Goto UNSW  home page Faculty of Medicine

Thinking Systems Group

Optimizing autonomous system control with brain-like hierarchical control systems


The ability of humans to manipulate objects with their hands permits a sophisticated interaction with the physical environment. The objective of this interdisciplinary research team is to develop a novel autonomous robotic hand control system using insights from the neurobiology of mammalian sensorimotor systems. This project involves human and animal neuroscience, computational modelling and robot hand implementation.

The research team is funded through a special joint "Thinking Systems" initiative by the Departments of Science and Health, Australia. This team consists of neuroscientists, engineers, computer scientists, psychiatrists, physicists and mathematicians based at the University of New South Wales, Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, University of Queensland and the University of Western Sydney, Australia.

Thinking Systems diagram

Thinking Systems Team

  • Dr Michael Breakspear, School of Psychiatry, UNSW
  • Professor John Morley, University of Western Sydney
  • Professor Nigel Lovell, UNSW, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering.
  • Dr Justin Harris, School of Psychology, University of Sydney
  • Professor Claude Sammut, School of Computer Science and Engineering, UNSW
  • Dr Stuart Knock, School of Psychiatry, UNSW
  • Associate Professor Geoff Goodhill, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland
  • Professor Gin Malhi, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Sydney
  • Dr Jim Lagopoulos, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Sydney
  • Professor Vaughan Macefield, University of Western Sydney
  • Professor George Paxinos, Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, UNSW

Brain Sciences UNSW - UNSW - Faculty of Medicine NSW 2052 Australia | Tel: Fax:
© Copyright 2005 UNSW Faculty of Medicine | CRICOS Provider Code: 00098G | Authorised by Convenor, Brain Sciences
Page Last Updated: 12:24:57 PM, Thursday 14 February 2008
CONTACTS | SITEMAP | Print Friendly