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Two ACFR robots in action in a farm field, one wheeled, one drone

Centres and institutes_

Australian Centre for Field Robotics

One of the largest robotics research institutes in the world

We focus on the research, development and application of autonomous and intelligent robots, and systems for use in outdoor environments.

The Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR), part of the Sydney Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systems, has been instrumental in developing breakthrough technologies, conducting world-renowned research and developing field robotics principles and systems.

Key objectives

The centre's mission is to undertake research to develop new field robotics and intelligent systems theories and methods, and apply them in industrial, social and environmental settings.

We are committed to developing technologies in four core areas:

sensors, fusion and perception
movement, control and decisions
modelling, learning and adapting
architectures, systems and cooperation of robotics and intelligent systems.

Our research

Automated mining truck

Rio Tinto Centre for Mine Automation

We conduct applied research in autonomous systems, orebody modelling and systems optimisation in partnership with Rio Tinto’s operations towards realisation of fully-autonomous integrated mining operations.

Agriculture Ladybird robot

Agriculture and the environment

We’re working on a range of innovative projects involving robotics and intelligent software, such as unpiloted air and ground vehicles for farming specialty crops, trees, livestock, and weed management.

Forest

Forestry

We explore the use of sensor-fusion algorithms for estimating forest parameters from drones, high-resolution airborne imagery, photogrammetry, hyperspectral imaging and airborne laser scanning.

Driverless vehicle carrying passengers using intelligent transport systems technology

Intelligent transport systems

We're transforming the way we move people and goods around in cities, while improving the productivity, liveability, safety and sustainability of our communities.

The AUV Sirius is our workhorse platform. It conducts most of the surveys associated with our IMOS AUV Facility program. This vehicle is a modified version of a mid-size robotic vehicle called Seabed built at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Marine systems

The Marine Systems Group at the Australian Centre for Field Robotics conducts important research in sensing, navigation, visualisation and classification of marine habitats using autonomous underwater vehicles.

Security and defence

Working with government agencies and defence groups, the centre is contributing to projects in the areas of perception, path planning, battlefield casualty care and detection.

Our people

Academic staff

Professor Ian Manchester
Professor Eduardo Nebot
Professor Salah Sukkarieh
Professor Stefan Williams
Associate Professor David Rye
Dr Graham Booker
Dr Mitch Bryson
Dr David Johnson

Administration

Ms Carla Brown, Business Development Manager
Ms Annette Karydis, Administration Manager

Collaborate with us

Become an industry partner

Find a supervisor

Research Supervisor Connect

Centre Director

Professor Ian Manchester

Academic profile

Latest news

Robotics laboratory

Address

Sydney Robotics Lab (J19) 78-80 Abercrombie St, Chippendale NSW 2008

Get directions

Administration

Address

Rose Street Building J04 University of Sydney, Darlington NSW 2006

Get directions

Latest news

Professor Stefan Williams with an autonomous underwater vehicle.

Prestigious title awarded for marine robotics

Professor Stefan Williams has been recognised by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers for research excellence in the field of oceanographic survey and marine robotics.

16 January 2019

Wenzheng Zhang has combined his love of art and robotics to develop a robot that paints.

Artistic intelligence: meet Sydney's painting robot

A mechanical engineering student at the University of Sydney has programmed a robot to paint in the traditional Chinese painting style known as guóhuà.

Agricultural robot digital farmhand on field

Digital Farmhand boosts food security in the Pacific

Developed by University of Sydney engineers, Digital Farmhand uses low-cost robotics technology to increase food quality and production output for small-scale and subsistence farmers in the Pacific.