applications for laboratory and industrial implementation. [Top of Page] Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering Website: http://www.mech.unsw.edu.au/content/research_publications/Research.cfm?ss=6 AEROSPACE AND STRUCTURAL DESIGN NA Ahmed Drag Reduction using Moving Surface Boundary Layer Control Techniques; Lift Augmentation using Coanda Effect; Lift Enhancement using Acoustic Excitation NA Ahmed A Highly Loaded Theory for the Design of Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine Rotors; Multi-Hole Non-Nulling Pressure Probe Technique for Highly Three Dimensional Flows; Novel Aerodynamic Techniques for a Cost Effective Rotating Roof Top Ventilator; Reynolds Stress Measurements from Mean Pressure Probe Measurements;Three Dimensional Laser Doppler Anemometer System using a Single Laser Light Source TJ Barber The Development of a Stabilisation System for the BLUEsat Satellite TJ Barber, RT Casey The Simulation of Solid Rocket Plumes in a Rarefied Gas Environment DW Kelly Error Estimates, Mesh Generation and Real Time Processing in Finite Element Analysis; Optimal Design and Failure Modes for Structures Designed using Advanced Composites; Structural Optimisation using Finite Elements DW Kelly, H Kaebernick, K Zarrabi Efficient and Reliable Fusion and Interpretation of NDI Data for Composite Structures JR Page Development of design techniques using high level design package; Investigation of light aircraft design including the use of modern materials and tools along with crash investigation JR Page, DW Kelly Development of design criteria and data for the use of modern composites in aerospace applications; Knowledge based engineering used as a design tool Z Vulovic Determination of an Aircraft's Attitude and Wing Flexure using GPS K Zarrabi Creep Analysis of Axisymmetric Pressure Components using Finite Volume Method; Creep Life Assessment using Artificial Neural Network; Development of a Machine Vision System for High Temperature Strain/Displacement Measurements; Integrity Assessment of High Temperature Tubes Subjected to Localised Erosion/Corrosion;Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of Stress Distribution and Remodelling of a Femur Implanted with a MARGON Hip Prosthesis DESIGN N Feng Non-Linear Dynamics; Rotor Bearing Foundation Dynamics of Turbo Machinery; Theoretical and Experimental Evaluation of Vibration Behaviour of Rotordynamic System with Non-Linear Elements 1: Squeeze Film Dampers and Hydrodynamic Bearings;Theoretical and Experimental Evaluation of Vibration Behaviour of Rotordynamic System with Non-Linear Elements 2: Rolling Element Bearings; Theoretical and Experimental Identification of Rotating Machinery Foundations;Theoretical and Experimental Identification of System Configuration State;Theoretical and Experimental Identification of Unbalance in Rotating Machinery; Vibration Analysis Software Developments SD Hall Investigation of geometry, kinematics and stress in the human knee joint; Mechanical design and investigation of high performance pneumatic tyres RB Randall, DW Kelly Adaptive Design and Adjustment of Low- Noise Gearboxes CA Reidsema, DW Kelly Intelligent Design Advisor for Manufacturing Process Knowledge within Concurrent Engineering in the Aerospace Industry HL Stark Fatigue Fracture resulting from Multiaxial Stressing with particular reference to Welded Structures such as Pressure Vessels FLUID DYNAMICS AND HEAT TRANSFER NA Ahmed, BE Milton Tip Leakage Studies in Axial Compressors T J Barber The Synthesis of CFD and PIV for Error Minimisation of Measured Flow-Fields TJ Barber, LJ Doctors, E Leonardi Combining CFD, FEA and CAD to Study the Use of Ground Effect to Reduce Very- High-Speed Ferry Drag TJ Barber, E Leonardi Investigation of Ground Effect Aerodynamics for Racing Applications TJ Barber, E Leonardi Using Computational Fluid Dynamics to Predict the Performance of Large Diesel Engine Mufflers TJ Barber, E Leonardi, SS Leong Development of Low Noise Ship Airconditioners TJ Barber, SD Hall, E Leonardi Investigation of Smoke Control within Large Spaces YC Chen Effect of turbulence on lean premixed combustion in a confined bluff-body burner; Investigation of the stabilisation mechanisms in laminar jet flames; Role of differential diffusion in scalar dissipation of non-premixed combustion systems G de Vahl Davis, E Leonardi, V Timchenko Computational Study of the Submerged Heater Method of Crystal Growth; Influence of the Soret Effect during Directional Solidification of a Binary Alloy; Solidification and Melting of Metal Alloys G de Vahl Davis, E Leonardi, SS Leong, TJ Barber Numerical and Experimental Study of Marangoni Convection on Earth and in Space G de Vahl Davis, E Leonardi, SS Leong, V Timchenko Effect of Anisotropy during Solidification; Effects of G-Jitter on Directional Solidification E Leonardi, JA Reizes Enhancement of Heat Transfer in Microchannels by Microelectomechanical Devices E Leonardi, C Menictas, GL Morrison Design Optimisation of Commercial Refrigeration Equipment; Evaluation of Air Conditioner Performance Test Methods SS Leong Experimental and numerical study of thermo-acoustic refrigeration; Numerical Study of Natural Convection in Three- Dimensional Cylinders SS Leong, E Leonardi Experimental and Numerical Study of Thermo-Acoustic Refrigeration IL Maclaine-cross Light Transmission of Eliminators; Refrigerant Evaporation and Condensation in Tubes;Water as Refrigerant for Chillers IL Maclaine-cross, E Leonardi Car Air Conditioner Performance Tests; Performance of Centrifugal Chillers using Hydrocarbons IL Maclaine-cross, SS Leong Reduction of Legionnaires' Disease from Cooling Towers CV Madhusudana Enhancement of Thermal Conductance of Joints by Load Cycling; Evaluation of Transient and Steady-State Methods of Contact Heat Transfer Measurement; Improving the Heat Transfer Performance of Compact Heat Exchangers CV Madhusudana, E Leonardi, BE Milton Computational and Experimental Study of Heat Transfer in Disc Brakes GL Morrison Air Conditioning System Performance Modelling; Cooling of Electronic Components; Heat Transfer; Heat Pumps/Design; Solar Thermal Energy; Solar Thermal Power Systems GL Morrison, E Leonardi Experimental Assessment of Thermal Product Performance JF Olsen Development of a variable compression ratio engine; Jet column modes in both a plane jet and in a passively modified plane jet subject to acoustic excitation; Passive mechanism of turbulence control in jets INTELLIGENT MACHINES T Furukawa Human-Like Design using Multi-Objective Optimisation Method; Inelastic Finite Element analysis of a Large Structure using Computational Material Modelling; Seamless Finite Element Method: A Mesh-Free Method for Large-Scale Analysis T Furukawa Continuous Path Control of an Industrial Robot; Multiple Robot Vehicle Cooperation in an Unknown Environment; Navigation of an Autonomous Vehicle for Simultaneous Localisation and Map- Building; Optimal Motion Planning of a Sports Player T Furukawa, J Katupitiya Optimal Control of an Autonomous Indoor Vehicle; RoboCup Small-Size League T Furukawa, MJ Tordon Automatic Water Spraying in Greenhouses J Katupitiya Electric Steering and Traction Control with Differential Action; Man-Machine Interfaces for the Disabled: Visually Recognised Wheelchair Controls J Katupitiya, MJ Tordon Identification of Drastic Changes of System Non-Linearities to Reduce their Effects; Mechanical Fabrication of Micro- Lenses on Optical Fibres; Visual Servoing and Force Control of Metal Spinning Machines BE Milton, MJ Tordon Control Systems Design for Internal Combustion Engines to Improve Fuel Efficiency MJ Tordon, HL Stark, J Katupitiya Data Acquisition and Drive-Train Design in Cars to Improve Drive-Train Efficiency RA Willgoss Autonomous Manufacture of Large Scale Components for the Aerospace Industry, using High Precision Mobile Robots and Indoor Factory GPS; Methods of Embodying Intelligence into Machines that will Enable them to Operate Autonomously and Build Experience by Use of Learning Algorithms RA Willgoss Application of Speech Commands and Speech Response to Controlling a Mobile Robot RA Willgoss, Z Vulovic Use of Navigational Aids such as GPS for Autonomous Agriculture, Harvesting of Crops, Spraying, Planting RA Willgoss, MJ Tordon, J Katupitiya, T Furukawa Agricultural Mechatronics: Development of an Outdoor Mobile Manipulator for Fruit Picking and Pruning LIFE CYCLE ENGINEERING H Kaebernick, S Kara Costing of Life Cycle Impacts of Industrial Products; Design for Environment Analysis and Assessment of Household Appliances; Integrating Environmental Requirements into Manufacturing Strategy; Re-Use and Recycling of Industrial Products: Economic Modelling of End-of-Life Options Re-Use, Recycling and Disposal; Re-Use and Recycling of Industrial Products: Logistics Network for Collection of Used Household Appliances H Kaebernick, S Kara, A Ahmed Re-Use and Recycling of Industrial Products: Life-Time Monitoring and Life- Time Prediction of Components MANUFACTURING PROCESSES AND OPERATIONS M Hasan ISO 9000 and its Effect in Implementing TQM; Quality Management in Service Organisations M Hasan, RM Kerr Effect of Total Quality Management(TQM) on Performance of Companies; Operationalising Manufacturing Strategy and Development of a Generic Reference Model H Kaebernick Direct Production of Components from CAD through Rapid Prototyping and Investment Casting;Taxonomy Approach to Life Cycle Assessment of Industrial Products; Environmentally Conscious Quality Function Deployment in Product Development S Kara, P Mathew EdTech Project: Using WebCT in Engineering Education J Katupitiya, P Mathew Ductile Mode Grinding of Silica Glass: Speeds, Feed Rates and Surface Finish B Kayis, H Kaebernick Manufacturing Modelling for Joint Optimisation of Managerial and Technical Subsystems B Kayis, H Kaebernick, CA Reidsema Risk Management and Modelling B Kayis, S Kara Agile Manufacturing; Value Stream Management Implementations in the Manufacturing Industry B Kayis, C A Reidsema, A Ahmed Knowledge Based Management Implementations in Manufacturing P Mathew A Theoretical and Experimental Investigation into Machining Processes; Chip Breaker Design and Analysis; Investigation of Friction and Wear at the Tool/Chip Interface; Optimisation of the Machining Process; Precision Machining P Mathew Investigation of CMM Capabilities and Artefacts for Measurements of Features; Investigation of Shape, Size and Form of Objects and Features; Laser Processing of Materials SHIP DESIGN M Chowdhury Preliminary Design of Monohull High- Speed Ferries: A Multiple Objective Optimisation Approach; Preliminary Structural Design of Extra Large Hatch Coverless Container Ships; Preliminary Structural Design of High-Speed Monohull Ferries M Chowdhury, DW Kelly Benefits of using High Strength Thermo- Mechanically Controlled Processed Steel in Future Large Fast Ferries - Part 2: Design Philosophy LJ Doctors Application of Hydrofoils to Improve the Performance of High-Speed Catamarans; Steady-State Hydrodynamics of Monohull and Catamaran Vessels with a Transom Stern LJ Doctor, PJ Helmore Environmental Study of the Wavemaking Characteristics of High-Speed Ferries PJ Helmore A numerical Study of Foil-Section Passive-Fin Stabilisers DW Kelly, M Chowdhury Fatigue Analysis of Ship Structures using Fracture Mechanics VIBRATION AND ACOUSTICS RAJ Ford Devising and Evaluating Novel Designs of Vibration Isolators made of Rubber; Fundamental Study of Wheel Rail Squeal Noise; Using Periodic Structure Theory to Study Rail Vibrations; Vibration Characteristics of Railway Sleepers S Kanapathipillai Acoustics and Noise Control RB Randall Application of Blind Source Separation Techniques to Mechanical Problems such as Structural Dynamic Modelling and Machine Diagnostics; Development of the Applications of Signal Processing to Mechanical Problems and Machine Diagnostics; Diesel Engine Fault Simulation and Automated Diagnostics; Helicopter Gearbox Diagnostics; Helicopter Structural Dynamics RB Randall, N Feng Gear and Rolling Element Bearing Fault Diagnosis;Theoretical and Experimental Evaluation of Vibration Behaviour of Rotordynamic System with Non-Linear Elements 3: Fault Diagnosis Modelling in Rolling Element Bearings and Gears RB Randall, RAJ Ford Evaluating the Vibration Characteristics of Rail Vehicles; Updating Dynamic Properties of Rail Vehicle Structures Based on Response Measurements [Top of Page] Mining Engineering Website: http://www.mining.unsw.edu.au/research/research_menu.html The School of Mining Engineering is involved in a broad program of industry and government funded research - focused at the applied end of the research spectrum, in response to identified industry priorities, including the all-important areas of safety and environmental protection. The research program covers four core areas, summarised below, together with some new initiatives in areas such as deep surface mine geomechanics and undersea mining. The four core areas are: Underground geomechanics (coal and metalliferous): oriented towards improving safety performance through alternative mine design/methods and ground control technologies. Mine ventilation: a range of research initiatives, again focused on safety from both an OHS and major hazard management perspective, within the broad context of the underground mine environment. This includes research on wind and air blasts, underground gas monitoring, and the use of explosives in gassy environments. Workforce training using virtual reality (VR) technologies: This work is aimed at developing and using new VR systems and software tools to provide the industry with more effective "off-site" training and evaluation tools. Industry sustainability: A growing number of research initiatives are focusing on industry sustainability, incorporating a broad spectrum of topics such as legislative frameworks; sustainability measurement and reporting; environmental management; integrated mine closure planning. Specific current research areas are outlined below in more detail. UNDERGROUND MINE GEOMECHANICS B Hebblewhite, P Hagan, J Galvin, Y Cai, C Fowler, J Watson, R Frith This field of research encompasses a range of projects from mining method selection and design, to the specifics of ground control and pillar design. The research covers both coal and metalliferous underground mining, and utilises a combination of fieldwork, laboratory investigations and computational modelling and analysis. Fieldwork has included geomechanical assessment of rock mass properties for assessing both stability and cavability, together with monitoring and performance of mining systems and trial operations. These have included crown pillar recovery trials and pillar replacement systems using paste fill in deep gold mines, together with underground thick coal seam mining methods such as single pass longwall and longwall top coal caving (LTCC). Development of pillar performance data for use in empirical design methodologies in coal mining is a major component of ongoing UNSW research. Laboratory studies are currently focused on ground control systems - understanding the engineering mechanics and performance of different tendon reinforcement systems - both in terms of tendon anchorage and axial load transfer characteristics; as well as the behaviour of bolting systems under shear loading conditions. Physical modelling of mine subsidence on variable surface features has also been investigated. Numerical design studies are conducted utilising a broad range of two and three dimensional numerical stress analysis packages. A major field of research which covers both underground geomechanics and mine ventilation research is in relation to the phenomenon of windblasts, or airblasts, as they are known in hard rock mining. UNSW has developed an excellent understanding of this problem in the underground coal industry through extensive field monitoring and analysis, and is now extending this into hard rock mining scenarios including dynamic air movements in stopes and caving conditions, incorporating some fundamental investigation of dynamic air movements through caved ore muckpiles. MINE VENTILATION R Moreby, J Galvin, D Chalmers, C Fowler UNSW is the location of the Australian National Centre for Mine Ventilation (established by the Minerals Council of Australia). The ANCMV provides both research and industry professional development training. The above work on the physics and thermodynamics of sudden air movements (windblasts) due to caving is a major part of the ANCMV research program. In addition, there is current research involving development of new gas monitoring transducer systems in dynamic mine atmosphere environments, plus work on spontaneous combustion and heat and dust in mines. MINING SYSTEMS AND METHODS B Hebblewhite, Y Cai, D Laurence Research into new mining methods and systems of mining is complementary to the more specific geomechanics and ventilation research described above. The research extends into understanding the geological environment of ore and mineral deposits, as well as using simulation modelling to evaluate operational systems. UNSW has been active in evaluating new developments for the underground mining of thick coal seams for many years. Methods subject to ongoing research in this field include single pass longwall, longwall top coal caving, multi-slice longwall and hydraulic mining. In the metalliferous sector, the use of cemented rock fill and paste fill in open stoping operations to achieve more efficient recovery of crown pillars and remnant rib pillars has proved very successful at a number of mine sites in Western Australia. SUSTAINABILITY OF MINING OPERATIONS D Laurence There are many integrated components that make up the high profile field of mine sustainability. Although very different to the more traditional high technology, quantitative engineering research and practices addressed elsewhere, this field is rapidly becoming one of the most important faced by the international mining industry. By combining a range of engineering and other skill sets, UNSW is now involved in research addressing areas such as environmental design and management; mine rehabilitation & closure; mine safety & health; legislative frameworks; mining and institutional strengthening in developing countries; and the social impacts and opportunities of mining on indigenous communities. VIRTUAL REALITY SYSTEMS FOR INDUSTRY TRAINING AND SIMULATION J Galvin, C Fowler The technology of virtual reality (VR) is growing faster than it can be implemented in practical workplace environments, with seemingly limitless opportunities for life-like three dimensional computer animations of real world scenarios and environments. Through this enormous growth in both the computer hardware and software technologies, there is a very real need and opportunity to develop and implement appropriate training packages for the mining industry. These not only look impressive, but provide a quantum level of improvement in the type of scenario training and assessment available to industry personnel, without tying up expensive equipment, or putting people at risk on a mine site without the requisite level of training. UNSW has for some years been developing both training scenarios using VR, as well as new VR algorithms and a library of templates for improved animation and simulation. This work continues to expand as the technology develops and new applications become apparent. SEABED MINING B Hebblewhite, D Laurence Beyond the normal terrestrial mining applications, there is growing interest in developing systems for the responsible mining of seabed mineral deposits. Recent discoveries of very high-grade seabed massive sulphide (SMS) deposits, or chimneys, on the sea floor (also known as "black smokers" appear very prospective as mining targets. There is a significant amount of research required before such a system of mining becomes a reality. Recent UNSW research has focused on two aspects - engineering characterisation of the type of deposits with respect to assessing different excavation and mining systems; and also the essential characterisation of the pre-mining seabed environment and development of suitable models for assessing the impact of different mining systems on this environment. [Top of Page] Petroleum Engineering Website: http://www.petrol.unsw.edu.au/res/research.html DRILLING AND COMPLETION Wellbore stability Geomechanics and in-situ stress characterization Directional, multilateral and extended reach well drilling and completion Drill pipe stability analysis Formation damage prevention and acid stimulation Drilling fluid formation and management Managing the total drilling system Hydraulic fracture treatment design and optimisation Hot dry rock geothermal reservoir development PETROLEUM ECONOMICS Fiscal analysis Oil industry economic modeling Risk analysis of oil & gas projects The economics of CO2 disposal in Australia PRODUCTION ENGINEERING Inflow Performance Curves Impact of the skin effect Optimum gravel and screen sizing Stimulation treatment types Optimum gas injection conditions. RESERVOIR CHARACTERISATION Formation evaluation and petrophysics Lithofacies recognition from well logs Predicting reservoir quality Knowledge-changed reservoir modeling Formalising geological knowledge Characterization of naturally fractured reservoirs RESERVOIR ENGINEERING Improved oil and gas recovery Characterising core scale heterogeneity Pore-scale displacement mechanisms Large-scale network modelling Simulation of naturally fractured reservoirs PVT, core flood laboratory and X-ray CT scan facility [Top of Page] Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering Website: http://www.pv.unsw.edu.au BURIED CONTACT AND OTHER COMMERCIAL SOLAR CELLS J Cotter, S Wenham UNSW has had considerable success in developing and commercialising photovoltaic technologies such as the buried contact solar cell, with licensees in many countries. A major program focuses on adapting the high performance attributes of UNSW's world record solar cells for use in low cost implementations suitable for commercial manufacturing. LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS M Watt Life-cycle analysis involves the determination and consideration of the full life-cycle costs associated with the use of particular technologies. This is important when considering the cost of the generation of electricity by renewable energy systems. LIGHT TRAPPING IN THIN CRYSTALLINE SILICON J Cotter, S Wenham, M Green Light-trapping in silicon refers to the use of certain structures for the silicon that are able to trap light within the silicon material as it repeatedly bounces between the front and rear surfaces. Light-trapping is particularly important in thin-film solar cells to effectively enhance the absorption of the semiconductor material by making it appear thicker than it really is. The concept of total internal reflection and the use of metal/other reflectors can be important in this research area. N-TYPE SOLAR CELLS J Cotter, S Wenham, M Green P-type wafers have dominated commercial production for decades. In recent years however, improved understanding of boron-oxygen related defects in such wafers has led to growing importance being placed on developing new technology based on n-type wafers that do not suffer the same degradation mechanisms. A range of new cell fabrication approaches and design concepts are being explored and developed through this work with the aim of implementing and optimising high performance n-type wafer cell technology commercially throughout the world. PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICE AND MATERIAL CHARACTERISATION A Sproul, A Aberle UNSW has developed excellent device and material characterisation capabilities, which are used extensively within the photovoltaic device and technology development projects at UNSW. PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE DESIGN S Wenham The high cost of the photovoltaic devices relative to the encapsulation materials provides considerable incentive and opportunity to develop innovative module designs. Such designs can use reduced photovoltaic device area in conjunction with appropriate optics that collect and redirect light incident on adjacent regions to the solar cells, across to the solar cells. These are often referred to as static concentrators. PHOTOVOLTAICS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES A Sproul, R Corkish This is a new research area at UNSW with the emphasis on the development and use of photovoltaic technology for improving the standard of living for those in developing countries. The research and educational activities in this area are closely linked with students from UNSW travelling each year to countries such as Nepal and Nicaragua to help with technology development, implementation and use. PV system design is also an important component of this work. POWER GRID INTERACTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS M Watt Peak loads on power networks are extremely expensive for electricity suppliers to meet and there is a potentially important role for renewable energy, especially photovoltaics. This research stream explores the technical and economic issues associated with photovoltaics and electricity loads. RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY M Watt With rapidly growing renewable energy industries, many environmental concerns and government subsidy programs throughout the world, there is a growing importance being placed on renewable energy policy and legislative policy analysis. SCREEN-PRINTED SOLAR CELLS J Cotter, S Wenham Screen-printed solar cell technology has dominated commercial markets for several decades. Despite the development and commercialisation of several new higher performance solar cell technologies, nothing has compared with the commercial dominance of screen-printing. Several new projects have correspondingly been established to overcome the fundamental performance limitations of screen-printed solar cells while retaining their simplicity, robustness, manufacturing equipment requirements and low cost. SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE MODELLING M Green, A Sproul, S Wenham UNSW has developed a particular strength in device modelling including through use of device modelling software such as PC1D. The strong device oriented experimental programs at UNSW provides the ideal environment for ongoing developments with device simulation and modelling software packages. SILICON PHOTONICS M Green, S Wenham, T Trupke The Centre's work in silicon photonics, based on the fact that solar cells are very good emitters if operated in reverse mode, has two main thrusts. The first is to demonstrate silicon light emitters that can be integrated into silicon microelectronic circuits. The second is to investigate the feasibility of innovative schemes for demonstrating a silicon laser. A range of silicon optoelectronic characterisation activities underpins both these programs. SILICON SOLAR CELLS A Aberle, J Cotter, M Green, A Sproul, S Wenham Approximately 90% of commercially manufactured solar cells are made from crystalline silicon. The majority of photovoltaic research at UNSW focuses on this type of device. UNSW has led the world in high performance silicon solar cells for more than a decade and has had considerable success developing commercially significant technologies based on these developments. THIN FILM CRYSTALLINE SILICON PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES A Aberle, M Green Material costs strongly dominate for the conventional silicon wafer based photovoltaic technologies. In theory, with good light trapping and surface passivation it should be feasible to still achieve efficiencies well above 10% using crystalline silicon layers of only about 1% of the thickness of conventional wafers. This commercially relevant research area focuses on the development of such thin-film technologies and addresses, material, device performance, and manufacturing issues. THIRD GENERATION PHOTOVOLTAICS M Green, G Conibeer, R Corkish First generation photovoltaics refer to the wafer based technologies, while second generation photovoltaic devices encompass all the thin-film technologies. The principal objective of the third generation research at the Centre is to significantly improve photovoltaic performance beyond that of present devices. Ultimately, it is anticipated that photovoltaic devices may use quite different concepts, materials and energy conversion processes, perhaps ones not even contemplated at this stage. Processes able to utilize the heat within the photovoltaic device are of particular interest. The fundamental research in this area may not realise actual devices for several years. [Top of Page] Surveying & Spatial Information Systems Website: http://www.gmat.unsw.edu.au/research/research.htm ALGORITHMS AND SOFTWARE C Rizos,S Lim, J Wang Precise GPS Navigation. The School has been researching algorithms for centimetre-level positioning accuracy using space-based techniques since the mid-1990s. Areas of expertise include improved functional and stochastic models for carrier phase observations, dual-frequency and single-frequency ambiguity resolution and validation, mid-range (<100km) and long-range (>100km) baseline estimation of a moving platform, attitude determination using multiple antenna systems, multipath mitigation techniques, software issues related to real-time implementation, network-based positioning strategies, integrated GPS and Glonass modelling, and Galileo signal studies. Optimal Estimation Theory. To underpin all research within the School of Surveying & SIS, it is necessary to undertake fundamental research into data analysis tools. These tools allow high fidelity functional and stochastic modelling to be carried out, to aid GPS and other geodetic analyses. Estimation techniques based on Least Squares (LS) are used, in its various manifestations as Bayesian LS, Kalman filtering, digital signal processing, time series analysis, and so on. Network Real-Time Kinematic GPS. The School is implementing New South Wales' first network-based RTK system, Sydnet. After solving the technical challenges of setting up such a network, it will provide a platform for research into network-RTK, focussing in particular on Australia-specific problems such as sparse distribution of base stations. Location-Based Services (LBS)/ Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The convergence of several crucial technologies is about to herald a new age of mobile devices and services. 'Mobility' cannot ignore position, hence the combination of wireless telecommunications, mobile IT platforms/devices and low-cost positioning (using GPS and other sensors) represents an opportunity to deliver Location-Based Services. These include the ability to provide to users, on demand, guidance information, 'yellow pages' services, L-commerce transactions, and much more, to PDAs and mobilephones. To make LBS services possible, data warehouses (or spatial data servers) are used to provide the raw data to Geographic Information Systems, which deliver the requested information to users via a web-interface, or any of the wireless physical link technologies. This is an area of research that interfaces closely with Telecommunications Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. An example is the UNSW "Campus Navigator", designed to exploit several indoor and outdoor positioning technologies and mobile delivery systems to allow navigation around campus. GEODESY AND DEFORMATION MONITORING L Ge, C Roberts Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR). The School is developing a reputation as an important centre for InSAR, which includes both InSAR for digital elevation model (DEM) generation and differential InSAR for ground displacement monitoring using SAR images from satellite, space shuttle or aircraft. InSAR derived DEMs are compared with DEMs from other techniques such as photogrammetry and airborne laser scanning and are validated using ground survey data from GPS-RTK and line levelling. Differential InSAR applications include mine/oilfield and urban subsidence, landslide, ice flow, seismic/volcanic deformation and erosion monitoring. Fundamental research related to InSAR includes precise image matching (co-registration), digital image filtering, phase unwrapping, mitigation of atmospheric effects based on GPS, and post-processing using GIS. Geodesy. The traditional strength of the School has been in fundamental research into Physical and Satellite Geodesy. Geodesy deals with the shape and size of the earth, its gravity field, and variations in geometry and gravity. Systems such as GPS, Satellite Laser Ranging and other space positioning techniques, absolute and relative gravimetry, airborne and spaceborne gravity mapping, satellite altimetry, and InSAR, provide the raw data for high precision (sub-centimetre) positioning of points on the earth's surface and above it. Small-scale Deformation Monitoring. The School has mastered several techniques for small-scale deformation monitoring. These include using GPS receivers optimised for precise static applications, InSAR, "pseudolites", and integrated GPS and inertial systems. This research has been carried out within the School over many years, and includes monitoring of a volcano in Indonesia, a tall building in Singapore and Tokyo, ground subsidence in the Appin coal mining area south of Sydney, and post-seismic fault motion measurement in the Burakin area of Western Australia. MULTI-SENSOR INTEGRATION J Wang, Y Li, C Rizos GPS has performed remarkably well in benign environments where the satellites are clearly visible without any interference. However, overall, GPS alone cannot meet the stringent positioning requirements for availability and reliability for many demanding applications under poor environments. Sensor integration can address these issues. There are a variety of sensor integration scenarios, such as integration of GPS with Inertial Navigation System (INS), pseudolites, as well as other satellite navigation systems like Glonass and Galileo. GPS/INS/Pseudolite Integration. The classical integration of GPS/INS is extended with the new and more flexible pseudolite positioning technologies. The current research is focusing on advanced ultra tight integration mode. This integration mode can fully exploit the potential capabilities of each system and combine them in an optimal way, more effectively addressing challenging issues of positioning availability and reliability. GPS/Glonass/Galileo Integration. The integration of GPS with other satellite navigation systems can significantly improve positioning performance. The research challenges include reliable modelling strategies, efficient integrity monitoring procedures, novel use of combined satellite constellation for smart fault identification and exclusion. NEW POSITIONING TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS A Dempster, J Barnes, P Mumford Pseudolites. The School has experimented since 1999 with GPS-like pseudolites (terrestrial transmitters that "look like" satellites) for applications such as aircraft landing, indoor and industrial positioning. From the beginning, the School was also involved in the new technology developed in Canberra by Locata Ltd. Research challenges include pseudolite network design and examining the effects of interference. Signal Processing. One of the few Surveying Schools to go "inside the box", SSIS is now designing signal processing algorithms to deal with some of the classic GPS problems: multipath, cross-correlation, interference and weak-signal reception. With a full range of equipment from RF signal simulator to software receivers, algorithms are readily transferred from Matlab to real receivers. One project, for example, involved the design of improved firmware for a GPS receiver to be installed on the UNSW BlueSat microsatellite. Receiver Development. In collaboration with NICTA, the School has developed the world's first open-source GPS receiver. Developed on an Altera field-programmable gate array (FPGA), it can be downloaded and installed in other users' FPGA designs. A development board also exists and represents an ideal platform for receiver algorithm design and testing. Software-Defined Radio (SDR). SDR includes both software radio, where the maximum receiver functions are performed in software, and reconfigurable receiver design, where the functions of individual hardware objects are redefined on-thely. Both of these techniques are being researched, with the FPGA being the platform for reconfigurability. New Satellite Signals and Systems. GPS has had a single civilian signal for 30 years but now is introducing two more. The European Galileo system has three civilian signals. The Japanese QZSS system will also soon be operating by the end of the decade. All of these new signals require innovative design solutions and the School is investigating all of them. New Positioning Technologies. With the drive to position mobile telephone and computer equipment, there is growing interest in using characteristics of those technologies to provide positioning. Network signals in GSM and CDMA networks can be used for positioning, as can WLAN. PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND LASER SCANNING JC Trinder, B Harvey Photogrammetry. Photogrammetry and remote sensing offer a wide variety of research challenges. Some of the research is undertaken within the School, other research is carried out in collaboration with researchers in the Centre for Remote Sensing & GIS, the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, and the School of Computer Science & Engineering. Research areas include: digital image analysis for photogrammetry and remote sensing applications; digital elevation model determination from images (airborne or spaceborne platforms) and InSAR; imaging radar and backscatter modelling; landuse and urban monitoring; and machine vision applications of digital photogrammetry. Terrestrial Laser Scanning. In Australia there are two Laser Scanners available to academic researchers, one belonging to the School of Surveying & SIS. A new research area in characterisation of the data 'clouds' generated by a scanner has been launched. The research seeks to understand the quality (e.g. accuracy) of the scanner measurements, as well as how the geometry of such scans can be defined in an internal and external sense. [Top of Page]

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