Explore previous winners by year
Griffith Hack Overall Winner
Rhizobacterial Enhanced Seeds
A bacterial seed coating to reduce fertiliser use and increase crop yields.
Rhizobacterial Enhanced Seeds incorporates high concentrations of nitrogen-fixing bacteria into specially developed seed coatings, improving crop yields while reducing fertiliser requirements. A novel moisture management process maintains bacterial viability for at least four months without refrigeration, far longer than existing products. The technology is also being adapted to support native Australian species for ecological restoration, carbon farming and other nature-positive applications.
Team: Dr Mohammad Farzam, Dr Rebecca Swift
Category winners
Curtin Entrepreneurs Award winner (sponsored by the Malka Foundation)
Sunfish Robotics: Solar Ocean Robot
A solar-powered underwater robot that can collect ocean data for extended periods.
The solar-powered autonomous underwater robot collects ocean data continuously for months without the need for support vessels or human intervention. The platform harvests solar energy at the surface before diving to gather imagery, environmental measurements and acoustic data, transmitting information back to shore in near real time. By reducing the cost and complexity of long-duration ocean monitoring, the system makes underwater data collection more accessible at scale.
Team: Nikki Staltari, Morgan McDermont, Taylor Odishoo, Michael Bryan, William Jupp, Josh Jenkins, David Htet
Business and Law Award winner
EngageMind
An AI platform supporting violence prevention by connecting at-risk individuals with appropriate services.
EngageMind is a conversational AI companion designed to support violence prevention services and online Trust and Safety teams by engaging people displaying early online risk signals. Rather than replacing practitioners, the system provides a private, low-pressure first conversation that encourages reflection and supports a safe transition to human services when appropriate. By creating an early intervention layer, EngageMind helps improve referral pathways while maintaining clear ethical boundaries.
Team: Dr Kevin Marc Blasiak
Health Science Award winner
TBIScan
A portable EEG-based device for rapid concussion assessment.
TBIScan is a portable EEG-based diagnostic device that provides objective concussion assessment through automated analysis of brain activity. Combining a proprietary dry electrode headset, on-device computing and quantitative EEG analysis, the system delivers an easy-to-interpret traffic light result in real time. Designed for use from sports fields to clinical settings, TBIScan also includes a predictive module to help assess recovery and support safer return-to-activity decisions.
Team: Dr Sarah Hellewell, Caerwen Ellery, Dr Tejas Canchi, Professor Soumya Ghosh
Humanities Award winner
Rivertown
A simulation game helping communities and governments prepare for flood risk.
Rivertown is a simulation game that helps government agencies and insurers better understand how communities make decisions about flood risk. Players take on the roles of households, insurers and government, making choices about insurance, preparedness and resource allocation while experiencing the uncertainty of flood events. By revealing the behavioural drivers behind preparedness and underinsurance, Rivertown supports more effective policy development and stronger community resilience.
Team: Dr Francesca Perugia, Dr Rebecca Scherini, Connor Goddard
Science and Engineering Award winner
ASTRAPOD
An onboard navigation system enabling small satellites to determine precise real-time orbits autonomously.
ASTRAPOD is an onboard navigation system that enables small satellites to determine their precise orbit autonomously without relying on ground stations. Developed by Curtin University’s GNSS Research Group, the software delivers sub-metre orbital accuracy by processing positioning corrections entirely onboard using Galileo and Australian SouthPAN services. Designed as a modular software solution, ASTRAPOD supports more resilient, efficient and autonomous satellite operations while strengthening Australia’s sovereign space capabilities.
Team: Professor Ahmed El-Mowafy, Dr Amir Allahvirdi-Zadeh
Learning and Teaching Award winner
PROsectionXR
A virtual dissection platform enabling immersive exploration of human anatomy in 3D.
PROsectionXR is an anatomy and pathology learning application that allows students to explore and dissect photorealistic 3D models of real human cadavers using extended reality and desktop platforms. Unlike conventional anatomy software built from computer-generated models, PROsectionXR is based on real dissections and biopsies, providing a highly realistic learning experience outside specialised laboratories. Developed by an interdisciplinary Curtin team, the application supports anatomy education anytime and anywhere.
Team: Morgan Titmus, Dr Michael Ovens, Dr Hannah Radley, Dr Paul Ellery, Dr Alina Miranda, Dr Gary Whittaker, Dr Beatriz Ito Ramos De Oliveira, Associate Professor Petra Helmholz, Professor Zhonghua Sun
Curtin Global Award winner
Ai-MASS
An automated microalgae harvesting system using bio-based separation and AI monitoring to improve efficiency.
Ai-MASS is an automated microalgae harvesting system that combines bio-based flocculation, micro–nano-bubble flotation and AI-driven monitoring to improve harvesting efficiency while reducing energy use. Using camera-based imaging and IoT sensors, the system estimates optical density in real time to optimise harvesting conditions, reducing manual intervention and ensuring consistent performance. By integrating automation with real-time analytics, Ai-MASS offers a smart, scalable and sustainable solution for industrial microalgae production.
Team: Professor King Hann Lim, Dr Shiew Wei Lau, Professor John Sie Yon Lau, Professor Tuong-Thuy Vu, Dr Ming Chiat Law, Dr Saaveethya Sivakumar, Dr Jonathan Then Sien Phang, Dr Basil Andy Lease, Dr Emmanuel Yahaya, Leonard Umban Anak Pengarah, James Chun Ket Tai, Subha E Zannat, Mohammad Syazwan Onn, Dr Nurul Farahin Abd Wahab, Dr Norhafizzuddin Husein, Ridhwan Zhafri Kamarul Bahrim, Tg M Uzaini B Tg Mat
Trailblazer Award winner
Automated Detection of Drill Rig GPS Calibration Drift
A geospatial tool that detects drill rig positioning errors using aerial imagery and drilling data.
The Drill Calibration Reporting Tool is a geospatial analytics application that automatically detects GPS calibration drift in mining drill rigs, improving the speed and coverage of quality assurance processes. By comparing drill hole positions identified from aerial imagery with drill records, the system identifies calibration issues at the individual rig level and produces standardised QA/QC reports for operational use. Designed for remote mine sites, the tool helps improve drilling accuracy, operational efficiency and safety.
Team: Dr Paul Hancock, Leigh Tyers, Professor Melanie Johnston-Hollitt, Arun Veluchamy, Matt Pomery, Daniel Hitchen
Shortlisted Finalists
- AngelPhish: An AI-powered browser extension that helps users identify and avoid email-based scams.
- Argus: A real-time sensing platform that predicts and prevents collision risks in underground mining environments.
- Biodegradable Fertiliser for Sustainable Agriculture: An AI-enabled nano-fertiliser that improves nutrient use and crop productivity in arid environments.
- Concrete HealthCheck: A drone-mounted system that assesses concrete condition to improve maintenance and extend infrastructure life.
- Direct Green Lithium Extraction: A low-carbon method for extracting lithium without energy-intensive processing.
- F-QIC: A software platform standardising how forensic agencies classify and record critical quality issues.
- OncoPod: A home monitoring device for cancer biomarkers.
- Reinventing Fungicides with Programmable DNA Nanotechnology: Biodegradable DNA-based particles designed to protect crops from fungal disease.
- Reformix Eco-Concrete: A low-carbon concrete that replaces cement with industrial by-products.
- SolarTherm: A solar façade system that turns building exteriors into renewable energy assets.
- Velora: A wearable breastfeeding monitor that tracks milk intake and provides feeding insights via an app.
Griffith Hack Overall Winner
RapidGraphite
A revolution in graphite production for lithium-ion batteries.
RapidGraphite is pioneering a breakthrough in synthetic graphite production, a critical component in fast-charging lithium-ion batteries. While traditional manufacturing methods are slow, carbon-intensive and energy-hungry, requiring heating to 3,000 °C over several days using coal-powered electricity, RapidGraphite’s novel catalytic process produces high-quality graphite in a fraction of that time, dramatically reducing energy use, emissions and costs. The technology also enables the use of sustainable feedstocks like biomass and is compatible with renewable energy, making it a strong candidate for supporting the global energy transition.
With synthetic graphite comprising up to 25% of a lithium-ion battery’s weight, and no viable alternative currently available, demand is expected to far outstrip supply with a projected 9 million ton shortage by 2035. RapidGraphite’s innovation offers a scalable, low-carbon solution to meet this growing demand. Backed by Curtin and commercial partners, it’s advancing toward pre-seed funding and pilot validation.
Team: Dr Jason Fogg, Dr Jacob Martin, A/Prof Nigel Marks, Dr Irene Suarez-Martinez, Ms Kate Putman
Category winners
Curtin Entrepreneurs Award winner (sponsored by the Malka Foundation)
Organic Ocean
Evidence-based bio-enhanced native seaweed solution to chronic inflamation.
Organic Ocean has created SeaSoothe, a gut health supplement made from land-farmed seaweed pioneered in Western Australia, to help manage inflammation, improve fibre intake and support microbiome balance. Through enzymatic processing, SeaSoothe delivers bioavailable antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds at up to 10 times the potency of traditional seaweed powders. Grown in clean, mineral-enriched tanks, the seaweed is free from heavy metals and pollutants often found in ocean-harvested alternatives. Scalable, sustainable and clinically backed, this innovation offers a safe and effective way to harness the full health benefits of seaweed.
Team: Dr Alexis Chung, Dr Joel Wynhorst
Business and Law Award winner
Indrus
Real-time asset tracking system using existing camera infrastructure.
Indrus turns existing CCTV into a GPS-like tracking system for vehicles and equipment in ports or yards. Currently in logistics trials with major partners, it calibrates footage to real-world coordinates, links multiple cameras and tracks assets in 3D space without physical tags. Unlike traditional systems that rely on visual recognition, Indrus uses each asset’s unique movement path to maintain accurate tracking – even when items look similar or move between camera views. It creates a seamless digital twin of the entire site, offering real-time visibility and end-to-end operational awareness.
Team: Mr Dre Siwela, Mr Ryan Liebregts
Health Science Award winner
RetiDrop
Eye drops to replace painful eye injections for vision loss treatment.
RetiDrop is a nanotech eye drop for retinal diseases like age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, offering a non-invasive alternative to painful, frequent eye injections. Using advanced nanotechnology, RetiDrop delivers medication directly to the retina, overcoming the natural ocular barriers that prevent traditional eye drops from reaching the back of the eye, enabling patients to manage their treatment at home. With controlled, sustained drug release and made entirely from FDA-approved ingredients, RetiDrop is safe, scalable and cost-effective, reducing clinic visits and improving treatment adherence.
Team: Dr Bozica Kovacevic, Dr Hani Al-Salami. Dr Livia dos Santos Carvalho, A/Prof Fred Chen, Dr Sam McLenachan
Humanities Award winner
Minerva
Medical imaging solution for surgeons and clinicians.
Minerva is a user-friendly medical imaging tool to support the treatment of complex congenital heart defects during pre-operative planning. Designed in collaboration with surgeons and radiologists, Minerva enables rapid, intuitive exploration of images formed from large CT and MRI datasets. Users can interact with 3D medical images in virtual reality, using a standard laptop and off-the shelf headset, facilitating quick clinical insights and effective multidisciplinary collaboration.
Team: Dr Michael Ovens, Professor Zhonghua Sun, Dr David Andrews, Dr Ashu Gupta
Science and Engineering Award winner
Aquapure Sensor
A simple, affordable, real-time water contaminant detection tool.
This portable, low-cost gel-based sensor detects water contaminants instantly, delivering lab-grade results in the field for just $1–$2 per test. Powered by small batteries or USB and simple enough for non-experts to use, it offers real-time, data-rich monitoring. Its rugged, energy-efficient design makes it especially valuable in regional communities across Australia, where water quality monitoring is often inaccessible or unaffordable. Filling the gap between costly professional instruments and unreliable test kits, it has strong industry interest and potential applications ranging from agriculture to pipeline monitoring.
Team: Dr Elena Gorenskaia, Professor Debbie Silvester
Learning and Teaching Award winner
AURA-CXR
Explainable diagnosis of chest diseases from x-rays.
AURA-CXR is an AI-powered platform that helps radiologists generate fast, accurate chest X-ray reports with clear visual explanations. Designed for use across real-life workflows and clinician training, it reduces diagnostic delays and clinician workload. AURA-CXR tailors its reports to different experience levels, integrates patient history and doctor queries and ensures secure, standards-compliant data handling. By improving speed, clarity and trust in diagnosis, it enhances patient outcomes and supports more efficient healthcare delivery.
Team: A/Prof Sonny Pham, Mr Chayan Mondal, Dr Ashu Gupta, Professor Tom Gedeon, Professor Tele Tan
Curtin Global Award winner
Waste to Bioplastic
Transforming waste biomass into next generation plastics.
This green biorefinery innovation offers a zero-waste, energy-efficient solution for converting agricultural waste into eco-friendly bioplastics. The process uses a unique application of ozone via microbubbles to break down waste biomass, releasing sugars suitable for fermentation into lactic acid, a key ingredient in bioplastics. Operating under mild conditions without producing harmful by-products, the technology addresses major sustainability challenges in both the bioplastics industry and agricultural waste management.
Team: A/Prof Inn Shi Tan, A/Prof Henry Chee Yew Foo, Dr Tian Foon Howe, Dr Kevin Tian Xiang Tong, A/Prof Man Kee Lam
Trailblazer Award winner
RockAI
Rockfall detection with thermal vision for safer mines.
This AI-powered rockfall detection system uses thermal videography and computer vision to monitor rockfalls in real time, even in low-visibility conditions like dust, fog or darkness. Unlike traditional methods that miss small or fast-moving events, the system provides instant alerts and tracks rock trajectories, helping mine operators respond quickly to hazards, minimise haul road disruptions and improve safety. Successfully quarry-tested, it reduces reliance on costly radar systems and manual inspections, offering a scalable solution for continuous, all-weather monitoring. With strong industry interest and upcoming mine trials, the system is advancing toward commercial deployment.
Team: Mr Daniel Goldstein
Shortlisted Finalists
- AR Construction Safety Tool: Using augmented reality to simulate and train workers on real-world construction hazards.
- Beeper Ball: Sound-emitting soccer ball enabling blind players to enjoy the game with greater independence.
- Bio-Refining of Abattoir Waste: Modular, zero-waste process promoting the conversion of abattoir blood waste into bio-fertiliser, biochar and biomass-based carbon capture materials.
- Cellulose Wound Patches: Medical-grade bacterial cellulose wound patches grown from coconut water, vinegar and hibiscus.
- CuddleCup: Self-heating, portable baby bottle pouch designed to warm milk on demand without equipment or power.
- Mechanochemical Lithium Extraction: A greener, cost-effective method to extract lithium from rock using ball milling and water-based leaching.
- NeuroPose: Using radar and AI to track a patient’s head position during surgery to improve safety during brain surgeries.
- Pyromantis: Student-built camera system flown via balloon to map vegetation fuel loads and detect bushfire risk.
- SmartBuddy: An AI-powered, offline learning toy that helps children learn through speech-based interaction.
- Upcycling Offshore Assets: Embedding decommissioned oil and gas infrastructure into concrete for sustainable coastal protection.
Griffith Hack Overall Winner
MiniJet
A novel spacecraft thruster for small satellites.
Small satellites have emerged as an economically effective means to perform commercial and scientific research; however, the majority of these satellites lack propulsion capabilities which limit them to Low Earth Orbit. The MiniJet is a highly miniaturised, novel satellite thruster for the small satellite platform that’s more cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable than pre-existing solutions. Its unique design featuring intricate lattice structures made from a unique copper alloy within the thruster, significantly enhances its thermal efficiency despite being the size of a AA battery. As a result, the thruster enables small satellites to stay in space for longer, reach new orbits, and deorbit to comply with new space debris mitigation regulations. The MiniJet is currently part of the design for a propulsion system that would be the first in Australia capable of taking a satellite to the moon.
Team: Daniel Turner, Dr Robert Howie and John Curtin Distinguished Professor Phil Bland.
Category winners
Curtin Entrepreneurs Award winner (sponsored by the Malka Foundation)
Edison Collab
An AI-tool taking the work out of workshops.
By utilising artificial intelligence, Edison Collab streamlines the process for facilitators to capture workshop feedback, comments and discussion points. In a matter of seconds, Edison Collab can produce slick, custom PowerPoint presentations and reports for workshop facilitators and coordinators to share with their clients, providing them more time for completing other tasks and managing stakeholder relations.
Team: Samuel Cunningham and Sean Oldenburger.
Business and Law Award winner
CeSL
Chatbot to Encourage Self-Regulated Learning.
CeSL is an AI chatbot that seeks to encourage students to learn how to navigate the university system themselves through self-regulated learning. What sets CeSL apart from other chatbots in the market is its integration of advanced natural language processing capabilities with self-determination theory. This meets the needs of universities to provide effective, efficient student support while prioritising human agency as well as responsibly and pedagogically appropriate interactions. In doing so, students are provided with a more immediate, tailored experience while reducing the administrative burden on staff.
Team: Associate Professor Anna Bunn, Dr Abhijeet Singh, Associate Professor Nik Thompson, Professor Rachel Sheffield, Craig Sims and Jack Moursounidis.
Health Science Award winner
ChemoDX
Early Detection of Chemotherapy Drug Response in Ovarian Cancer.
Platinum-based chemotherapies are commonly used in the treatment of various advanced cancers. However, studies indicate that up to half of all patients may not respond effectively to these treatments.
With an initial focus on ovarian cancer patients, the ChemoDX team have developed a diagnostic test to determine a patient’s likely response to platinum chemotherapy before treatment commences. They are using state-of-the art transcriptomics and AI analyses to enable more in-depth examination of the tumour microenvironment. These predictive biomarkers, derived from tumour biopsies, are then able to provide clinicians with a solution to better tailor the treatment plans of their patient’s diagnosed with advanced cancer.
Team: Dr Yu Yu, Professor Paul Cohen, Dr Adeline Tan and Alishum Ali.
Humanities Award winner
Moombaki VR
Noongar cultural virtual quest.
Moombaki VR is an educational experience that blends virtual reality with classroom teachings centred on Noongar languages, culture and history. It consists of a comprehensive Noongar curriculum accompanied by various resources for diverse learning styles, including class activity sheets and PowerPoint presentations, a mobile game playable on iPads, a virtual reality game, and an immersive on-country camp experience.
In doing so, the team are improving outcomes for Aboriginal children, especially those in urban schools, boosting their cultural knowledge and self-esteem by reconnecting them to culture, land, and country.
Team: Professor Cheryl Kickett-Tucker, Sophie Karangaroa, Taylor-Jayde Gray, Jonathan Pillai, Maxmillian Wright, Noongar community and students of Weeip Maali Boodja, Curtin School of Design and Built Environment students, Moombaki Chief and Partner Investigators and Moombaki Community Partners.
Science and Engineering Award winner
SMAAT
Speech Movement and Acoustic Analysis Tracking.
Speech Movement and Acoustic Analysis Tracking, or SMAAT, is a novel software application combining state-of-the-art facial landmark detection and tracking algorithms to support speech pathologists in diagnosing speech sound disorders with a high degree of accuracy. Using audio-video recordings of a child repeating a wordlist containing 40 words and four phrases, the software can score a child’s speech movements against a set of clinically established criteria. Based on data collected on more than 60 adults and 200 children with typically developing speech and language skills, the clinician can benchmark a child’s performance against their peers and use it to inform diagnosis, select the most appropriate intervention and show treatment progress over time.
Team: Dr Roslyn Ward, Associate Professor Petra Helmholz, Dr Richard Palmer, Geoff Strauss and the broader SMAAT team.
Trailblazer Award winner
Maintenance Schedule Optimiser
An optimisation engine that automates shutdown maintenance schedules.
The demand for automated maintenance scheduling technology is significant across asset-intensive industries, particularly in the mining and mineral resources sectors. Although off-the-shelf software exists, these tools rely on simple algorithms and often produce low-quality schedules which require significant manual efforts to improve.
A research team from Curtin has developed the Maintenance Schedule Optimiser with significant advantages over existing solutions, including fast run time, the ability to handle large schedules, and an advanced algorithm that has been shown to reduce downtime by 25 per cent and headcount by 20 per cent for large shutdowns, bringing systems back online faster and increasing productivity.
Team: Dr Hoa Bui, Professor Ryan Loxton, Dr Elham Mardaneh and Alex Massen-Hane.
Shortlisted Finalists
- AI-Enhanced Stethoscope: Improving the detection of heart diseases by analysing the sounds of the heart more accurately than the human ear
- AnalyZr: Mineral analysis tool predicting field characteristics
- Children’s Technology Cove: Coaching digital literacy in children
- Autonomous Drill Rig Path Optimisation (DRPO) Technology: Offering significant reductions in drilling costs, time, resources, whilst enhancing Work Health and Safety
- Healthy Connections: Mobile first-aid response kit
- ImageHeal: Predicting healing trajectories of patients in real time
- Procuracon: A two-sided construction marketplace
- RETIdrop: Pioneering eye drops targeting defective genes
- Shell-to-Sheet: Sustainable food packaging from abalone
The Griffith Hack Overall Winner: Green Hydrogen, an electrolyser to produce green hydrogen from untreated water
The two existing methods for extracting hydrogen from water have their limitations: one process requires ultrapure water and an expensive catalyst, the other requires significantly higher energy inputs for the same level of hydrogen production. Curtin researchers have created a new water electrolysis method that employs unpurified water sources, including sea water. Their approach uses an alternative catalyst that costs just one tenth of existing methods, calculated to offer up to a 38% cost saving in hydrogen production. This exciting development could be a cost effective, plentiful source of hydrogen that contributes to the achievement of global zero carbon goals.
Team: Professor Zongping Shao, Jiayi Tang
Category winners
Curtin Entrepreneurs Awards: Tempo
Tempo is a new web app designed to help address Australia’s growing healthcare needs. The innovative two-sided platform helps healthcare providers find available, qualified practitioners to fill shifts quickly in a variety of healthcare settings, while allowing freelance healthcare professionals the chance to nominate their availability, and to negotiate their pay rate for each shift they accept. Previously, agencies have acted as the hub between professionals and providers, but the Tempo app now gives all parties greater flexibility. The web app offers self-employed healthcare professionals more control over their work-life balance, helping avoid burnout, while healthcare providers who have previously relied on a time-consuming booking process, now have instant access to a pool of practitioners with just one post.
Team: Nicola Cuthbert
Business and Law: ANI Research
ANI Research is a self-serve, market research platform that helps businesses understand their customers’ needs, identify new opportunities, test new products and make data-driven decisions. The fully automated platform draws from a bank of proven questions to create a customised survey with associated analysis and data presentation templates. Data is collected via shareable survey links or consumer panel services, and the statistically validated analytics are applied to the results. Rather than only providing data to the business, the automated analysis and interpretation assists in creating true insight. Disrupting the domain of full-service market research agencies, ANI Research’s affordable subscription model makes rigorous market research accessible to even the most modestly funded organisations and start-ups and empowers and educates clients to make informed data-driven decisions.
Team: Dr Sean Lee, Professor Billy Sung
Health Sciences: MYLO
Manage Your Life Online, or MYLO, is an AI web-based chatbot that generates specific questions for individual users, prompting users to ask questions they may not have thought to ask themselves. The app is designed to emulate ‘Method of Levels’ therapy, which encourages users to listen to themselves. It also uses elements of Perceptual Control Theory, prompting users to find ways to change their perception of challenges they face to better manage their life and emotions. Users are able to rate the helpfulness of each question, informing and improving future questioning. The Curtin MYLO project team has forged strong ties around the globe with mental health service providers, commercial entities and development partners interested in researching, funding and distributing MYLO. In the future, the team anticipate translations of the app to other languages and platforms to support a wider international audience.
Team: Georgie Anderson, Joel Dunstan, Professor Tom Gedeon, Professor Melanie Johnston-Hollitt, Professor Warren Mansell, Aimee-Rose Wrightson-Hester
Humanities: Marri Gum Dye, a natural extract from the Western Australian Marri gum
With the global textile industry seeking out sustainable alternatives to toxic synthetic dyes, this offers a new, energy-efficient method to produce a natural dye from the iconic Western Australian marri tree. Marri gum contains up to 70% soluble and insoluble tannins, giving it the potential to become an effective natural dye, but up until now, the insoluble elements, which cause colour inconsistences, have proven difficult to remove. The discovery is an efficient way to separate the soluble and insoluble fractions of the gum in cold water to create a water-soluble extract that produces yellow-brown colours on cloth, or with the addition of a food-grade reducing agent, pink to pinkish-red hues. The next step is a collaboration with Aboriginal artists participating in the Noongar Arts Program who are exploring natural, locally made dyes for the creation of their work. The team envisages a commercialisation model led by Noongar businesses for harvesting and producing the dye, with the support of state and federal government initiatives.
Team: Helen Coleman
International Prize: Pine Sense
The humble pineapple fruit is popular worldwide, with the global pineapple market forecast to reach US$23.1 billion by 2026. However, current methods to test the flavour profile and quality of a pineapple prior to sale are time consuming and invasive, destroying the fruit in the process. Researchers at Curtin Malaysia have developed Pine Sense, a non-destructive AI method that identifies a correlation between the colour of the fruit’s shell and its sweetness or acidity. An image of each pineapple is separated from its background, and its colour data is assessed through quality prediction modelling. Pine Sense’s ability to quickly and accurately assess pineapples, without destroying the fruit, makes it possible to grade individual fruit for different sectors of the market during processing. With Malaysia producing on average 400,000 to 600,000 tons of pineapples yearly, this new innovation aims to benefit the local and wider pineapple market by helping producers identify higher quality varieties, while reducing product waste.
Team: Eric Chua Yong Hong, Dr Christine Wan Sieng Yeo (Curtin Malaysia)
Science and Engineering: Space Domain Awareness
Curtin researchers have harnessed their expertise in imaging distant galaxies to create a highly portable and ‘invisible’ radar system, with exciting potential applications for the defence and aerospace industries. The Space Domain Awareness (or SDA) system was designed in-house and looks for reflections of FM radio and TV station signals that have bounced off objects in the sky. Using this method, the SDA system does not broadcast its position, unlike conventional radar systems, which transmit a dedicated signal and look for its reflections. By employing techniques from radio astronomy applications, such as low noise amplification of weak signals, the SDA system has the capability to track aircraft or even objects in orbit thousands of kilometres away. The highly portable system was manufactured in Western Australia and can be deployed by a small team in under two hours.
Team: Jake Jones, Aoife Stapleton, Luke Verduyn, Mia Walker, Associate Professor Randall Wayth, Emmaline Yearsley
Student Prize: MacroMop
A special type of immune cell could offer an alternative treatment pathway for patients with infections that have become immune to antibiotics, or patients with cancers that are not responding to chemotherapy. The cells, known as macrophages and microglia, consume and remove infected and damaged tissue in a process known as phagocytosis. A team of Curtin researchers have identified a novel protein, present in the macrophage cell, that when increased, dials up the rate and capacity of phagocytosis. These ‘super active’ macrophages could potentially be applied or injected into specific infection sites or tumours to ‘consume’ the diseased tissue more quickly. While macrophage therapy is currently being explored, the use of this protein is new and presents a novel way to increase the utility of macrophage therapy. The next phase of research will look into the potential of other further therapeutic uses, such as improving the skin condition of burns patients, enhancing pathogen recognition by macrophages in infections, and modifying the environment of solid tumours.
Team: Melissa Eccles, Dr Benjamin Dwyer, Associate Professor Giuseppe Verdile
Teaching & Learning: Elucidate Education
Elucidate Education is Australia’s largest not-for-profit education platform, making upper secondary school learning resources accessible to all students, regardless of their circumstances. Curtin students have joined forces with a large team of university volunteers to create curriculum-based textbooks, online content and videos that are already proving to be effective. To date, 82,000 students globally have accessed the material, with many expressing a preference for these learning resources. While the textbooks are available for purchase by all students and high schools, Elucidate Education also uses a two-for-one donation model aimed at supplying every third textbook for free to students who are financially disadvantaged, or who are under-resourced due to regional isolation. Following its initial roll-out in Western Australia and Victoria, Elucidate Education has an Australia-wide expansion plan to increase the number of volunteers writing textbooks for middle and upper school learning. The team is also developing a production studio for the creation of educational content.
Team: Jack Anderson, Patrick Catambay, Kyi Chan, Christina Chong, Hannah Knight, Ben Whitten
Trailblazer Prize – Hydrobe
Finding ways to capture and recycle carbon discharged by heavy industries is critical to achieving net zero emissions targets. Western Australian company Hydrobe has developed a new, sustainable approach to decarbonisation that uses a biological process to convert carbon into algal biomass, without generating new carbon. Hydrobe is using Curtin research to quantify and improve the effectiveness of recycling carbon into organic carbon while co-producing hydrogen. As Hydrobe’s core technology doesn’t require high heat or pressure, the cost, size and energy footprint of large-scale photosynthetic reactor systems are reduced. A recent independent study has confirmed the viability of Hydrobe’s process at scale, and an ability to produce hydrogen for less than USD$2 per kilogram.
Team: Duncan Anderson, Associate Professor Tejas Bhatelia, Brent Bonadeo, Dr Sufia Hena, Dr Nadia Leinecker, Dr Milinkumar Shah, Jaco Zandberg
Shortlisted Finalists
- SpeedSig: a new way to understand how athletes run
- A novel treatment for Human African Trypanosomiasis (Sleeping Sickness)
- The XIoT Tag: a livestock health & wellbeing monitoring device
- A decontamination process to remove toxic elements from mining-influenced water
- Democratic Climate Bonds: a novel financial instrument that combines climate bonds and deliberative democracy to facilitate climate action
- A valuation method for Asian options
- A decision support tool for the optimisation of drill and blast designs
- System-Wide Foundation for Improvement (SFWI): A program to build positive school cultures
- A pelletisation technology to decarbonise iron and steel making
Overall Curtinnovation 2022 award winners
A novel onset pathway for Alzheimer’s: A potential target for therapies
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, which is acknowledged as the World Health Organisation’s “global health priority for the 21st century”. While most Alzheimer’s research focuses on the brain, a Curtin team has identified a potential cause and therapeutic target of Alzheimer’s outside the brain. From their research, they concluded that an abnormal increase in the toxic protein amyloid-β in the blood, and subsequent accumulation in the brain, is a causal route of Alzheimer’s. The team then identified several compounds that block the blood-to-brain amyloid pathway, with the cardiovascular drug probucol showing the highest efficacy in animal models.
A clinical trial to test whether probucol stabilises the cognitive performance in patients with early Alzheimer’s is now underway, and a provisional patent has been filed for the novel pro-drug formulation of probucol that the team is developing.
Team: John Curtin Distinguished Professor John Mamo, Dr Ryusuke Takechi, and Dr Virginie Lam.
Support: National Health and Medical Research Council, Medical Research Future Fund, Curtin University, MSWA, The McCusker Charitable Foundation, Wen Giving Foundation.
Category winners
Business and Law – Assuro: Bank guarantees and bonds made easy
Assuro is a world-first digital bank guarantee product and management system, developed by Curtin graduate and financial analyst Leon Weston. Assuro offers an online application process that delivers bank guarantees to market at half the cost typically charged by major banks. The system replaces a 4–6-week process with an online application that can be completed in minutes, with reduced client costs and risk.
Assuro works alongside one of Australia’s premium banks, which issues guarantees generated via Assuro’s platform, with a second Australian bank now onboarding the platform. The company also offers a suite of tools that helps businesses streamline administration and tighten control of their guarantees.
In April 2022, Assuro built on its success with a finance service that enables clients to apply for unsecured finance to secure the guarantee itself – another first for bank guarantee providers – that benefits businesses by enabling working capital to remain within business operations.
Team: Mr Leon Weston (Curtin Alumni).
Support: Curtin University (Innovation Central Perth).
Humanities – HerHelp
Developed by Curtin health sciences student Alexis McDonald, HerHelp is a mental health mobile application that enables women to access a range of on-demand wellness resources and mental health professionals – including trauma therapists, life coaches, meditation experts, personal trainers, yoga instructors, body-image experts, sexologists, relationship counsellors and nutritionists.
Alexis identified the need for professional but discreet on-demand support following market research that indicated almost two-thirds of people have thought about seeking professional help for a wellness issue but were inhibited by stigma, cost or the fear their problem was “too small”.
Launched in 2019, HerHelp quickly gained popularity and was featured in Marie Claire and The Australian and in radio and television segments as the first platform of its kind, designed specifically to support women dealing with various wellness issues. HerHelp now has more than 10,000 users. Alexis has just launched a new version of the app, working with a developer to deliver a better user interface and features, with market research suggesting a 500% growth in users will be gained within the first year of launch.
Team: Ms Alexis McDonald, Mr Geoff Upston, Ms Sharon Upston.
Science and Engineering – Hydrogen export as a powder
A Curtin team has developed a chemical process and a catalyst that enables sodium borohydride to be cost-effectively recycled from sodium metaborate. Their success completes a key step in the viability of the compound sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as a green, renewable energy export.
Sodium borohydride is safer and more cost-effective than competing methods of hydrogen export such as liquid hydrogen or ammonia. As a powder, it can be added to water to release hydrogen, and the sodium metaborate by-product can then be reprocessed via the team’s new chemical process. The innovation will be of interest to Australian energy exporters and to Asian and European energy importers. The Curtin team is collaborating with the Australian company Kotai Energy, which aims to export green hydrogen to Japan.
Team: Associate Professor Mark Paskevicius, Professor Craig Buckley, Dr Terry Humphries, Dr Yu Liu.
Support: Australian Research Council (Linkage project; ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre).
Trailblazer Prize – iFluid: Drilling fluid automation
iFluid is an automated drilling fluid system designed to help mining companies improve the efficiency, cost, environmental impact and safety of their drilling activities.
Drilling fluid is a vital component of mineral exploration, lubricating the drill bit and stabilising and cleaning the drill hole. Currently, drilling fluid is prepared on site, with the fluid constituents, quantity and delivery time determined manually. It is a labour-intensive process that is prone to miscalculations that can lead to problems such as jammed drill rods and collapsed boreholes – and associated down-time costs. Inferior quality drill fluid also causes higher consumption of water and chemicals, and a higher safety risk and environmental impact.
The iFluid system is an automated unit comprising purpose-designed hardware and software that assesses the drilling conditions and optimises the drilling fluid in real-time. Field trials demonstrate that the system can reduce the total costs of a single borehole by tens of thousands of dollars, and iFluid is now ready to service the mineral exploration drilling market.
Team: Dr Masood Mastofi, Mr Andrew Wurst, Dr Thomas Richard, Dr Ferial Hakami, Mr Eu Kean Lim, Mr Michael McKenzie, Mr Hing Hao Chan, Mr Alton Grabsch.
Support: MinEx CRC, McKay Drilling, South32, Sandvik, BHP, Geotech Boyles, Imdex, Rio Tinto.
International Campus – Iron POCT-ID
A Curtin cross-disciplinary research team has developed a single-step point-of-care device designed to help healthcare providers identify iron deficiency quickly and accurately. Iron deficiency (ID) is the world’s most prevalent deficiency disease, causing fatigue and eventually leading to anaemia. Undetected, ID may increase co-morbidities such as osteoporosis, and cause increased risk for viral/bacterial infection, heart failure and cancer. Unfortunately, most testing for ID is done only after patients present with anaemia, and while over-the-counter tests are available, their use is hampered by the complexity of the test and the need for results to be confirmed through pathology tests.
The Curtin team’s invention, named Iron POCT–ID, comprises a technology that measures levels of ferritin (a protein that stores iron) in a few drops of blood, and displays the correlated pathology value on a desktop device. POCT-ID is currently a prototype device. When fully developed, the device’s ability to offer routine assessment of ID at a more affordable price-point is expected to deliver a significant market-share.
Team: Professor Luke Haseler, Professor Damien Arrigan, Professor Tele Tan, Professor Linley Lord, Mr Tim Cushway, Dr Nasrin Manesh.
Support: Integrative Medical Centre, The Iron Suites (Singapore).
Teaching and Learning Prize – Online suicide prevention tool for university students
A Curtin Health Sciences team has developed an online suicide-prevention tool to identify university students who are at risk of suicide, and offer referral and intervention before they are suicidal. New approaches to identifying youth most at risk are vital to suicide interventions, with research suggesting that in the past year 1% of Australian university students have attempted suicide and more than one-quarter have thought about ending their life.
The Curtin team has developed a predictive algorithm that uses multiple factors to identify at-risk students, which is built into a screening survey that students can complete when commencing university. When the algorithm identifies a student at risk, an alert is sent to the project coordinator, and a team-member contacts the student to work together to develop safety plans and identify appropriate supports. The current pilot study at Curtin has to date helped several students with emergency, life-saving care and supported hundreds to access appropriate services. While the tool will be of interest to the entire tertiary education sector, there is potential for it to be of use in workplaces and community sectors where a high incidence of the cohort report suicidal thoughts.
Team: Professor Penelope Hasking, Dr Kealagh Robinson, Professor Peter McEvoy.
Support: Suicide Prevention Australia Research Fund, Feilman Foundation.
Overall Curtinnovation 2021 award winner
Test to detect early signs of liver cancer
Liver cancer causes 10% of all cancer-related deaths in Australia. Unlike other types of cancer, there are no laboratory tests or biomarkers to detect a person’s risk of developing liver cancer. Consequently, the disease often goes undetected until it is far advanced.
Now, a Curtin team has developed a predictive prognostic test to estimate future liver cancer risk in people with existing liver conditions. The test was developed using a cutting-edge technology called Single Cell Transcriptomics, which identifies the molecular fingerprint of thousands of genes, one cell at a time. Combined with new computational methods for data analysis, the technology reveals benign biological processes in liver disease that precede the formation of liver cancer.
Once commercially developed, the test will enable clinicians to categorise patients according to their liver cancer risk factor and offer early treatment options where appropriate.
Team: Dr Rodrigo Carlessi, Associate Professor Nina Tirnitz-Parker, Professor John Olynyk.
Category winners
Health Sciences — EarBuddy: treating children with chronic ear infections
EarBuddy is an inexpensive, non-invasive device that drains the middle ear fluid in children with chronic ear infections, avoiding the need for surgery. Resembling a sippy cup, the EarBuddy contains a nasal interface that senses when a child swallows and delivers a gentle puff of air into the nasal cavity, which releases the trapped fluid. Children can use the device independently or with assistance.
Team: Dr Matt Oldakowski, Mrs Intan Oldakowska, Associate Professor Peter Santa Maria, Dr Paul Bumbak.
Science and Engineering — VetChip: smart microchips that can monitor animal health
The VetChip is the world’s first smart microchip designed to monitor the health of animals. Placed under the skin, the VetChip features an array of tiny sensors that report on an animal’s heart rate, temperature, respiratory rate, stress levels, location and activity. This data is then relayed to owners or vets via a smartphone app.
Team: Dr Garnett Hall, Mr Zyrus Khambatta, Mr Ross Khambatta, Mr Dilesh Wadia, Dr Maxwell Hall, Mr Pendar Dalili (VetChip).
Humanities — VITooLs: Learning difficult concepts in pharmacology
VITooLs is a virtual reality training platform that simulates real-world scenarios, to help learners grasp complex concepts and practices. It provides teachers with the ability to scaffold learning material, whereby learning materials from different areas and levels of a course can be incorporated into one simulation.
Team: Dr Rima Caccetta, Associate Professor Lisa Tee, Associate Professor Francesco Mancini, Mr Jonathan Pillai, Mr Justin Owen, Associate Professor Aneesh Krishna, Mr Matt Reed.
Business & Law — Mobile app using marks, scars and tattoos to identify suspects
To improve efficiency in intelligence gathering, a Curtin team has proposed a new mobile app that can help law enforcement officers identify offenders quickly just from their marks, scars and tattoos. The app captures and annotates images of suspects and records the location, scale, colour and description of their unique markings. The app also includes a search engine to identify possible offenders that match a text description or a physical image.
The app has been endorsed by the WA Police senior leadership team, who plan to deploy it across the entire WA Police force.
Team: Associate Professor Vidyasagar Potdar, Associate Professor Amy Tian, Mr Jason Luppnow, Ms Ash Roberts.
Teaching & Learning — My Vital Cycles: increasing education about menstrual health
My Vital Cycles is a health literacy program for secondary schools designed to improve knowledge of the physiological and psychological issues related to ovulation and menstruation.
Adolescent girls often experience period pain, mood swings, abnormal bleeding, anaemia and irregular cycles. These issues can result in school absenteeism, lower academic performance and body image concerns. However, teachers have cited lack of training and inaccurate resources as reasons to outsource this area of health education.
Team: Mrs Felicity Roux, Mrs Kammi Rapsey, Ms Alexei Tsallis, Professor Sharyn Burns, Dr Jacqui Hendriks, Dr Jun Chih.
International — AgriSmartEye: a reliable, low-cost method to analyse black pepper
A research team from Curtin University Malaysia has proposed a rapid, reliable and cost-effective screening tool. The tool uses hyperspectral imaging technologies combined with deep learning artificial neural networks, which not only detect pollutants in the black pepper powder, but also indicate its chemical composition and geographical origin. The tool can be used by local producers, traders and regulatory bodies such as the Malaysia Pepper Board.
Team: Associate Professor Agus Saptoro, Mr Terence Chia Yi Kai.
Overall Curtinnovation 2020 winner
Gel formula for treating hearing loss
A new formula of an existing pharmaceutical is being developed to counter hearing loss, for which there is no suitable medication. Hearing loss is a large and growing problem. The effects are linked to drastically reduced quality of life and even mental health and neurodegenerative disorders. The current approaches to managing hearing loss are hearing aids, cochlear implants or surgery, however, due to cost and suitability, they do not meet the needs of all patients.
The Curtin team, working with a leading surgeon, have now developed a formulation to deliver a known drug directly into the inner ear, by combining it with permeation enhancers in a gel. This could help many people who have suffered hearing loss as a result of ageing, exposure to noise or as a side effect of common treatments for infection and cancer.
Team: Dr Armin Mooranian, Dr Hani Al-Salami, Dr Daniel Brown (School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences) and Dr Jafri Kuthubutheen.
Category winners
Health Sciences — LinXmart
LinXmart is a secure, fast and scalable data linkage software, with data management capabilities and the ability to manage complex and dynamic linked datasets.
Developed at Curtin University, LinXmart uses advanced matching methods to determine if records from different data collections are common to an individual. The software takes into account missing information and errors in data, for example, typographical errors, and produces highly accurate matched results. A key feature of LinXmart is loading, processing and linking privacy-preserved data, which does not does not require the release of personal identifiers.
Team: Dr Anna Ferrante, Mr Adrian Brown, Dr Sean Randall and Professor James Boyd (La Trobe University).
Science and Engineering — Edible coating for meat
Packaged meat can lose volume due to fluid losses from cut surfaces. This in turn can lead to economic losses for the meat industry – the fluid loss may reduce the saleable weight of the product or cause consumers and export markets to reject it.
To address this, a Curtin University research team has developed an edible spray coating with the ability to block or constrict the cut ends of meat capillaries and prevent fluid loss. The coating is based on a polymer currently used as a dessert delicacy and is recognised as safe for consumption.
Packaged meat can lose volume due to fluid losses from cut surfaces. This in turn can lead to economic losses for the meat industry – the fluid loss may reduce the saleable weight of the product or cause consumers and export markets to reject it.
To address this, a Curtin University research team has developed an edible spray coating with the ability to block or constrict the cut ends of meat capillaries and prevent fluid loss. The coating is based on a polymer currently used as a dessert delicacy and is recognised as safe for consumption.
Team: Mr Shamika T. G. Gedarawatte, Dr Ranil Coorey (School of Molecular and Life Sciences), Professor Gary Dykes (Curtin Graduate Research School) and Dr Joshua T. Ravensdale (School of Public Health).
Mr Shamika T. G. Gedarawatte, Dr Ranil Coorey (School of Molecular and Life Sciences), Professor Gary Dykes (Curtin Graduate Research School) and Dr Joshua T. Ravensdale (School of Public Health).
Humanities — MissionsConnect
MissionsConnect is a VR immersive experience that allows viewers to access the lived experiences of Stolen Generation survivors during their time in-care at church missions. It provides access to a 3D digital reconstruction of two missions and is layered with interactive archival material, and the memories and stories of the children who inhabited these missions.
MissionsConnect is a powerful educational tool for schools, universities and the corporate sector. It allows sharing and understanding the reasons for Reconciliation, encouraging healing, and raising awareness of the importance of culture, language and country to Aboriginal Australians.
Team: Professor Reena Tiwari (School of Design and Built Environment), Mr Jim Morrison (Minang Elder, Former Chair of Bringing Them Home WA, Managing Director of Western Australia Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation), Emeritus Professor John Stephens, Ms Renee Parnell (School of Design and Built Environment), Mr Wesley Lamont (Hub of Immersive Visualization and eResearch), and Mr David Belton (School of Spatial Sciences).
Business and Law — Fatigue impairment prediction suite (FIPS)
Many members of today’s workforce are employed in environments with inherent safety concerns that may be amplified by the effect of fatigue. For example, in industries such as aviation, military and resources, personnel may be required to be alert for long periods of time outside of their natural daily rhythms, such as working night shifts.
The existing models used to assist shift workers to minimise their fatigue are outdated and unreliable. FIPS is a software tool which utilises state-of-the-art algorithms and analytical techniques to deliver smart rostering services to industry. Its open framework allows for the integration of new algorithms based on the latest models of fatigue, and the customisation of models for specific industry needs.
Team: Dr Michael David Wilson, Dr Luke Strickland, Dr Karina Jorritsma and Professor Mark Griffin (Future of Work Institute).
Teaching and Learning — Blockchain for accounting students
The ‘Curtin Coin’ cryptocurrency is being introduced within the School of Business and Law to give business students a ’hands-on’ learning experience. Each student will earn coins as rewards from tutors, and can then trade them to redeem at specific events or Curtin outlets.
It will give students a practical understanding of the fundamentals of blockchain, cryptocurrency and the cyber economy. The team are also developing a blockchain-based Monopoly game, using the regular board but with all transactions done through coins transferred between respective wallets and with a custom explorer.
The ‘Curtin Coin’ cryptocurrency is being introduced within the School of Business and Law to give business students a ’hands-on’ learning experience. Each student will earn coins as rewards from tutors, and can then trade them to redeem at specific events or Curtin outlets.
It will give students a practical understanding of the fundamentals of blockchain, cryptocurrency and the cyber economy. The team are also developing a blockchain-based Monopoly game, using the regular board but with all transactions done through coins transferred between respective wallets and with a custom explorer.
Team: Professor Saurav Dutta and Dr Vincent Chang (School of Accounting).
Professor Saurav Dutta and Dr Vincent Chang (School of Accounting).
Overall Curtinnovation 2019 winner
SpiroPak
SpiroPak is a nature-inspired high-performance structured packing for chemical processing industries, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) and carbon capture. Developed and prototyped using 3D printing, the improved efficiency of gas and liquid flow can increase capacity and reduce energy use.
Team: Dr Tejas Bhatelia, Nathan Letizia, Professor Vishnu Pareek, Dr Biao Sun, Dr Ranjeet Utikar, John Curtin Distinguished Professor Moses Tade: Western Australia School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical EngineeringDr Tejas Bhatelia, Nathan Letizia, Professor Vishnu Pareek, Dr Biao Sun, Dr Ranjeet Utikar, John Curtin Distinguished Professor Moses Tade: Western Australia School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering.
Category winners
Health Sciences — High Protein plant-based food ingredient
Researchers have developed a processing technique that unlocks the functionality of protein in the Australian crop lupin. The versatile food ingredient is inexpensive and sustainable, and could be the answer to increasing industry demand for vegan, non-GM, gluten-free, high-protein food.
Team: Hayder Al-Ali: School of Public Health, Dr Stuart Johnson and Dr Mark Hackett: School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Professor Muhammad Gulzar: Teagasc Food Research Centre (Ireland) Dr Emmanuel Karakyriakos: Central Chemical Consulting Pty Ltd.Hayder Al-Ali: School of Public Health, Dr Stuart Johnson and Dr Mark Hackett: School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Professor Muhammad Gulzar: Teagasc Food Research Centre (Ireland) Dr Emmanuel Karakyriakos: Central Chemical Consulting Pty Ltd.
Science and Engineering — Thermal Batteries
Researchers have developed a battery that stores energy as heat using high temperature chemical reactions. The team has partnered with international renewable energy companies to develop and scale the technology which costs just a fraction of competing battery technologies.
*Winners of the 2019 People’s Choice Award
Team: Professor Craig Buckley, Dr Terry Humphries, Dr Kasper Møller, Dr Veronica Sofianos, Dr Mark Paskevicius, and Lucas Poupin: School of Electrical Engineering, Computing and Mathematical Sciences
Humanities — Huey – the household energy indicator
Huey is an elegant smart device created to bring energy awareness to home owners and occupiers. By presenting the real-time status of a household’s energy balance (consumption, generation and storage) in an intuitive, always on and consumer-friendly way, households are empowered to better manage their energy use.
Team: Dr Joshua Byrne: School of Built Environment and Design, Gary McGhee: Buzzware Solutions, Australia
Business and Law — Thrive at Work
Thrive at Work is an initiative that helps organisations to design, implement and sustain healthy, high performing work environments. With the support of the Mental Health Commission WA, Thrive at Work offers evidence-based tools and resources to workplaces, to help them create well-being strategies and measurable action plans to enhance employee well-being.
Team: Meredith Carr, Dannielle Finnerty, Professor Mark Griffin, Lucinda Iles, Dr Karina Jorritsma, Megan Orchard, Kimberley Parker, Professor Sharon Parker and Jennifer Warr: Future of Work Institute.
Teaching and Learning — Research Screener
Research Screener is a new web app that can analyse thousands of academic papers with speed and accuracy. The app uses sophisticated AI technologies including machine learning and natural language processing to identify and rank relevant abstracts. With the help of the app, research teams can reduce their time spent screening from 100 hours to just five.
Team: Dr Leo Ng: School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Dr Kevin Chai: Curtin Institute for Data Science (CIDS), Peter Edwards (Curtin alumnus)
Overall Curtinnovation 2018 winner
REX orthopaedic screw
Hip fracture repairs are notoriously problematic, with up to 10 per cent of patients requiring further surgery due to screws loosening from the bone – a traumatic outcome for the individual and a burden on the health system.
In collaborating to address this enduring issue, a research team comprising biomedical engineers and orthopaedic surgeons have developed a superior surgical screw. The expandable mechanism of the REX screw is unique in that it prevents a gap occurring between the screw and the attached bone. This not only provides a stronger attachment, but also increases the options for screw placement – both of which can improve patient mobility and rehabilitation.
Team: Matthew Oldakowski, Intan Oldakowska, Professor Garry Allison, Professor Brett Kirk, Dr Philip Hardcastle, Professor Markus Kuster, Professor Gabriel Lee, Ian Brown.
Category winners
Health Sciences — Detecting harmful microbes in the meat industry
In Australia, the economic impact of food-borne diseases is about $1.2 billion annually. Unfortunately, routine screening processes for pathogens are time-consuming and expensive, and generally require specialist equipment and staff.
Now, a research team at Curtin’s School of Molecular and Life Sciences has developed an efficient genetic test that signals the presence of pathogens through a simple colour indicator. Supported by the Australian Meat Processor Corporation, the research was the first to investigate the potential of hybridisation chain reaction, or HCR, as a rapid gene-identification tool in food-borne pathogens. The technology could soon provide a simple, quick and low-cost test for the routine screening of high-volume samples.
Team: Dr Ranil Coorey, Professor Gary Dykes, Dr Joshua Ravensdale.
Science and Engineering — ARISE drug preparation system
ARISE is an acronym for Atomised Rapid Injection for Solvent Extraction, a manufacturing platform that can help improve targeted drug delivery.
Developed by a Curtin team of chemical engineers, ARISE produces micron and sub-micron particles of active ingredients. Smaller particles are more readily absorbed by the body, enabling lower dosages and reduced side-effects. The technology also lessens the impact that solubility has on drug effectiveness.
For pharmaceutical companies, ARISE should hasten the drug development process, assuring a faster return on development investment.
Team: Professor Neil Foster.
Humanities — Curtin Challenge learning platform
Curtin Challenge is an online learning platform that uses game-based elements to deliver content for developing creativity, leadership and problem-solving skills.
Curtin Challenge was created by the University’s Learning Futures Team as a resource for students. What makes it unique in the online learning market is its combination of educational, organisational and grading functionalities; together with the capability for self-directed team learning as well as individual learning.
Team: Professor David Gibson, Dr Mel Henry.
Business and Law — Harvest optimisation through on-farm grain storage
Western Australian grain growers are making better-informed decisions about harvesting, due to an innovative combination of new grain-storage options and mathematical modeling.
During harvest season, a range of factors can leave growers exposed to the risk of yield losses and/or crop downgrades. To help farmers better manage those risks, WA company Global Grain Handling Solutions sought the help of Professor Ryan Loxton and his team. Combining their expertise in mathematical modeling and computer programming, the team successfully developed a software tool that accommodates more than 60 inputs – such as crops, weather conditions, equipment and transport availability. Despite a complexity of variables, the straightforward spreadsheet design allows growers to readily explore their harvest options and identify the most profitable scenarios for their individual farm.
Team: Professor Ryan Loxton, Dr Elham Mardaneh, Shiv Meka, Luke Gamble (Global Grain Handling Solutions).
Teaching and Learning — ClimateClever
ClimateClever is a novel data-driven app that helps schools reduce their carbon footprint and save money in the process.
Devised by Curtin researchers in sustainability, the app has three interconnected modules, comprising measurement, auditing and action tools. ClimateClever’s function and design provides an engaging approach to help schools address wasteful behaviours and reduce energy, water and waste management costs. It also serves as a collaborative learning resource that encourages students to understand sustainability concepts and practices.
Thirty Australian schools are currently participating in the ClimateClever program, with more to follow. The team’s next step is to adapt the app for ‘ClimateClever Homes’.
Team: Dr Vanessa Rauland.
Overall Curtinnovation 2017 winner
Cyber attack shield
Denial of Service Cyber Attacks, which swamp a server or website and cause it to crash, are becoming increasingly common. This innovation, the Probability Engine for Identifying Malicious Activity (PEIMA), uses powerful statistical techniques to detect and neutralise these attacks while keeping the online service running.
Team: Mr Stefan Prandl, Associate Professor Mihai Lazarescu, Dr Sonny Pham, Dr Sie Teng Soh.
Category winners
Science and Engineering — Power line fault detection
Researchers from Curtin University have worked with partner Western Power to develop a new system capable of rapidly identifying and locating high-impedance faults in powerlines. This will allow rapid response to electrical failures that could lead to bushfires and further damage to power networks and property.
Team: Professor Syed Islam, Ali Tashakkori Jahromi, Professor Peter Wolfs (Central Queensland University), Dean Frost (Western Power).
Health Sciences — Extraction of anti-diabetic from the humble lupin
Australian sweet lupins, which are grown in WA, have long been recognised as food with health benefits. Chemical engineers at Curtin University have developed a new extraction process for producing high-purity gamma-conglutin, a naturally occurring protein derived from lupins that are effective in lowering blood glucose. This finding has potential as a nutraceutical or food supplement for diabetics or managing ‘pre-diabetes’.
Team: Dr Ranjeet Utikar, Associate Professor Stuart Johnson, Sharmilee Mane, Mrunmai Tapadia, Professor Vishnu Pareek, Dr Rodrigo Carlessi.
Curtin Business School — Next-generation green refrigerants
Carbon dioxide has many advantages as a refrigerant: it is cheap, non-flammable and has a low environmental impact, but has limited application because it cannot chill to low enough temperatures.
Greg Macham, an entrepreneur and Curtin MBA graduate, is working with a research team from Curtin’s School of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering to commercialise a gas agent that can be added to carbon dioxide to improve its effective temperature range, offering a safer, greener and more cost-efficient refrigerant gas, which provides a potential alternative for commercial cooling systems and the massive natural gas sector.
Team: Associate Professor Ahmed Barifcani, Curtin alumnus Greg Macham, Professor Moses Tade, Rakpong Peampermpool.Associate Professor Ahmed Barifcani, Curtin alumnus Greg Macham, Professor Moses Tade, Rakpong Peampermpool.
Humanities — UX-Machine to analyse human emotions
The UX-Machine is an online platform that can assist marketing and product design professionals to understand the emotions felt by their customer. The technology can use biofeedback data, including changes in heart rate, muscle tension and skin movement, produced by an almost limitless array of sensors.
Team: Associate Professor Artur Lugmayr.
Innovation in Education — National Schools Improvement Program
The National Schools Improvement Program has been developed based on many years of research in improving the performance of primary and secondary schools in Australia, at the classroom and whole-school level. A practical, evidence-based program of measurement tools and processes, made up of a series of online surveys, offer an easier way for school leaders and teachers to introduce a cultural change that allows each student to achieve their best.
Team: Dr Jill Aldridge, Kate Ala’i, Ben Aldridge.