UNSW's Engineering the Future

Our voices reveal much more than the words we say. They carry clues about our identify, emotions, and even our health. 
In this episode of Engineering the Future, Neil Martin speaks with Associate Professor Beena Ahmed about the rapidly evolving field of speech processing and how technology is learning how to decode the information hidden in our voices. 
From voice assistants and authentication to healthcare and personalised education, they discuss how speech processing is already embedded in our everyday technology – and explore the challenge of distinguishing real voices from increasingly sophisticated AI-generated speech.
Visit ⁠our ⁠website⁠ ⁠for A/Prof. Beena's bio and the full transcript of the conversation. 
Read more of our stories on Telecommunications: 
Turning speech therapy into child’s play 
Dr ChatGPT: How AI could help us live longer 
ChatGPT for medical data? Predicting the future of population health 
Hey Google, it’s time you listened closely to what our kids are saying 
Smartphone app to screen for early signs of dementia 
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Let’s connect: 
Don’t miss out on more conversations about the technologies shaping our world. Subscribe to Engineering the Future on your favourite podcast platform and follow us on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ to stay up to date with the latest research and news from ⁠⁠UNSW Engineering⁠⁠.  
Acknowledgement of Country 
We would like to show our respects and acknowledge the Bedegal people who are the Traditional Custodians of the Land on which our Kensington campus is situated on, and to Elders past and present.

Imagine talking to a friend thousands of kilometres away who looks, sounds and feels as though they’re right in the room with you. That’s the promise of 6G: networks that don’t just communicate, they’ll also sense, understand and respond to the world around them. 
In this episode of Engineering the Future, Neil Martin chats with Associate Professor Shaghik Atakaramians about how the next generation of telecommunication will deliver far more than just faster downloads. By combining connectivity with intelligence, future networks could their environment, predict changes and respond in real time. 
Together, they explore how these technologies could enable safer autonomous transport, smarter cities, remote healthcare and education and even life-sized holographic communication. 
Visit our ⁠website ⁠for A/Prof. Atakaramians's bio and the full transcript of the conversation. 
Read more of our stories on Telecommunications: 
Six things you need to know about 6G 
‘Don’t scare the cat!’ Engineers find smarter way to measure quantum systems 
How ‘digital twins’ could help prevent cyber-attacks on the food industry 
Quantum technologies aren’t just the future – they’re already here and making an impact
Reimagining infrastructure through digital twin modelling 
Let’s connect: 
Don’t miss out on more conversations about the technologies shaping our world. Subscribe to Engineering the Future on your favourite podcast platform and follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠LinkedIn⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ to stay up to date with the latest research and news from ⁠UNSW Engineering⁠.  
Acknowledgement of Country 
We would like to show our respects and acknowledge the Bedegal people who are the Traditional Custodians of the Land on which our Kensington campus is situated on, and to Elders past and present.

Demand for electric vehicles is soaring in Australia and around the world. But in 30 years' time, will we still need to charge our cars before hitting the road, or will autonomous vehicles powered by new technologies become the norm?
In this episode of Engineering the Future, STEMM journalist Neil Martin speaks with Richard Hopkins, UNSW Professor of Practice and former Head of Operations for the Red Bull Formula One team, about the advances set to transform the automotive industry. 
From flying cars and smart technologies to cleaner, more sustainable forms of transport, they discuss the trends shaping the future of mobility - and what they could mean for the way we live, work and travel. 
Visit our ⁠website ⁠for Richard's bio and the full transcript of the conversation. 
Read more of our stories on cars:
Onwards and upwards as Sunswift finishes fifth in Bridgestone World Solar Challenge
Growing EV popularity is leading to queues at fast chargers. Could a kerbside charger network help? 
A new ad campaign is pushing Australians to use less petrol. Has this happened before? 
‘Blood cobalt’ is disappearing from batteries – and cheaper, cleaner batteries are arriving 
Let’s connect: 
Don’t miss out on more conversations about the technologies shaping our world. Subscribe to Engineering the Future on your favourite podcast platform and follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠LinkedIn⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ to stay up to date with the latest research and news from ⁠UNSW Engineering⁠.  
Acknowledgement of Country 
We would like to show our respects and acknowledge the Bedegal people who are the Traditional Custodians of the Land on which our Kensington campus is situated on, and to Elders past and present.

From improving government services to boosting business efficiency and tackling inequality, artificial intelligence is already transforming the way we live and work.
But could it help reverse Australia's productivity slowdown?
In this episode of Engineering the Future, Dr Sue Keay, director of UNSW’s AI Institute, joins STEMM journalist Neil Martin to explore why Australia must embrace AI to stay competitive and improve living standards. 
They also discuss why developing Australian-made AI would ensure the country benefits from the value it creates while strengthening national sovereignty.
Visit our website for Dr Keay’s bio and the full transcript of the conversation. 
Read more of our stories on productivity:
Australia is showing how a rich country gets poorer 
UNSW Sydney lands $3m Defence project to build next generation AI 
‘Dangerously unprepared’: UNSW expert says Australia must regulate AI and invest in research 
Humanoid home robots are on the market – but do we really want them? 
Let’s connect: 
Don’t miss out on more conversations about the technologies shaping our world. Subscribe to Engineering the Future on your favourite podcast platform and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram to stay up to date with the latest research and news from UNSW Engineering.  
Acknowledgement of Country 
We would like to show our respects and acknowledge the Bedegal people who are the Traditional Custodians of the Land on which our Kensington campus is situated on, and to Elders past and present.

Engineering touches almost every aspect of our lives. From building our roads and powering our homes to developing the medical equipment that will help save lives — the demand for engineering skills continues to grow. 
But Australia is facing one of its biggest skills shortages, with more than 60,000 engineers needed over the next decade.
In the latest episode of Engineering the Future podcast, Professor Rita Henderson, UNSW Engineering’s Deputy Dean of Society Impact and Translation, and Kath Richards, Chief Engineer of Engineers Australia, chat with STEM journalist Neil Martin about what it takes to attract and retain diverse talent in engineering. 
From sparking interest in schools to creating flexible, supportive workplaces, they explore how diversity drives innovation and why it’s so important in tackling the world’s biggest challenges.
For the full transcript of the episode and to learn more about our speakers, visit our ⁠⁠⁠website.
Read more of our stories on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at UNSW:
UNSW’s Gateway shines, as Education Minister announces rise in domestic enrolments 
Girls in STEMM 2025: Building circuits, racing cars and shaping tomorrow 
Hands-on engineering hits the road with UNSW Makerbus 
Meet Keira Moran: Engineering student and co-recipient of the 2025 Inspiring Student Award 
Honouring excellence: women engineers celebrated as distinguished Ada Lovelace Medal awarded 
Don’t miss out on more conversations about the technologies shaping our world. Subscribe to Engineering the Future on your favourite podcast platform and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠BlueSky⁠⁠⁠ to stay up to date with the latest research and news from ⁠⁠⁠⁠UNSW Engineering⁠⁠⁠⁠.  
Acknowledgement of Country 
We would like to show our respects and acknowledge the Bedegal people who are the Traditional Custodians of the Land on which our Kensington campus is situated on, and to Elders past and present.