Students create a spectrogram from an audio recording, using MATLAB. They use this to identify the time that a crucial noise was heard, later to be used to determine the time and location of the sound occurring.
A process called 'trilateration' is used to determine the location and relative time the noise was made based on the compiled information from the workshop.
| Year level | 11 to 12 |
| Capacity | 16-32 students. If you want to bring more students, email highschool.workshops@qut.edu.au |
| When | School days: Monday to Friday |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Where | QUT Gardens Point, Science and Engineering Centre |
| Cost | Free (late cancellation fees apply. See terms and conditions.) |
This data science workshop explores digital signal processing and its real‑world application in digital forensics. In this interactive session, students step into the role of a digital forensics investigator and discover how data can be used to analyse evidence and solve a simulated crime.
Through hands‑on activities, students apply sound processing techniques to isolate and locate the source of a sound, and use image processing methods to identify a suspect.
This half‑day workshop uses MATLAB software and involves script‑based coding. Students build on prerequisite knowledge of matrices and arrays, PEMDAS/BODMAS, and core coding concepts such as functions and variables.
This workshop is best suited to students who are confident with script coding and are studying Mathematics Methods and/or Specialist Mathematics, reinforcing how the concepts can be applied strategically to decode the world around them.
Topics covered in this workshop:
If you have any questions, comments or feedback about the QUT High School Student Connections program, we'd love to hear from you.