The recent launch of the CSIRO ICT Centre represents a huge opportunity for the Australian information and communication technologies (ICT) sector as it seeks to raise Australia's profile in the fiercely competitive global market, according to Chief Scientist, Dr Robin Batterham.
Launching the Centre, Dr Batterham noted that it has the opportunity to develop links across the National Research Flagships to deliver superior outcomes as a key player in ICT research.
In the CSIRO ICT Centre's developing partnership arrangements with National ICT Australia (NICTA) and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), there is the potential to combine areas of Australian research excellence to develop new products and markets not only within Australia, but also to offset Australia's huge ICT trade deficit.
Dr Batterham pointed to CSIRO's significant successes in ICT research from its role in building one of the world's first digital computers, CSIRAC, to present day successes in areas as diverse as search engine technology, wireless networking technologies, robotic vehicles, and privacy of health data.
Dr Batterham used the occasion to congratulate CSIRO on the extension of funding for the highly successful, CSIRO-led, Centre for Networking Technologies for the Information Economy (CeNTIE).
The Centre is funded by the Australian Government through the Advanced Networks Program of the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.
"This renewal of funding ($10.1m over 3 years, with a total project value of $23m) means that CeNTIE can continue its important work in researching and building the advanced networks of the future - and the applications and services they enable," said Dr Batterham.
"CeNTIE has built a national network which is 3-5 years ahead of commercial practice and is currently focussed on the domains of health, education, media (film post-production) and business services.
"With this new funding CeNTIE will continue that work but will also form a First Mile Forum to address Australia's performance in broadband uptake, and create a regional pilot to bring the benefits of CeNTIE to non-metropolitan areas," said Dr Batterham.
Dr Batterham also pointed to the recent successful spin-off of CSIRO's unique compound semiconductor technologies to EpiTactix.
"EpiTactix has secured $5.2 million in start-up funding from a syndicate of investors, including the CSIRO and an AusIndustry R&D START Grant to develop new microchip production processes and wireless products for the growing high frequency segment of the broadband wireless market," said Dr Batterham.
They will be developing products for defence and automotive radar, high bandwidth point-to-point systems and a number of high bandwidth consumer applications.
CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Geoff Garrett said that the formation of the ICT Centre is a major response on CSIRO's part to the challenges articulated in the report of the Framework for the Future Steering Committee: Enabling Our Future: A Framework for the information and communications technology industry.
"CSIRO is re-inventing its capability in ICT - emphasising collaboration not just with industry and business, but with the other key players in ICT research - NICTA, DSTO and the ICT CRCs, as well as - and particularly - leveraging the potential to ICT-enable science innovation across the whole spectrum of CSIRO's activities," said Dr Garrett.
Dr Alex Zelinsky, formerly founder and CEO of innovative company, Seeing Machines, and Professor and Head of the Department of Systems Engineering at the Australian National University, has been appointed inaugural Director of the CSIRO ICT Centre and is currently leading the development of the Centre's research agenda, industry alignments and partnership strategies.
"This is a great occasion, marking both our first scientific conference and the public launch of our Centre," said Dr Zelinsky.
"There are enormous opportunities to deliver benefit to Australia through ICT and my goal is to ensure that we form the right partnerships to ensure that benefit is realised."
