Professor Omid Kavehei
People_

Professor Omid Kavehei

PhD
Associate Professor
School of Biomedical Engineering
Deputy Head of School of Biomedical Engineering for Research
Previously: Deputy Director of The University of Sydney Nano Institute (Member Engagement)
ex-SOAR Fellow
Professor Omid Kavehei

Omid Kavehei is a Associate Professor at the Faculty of Engineering at The University of Sydney. Prior to this role, he was with the Centre for Neural Engineering at The University of Melbourne as a Research Fellow in Microelectronics, where he worked on an Australian engineering flagship project, the Bionic Eye. During his post-doctoral time, he was a Visiting Project Scientist at the University of California at Santa Barbara.He received his PhD in Electronics from the University of Adelaide in 2012 with the Postgraduate University Alumni Medal, a University Doctoral Research Medal and the 2011 South Australian Young Nanotechnology Ambassador award. His research interests include biomedical microsystems, biomedical signal processing, novel computational and security paradigms based on nanotechnology, micro-/nano-electronics and data analytics. He is involved in several professional editorial services such as Associate Editor of IEEE Access and a member of the IEEE's Nanoelectronics and Gigascale Systems Technical Committee. His editorial and review profile can be accessed here. He is a Senior Member of IEEE.

While the human brain remains unparalleled in its ability to perform highly sophisticated information processing on extremely limited energy resources, Dr Omid Kavehei's research in the field of nanoelectronics aims to lead to the development of a new breed of tiny intelligent devices to collectively emulate this capability in hardware more closely than ever. Such devices are expected to be able to solve a wide range of issues involving sensory perception.

"A healthy human brain delivers an impressive information processing capability on very limited energy resources. Unlike modern artificial intelligence (AI) models, the brain does not require excessively high amounts of data to achieve an optimum learning point. It can learn 'on the fly' from experience, memory and multisensory data streams, using input from our auditory, visual, olfactory, gustatory and tactile senses.

"Despite massive improvement in today's AI models and their successful practicality, they are still far from being truly intelligent or closely brain-inspired. They require excessively large training datasets and a form of supervised approach, and they consume a lot of energy.

"I believe low-power nanoelectronic devices that mimic operation of biological neurons and synapses could lead to truly intelligent brain-inspired systems that could learn from experience.

"Tiny intelligent devices that can run on batteries could revolutionise several industries, from medical devices to the internet of things. For instance, one potential application is epileptic seizures forecasting. Most people who are diagnosed with refractory epilepsy are not responsive to medication. Other than surgery, a possible step forward to improve these people's lives could be the development of an intelligent system that forecasts seizures using brain signals. Such a system must be ultra-low-power, run on batteries and learn from patients' neural activity over time to be truly effective. The system could either warn the patient about the possibility of an upcoming seizure or, as part of a responsive implant, activate neural stimulation to avoid seizures.

2022 - Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Outstanding Teaching and Research, The University of Sydney.

2022 - Innovation Genius Award, NSW Defence Innovation Network (DIN).

2021 - Dean’s Annual Awards 2021, Excellence in Education, for initiatives that advance educational quality during the period July 2018 - June 2021 from Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney.

2021 - Ramaciotti Biomedical Research Award (as part of a team).

2021 - Finalist at the Epilepsy Shark Tank at the Antiepileptic Drug and Device (AEDD) Trials XVI Conference, The University of Pennsylvania and the Epilepsy Foundation.

2020 - 2nd in the world in Neureka 2020 Epilepsy Global Challenge.

2019 - Sydney Accelerator Fellowship Awards (SOAR).

Biomedical engineering and technology, Complex systems
Project titleResearch student
Neurobiological-Inspired Models for Continual Learning with Consideration of Power and Data ComplexitiesIsabelle AGUILAR
Bio-Inspired Algorithms for Low-Power Seizure Detection: Towards Neuromorphic Neuromodulation AI.Luis Fernando HERBOZO CONTRERAS
Development of Hardware-Friendly and Power-Efficient Bio-Signal Machine Learning Models for Medical DevicesZhaojing HUANG
A new way to improve AI training efficiency through mimic the human brainYuchen TIAN
Unobtrusive Sensor Systems for HealthcareShilei WANG
Smart Wearable and Flexible Electronics in Theranostic ApplicationsAswandi WIBRIANTO
Development of soft electrothermal devices for biomedical applicationsChenyu XU
Developing Innovative Approaches to High-Speed, High-Efficiency Dielectrophoresis Microfluidic Cell SortingShijie XU
Developing of an Ear EEG SystemLeping YU
A Highly Stretchable Layered Ionic-Electronic ConductorJunlang ZHONG

Publications

Book Chapters

  • Kavehei, O., Skafidas, E., Eshraghian, K. (2014). Memristive in Situ Computing. In Andrew Adamatzky, Leon Chua (Eds.), Memristor Networks, (pp. 413-428). Switzerland: Springer International Publishing Switzerland. [More Information]

Journals

  • Zhang, Z., Yang, H., Eshraghian, J., Li, J., Yong, K., Vigolo, D., McGuire, H., Kavehei, O. (2024). Cell detection with convolutional spiking neural network for neuromorphic cytometry. APL Machine Learning, 2, 026117-1-026117-8. [More Information]
  • Zhaojing, H., Contreras, L., Leung, W., Yu, L., Truong, N., Nikpour (Mohamed), A., Kavehei, O. (2024). Efficient edge-ai models for robust ECG abnormality detection on resource-constrained hardware. Journal of Cardiovascular Translational Research. [More Information]
  • Zgang, Z., Contreras, L., Yu, L., Truong, N., Nikpour (Mohamed), A., Kavehei, O. (2024). S4D-ECG: A Shallow State-of-the-Art Model for Cardiac Abnormality Classification. Cardiovascular Engineering and Technology. [More Information]

Conferences

  • Yang, Y., Truong, N., Maher, C., Nikpour (Mohamed), A., Kavehei, O. (2021). A comparative study of AI systems for epileptic seizure recognition based on EEG or ECG. 43rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2021, Mexico: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). [More Information]
  • Zhao, H., Karlsson, P., Kavehei, O., McEwan, A. (2021). Augmentative and Alternative Communication with Eye-gaze Technology and Augmented Reality: Reflections from Engineers, People with Cerebral Palsy and Caregivers. 20th IEEE Sensors, SENSORS 2021, Piscataway: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). [More Information]
  • Tran, L., Pham, T., Kavehei, O., Matthews, G. (2019). Asynchronous 2-Phase Level-Encoded Convention Logic (LCL). 2019 International Symposium on Electrical and Electronics Engineering (ISEE 2019), Piscataway: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). [More Information]

2024

  • Zhang, Z., Yang, H., Eshraghian, J., Li, J., Yong, K., Vigolo, D., McGuire, H., Kavehei, O. (2024). Cell detection with convolutional spiking neural network for neuromorphic cytometry. APL Machine Learning, 2, 026117-1-026117-8. [More Information]
  • Zhaojing, H., Contreras, L., Leung, W., Yu, L., Truong, N., Nikpour (Mohamed), A., Kavehei, O. (2024). Efficient edge-ai models for robust ECG abnormality detection on resource-constrained hardware. Journal of Cardiovascular Translational Research. [More Information]
  • Zgang, Z., Contreras, L., Yu, L., Truong, N., Nikpour (Mohamed), A., Kavehei, O. (2024). S4D-ECG: A Shallow State-of-the-Art Model for Cardiac Abnormality Classification. Cardiovascular Engineering and Technology. [More Information]

2023

  • Xu, Z., Truong, N., Nikpour (Mohamed), A., Kavehei, O. (2023). A miniaturized and low-energy subcutaneous optical telemetry module for neurotechnology. Journal of Neural Engineering, 20(3), 036017. [More Information]
  • Timosina, V., Cole, T., Lu, H., Shu, J., Zhou, X., Zhang, C., Guo, J., Kavehei, O., Tang, S. (2023). A Non-Newtonian liquid metal enabled enhanced electrography. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 235. [More Information]
  • Maher, C., Tang, Z., D'Souza, A., Cabezas Grebol, M., Cai, W., Barnett, M., Kavehei, O., Wang, C., Nikpour (Mohamed), A. (2023). Deep learning distinguishes connectomes from focal epilepsy patients and controls: feasibility and clinical implications. Brain Communications, 5(6), fcad294. [More Information]

2022

  • Yang, Y., Truong, N., Eshraghian, J., Maher, C., Nikpour (Mohamed), A., Kavehei, O. (2022). A Multimodal AI System for Out-of-Distribution Generalization of Seizure Identification. IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, 26(7), 3529-3538. [More Information]
  • Mondol, R., Truong, N., Reza, M., Ippolito, S., Ebrahimie, E., Kavehei, O. (2022). AFExNet: An Adversarial Autoencoder for Differentiating Breast Cancer Sub-Types and Extracting Biologically Relevant Genes. IEEE - ACM Transactions on Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, 19(4), 2060-2070. [More Information]
  • Yang, Y., Truong, N., Maher, C., Nikpour (Mohamed), A., Kavehei, O. (2022). Continental generalization of a human-in-the-loop AI system for clinical seizure recognition. Expert Systems with Applications, 207. [More Information]

2021

  • Silva, R., Plantes Neto, A., Marques, J., Kavehei, O., Rodrigues, C. (2021). A compact QRS detection system based on 0.79 μW analog CMOS energy-of-derivative circuit. Microelectronics Journal, 113, 105097. [More Information]
  • Yang, Y., Truong, N., Maher, C., Nikpour (Mohamed), A., Kavehei, O. (2021). A comparative study of AI systems for epileptic seizure recognition based on EEG or ECG. 43rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2021, Mexico: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). [More Information]
  • Zhao, H., Karlsson, P., Kavehei, O., McEwan, A. (2021). Augmentative and Alternative Communication with Eye-gaze Technology and Augmented Reality: Reflections from Engineers, People with Cerebral Palsy and Caregivers. 20th IEEE Sensors, SENSORS 2021, Piscataway: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). [More Information]

2020

  • Alam, R., Zhao, H., Goodwin, A., Kavehei, O., McEwan, A. (2020). Differences in power spectral densities and phase quantities due to processing of eeg signals. Sensors, 20(21), 1-20. [More Information]
  • Liu, T., Truong, N., Nikpour (Mohamed), A., Zhou, L., Kavehei, O. (2020). Epileptic Seizure Classification with Symmetric and Hybrid Bilinear Models. IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, 24(10), 2844-2851. [More Information]
  • Tran, L., Pham, T., Kavehei, O., Burton, P., Matthews, G. (2020). Extended Boolean algebra for asynchronous quasi-delay-insensitive logic. IET Circuits, Devices and Systems, 14(8), 1201-1213. [More Information]

2019

  • Tran, L., Pham, T., Kavehei, O., Matthews, G. (2019). Asynchronous 2-Phase Level-Encoded Convention Logic (LCL). 2019 International Symposium on Electrical and Electronics Engineering (ISEE 2019), Piscataway: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). [More Information]
  • Truong, N., Kuhlmann, L., Bonyadi, M., Querlioz, D., Zhou, L., Kavehei, O. (2019). Epileptic Seizure Forecasting with Generative Adversarial Networks. IEEE Access, 7, 143999-144009. [More Information]
  • Mahmoodi, M., Strukov, D., Kavehei, O. (2019). Experimental Demonstrations of Security Primitives with Nonvolatile Memories. IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, 66(12), 5050-5059. [More Information]

2018

  • Kim, J., Ahmed, T., Nili, H., Yang, J., Jeong, D., Beckett, P., Sriram, S., Ranasinghe, D., Kavehei, O. (2018). A Physical Unclonable Function with Redox-Based Nanoionic Resistive Memory. IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security, 13(2), 437-448. [More Information]
  • Truong, N., Nguyen, A., Kuhlmann, L., Bonyadi, M., Yang, J., Ippolito, S., Kavehei, O. (2018). Convolutional neural networks for seizure prediction using intracranial and scalp electroencephalogram. Neural Networks, 105, 104-111. [More Information]
  • Nili, H., Adam, G., Hoskins, B., Prezioso, M., Kim, J., Mahmoodi, M., Bayat, F., Kavehei, O., Strukov, D. (2018). Hardware-intrinsic security primitives enabled by analogue state and nonlinear conductance variations in integrated memristors. Nature Electronics, 1(3), 197-202. [More Information]

2017

  • Zavabeti, A., Ou, J., Carey, B., Syed, N., Orrell-Trigg, R., Mayes, E., Xu, C., Kavehei, O., O'Mullane, A., Kaner, R., et al (2017). A liquid metal reaction environment for the room-temperature synthesis of atomically thin metal oxides. Science, 358(6361), 332-335. [More Information]
  • Ma, H., Gao, Y., Kavehei, O., Ranasinghe, D. (2017). A PUF Sensor: Securing Physical Measurements. 14th IEEE International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications Workshops, PerCom Workshops, Hawaii, USA: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). [More Information]
  • Yong, J., Hassan, B., Liang, Y., Ganesan, K., Rajasekharan, R., Evans, R., Egan, G., Kavehei, O., Li, J., Chana, G., et al (2017). A Silk Fibroin Bio-Transient Solution Processable Memristor. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 1-12. [More Information]

2016

  • Gao, Y., Ranasinghe, D., Al-Sarawi, S., Kavehei, O., Abbott, D. (2016). Emerging Physical Unclonable Functions with Nanotechnology. IEEE Access, 4, 61-80. [More Information]
  • Nili, H., Ahmed, T., Walia, S., Ramanathan, R., Kandjani, A., Rubanov, S., Kim, J., Kavehei, O., Bansal, V., Bhaskaran, M., et al (2016). Microstructure and dynamics of vacancy-induced nanofilamentary switching network in donor doped SrTiO3?x memristors. Nanotechnology, 27(50), 505210. [More Information]
  • Gao, Y., Li, G., Ma, H., Al-Sarawi, S., Kavehei, O., Abbott, D., Ranasinghe, D. (2016). Obfuscated Challenge-Response: A Secure Lightweight Authentication Mechanism for PUF-Based Pervasive Devices. 13th IEEE International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communication Workshops (PerCom Workshops 2016), Piscataway, New Jersey, USA: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). [More Information]

2015

  • Nili, H., Walia, S., Kandjani, A., Ramanathan, R., Gutruf, P., Ahmed, T., Balendhran, S., Bansal, V., Strukov, D., Kavehei, O., et al (2015). Donor-induced performance tuning of amorphous SrTiO3 memristive nanodevices: Multistate resistive switching and mechanical tunability. Advanced Functional Materials, 25(21), 3172-3182. [More Information]
  • Gao, Y., Ranasinghe, D., Al-Sarawi, S., Kavehei, O., Abbott, D. (2015). Memristive crypto primitive for building highly secure physical unclonable functions. Scientific Reports, 5, 12785. [More Information]
  • Gao, Y., Ranasinghe, D., Al-Sarawi, S., Kavehei, O., Abbott, D. (2015). mrPUF: A novel memristive device based physical unclonable function. 13th International Conference on Applied Cryptography and Network Security (ACNS 2015), New York, NY: Springer Verlag. [More Information]

2014

  • Tran, N., Bai, S., Yang, J., Chun, H., Kavehei, O., Yang, Y., Muktamath, V., Ng, D., Meffin, H., Halpern, M., et al (2014). A complete 256-electrode retinal prosthesis chip. IEEE Journal of Solid State Circuits, 49(3), 751-765. [More Information]
  • Nielen, L., Tappertzhofen, S., Linn, E., Waser, R., Kavehei, O. (2014). An Experimental Associative Capacitive Network based on Complementary Resistive Switches for Memory-intensive Computing. 2014 Silicon Nanoelectronics Workshop (SNW), Piscataway, New Jersey, United States: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). [More Information]
  • Cho, K., Lee, S., Kavehei, O., Eshraghian, K. (2014). High fill factor low-voltage CMOS image sensor based on time-to-threshold PWM VLSI architecture. IEEE Transactions on Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) Systems, 22(7), 1548-1556. [More Information]

2013

  • Yang, J., Bai, S., Tran, N., Chun, H., Kavehei, O., Yang, Y., Skafidas, E., Halpern, M., Ng, D., Muktamath, V. (2013). A charge-balanced 4-wire interface for the interconnections of biomedical implants. 2013 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS 2013), Beijing: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). [More Information]
  • Chun, H., Kavehei, O., Tran, N., Skafidas, E. (2013). A flexible biphasic pulse generating and accurate charge balancing stimulator with a 1?W neural recording amplifier. 2013 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), Piscataway, NJ: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). [More Information]
  • Kavehei, O., Lee, S., Cho, K., Al-Sarawi, S., Abbott, D. (2013). A pulse-frequency modulation sensor using memristive-based inhibitory interconnections. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 13(5), 3505-3510. [More Information]

2012

  • Chun, H., Tran, N., Yang, Y., Kavehei, O., Bai, S., Skafidas, E. (2012). A precise charge balancing and compliance voltage monitoring stimulator front-end for 1024-electrodes retinal prosthesis. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Conference Proceedings, 2012, 3001-3004. [More Information]
  • Kavehei, O., Al-Sarawi, S., Cho, K., Abbott, D., Eshraghian, K. (2012). An analytical approach for memristive nanoarchitectures. IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology, 11(2), 374-385. [More Information]
  • Afshar, S., Kavehei, O., van Schaik, A., Tapson, J., Skafidas, E., Hamilton, T. (2012). Emergence of competitive control in a memristor-based neuromorphic circuit. 2012 Annual International Joint Conference on Neural Networks, IJCNN 2012, Piscataway: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). [More Information]

Selected Grants

2024

  • A Reconfigurable Neuromorphic Compute System for Brain-Scale Simulations, Leong P, Kuncic Z, Kavehei O, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF)

2023

  • A novel platform-technology for long-term subcutaneous neurophysiology, Kavehei O, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP)
  • ARC Training Centre for Semiconductor Design and Microsystems, Kavehei O, DVC Research/External Research Collaboration Seed Funding
  • Smart metamaterials based skull replacement implants to improve electrical brain interfaces enabled by additive manufacturing, electrical impedance tomography and machine learning, McEwan A, Kumar S, Samore A, Harrison P, Protti D, Schneider J, Kavehei O, Deep A, Kiernan M, Triay A, Clark J, Office of Global Engagement/Ignition Grants
  • LP Seed Funding - Research Project Fabrication & characterisation of novel z-conductive adhesive gel-free electrodes for wearable health monitoring applications - Ti2 Medical Pty Ltd, Kavehei O, Ti2 Medical Pty Ltd/Client Commissioned Research

International Collaboration

CNRS and University of Paris-Sud[France]

Dr Damien Querlioz

Korea Institute of Science and Technology[Korea South]

Dr Doo Seok Jeong

University of California, Santa Barbara[United States]

Prof Dmitri Strukov

Domestic collaboration

The University of Adelaide

Prof Derek Abbott

Industry engagement

Nanochap Electronics

Dr Jiawei Yang

In the media

Microsoft announce AI for Accessibility grant winners[21-May-19]

AT Today

Omid Kavehei, another grant recipient, is creating a tool to aid people with epilepsy when behind the wheelMore..

Epilepsy prediction device receives Microsoft grant[16-May-19]

University of Sydney

The grant will help develop a seizure warning system to improve the independence for people living with epilepsy.More..

Microsoft's AI for Accessibility announces new grantees[16-May-19]

Forbes

AI for Accessibility program will assist in developing a wearable sensory warning system.More..

Sydney-led research[15-May-19]

news.com.au

Researchers are working on a predictive technology that aims to enrich the lives.More..

Research aims to develop a cap which can predict seizures[11-July-18]

Epilepsy Research UK

A team led by Dr Omid KaveheiMore..

Related research articles

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