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Michael Milford

Michael Milford

Associate professor, Queensland University of Technology

I am a leading robotics researcher conducting interdisciplinary research at the boundary between robotics, neuroscience and computer vision, and a multi-award winning educational entrepreneur. My research models the neural mechanisms in the brain underlying tasks like navigation and perception in order to develop new robotics and computer vision-related technologies, with a particular emphasis on challenging application domains where current techniques fail such as all-weather, anytime positioning for autonomous vehicles. I currently hold the position of Associate Professor at the Queensland University of Technology, as well as Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Microsoft Research Faculty Fellow and Chief Investigator on the Australian Centre for Robotic Vision.

My research has attracted more than twenty-one million dollars in research and industry funding, both in the form of sole investigator fellowships and large team grants from the Australian Research Council, Queensland Government, Microsoft, Caterpillar Corporation and the Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development. My papers have won (4) or been finalists (7) for 11 best paper awards including the 2012 Best Vision paper at ICRA2012. My citation h-index is 25, with 2362 citations as of February, 2017. I have given more than 50 invited presentations across twelve countries at top international conferences, universities (including Harvard, MIT, CMU, Boston Uni, Cambridge and Imperial College London) and corporations (including Google Deepmind and Microsoft). I was a finalist (top 3 nationwide) in the 2016 Australian Museum Eureka awards for Outstanding Early Career Researcher.

As an educational entrepreneur, I have written and produced innovative textbooks for high school students for fifteen years, with more than 6000 physical sales and educational website and YouTube views in excess of 1.5 million. I am currently launching the company Math Thrills, an initiative combining mass market entertainment and STEM education. Math Thrills received pre-seed funding on Kickstarter ($2500) and seed funding ($50,000) from QUT Bluebox, further funding ($25,000) from the AMP Foundation and is in initial school trials. The initiative has led to awards including the 2015 Queensland Young Tall Poppy of the Year Award and a 2015 TedXQUT talk.

I have dual citizenship between Australia and the United States, and have lived and worked in locations including Boston, USA and Edinburgh and London in the UK, collaborating with organizations including Harvard University, Boston University, Oxford University, MIT, Edinburgh University, Imperial College London, Caterpillar, the US Air Force and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Avengers: Endgame exploits time travel and quantum mechanics as it tries to restore the universe

Apr 27, 2019 06:21 am UTC| Insights & Views Entertainment

At the end of Avengers: Infinity War half the people (including heroes and villains) in the universe were gone in the snap of a finger from Thanos (Josh Brolin). So how can Avengers: Endgame (in cinemas from this week)...

Remember Blockbuster, Nirvana and pagers? The new Captain Marvel lives in the 1990s

Mar 09, 2019 06:09 am UTC| Insights & Views Entertainment

Captain Marvel flies into movie theatres from today, and apart from introducing a great new hero who combines the righteousness of Captain America and the humour of Thor: Ragnarok, its also a cultural reference bonanza for...

Robots can learn a lot from nature if they want to 'see' the world

Jul 09, 2018 09:38 am UTC| Insights & Views Technology

Vision is one of natures amazing creations that has been with us for hundreds of millions of years. Its a key sense for humans, but one we often take for granted: that is, until we start losing it or we try and recreate it...

Terminator 2 in 3D reminds us what we've still to learn about AI and robotics

Aug 28, 2017 14:13 pm UTC| Insights & Views Entertainment

The classic science fiction action film Terminator 2: Judgment Day has ticked over its 25th anniversary. To celebrate, director James Cameron went one step further than remastering the original 1991 version and has...

The future of artificial intelligence: two experts disagree

Jul 18, 2017 13:49 pm UTC| Insights & Views Technology

Artificial intelligence (AI) promises to revolutionise our lives, drive our cars, diagnose our health problems, and lead us into a new future where thinking machines do things that were yet to imagine. Or does it? Not...

Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2: a scientist's review

Apr 24, 2017 13:08 pm UTC| Insights & Views Entertainment

Star-Lord Peter Quill and the gang are back as Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2 opens in cinemas from today in another outing of the galactic blockbuster. Its one of the most fun films Ive seen in years, combining...

How to make a driverless car 'see' the road ahead

Mar 16, 2017 05:33 am UTC| Technology

Microchip manufacturer Intel has invested heavily in the driverless car race with the latest US$15 billion (A$19.5bn) purchase of Israeli tech company Mobileye. Mobileye develops sensors and intelligence technology...

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Economy

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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) received a fresh vote of confidence from UBS after the investment bank raised its price target for the worlds largest contract chipmaker, citing robust artificial...
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