Centre for Communications Research
The Centre for Communications Research conducts research and supervises postgraduate students in a variety of leading edge communication system and network technology areas. The key areas of focus are high speed and optical networking, wireless sensor networks, wireless communication, and multimedia communication.
International Centre for Security and Risk Sciences
Conducts research and development with partners from across the globe in a range of areas within the domains of security risk, the protection of assets, and the well-being of the community. These domains include the topic areas of Security Risk, Security Technology, and Security Management.
Project areas include security risk analysis, security risk management, fraud, counter-terrorism, critical infrastructure, intrusion detection systems, infrared sensors, intelligent CCTV and motion detection systems, biometrics and ballistics imaging, and security education.
Natural Resources Modelling and Simulation Research Group
The focus of this research group is on time series forecasting and the development and application of geostatistical simulation and estimation methods for mathematical and statistical modelling in the areas of mining, environmental pollution and fisheries. In addition, work is being done on designing and testing a range of optimisation algorithms with direct application in the area of photonics.
Visual Information Processing
Research Group Conducts research in the capture, analysis, processing, storage and transmission of visual information, using advanced signal and image processing, pattern recognition and machine learning techniques. The group is involved in the design and development of a new generation of smart vision sensors with on-chip implementation of human-like vision algorithms for face detection and recognition, image and video compression, bioinformatics, security, defence, and multimedia applications.
ECU hosts a number of well equipped laboratories including a microelectronics laboratory with an advanced probing station and measurement equipment, mechanical workshops with state-of-the-art computer aided design and manufacturing facilities, and several hardware laboratories equipped with industry standard design and simulation tools.
ECU’s WA Centre for Excellence for MicroPhotonic Systems is leading the way in developing microphotonic systems, a frontier technology where information is transported as high-speed light photons. The technology is set to marry with microchip developments.
The centre at ECU’s Joondalup Campus designs, fabricates and tests developments in the global photonics market, projected to reach an estimated US$700 billion in 2008.
The science of photonics already exists in home lighting, radio and clock displays, televisions, CDs, computers and many other appliances. But photonics has the potential to improve information systems and image-processing technologies vastly when integrated with leading-edge silicon chips.
Since 2002, ECU’s Joondalup Campus has housed the National Networked Tele-Test Facility, the only Major National Research Facility in WA. It is a state-of-the-art environment for electronics and microelectronics research, for the industry around Australia and internationally to test and prototype very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits and other System-On-Chip (SOC) devices, prior to moving to the manufacturing stage.
The WA State Government has announced that ECU’s Professor Kamal Alameh has
been named as one of 6 finalists for the 2007 WA Inventor of the Year Award. Professor Kamal Alameh has been selected for his work into computer chip technology that increases the speed of home computers. Called High-speed Inter-chip Optical Interconnect, this invention uses micro-lenses in a novel way to substantially increase the speed and performance of home and office computers. It facilitates higher rates of data transfer at lower cost and reduced energy consumption.
A joint effort between Engineering at ECU and Siemens has given the Joondalup campus
the best teaching and training facility in WA for instrumentation control engineering. The facility is equipped with the latest industry standard equipment and has already proved to be invaluable for further training of engineers from a number of WA industries.
ECU has expanded its operations with the Emirates Group with the recent opening of
the ECU-Emirates University Centre at Dubai airport.
Programmes for security professionals, including those working in the aviation industry and other aviation-related training programmes, will now be offered through the Centre.
In addition to the programme leading to a Diploma in Aviation Security Management, the Centre now offers programmes leading to a Diploma in Security Investigations and a Diploma in Aviation Ground Handling.
Whilst the focus of the Centre at first will continue to build on the excellent work in Security Training and Research, other programs are being developed including Public Relations and Communications.