Three Griffith University researchers have been awarded Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowships announced by Minister for Tourism, Innovation and Sport and Minister Assisting the Premier on Olympics and Paralympics Sport and Engagement Stirling Hinchliffe MP.
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) Professor Sheena Reilly said the University was delighted to receive the fellowships.
“Each adopts new technology and novel approaches, whether that be in finding new ways to recycle fire extinguishers in an environmentally-friendly way, improving connectivity to enhance tourism via micro-transport or adopting new technology to enhance macadamia nut quality,’’ she said.
Dr Shahla Hosseini Bai from the Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security has received $360,000 for ‘Advancing the Queensland nut industry using machine vision’.
Dr Bai specialises in developing novel technologies for agri-food industries to sustainably manage food production.
“Machine vision technology is being used increasingly to fast-track and automate food production,” she said.
“Queensland’s macadamia industry is focused on developing competitive and rapid technology for producing and exporting nuts of the highest quality.”
She said the fellowship will be used to develop state-of-the-art scanners that detect nut quality in real time.
“This research will put Queensland’s macadamia nut industry at the forefront of technology worldwide.”
Dr Tak Kim also from the Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security has received $240,000 for ‘Production of value — added products from waste extinguishers and tyres’.
He led the development of a new technology using waste chemicals from fire extinguishers and by-products from the tyre recycling process that can draw out toxic substances from wastewater on mining sites.
“The fellowship is about scaling up the technology and working with industry partners to find practical applications and solve ongoing environmental challenges.”
The new technology also addresses the growing problems from stockpiling waste fire extinguishers and tyres by turning them into activated carbon for waste-water treatment.
“Once the mine tailings are treated with our technology, the remaining water can be returned into waterways rather than sitting in a dam forever. By addressing several problems in waste management, we’re turning waste by-products into a solution.”
Dr Abraham Leung, a Transport Academic Partnership (TAP) and Transport Innovation and Research Hub (TIRH) Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Cities Research Institute, received $240,000 for Transforming Queensland Tourism with Micro-Transport with additional industry funding of almost $815,000 in project value.
Dr Leung says the new project brings together tourism and government stakeholders with transport industry partners to create a seamless and user-centric travelling experience for a new generation of tourists.
“Tourists increasingly want more control over their travel and easy access to all the information they need on their smart devices,’’ he said.
“They don’t want 15 different apps for local buses, scooters, e-bikes and island ferries and the attractions they visit. They want one app that connects it all.”
He said Queensland could become a world leader in offering flexible, on-demand transport services creating a seamless travel experience for visitors.
“Tourism events could be linked to these ‘Mobility as a Service (MaaS)’ apps and that is the approach we’ll likely see at the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games.”
“These apps are like a knowledgeable concierge that goes with you wherever you are, suggesting nearby events and experiences, but also telling you the most convenient ways to get there.”
Dr Leung said prototyping a ‘mini-MaaS’ in Brisbane and Townsville with and for tourists would be a world-first.