Dr Chris McCarthy

Biography

Chris McCarthy is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering,  Director of Industry Engagement within the School of Software and Electrical Engineering.  His research is in computer vision algorithms for robotics, intelligent transport systems and human-computer interaction (in particular for assistive technologies).  Chris currently serves as Stream Leader in both the Swinburne Smart Cities Research Institute, leading the Intelligent Transport Systems and Infrastructure stream, and in Swinburne's Manufacturing Futures Research Institute where he leads the Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy stream.  Chris also serves as  Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Coordinator for the School of Software and Electrical Engineering.

Chris received his PhD from the Australian National University in 2010, during which time he worked on novel biologically-inspired computer vision for robot navigation (based on honeybee vision). He also spent 6 months as a visiting researcher with the Italian Institute of Technology's Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Sciences group (Genova) (2007) where he worked on optical flow based threat detection algorithms as part of the EU-funded iCub humanoid robot project.

After completing his PhD, Chris joined NICTA's Computer Vision Research Group in Canberra where he developed and tested novel computer vision and visualisation algorithms to support enhanced functional outcomes in blind patients implanted with a retinal prosthesis, also known as bionic eyes, as part of the federally-funded Bionic Vision Australia (BVA) consortium. In 2013, he relocated to Melbourne as a visiting researcher at the Bionics Institute and the University of Melbourne's Centre for Neural Engineering, where he worked closely with BVA's three patients implanted with a prototype 24 channel retinal prosthesis.

Chris has also held various teaching positions including as an Associate Lecturer with The University of Melbourne's Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering (2001-2005), and as an International Fellow with Ngee Ann Polytechnic's Center for Computing Studies in Singapore (1999-2000). Chris holds an honorary position with The Bionics Institute and remains affiliated with Bionic Vision Australia.  Chris also has extensive media experience (both television and radio), including a stint as a regular science reporter on Canberra's community radio science program, "Fuzzy Logic" (98.3 2XX FM).  Over Chris's academic career, he has been formally recognised  for teaching, research, and industry engagement.