Biography
Pubudu N. Pathirana received First Class Honours in B.E(Elec) Engineering and B.Sc(math) in 1996, PhD in Missile Guidance and Control in 2001 from the University of Western Australia(UWA) with Merit Scholarship Scheme(MSS) and IPRS scholarships for his undergraduate and post graduate education respectively.
He was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Oxford University, UK sponsored by Ford motor co.(USA) in 2000/2001 and a research fellow in The University of New South Wales, Sydney and a consultant to the Weapons systems division of the Defence Science and Technology Organization(DSTO) Australia 2002/2003, before joining Deakin University in March 2003. He was a visiting Associate Professor at Yale University, USA in 2009.
He has won numerous reseach grants including ARC(Discovery, LIEF), DSTO in excess of 5M and published in numerous international journals and conferences in areas including, navigation, vision based guidance, swarm robotics, mobile computing/networking and applications into assistive devices and rehabilitation robotics covering over 250 refereed publications. He has been the principle supervisor for over 22 PhD graduants. He is also a reviewer for several international journals, transactions and conferences and an OzReader with the Australian Research Council. He has been engaged in collabratitve research and developments with number of Australian and Interantional companies and currently heads the Networked Sensing and Control (NSC) Research group at Deakin university with 7 students being currently supervised as the principal supervisor.
Read more on Pubudu's profileBiography summary
Pubudu N. Pathirana received First Class Honours in B.E(Elec) Engineering and B.Sc(math) in 1996 from the University of Western Australia(UWA). He received his PhD in Missile Guidance and Control from the same university in 2001. He was a recipient of EMSS and OPRS scholarships for his undergraduate and post graduate education respectively.
He was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Oxford University, UK in 2000/2001, a research fellow in The University of New South Wales, Sydney and a consultant to the Weapons systems division of the Defence Science and Technology Organization(DSTO) Australia 2002/2003, before joining Deakin University in March 2003. He was a visiting Associate Professor at Yale University, USA in 2009.
He has won numerous reseach grants including ARC(Discovery, LIEF), DSTO in excess of 5M, published over 250 refereed publications in numerous international journals and conferences and supervised over 22 PhD graduates.
Career highlights
Head of the Disipline, Mechatronics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering (2021-)
Programme Director for Mechtronics and Robotics (2005-2007)
Director, Sensing Control and Diagnostics for a Sustainable Future (SCDSF) - Faculty Research Cluster (2010-2012)
Research Grants :
[1]Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Measuring ataxia in children with Friedreich ataxia, Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA), USA, $180,000 (2023-2024)
[2]Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Device for guiding therapy in ataxia and imbalance, Medical Research Future Fund(MRFF), $ 939,000 (2020-2022).
[3]Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Measuring upper limb function in Dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), Ataxia UK, £62,731 (2021-2024).
[4] A/Prof Pubudu Pathirnana, Human Bio-Kinematics for Tele-Rehabilitation, Data61 $148,166 (2016).
[5]A/Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Analysis of truncal movements of People with Parkinson's Disease, Florey Institute of Neuroscience, $27,000 (2016).
[6]A/Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Creating Smart Search Engine on SQL/no-SQL databases, $20,500 (2019).
[7]A/Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Kinematic motion encoded network paradigm for wearable and non-invasive sensors in Tele-monitoring in the use of Human Physiological data, Data61 $315,000 (2017).
[8] A/Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Courseware Development, MathWorks Inc, USA, $20,000 (2016).
[9]A/Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Objective testing of Human Balance, Florey Institute of Neuroscience, $190,000 (2016).
[10]A/Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Assistive Bionics for Physiotherapy and Respiratory Analysis, NICTA, $187,014 (2016).
[11] A/Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Prof Sevetha Venkatesh, Human motion caprure, NICTA, $736,840 (2011).
[12] A/Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Sensor fusion based bynamic state estimation for sourcing of information in driver assistance, Auto CRC, $77, 500 (2009).
[13] Prof Marimuthu Palaniswami, Prof Priyan Mendis, A/Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Prof Rajkumar Buyya, Prof Christopher Leckie, A/Prof Matt Duckham, LIEF, $270,000 (2012).
[14] Nahavandi, S., Shirinzadeh, B., Trinh, H., Chen, Y., Pathirana, P., Kouzani, A., Frayman, Y., Zhong, Y., Creighton, D. and Bhatti, A., A haptically enabled universal motion simulator research facility, ARC LIEF, $285,000, 2008.
[15] A/Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Prof Bernard Rolfe, Dr Alan Wong, Nodal Power Saving for Disconnected Ad Hoc Sensor Networks, ARC DP , $260,000(2006).
Research interests
Assitive Robotics and BioMedical Devices, Sensor Networks, Human Motion Capture, Machine learning, Wireless Communications
Units taught
SEE 312 Data Communications, SER 301 Electromechanical Systems Design
Knowledge areas
Computer and Sensor Networks, Human Motion Capture, Navigation and Control, Biomedical Signal and Information Processing, Rehabiliation Robotics and Assistive devices
Professional activities
Fellow of the Insttitute of Engineers Australia (FIEAust)
Senior Member IEEE (SMIEEE)
Assessor Australian Research Council(ARC)
Media appearances
- 2017 - “Wearable BioKin device to change lives of Parkinson’s disease patients, race- horses and golfers”, 18th August, 2017 Herald Sun
- 2017 - “Motion capture device for rehab patients”, Wednesday, 23 August, 2017, Electronics online
- 2017 - "Home-grown wearable tech revolutionising motion analysis",18th August 2017, Deakin Media release
- 2017 - "Wireless motion capture device with widespread applications in fitness, health", 21th August, 2017, Phys.Org
- 2013 - "Geelong leads the way in rehabilitation technology" - Transport and Accident Commision(TAC) Media release, 24th October 2013
Research groups
Awards
Spinger Vergag London best paper award in the IEEE Conference on Control Applications and Symposium on Computer Aided Control Systems Design, Glasgow, Scotland, 2002
ISSNIP Collaborations Award, 2008
Geelong ICT award on Emerging Technologies for BioKin(TM), 2014
L.Corben, M. Horne, P.N. Pathirana, D. Szmulewicz, M.Delatycki, Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) *rideATAXIA Europe research award of 85,000 Euro (2018)
Publications
No publications found
Funded Projects at Deakin
Australian Competitive Grants
Nodal Power Saving for Disconnected Ad Hoc Sensor Networks
Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Prof Bernard Rolfe, Dr Alan Wong
ARC - Discovery Projects
- 2008: $90,133
- 2007: $88,369
- 2006: $81,520
Transformation of Reclaimed Waste into Engineered Materials and Solutions (TREMS)
Dr Mayuri Wijayasundara, Dr Susanga Costa, Prof Michael Polonsky, Prof Bre-Anne Sainsbury, Prof Pubudu Pathirana
ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hubs
- 2024: $15,000
- 2023: $60,000
- 2022: $60,000
- 2021: $30,000
Device for guiding therapy in ataxin and imbalance.
Prof Pubudu Pathirana
MRFF - Biomedical Translation Bridge
- 2022: $255,471
- 2021: $772,029
Other Public Sector Funding
Human Bio-Kinematic Encoding for Tele-rehabilitation
Prof Pubudu Pathirana
Data61
- 2018: $32,402
- 2017: $28,636
- 2016: $87,128
Assistive Bionics for Physiotherapy and Respiratory Analysis
Prof Pubudu Pathirana
Data61
- 2016: $187,014
Kinematic motion encoded network paradigm for wearable and non-invasive sensors in Tele-monitoring in the use of Human Physiological data
Prof Pubudu Pathirana
Data61
- 2023: $585
- 2021: $26,178
- 2020: $91,397
- 2019: $134,533
- 2018: $116,358
- 2017: $69,163
Privacy, Vulnerabilities and Preservation, for Compliant IoT in Industry 4.0/5.0 Project Description
Prof Pubudu Pathirana
Data61
- 2023: $79,604
- 2022: $19,350
- 2021: $8,432
Industry and Other Funding
NICTA Victoria Research Laboratory Scholarship
Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Prof Svetha Venkatesh
NICTA Grant - Research - National Information Communication Technology Australia
- 2017: $76,840
- 2015: $115,000
- 2013: $109,000
- 2012: $71,000
- 2011: $35,000
RF Controller Design
Prof Pubudu Pathirana
FE Technologies Pty Ltd
- 2016: $1,500
Analysis of truncal movements of People with Parkinson's Disease
Prof Pubudu Pathirana
The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health - Grant
- 2016: $27,000
Objective testing of Human Balance
Prof Pubudu Pathirana
Florey Neurosciences Institute
- 2018: $45,000
- 2017: $95,000
- 2016: $50,000
Developing a clinically meaningful instrumented measure of upper limb function in Friedreich ataxia.
Prof Pubudu Pathirana
Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance
- 2018: $67,069
Creating Smart Search Engine on SQL/no-SQL databases.
Prof Pubudu Pathirana
Aurecon Group Pty Ltd
- 2019: $20,500
Transformation of Reclaimed Waste into Engineered Materials and Solutions (TREMS)
Dr Mayuri Wijayasundara, Dr Susanga Costa, Prof Michael Polonsky, Prof Bre-Anne Sainsbury, Prof Pubudu Pathirana
Tyre Stewardship Australia
- 2023: $50,000
- 2022: $50,000
Real Time Positioning over Wi-Fi 6
Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Ms Bipasha Kashyap
Codan Limited
- 2020: $20,500
Machine Learning on financial time series.
Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Mr Khoa Dinh Nguyen
Tibra Capital Pty Ltd
- 2020: $20,500
Investigating the use of the Ataxia Instrumented Measure ¿ Spoon (AIM-S) in measuring upper limb function in Dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA)
Prof Pubudu Pathirana
Ataxia UK
- 2024: $6,611
- 2023: $34,401
- 2022: $47,027
Data Analytics and Visualisation for Engineering Workflows and Business Intelligence.
Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Ms Thi Thu Ha Tran
Aurecon Group Pty Ltd
- 2021: $20,500
Measuring ataxia in children with Friedreich ataxia.
Prof Pubudu Pathirana
Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance
- 2023: $112,407
Other Funding Sources
Sensor fusion based bynamic state estimation for sourcing of information in driver assistance C3-508
Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Mr Sanvidha Herath
CRC for Advanced Auto Technology - Scholarship
- 2012: $23,168
- 2010: $26,355
- 2009: $27,977
Internet of Things Testbed for Creating a Smart City
Prof Marimuthu Palaniswami, Prof Priyan Mendis, Prof Pubudu Pathirana, Prof Rajkumar Buyya, Prof Christopher Leckie, A/Prof Matt Duckham
ARC LIEF - Linkage Infrastructure Equipment & Facilities Program
- 2012: $88,928
Supervisions
Srikanth Prakash
Thesis entitled: Modelling Industry and Market Dynamics of Resource Recovery Value Chains
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Lahiru Laminda Abeysekara
Thesis entitled: Quantitative Assessment of Neurological Dysfunction using Kinematic Measures
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Tran Duc Thang Ngo
Thesis entitled: Quantification of Balance Deficits in Neurological Disorders using Wearable Sensors
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Chandima Ravisanka Abeysinghe Kolambahewage
Thesis entitled: Internet of Things Platform for the Assessment of Neurological Disorders
Master of Engineering, School of Engineering
Chi Dinh Nguyen
Thesis entitled: Blockchain based Solutions for Secure Communication in Cloud Internet of Things Applications
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Thi Thu Ha Tran
Thesis entitled: Objective Assessment of Upper Limb Ataxia using Inertial and Optoelectronic Sensors
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Ragil Krishna
Thesis entitled: Kinetic and Kinematic Capture of Peripheral Impairments for the Objective Assessment of Neurological Disorders
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Khoa Dinh Nguyen
Thesis entitled: Towards An Objective Activities of Daily Living (ADL)-based Assessment Of Upper Limb Ataxia
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Bipasha Kashyap
Thesis entitled: Quantitative Assessment of Speech-Motor Deficits and Domain-Wise Manifestation in Cerebellar Ataxia
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Josefa Wivou
Thesis entitled: Bio-Kinematic Analysis of Golf Green Side Bunker Shots for Enhanced Performance
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Nhan Nguyen
Thesis entitled: Objective Assessment Of Movement Disabilities Using Wearable Sensors
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Thi My Dung Phan
Thesis entitled: Wearable Sensor-based Quantitative Assessment of Movement Impairments in Neurological Disorders
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Gareth Liam Williams
Thesis entitled: Dynamic Estimation Of Human Energy Expenditure With Wearable Sensors
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Hai Trieu Pham
Thesis entitled: A Quantifiable Kinematic Characterisation of Hand Function
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Sajeewani Karunarathne Maddumage
Thesis entitled: Human Bio-Kinematic Parameter Estimation Using Inertial Sensors
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Saiyi Li
Thesis entitled: Assessment of Human Kinematic Performance with Noncontact Measurements for Tele-rehabilitation
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Yee Siong Lee
Thesis entitled: Detection and Analysis of Human Respiration Using Microwave Doppler Radar
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Chatura Virajh Dias Nagahawatte
Thesis entitled: Towards Localisation with Doppler Radar
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Sanvidha Herath
Thesis entitled: Localization and Tracking of Agents for Close Range Applications
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Somaieh Beladi
Thesis entitled: Maximum-likelihood Based Estimation for Q-ball Imaging using Diffusion-weighted MRI Data
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), Centre for Intelligent Systems Research.
Samitha Ekanayake
Thesis entitled: Formation of Networked Mobile Robots
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), Centre for Intelligent Systems Research.
Timothy Black
Thesis entitled: Power Saving in Sensor Networks via Mobile Base Station Repositioning
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), Centre for Intelligent Systems Research.
Nicholas Joel Bauer
Thesis entitled: On the Simultaneous Estimation of Optical Flow and Object State
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), Institute for Frontier Materials
Adrian Bishop
Thesis entitled: On the Geometry of Localization, Tracking and Navigation
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), Institute for Frontier Materials
Hieu Tran Manh
Thesis entitled: Functional Observer-Based Fault Diagnosis for Dynamical Systems
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Cuong Nguyen
Thesis entitled: State Observer Design Methods for Lipschitz Time-Delay Systems
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering
Asim Bhatti
Thesis entitled: 3D Depth Estimation using Wavelet Analysis Based Stereo Vision Approach
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering