Sustainable Minerals Institute
STRATEGIC PROGRAM

 

Future Autonomous Systems
and Technologies

The Future Autonomous Systems and Technologies (FAST) Program is a collaboration between the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering and Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI). FAST focuses on developing trusted autonomous systems and technologies for people to work effectively in the mining business process, supporting the industry’s transition from mechanised to autonomous and digitised operations.

The focus of this program is on designing, developing and deploying autonomous systems and technologies that are trusted and bring tangible economic and social benefits.

Program team

Professor Mohsen Yahyaei leads the program. The program leverages the domain experts in SMI centres and the broader University of Queensland (UQ) faculties and schools to develop and deliver on research projects.

The team of researchers and academics currently working on projects for this program are knowledge leaders on various aspects of trusted autonomy with a mixed academic and industrial background.

Program Leader

Professor Mohsen Yahyaei

Director
Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre
Program Leader
Future Autonomous Systems & Technologies (FAST)

Research focus areas

FAST research covers:

  • Elements of trust in autonomous systems from people, process and system perspectives
  • The process of change management for the implementation of autonomous systems and technologies
  • Role of automation on stability and precision in processing and its impact on risks associated with the mining
  • The workforce of the future for autonomous systems and technologies
  • Synergies between mining and other industries for scaling up the outcomes

Established expertise in these topics, skills and capabilities in SMI's centres and UQ’s faculties forms the foundation for developing research initiatives to address resource sector challenges in developing and implementing trusted autonomous systems technologies.

The FAST Program focuses on autonomous systems and technologies which are developed and designed for people to use and work with and within the processes which address emerging industry technology-driven needs.

FAST delivers excellence in education by creating the opportunity for undergraduate and postgraduate students to work on mining industry emerging challenges in autonomy and develop skills and knowledge essential for the future leaders of the industry.

Researchers and graduates will have the opportunity to practice systems thinking while working on future autonomous systems in this program.

Graduates from this research program will be acknowledged for their knowledge, technical capabilities, and skills crucial for integrating autonomous systems into business processes.

The FAST program conducts applied research on critical enablers for trustable autonomous systems and technologies, people integration with autonomous systems and technologies and transformation of mining processes leveraging autonomous systems and technologies.

FAST engages with communities and partners by collaborating to co-develop research projects and education programs on trustable autonomous systems and technologies.

The program does this by cross-cutting SMI’s Research Centres and Programs, and working with UQ Faculties to source skills and knowledge leaders.