Defence helps university with new camera tech

Western Sydney University is working with the Australian Defence Force to develop technology that will provide Australia’s military and its allies with the capability edge they need across the Indo-Pacific. The university has been awarded a United States Navy Office of Naval Research Global-X grant for Event-Based Sensing in the Underwater Environment. Unlike a conventional camera, the event-based camera developed by Western Sydney University mimics how the brain and eyes work together, resulting in this new technology being extremely fast and data-efficient. While movement normally results in a blurred image when taken by a conventional camera, such movement enhances the image taken by an event-based camera and makes changes in the environment more recognisable. Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price congratulated Western Sydney University on its achievement. “This world-first technology is currently used in the University’s Astrosite mobile space observatory and is being further developed for use underwater,” Price said. “It will also be deployed to the International Space Station for a research project in November 2021. As a key member of the NSW Defence Innovation Network, Western Sydney University has been able to develop relations with the United States military, leading to increased exposure and cooperation with our closest ally.” Defence promotes connection and engagement across international science and technology networks, including with organisations such as the United States Navy Office of Naval Research, through funding support from the Next Generation Technologies Fund. These international networks facilitate access by university and small businesses to unique Defence-related problems and foster development of world-leading research and development occurring in Australia. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Kym Bergmann at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Director of Sales Graham Joss at [email protected]