The Part 4 (Final Year) research projects provide an opportunity for students to work largely on their own initiative but under supervision, on a topic approved by their Department. Work takes place over a complete academic year, requiring students to enrol in both 700A and 700B versions of the paper. Students will work in pairs under the direction and continuing guidance of a supervisory team. The research project requires independent thought and action. The project can also be seen within a professional context where our students, as engineers, investigate a specific and open problem in some depth, to produce both a solution informed by sound analysis and practice. It is expected that students will need to draw upon a good level of theoretical knowledge and the skills they have acquired so far in the degree. In some areas they will need to extend their knowledge and expertise. Some projects focus primarily on laboratory work and can involve substantial liaison with local industry, while others may be more analytical or computational in nature. Work on the project commences at the start of Semester 1 and continues until the end of Semester 2, with the expectation that students will spend on average about 8 hours per week on their project throughout this period. It is important that all projects start at the same time so that no student group gains an advantage. For the same reasons, projects that develop from work experience, or that have a lead-in requirement, are to be avoided. The research will start with the preparation of the research objectives and scope of the project and a literature review to identify what has been done previously and look at alternative approaches to the problem. This will lead into the detailed work on a solution, which may require some or all of: i) the design of equipment to carry out specific tasks, ii) to investigate phenomena or the behaviour of complex systems iii) computer analysis, modelling, and/or simulation of the engineering systems, It is important that there is a research component to the project so that the students can develop their research skills. The outcome of the project is an independent written project report that includes a literature review, a description of the research and its findings, and a statement of research contribution. Further supporting technical material is provided as a compendium.