Centre Activities
Research
Key Research Areas
The Centre key research focuses are on:
- Micro/Nano Technologies
- Wireless Systems and Sensors
- Embedded Systems and SOC
- Intelligent Platform Technologies
Current Research Projects
Intelligent Transport System to Improve Safety (pdf 395kb) - This $3.9 million project is funded by AutoCRC and the Department of Transport (DoT). The project involves the design and implementation of an Intelligent Transport System based on new DSRC technology, integrated with existing technologies, such as Global Positioning System (GPS), Wi-Fi, GSM, etc to improve safety at rail-road crossings.
Next-Generation Energy Management Solution for Smart Living - The project involves development of BPL technology based single system solution for monitoring/management of energy consumption and micro-generation, (retrofit) device/appliance control and an overall networked smart grid. The project will leverage CTI’s existing IP (Patents, Copyright software modules, Proprietary technology implementations etc.) to develop a scalable solution that is commercialisation ready. The project will produce a modular design of the entire system such that both small volume consumers as well as large integrators can easily customise system options depending on system/application requirements. The R&D efforts are targetted towards fast-tracking innovation in “Smart Living” – the bridging of boundaries between technology and lifestyle beyond the confines of convenience and comfort.
SKA Mid-band Receiver Chipset (pdf 584kb) - This research project involves the design and implementation of a SKA mid-band receiver chipset, which comprises all of the circuitry necessary to construct a radio-telescope receiver suitable for focal-plane use in the nominal mid-band SKA RF frequency range. This is a partnership project between La Trobe University, Sapphicon Semiconductor and CSIRO. The project is funded by Sapphicon Semiconductor and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
Ultra Low Noise Amplifier for SKA (pdf 106kb) – This project
involves the design & implementation of a low noise amplifier (LNA) for SKA project Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is the next generation radio telescope, which offer two orders of magnitude increase in sensitivity over existing facilities at meter to centimetre wavelengths. This system will probe the gaseous component of the early universe using interferometric array of individual antennas, in an aperture of several thousand kilometres. This project was funded by Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
Power Management System for Low Power Nano-scale Digital Circuits – This project involves the design & implementation of a power management methodology which will control power consumption of a micro-processor. The sub-system will be designed using low-power design time techniques including near-threshold design technique. A smart power management algorithm will be developed which will monitor the performance of the sub-system in real-time and provide optimum power consumption using real-time power management techniques. The algorithm will be smart enough to choose appropriate low power techniques for standby time.
Design and implementation of very high quality factor (Q) passive components for a RF receiver based on MEMS technology - In this research, very high Q passive components will be designed and implemented using MEMS technology to replace off-chip and low Q on-chip components to reduce the power consumption and increase the performance of RF receivers. Such research and implementation of high Q MEMS components is a vital step for the development of RF receivers for current and future applications.
Multifunctional MEMS sensors for improved autonomous vehicle
avionics (pdf 126kb) - This project involves the design and implementation of an array of identical multifunction sensors, which is named a Multi Sensitivity Redundant Node (MSRN), for the control system of UAVs. Each MSRN consists of several MEMS structures on a single substrate, that are sensitive to some or all of the followings; acceleration, angular velocity, temperature, pressure, IR intensity, magnetic flux (by implication electric current) and fluid flow. It also incorporates the mechanisms for deriving estimates, with an indication of their quality, of the required parameters. This quality indication may be used as a basis for robust estimate amalgamation.
Nano-electro-mechanical (NEM) based resonator for RF receiver - This project involves the design and implementation of a resonator for RF receiver based on Nano-electro-mechanical (NEM) technology. NEMS components are the systems built at micro level and involve devices with properties into electrical, mechanical and other domains. The advantages of NEMS are low cost, low power consumption, higher performance, reduced size and weight. Thus, usig NEMS devices will enable a single chip solution for wireless receivers with better performance and low costs.
Reliable and Secure Wireless Ad-Hoc Network for Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication
- This research project aims to provide greater security and reliability of
information and data exchanges among vehicles via vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) network.
To increase connection reliability, this research focuses on an adaptive routing protocol
that would support seamless communication between moving vehicles.
Intelligent Vehicle System for Traffic Management – The research focuses on the effective application of Intelligent Agent Model in Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) to aid traffic management specifically focusing on congestion issues. The Intelligent Agent Model being developed is composed of multiple coordinating Intelligent Agents that will exchange relevant information via dynamic V2V and V2I communication using Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC). The agents installed in the form of on-board vehicle units and roadside infrastructure units will analyse the surrounding situation on the road, get information from the other vehicles, infrastructure units and traffic control systems and use this information to make dynamic decisions to assist the driver. The dynamic decisions will be in the form of travel advisories and/or warnings contributing towards efficient road network management and congestion prevention.
Wireless Technology for Reliable In-Vehicle Communication
-
This research project includes modelling of the in-car wireless network,
investigation of the suitability of wireless technologies and adapting
wireless technology for in-car environment. This research addresses
issues related to reliability, security and low error rate requirements
within the limits of the in vehicle power supply.
A Low Cost Digital Filter Bank for Ultra Wideband Radio (pdf 152kb) - This research proposed an algorithm to achieve the real time reconfigurability in order to reduce power consumption. of the digital backend of a UWB receiver.
Configurable Real-Time Java Processor (pdf 318kb) -This project
involved the development of a standalone Native Java Processor (NJP)
platform which enables deterministic execution of Java programs while
offering high overall performance.
Reconfigurable VCO (pdf 69kb)
-This research
involved the design and implementation of a reconfigurable VCO for a
multi-standard receiver that satisfies the low power and low phase noise
requirements. This was achieved by replacing the off-chip components
with the MEMS components.
Ultra Low Power ADC (pdf 101kb) – In this project, a novel
binary search algorithm was proposed to replace the conventional DAC in a
traditional SA ADC architecture to significantly reduce the system area and
power consumption.
Wireless Smart Sensor Network (pdf 145kb)
- The aim of this research
project was to develop a wireless smart sensor node for ultra low-power
applications. A wireless sensor node typically consists of a front-end
sensor, data acquisition (DAQ) system, possibly an actuator and a
Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) for control process, a data processor with
some memory & transceiver architecture.
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