Kevin Austin

Dr. Kevin Austin is a Research Fellow at the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology at the University of Queensland. His work is affiliated with the Future Autonomous Systems and Technologies research group, where he focuses on automation and robotics applications in mining engineering.

Dr. Austin received his academic qualifications from the University of Queensland, including a Bachelor (Honours) of Engineering and a Doctor of Philosophy.

Dr. Austin's research centers on mining automation and autonomous systems for heavy machinery operations. His work spans several key areas including dragline operation planning, excavation sequencing, terrain mapping for autonomous bulldozers, and hyperspectral imaging for ore grade discrimination. He has made significant contributions to the development of algorithms for mining equipment automation, particularly in the areas of Monte-Carlo Tree Search for dragline operation planning and Iterative Closest Point variants for terrain scan matching. His research bridges theoretical advances in robotics and artificial intelligence with practical applications in the mining industry, focusing on improving efficiency, safety, and productivity.

Dr. Austin has been involved in numerous research projects funded by industry partners including Caterpillar Inc and the Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP). His current research focuses on coal stockpile management for remote bulldozers, semi-autonomous bulldozers for mine site rehabilitation, and articulated truck automated systems. His work demonstrates a strong industry connection with practical applications in mining operations.

As an academic supervisor, Dr. Austin has served as an Associate Advisor for multiple PhD and Master's students at the University of Queensland. His supervision portfolio includes research on real-time terrain mapping for autonomous bulldozers, mission planning for autonomous excavation, dragline excavation sequencing, and scan matching for terrain mapping in open-pit mining. His collaborative approach is evident in his work with other faculty members, particularly Professor Ross McAree.

Dr. Austin's laboratory and research team work closely with industry partners through the Future Autonomous Systems and Technologies group. They maintain strong connections with mining equipment manufacturers and coal mining operations, ensuring their research addresses real-world challenges in the mining sector. Their facilities likely include simulation environments for mining equipment operation, testbeds for autonomous systems, and data analysis platforms for mining process optimization.