Technology research at NCI investigates the devices, tools and systems that will support and contribute to our society in the future. This covers electronic devices, medical devices, cryptography techniques, nanotechnology and more. The rapid growth of digital technologies and their use in all aspects of our lives makes ongoing developments in that space an imperative.
Australian researchers in disciplines including materials science, chemistry, physics and mathematics all come together at the intersection of technology. Much of the work requires complex modelling at atomic scales for designing the electronic building blocks of new kinds of computers. Everything from new light-based sensors to new fabrication techniques brings the creation of the next-generation of tiny electronic components closer to reality.
Producing physical devices at the nanoscale is incredibly complex. For that reason, researchers in energy storage, biotechnology and renewable energy all start their process by using complex modelling on NCI’s supercomputer. Modelling results in hand, the researchers can move on to fabrication, experimentation and development.
Other research is looking at the mathematical principles of cryptography and how the algorithms we use to protect our data will need to change with the advent of quantum computers. Technology covers not just the devices we use, but the ways they operate, communicate and protect our information. Understanding and implementing solutions to global challenges such as this one makes NCI a key hub for fundamental technology research.