How can we see inside plants or detect hidden contaminants in wool without cutting, damaging, or touching them? This project explores the use of terahertz waves, a special type of electromagnetic waves that can see through many non-metallic materials, to solve real world challenges in agriculture and farming. This project is developing fast terahertz imaging systems that can monitor water content in plants and detect hidden infestations such as grass seeds, small rocks, or debris in wool or on livestock skin.
During this project, the student will learn how to:
- Control an advanced terahertz source using MATLAB
- Set up an experimental optical platform in the lab
- Operate a terahertz camera to capture images
- Process and analyse images to extract meaningful information
This is a hands on experimental and computational project. You will gain experience in optics, imaging systems, programming, and data analysis, while contributing to research that could improve agricultural productivity and animal welfare.
Students with an interest in physics, engineering, photonics, computer science, or applied mathematics are encouraged to apply. Basic programming skills (especially MATLAB) and curiosity about how technology solves real world problems will be highly beneficial.
School
Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications
Research Area
Terahertz photonics and devices | Terahertz imaging systems | Signal processing | Data analysis
Suitable for recognition of Work Integrated Learning (industrial training)?
No
- Research environment
- Expected outcomes
- Supervisory team
- Reference material/links
The project will be conducted within the Terahertz Innovation Group in School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, led by A/Prof Shaghik Atakaramians. The student will work closely with Dr Wendy Lee, Dr Qigejian Alfred Wang and A/Prof Shaghik Atakaramians, also interact with PhD students and other researchers in a collaborative laboratory setting. The research environment combines experimental optics, advanced instrumentation, and computational data analysis. Students will have access to state of the art terahertz sources and imaging equipment and will gain exposure to real research workflows from experiment design to data interpretation.
By the end of the project, students are expected to:
- Understand the fundamentals of terahertz imaging
- Gain practical experience operating a terahertz imaging system
- Develop basic skills in MATLAB based instrument control
- Learn image post processing techniques to extract physical information
- Present their findings in a report or presentation
The project will be conducted within the Terahertz Innovation Group in School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, led by A/Prof Shaghik Atakaramians. The student will work closely with Dr Wendy Lee, Dr Qigejian Alfred Wang and A/Prof Shaghik Atakaramians, also interact with PhD students and other researchers in a collaborative laboratory setting.
- Thigale, S., Wang, Q., Mishra, D., Goldys, E.M. and Atakaramians, S. (2023). Terahertz imaging: a diagnostic technology for prevention of grass seed infestation. Optics Express, 31(22), 37030–37039.
- Wang, Q., Goay, A.C.Y., Mishra, D., Goldys, E.M. and Atakaramians, S. (2025). Diagnosing Grass Seed Infestation: Convolutional Neural Network Based Terahertz Imaging. IEEE Access, 13, 16094–16102.