Research Activities

Michael Blumenstein's research overlaps the areas of Pattern Recognition, Image Processing, Handwriting Recognition, and Computational Intelligence (Neural Networks, Evolutionary Algorithms and Fuzzy Logic).

Current Research Projects

Handwriting Recognition

Intelligent segmentation of handwritten words. Segmentation has been identified as a very important aspect of handwriting recognition. Many of the problems associated with the accurate recognition of characters and handwritten words is related to poor segmentation.
Techniques for feature extraction and neural network-based techniques for classification.

Digital Mammography. The CIRL group has developed a system for locating and classifying microcalcifications in breast tissue. This research may be extended in future Honours or Postgraduate projects.
Automatic analysis of source code:

Plagiarism detection in student code.
Automatic assessment of student projects.

Predictive assessment tool for beach conditions using video imaging and neural network analysis (in conjunction with the GCCM and CoastalWatch)
Neural networks for engineering and environmental applications

Past Research

Real-world Postal Address Recognition.
Neural techniques for Data Compression.

Research Funding

An intelligent system for marking Assessment items in large university populations, Griffith University Teaching Grant (GUTG), 2003, $7,500.
Predictive assessment of beach conditions, ARC (Linkage), Gold Coast City Council, Coastalwatch P/L, 2003-2005, $276,000 + in-kind.
Hydrodynamic experimental analysis package of floating offshore structures, Griffith University Research Infrastructure Program (GURIP), 2003, $100,000.
A neuro-fuzzy technique for classification of microcalcifications in digital mammograms, Griffith University Research Grant (GURG), 2002, $8,000.
Program for marking assistance, GUTG, $2,000.
An algorithm for removal of incorrect segmentation points in over-segmented handwriting, ARC (Small), 2001, $16,000.

Honours and Postgraduate enrolments + Scholarships

Students interested in the research areas listed above may consider enrolling in an Honours, Masters or PhD program (applications close on October 31st).
Scholarships are available from:

the Australian Government (APA) & (APA)(I)
Griffith University (GUPRS), (GUPRAS) & (IPRS)
and in Past years from the School of I.T. (INT)

To enrol in a research program and to discuss scholarship options and project topics, please see Dr Blumenstein's contact details below:

Dr Michael Blumenstein - Computational Intelligence Research Laboratory (CIRL)

Room: ENG (G09) 1.25, School of I.T.

Phone: +61 7 5552 8271

E-mail: "M.Blumenstein" at the server "griffith.edu.au"

Webpage: http://www.int.gu.edu.au/~mblum