AJIF Grant Program 2025 were awarded to:

University of New South Wales

Wearable Mechano-Acoustic Sensors for Remote Health Monitoring of Mining Workers

Hoang-Phuong Phan and the University of New South Wales research team

Building on complementary expertise from UNSW Sydney and Capgemini (Australia), together with UTokyo and AIST (Japan), this project develops wireless, wearable technologies for monitoring heart sounds, respiration, and fatigue in mining workers. These innovations will enhance worker safety and wellbeing while strengthening the Australia–Japan partnership in digital health.

Total AJIF funds awarded: AUD 197,404

 

University of New South Wales

A Vehicle-Integrated Approach to Digital Twin Deployment for Bridges

Mehri Makki Alamdari and the University of New South Wales research team

Managing ageing bridge infrastructure is a global challenge. Traditional structural health monitoring systems are costly and difficult to scale, while visual inspections are subjective and often miss early damage. This project develops vehicle-integrated digital twins that use sensorised vehicles to assess bridge condition, transforming routine traffic data into real-time insights for scalable, cost-effective monitoring and smarter maintenance.

Total AJIF funds awarded: AUD 100,000

 

La Trobe University

Future farming: Space technologies for food production in extreme climates

Kim Johnson and the La Trobe University research team

Australian and Japanese researchers are adapting Space technologies for the Moon and Mars to create efficient, climate‑resilient food systems for Space and Earth. Combining digital plant modelling and closed‑loop farming, the team will design experiments for testing on the International Space Station.

Total AJIF funds awarded: AUD 109,091

 

University of New South Wales

Electrochemical carbon capture and conversion for clean chemical futures

Xiwang Zhang and the University of Queensland research team

This Australia-Japan partnership tackles climate change by capturing carbon dioxide and transforming it into formic acid, a versatile green fuel and industrial resource. By integrating capture and conversion into one seamless process, we are developing the scalable technology needed to power a zero-emissions future and strengthen international clean energy ties.

Total AJIF funds awarded: AUD 100,000