This project will develop, integrate, and test a neuromorphic light-field optical receiver module for covert, high speed satellite-to-underwater communications. The system integrates a micro-lens array with an advanced neuromorphic vision sensor and a custom-designed optical assembly optimised for dynamic maritime environments. Event-based signal processing will be implemented to achieve robust decoding under variable sea states.

Industry partners: Navantia Australia

Funded by Australian Economic Accelerator: link here , AUD 492,505

• Dr Nermine Hendy (RMIT Lead Entrepreneur)

• Dr Bisma Manzoor

• A/Prof Ke Wang (RMIT Co-Leader)

• Prof  Akram Hourani (RMIT Co-Leader)

• Prof Kandeepan Sithamparanathan 

• Dr Estrid He 

• Prof Sumeet Walia 

• Prof Pier Marzocca 

• Mr Ross Yannatos 

• Dr William Infante 

• Dr Nirman Jayarathne  (Navantia Industry Leader)

• Dr Jonathan Duffy

This project aims to develop a novel neuromorphic vision sensor (NVS) that revolutionises spaceborne and autonomous platform vision systems by eliminating the large proportion of processing waste inherent in conventional frame-based sensors, while establishing new capabilities for defence surveillance and autonomous target tracking in dynamic environments.

Industry partners: Esper

Funded by Australian Economic Accelerator: link here, AUD 425,572

• Dr Taimur Ahmed (RMIT Lead Entrepreneur)

• Prof  Sumeet Walia (RMIT Co-Leader)

• Prof Akram Hourani (RMIT Co-Leader)

• A/Prof Ke Wang

• Dr Irfan Abidi

The project aims to develop optical Physically Unclonable Functions integrated into printing inks for Australian currency and travel documents. The goal is creating truly unclonable security features that exploit quantum-level atomic defects in atomically thin materials, making replication impossible. Upon completion, the project will deliver a functional authentication framework demonstrating reliable photoluminescence-based verification, validated for existing Reserve Bank of Australia and Note Printing Australia manufacturing processes.

Industry partners: RBA, Note Printing Australia 

Funded by Australian Economic Accelerator: link here, AUD 415,002

• Krishna Muraleedharan Nair

• Prof Sumeet Walia

• Prof Akram Hourani 

• Dr Irfan Abidi

• Dr Taimur Ahmed

• Prof Greg Dicinoski

• Mr Michael Griggs

This project tackles one of the biggest challenges in today’s wireless networks, ensuring secure authentication and emitter localization in complex satellite communication and GNSS-denied environments. This will enhance security across industries including defence, telecommunications, maritime, logistics, and air traffic control.

Industry partners: Akula Tech, and Inovor Technologies.

Funded by Australian Economic Accelerator: link here

• Dr Bisma Manzoor (RMIT Lead Entrepreneur)

• Prof  Akram Al-Hourani (RMIT Leader)

• Prof Kandeepan Sithamparanathan

• Prof Sumeet Walia

This project aims to develop a short wave infrared (SWIR) imaging platform for solar panel defect inspection, while opening new avenues in hyperspectral imaging for environmental monitoring and critical mineral exploration. Upon completion, the project will deliver a prototype of a SWIR-capable sensor that integrates colloidal quantum dots with Si CMOS technology.

Industry partners: Second Life Solar, Esper Industries .

Funded by Australian Economic Accelerator: link here

• Dr Taimur Ahmed (RMIT Lead Entrepreneur)

• Prof Sumeet Walia (RMIT Leader)

• Prof  Akram Al-Hourani 

• Dr Irfan Abidi

This program is a pioneering initiative that seeks to redefine the boundaries of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in secure sensor connectivity and signal processing. It is a collaboration between leading research institutions, the defence industry, agriculture, government, the energy sector, and satellite operators, united by the common goal of addressing the challenges of next-generation wireless sensor networks and data processing.

Our approach hinges on the development of innovative algorithms and systems that merge the principles of efficiency, security, and agility. The overarching concept recognises that robust and secure wireless sensor networks demand a holistic approach, fusing the intricacies of sensor networking design and deployment with data-aware spectrum access and data processing. To ensure the seamless functioning of these sensors and networks, we are introducing a cognitive approach to AI-enabled radio spectrum access, promoting autonomous radio resource utilisation.

This vision of connectivity extends to the novel integration of satellite and terrestrial networks, creating a unified and uninterrupted network across diverse geographic regions. We envision the deployment of these sensors as an autonomous process, optimising data detection and collection. This data collected from agricultural and energy sensors will be subject to AIenabled signal processing, securely transmitted through robust networks.

Number of scholarships: 13

Participating universities: RMIT, Central Queensland, Federation

Industry partners: Singtel Optus, Consunet, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Praetorian Aeronautics, Botanical Food Company, McCormick Foods Australia, Single Agriculture, Connect AUZ, BuzzBay Energy, RedgridGPT, Blue Spiral, Outlook Industries Australia, Datellite

Funded by CSIRO: link here

Investigate optically active heterostructure that is able to perceive visible and near-infrared (NIR) information and subsequently mimic neural action potentials to memorise, learn and store this information. This will rely on fundamental understanding of photon interactions with ultra-thin materials and tailoring electronic band alignments for achieving dual-polarity photoelectrical signatures. This will enable emulation of photoreceptor/ganglion and neural functions.

Prof Sumeet Walia (Lead CI); Prof Akram Hourani; Prof Margaret Lech; Dr Irfan Abidi

This is a 3 years project to develop and adopt advanced cognitive radio techniques for satellite communications to make satellite communication system intelligent and adaptive. The project aims to  improve the spectral efficiency of commercial satellite systems and to maximise the throughput and availability of critical communication systems under congested and contested situations . (The project partners: Australian Defense, Airbus, RMIT University, Deakin University, Macquarie University, University of Technology Sydney.

• Prof Kandeepan Sithamparanathan (overall project lead)

• Prof  Akram Al-Hourani (Lead CI for RMIT group)

• A/Prof Ke (Desmond) Wang

• A/Prof Wayne Rowe

• Dr Saman Atapattu

• Dr Jing Fu

• Dr Fernando Moya

• Dr Chamath Divarathne

Funded by: SmartSat CRC

The project aims to develop a miniaturised sensory device for event perception inspired by human vision and brain. The project expects to utilise an interdisciplinary approach combining optically active materials, nanofabrication of a broadband light sensor with in-built memory, and spiking neural networks to create real-time, event-based detection and tracking capability while reducing redundant data and latency. The expected outcome is an autonomous vision device that highlights changes in the scene using visible and infrared wavelengths. This should provide significant benefits to the security, defence, intelligence and space sectors through integrated stealth detection and tracking of targets real-time even in poor lighting. 

Prof Sumeet Walia (Lead CI); A/Prof Akram Hourani; Prof Arnan Mitchell; Prof Margaret Lech 

This is a 3 years project investigating the use of machine learning methods to model and mitigate interference on spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar.

Funded PhD student:

• Mrs Nermine Hendy

Chief Investigators:

• A/Prof Akram Al-Hourani (Lead CI)

• Dr Haytham Fayek

Funded by: SmartSat CRC (2021 to 2023)  

This is a project aims to develop a novel time-series modelling approach for the V-band satellite channel based on empirical measurements. The produced time-series model will be further implemented to predict the satellite channel behaviour under different propagation scenarios. This will allow more accurate link performance prediction, and will further facilitate the development of fading mitigation techniques to enhance network service availability. The project is in collaboration with our industry partner OneWeb. The project is supported by SmartSat CRC, Satellite Applications Catapult, UK Science and Innovation Network, Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) and the Australian Space Agency as part of the Space Bridge Framework aimed at enhancing cooperation between UK and Australian space industries. 

Funded by: SmartSat CRC (2021 to 2022)

Chief Investigators (RMIT):

• A/Prof Akram Al-Hourani (Lead CI)

• Dr Phillip Conder

• Dr Ke (Desmond) Wang

• Prof Kandeepan Sithamparanathan

• A/Prof Wayne Rowe 

Research Fellow:

• Dr Bassel Al Homssi

Industry partners:

• Dr Ben Allan (OneWeb)

• Mr Ben Moores (OneWeb)

See the announcement by RMIT University below:

Multidisciplinary research team consisting of researchers from STEM, DSC and COBL Community microgrids can deliver many benefits to rural and regional communities, such as improving the reliability of their electricity network. More specifically, community microgrids can assure continuity of electricity supply under natural disasters (e.g., bushfires, storms and floods) while coordinating local renewable energy resources (e.g. solar-PV systems) and energy storage systems. Many communities in the world are vulnerable to natural disasters; however, they require support and expertise to develop microgrids. Using our technical, regulatory and policy expertise on community energy systems, this initiative will assist these communities in building and operating microgrids, while liaising with the government and industry partners.
https://communitymicrogrid.net/  

Chief Investigators:

A/Prof. Lasantha Meegahapola

Funded by: Automotive Engineering Graduate Program (2019 to 2023) 

In collaboration our industry partner Bosch Australia for investigating and developing next-generation wireless systems for vehicular access, security and safety. The project supports 4 PhD student scholarships

Chief Investigators:

• A/Prof Wayne Rowe (Lead CI)

• Prof Kandeepan Sithamparanathan

• Dr Akram Al-Hourani

• Prof Bill Moran (UniMelb)

Sensing and Communications for Tactical Radio: Mapping the RF Weather  [Ongoing]

ARC Discovery Project

Investigators:

• Dr Saman  Atapattu

Catalytic conversion of waste cooking oil to biodiesel (funded by SV) [Ongoing]

Investigators:

• Dr Ylias Sabri 

Funded by: Smart Cities and Suburbs Program (2019 to 2020) 

The Northern Melbourne Smart Cities Network, enabling data to drive change project will provide an IoT-based Smart Cities network to drive the first steps towards smart cities transformation for City of Whittlesea, Moreland City Council, Banyule City Council, Mitchell Shire Council and Nillumbik Shire Council.

The project developed and implemented a LoRaWAN network that enabled the integration of 5 different types of sensors to collect data on a wide variety of aspects of everyday life in the cities and allow Councils to monitor and improve efficiency of services provided and support potential delivery of new services. The project attracted two prestigious industry awards: Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) Smart City Awards for 2020, and IoT Alliance Australia (IoTAA) Smart Cities Award for 2020.

In collaboration with 5 Victorian councils:

• City of Whittlesea

• Moreland City

• Banyule City

• Mitchell Shire

• Nillumbik Shire

Chief Investigators (at RMIT):

• Dr Akram Al-Hourani (Lead CI)

• Prof Kandeepan Sithamparanathan

• Dr Ke (Desmond) Wang

Research Project Team (at RMIT):

• Dr Bassel Al Homssi (Research officer)

• Mr James Delaney (Research Officer)

• Mr Neil Tom

• Dr Kagiso Magowe (Post-Doc)

The link to the official webpage of the smart cities 2 project

Funded by: Smart Cities and Suburbs Program - (2018 to 2019) 

A major project is with the Local Australian Government through three Victorian councils: Port Phillip, Brimbank and Kingstone, helping these councils to solve public needs in providing more-efficient resource utilization. Our role in this project as a chief investigator includes the development of wireless communication system and Internet-of-Things system to monitor facilities’ utilization and to monitor environmental metrics, helping in creating more sustainable use patterns. 

Chief Investigators: 

• Prof Sujeeva Setunge (Lead CI) 

• Prof Kandeepan Sithamparanathan

• Dr Karina Gomez

• Dr Akram Hourani

• Dr Kagiso Magowe

• Prof Kevin Zhang