QUT offers a diverse range of student topics for Honours, Masters and PhD study. Search to find a topic that interests you or propose your own research topic to a prospective QUT supervisor. You may also ask a prospective supervisor to help you identify or refine a research topic.
Found 56 matching student topics
Displaying 1–12 of 56 results
Active stroke rehabilitation orthotic
An active stroke rehabilitation orthotic is needed to assist the multitude of people affected by stroke each year. Several prototype hardware systems have been constructed, so we know the concept is feasible. Development for medical approval and manufacture is needed. Plus, artificial intelligence that adapts the rehabilitation strategies to help users
- Study level
- PhD
- Faculty
- Faculty of Engineering
- School
- School of Electrical Engineering and Robotics
- Research centre(s)
- Centre for Robotics
Tracking small bones for robotic surgery
Robotic knee surgery can perform femoral and tibial resection. Currently it is not possible to use robotic technology for patella preparation; to do so will require miniaturisation of tracking, effective clamping of the patella and controlled use of a saw. This project will aim to develop the technology for any small bone resection with a robot, taking the patella as a test case.
- Study level
- PhD
- Faculty
- Faculty of Engineering
- School
- School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering
- Research centre(s)
- Centre for Biomedical Technologies
Achieving a sub-micrometer surgical robot end-effector via hybrid sensing
When operating with a tool within the human body in the context of a medical procedure, it is crucial to be able to keep track of the pose of the tool. This project will develop a hybrid approach to end effector pose estimation by combing optical tracking with other sensor inputs (e.g. force, sound, acoustic emissions) to compliment and improve tracking accuracy with applications towards orthopaedic surgical robots. This project is part of a broader collaboration with industry partner Stryker.
- Study level
- PhD
- Faculty
- Faculty of Engineering
- School
- School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering
- Research centre(s)
- Centre for Biomedical Technologies
My flow: Menstrual cycle Femtech for elite athlete performance optimisation through wearable technology
There is a need for additional studies to monitor on-field performance parameters in female elite athletes (Meignié 2021). We know that wearable sensors can be used to monitor the physiological and biochemical profile of athletes (Seshadri 2019), and a combination of several wearables is going to be more effective for accessing all relevant parameters (Düking 2016). However, there is limited research on the effects of menstrual cycle phases on elite athlete performance (Meignié 2021).This proposed research aims to bridge the …
- Study level
- PhD
- Faculty
- Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice
- School
- School of Design
- Research centre(s)
-
Design Lab
Elevating performance: Innovative design strategies for body-worn (diagnostic or biosensing) devices
How does technology help us to support a person’s sense of wellbeing and/or performance? Beyond technology and metrics, how do a body-worn (electronic/biosensing) device be designed to fit the person in different contexts of use and different performance needs? We are investigating the role of designing with sensor technology (sensor technology agnostic) in body-worn devices from a Human Centred (HCD) lens, and Research through Design (RtD) approach.In today's fast-paced world, the pursuit of optimal human performance has become a paramount …
- Study level
- PhD
- Faculty
- Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice
- School
- School of Design
- Research centre(s)
-
Design Lab
Transforming home healthcare: leveraging technology for enhanced people experience
People with chronic illnesses face numerous challenges when it comes to caring for their health at home. The daily management of symptoms, medication adherence, and self-care routines can be physically and mentally demanding, requiring significant effort and discipline. Additionally, limited access to direct medical supervision, medical equipment, resources, and support may lead to difficulties in monitoring symptoms and seeking timely medical attention, further adding to the burden of self-care.From a human-centered design perspective, technology enhances the home healthcare experience through …
- Study level
- PhD
- Faculty
- Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice
- School
- School of Design
- Research centre(s)
-
Design Lab
Facilitating gaining trust in AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are automating service delivery in many sectors. Businesses have shown interest in using these technologies for delivering complex services in a way that meet the unique needs of customers. The technology gained more popularity particularly during Covid-19 outbreak, as it helped organisations to become more efficient in service delivery and increased service availability for customers / service applicants. However, gaining managers’ and users’ trust in these systems has always been a significant challenge. Particularly, managers and …
- Study level
- PhD, Master of Philosophy, Honours
- Faculty
- Faculty of Science
- School
- School of Information Systems
Designing smart cities for more-than-human futures
Cities are changing across the globe. Climate change, rapid urbanisation, pandemics, as well as innovations in technologies such as blockchain, AI and IoT are all impacting urban space. One response to such changes has been to make cities ecologically sustainable and 'smart'. The 'eco smart city', for instance, uses networked sensing, cloud and mobile computing to optimise, control, and regulate urban processes and resources. From real-time bus information, autonomous electric vehicles, smart parking, and smart street lighting, such initiatives are …
- Study level
- PhD, Master of Philosophy
- Faculty
- Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice
- School
- School of Design
- Research centre(s)
-
Design Lab
Designing perception: Investigating gender perception in designed objects through practice-based research
Perceptions of gender are not limited to people; they extend to objects, products, and environments through subtle interactions between form, language, and cultural context. The inclusion and arrangement of specific aesthetic attributes are a primary driver of perceived object gender, interacting with various factors, including cultural and personal individual identity. This creates an opportunity to reframe the question of “object gender” through a design research lens.This PhD project seeks to explore object gender through practice-based design research. It leverages user …
- Study level
- PhD
- Faculty
- Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice
- School
- School of Design
- Research centre(s)
- QUT Design Lab
Design Lab
Addressing Australia's affordable housing demand through industrialised construction
Australia is facing an intense housing crisis. Access to affordable housing has sharply declined. Moreover, the average rental vacancy is at historically low, at around 1% in major cities. The Australian government has unveiled ambitious plans to boost housing supply by building thousands and thousands of new homes within the next 10 years. However, the construction industry's capacity is severely constrained to build and supply such as the local industry relies mostly in traditional in-situ construction methods and techniques.This research …
- Study level
- PhD
- Faculty
- Faculty of Engineering
- School
- School of Architecture and Built Environment
Hostile Interaction Design
Hostile interaction design has emerged as a critical issue in contemporary digital environments, where design decisions increasingly prioritise institutional and corporate interests over the needs of users and citizens. Drawing parallels to hostile architecture—where physical spaces are designed to control behaviour, such as anti-homeless spikes or uncomfortable public seating—hostile interaction design manifests in digital systems as frustrating, impersonal, or obstructive experiences. These designs often shield corporations and governments from accountability, erecting barriers that prevent users from seeking help, lodging complaints, …
- Study level
- PhD, Master of Philosophy
- Faculty
- Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice
- School
- School of Design
- Research centre(s)
- Digital Media Research Centre
Design Lab
Designing for individuals: Leveraging advanced manufacturing for customised products
Today’s advanced manufacturing technologies offer a unique opportunity for moving away from mass production towards mass customisation in consumer products. This presents a prospect for creative practitioners to examine their role and how their expertise align with these technologies, allowing for design innovation to drive mass customisation and establishing industrial designers as a critical stakeholder within this paradigm shift in production.
- Study level
- PhD
- Faculty
- Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice
- School
- School of Design
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