Digitalisation Network

The Digitalisation Network fosters innovation in Industry 4.0 and 5.0, supporting Australian organisations in adopting digital tools for productivity and workforce well-being.

The network aims to drive digital transformation across industries, enhancing organisational efficiency, waste reduction, and workforce performance. We identify business opportunities, develop use cases, and promote digital adoption. Our key focus areas include smart manufacturing, Internet of Things (IoT) and industrial-IoT (IIoT), artificial intelligence (AI)-driven automation, data analytics, human-centred design, cybersecurity, and augmented/virtual reality, all aimed at building resilient and competitive Australian business and industry landscapes.

Themes

The following themes reflect areas of expertise across the network. Members may work in several of these areas.

Smart Manufacturing

This theme explores the integration of advanced technologies, such as IoT/IIoT, robotics, computer vision, and AI, to establish intelligent, efficient, and sustainable manufacturing processes that can adapt to evolving market demands and minimise environmental impact. Via digitalisation, this theme aims to transform traditional manufacturing methods, improve productivity, enhance product quality, and promote data-driven decision-making, paving the way for the future of smart manufacturing.

Data Analytics & AI

This theme focuses on harnessing data and AI to improve decision-making, streamline operations, and foster innovation across various industries. By leveraging big data, machine learning, and advanced analytics, the theme aims to uncover hidden patterns, trends, and insights, enabling organisations to make informed decisions, reduce inefficiencies, and anticipate market shifts. The theme explores the development and application of AI-driven solutions to address industry-specific challenges.

Human-centred Design & Workforce Well-being

This theme prioritises the Industry 4.0 and 5.0 movements, resilient human performance, ergonomics, user experience, worker safety and well-being, digital technologies and human capabilities within sociotechnical systems, and workforce upskilling to ensure a healthier, more productive workforce. Human-centred Design is approached through the principles of third-wave Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) that values the qualities of the moving and acting body from first-person perspectives.

Network leads

Professor Chi Tsun Cheng

Professor

  • Location Bundoora East Australia
  • Department School of Engineering
Chi-Tsun Cheng (Ben) is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical, Manufacturing and Mechatronic Engineering at the School of Engineering at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. He received his BEng and MSc degrees from the University of Hong Kong in 2004 and 2005, respectively, and his PhD from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2009. During his PhD studies, he received the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fellowship. After completing his PhD, Cheng was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Calgary from 2010 to 2011. He then served as a Research Assistant Professor at the Department of Electronic and Information Engineering at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University from 2012 to 2018 before joining RMIT University.    Cheng is currently the Academic Lead - Research Development at the School of Engineering, and he is also one of the leads of the RMIT Digitalisation Network under the RMIT Enabling Impact Platforms [Link]. He has been the academic supervisor of the RMIT Space Rover Team since 2019 and has served as RMIT's representative on the Executive Council of IoT Alliance Australia since 2023. Nevertheless, Cheng was the deputy program manager of the Bachelor of Engineering (Adv Manufacturing and Mechatronics) (Honours) [BH068] and Bachelor of Engineering (Adv Manufacturing and Mechatronics) (Hons)/Bachelor of Business (Intern Bus) [BH086] from 2019 to 2023.    Cheng has recently been appointed as the Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Journal on Emerging and Selected Topics in Circuits and Systems [Link] for the 2026–2027 term and a Distinguished Lecturer by the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS) [Link] for the 2025–2026 term. He has served as an editor or associate editor for several prestigious journals, including the IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems Parts I and II, IEEE Access, IEEE Open Journal of Circuits and Systems (OJCAS), IEICE Nonlinear Theory and Its Applications, IEEE Circuits and Systems Society Newsletter, and IEEE Journal on Emerging and Selected Topics in Circuits and Systems (JETCAS). He is also an Academic Editor for PLOS ONE. Cheng is a member of the IEEE Nonlinear Circuits and Systems Technical Committee and the IEEE Power and Energy Circuits and Systems Technical Committee.  He was the Chairperson of the International Workshop on Smart Sensor Networks (IWSSN) from 2012 to 2018 and the track co-chair for the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS) in 2018.    Cheng's research interests include Wireless Sensor Networks, Internet of Things, Industry 4.0/5.0 Technologies, and Advanced Manufacturing. 

Professor Jeffrey Chan

Associate Dean, Data Science & Artificial Intelligence

  • Location City Campus Australia
  • Department School of Computing Technologies
Jeffrey is a Professor in the School of Computing Technologies. His research interests lie in machine learning, recommender systems, responsible AI, data-driven optimisation and interdisciplinary research that combines these fields to solve social and industry-based applications. He has worked with industry and non-profit partners in retail, sustainability, energy, manufacturing and health.

Dr. Toh Yen Pang

Deputy Head (L&T) Biomedical Engineering

  • Location City Campus Australia
  • Department School of Engineering
A/Prof Pang specialises in systems design, biomechanical modelling and developing digital twins for advanced biomedical research. His research focuses on integrating advanced technology and simulation applications into the development of bioengineered models and devices to meet the rising demand for personalisation solutions to meet customer demand and to reduce reliance on costly, time-consuming, animal testing and clinical trials. He is a Theme Leader of the RMIT Digitalisation Network, focused on Human-centered Design and Workforce Wellbeing. He has attracted $3.76M in research grants from a number of organisations, including the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Australian Stroke Alliance, Medical Research Future Fund, and Defence Science Institute and Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund.  Professional affiliations: MIEAust CPEng NER FHEA Technical Society Membership: Australasian Association for Engineering Education   Awards: 2025 RMIT STEM College Learning and Teaching Excellence Award: Certificate of Commendation for Excellence (The Prompter Team) 2025 Vice-Chancellor’s Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (The Prompter Team) 2024 RMIT STEM Staff Awards Certificate of Commendation for Excellence (Digitalisation Team) 2024 Vice-Chancellor’s Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning 2024 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Research Engagement and Impact (Team):  Industrial Digitalisation Team 2023 RMIT Award for Research Excellence (Team): Team Aeromedical Stroke Unit   

Theme leads

Smart Manufacturing

Dr. Ehsan Asadi

Associate Professor

Dr. Ricky Chan

Associate Professor

Dr. Tu Le

Senior Lecturer, Mechatronics

Dr. Maciej Mazur

Senior Lecturer

Dr. Qiang Sun

Research Fellow

Dr. Timothy Wiley

Senior Lecturer

Data Analytics and AI

Mrs. Le An

Lecturer, Education Focussed

Professor Jeffrey Chan

Associate Dean, Data Science & Artificial Intelligence

Dr. Yu Qing Low

Senior Lecturer

Dr. Katrina Neville

Senior Lecturer

Dr. Mohammad Saidur Rahman

Lecturer, Cyber Security and Software Systems

Dr. Qian Sun

Deputy Head of Department

Dr. Ruwan Tennakoon

Associate Professor

Human-centred Design and Workforce Well-being

Dr. Lei Hou

Associate Professor

Dr. Katrin Leifels

Lecturer, Construction Management

Dr. Toh Yen Pang

Deputy Head (L&T) Biomedical Engineering

Dr. Azizur Rahman

Associate Professor


Membership and contacting the Digitalisation Network

Membership includes industry professionals, researchers, policymakers, and students interested in digital transformation. We aim to connect stakeholders across sectors, including manufacturing, agriculture, construction, logistics, healthcare, retail, and education, fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration to drive digitalisation and innovation.

Interested individuals can express their interest by emailing the convenors. Simply provide your name, professional background, and a brief explanation of your interest in digitalisation. Our team will review your request and guide you through the next steps for joining the network.

Enabling Impact Platform (EIP) sponsorship

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Digitalisation Network is supported by the following Enabling Impact Platforms:

Advanced Materials, Manufacturing and Fabrication Focuses on driving the next wave of innovation and research translation in Australia by transforming specialised materials into high-performance products and solutions.

Explore RMIT Enabling Impact Platforms

EIPs enable economic, environmental, societal, health and cultural impact with government, business and the community through research and innovation.

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

Learn more about our commitment to Indigenous cultures