Business Highlights
Between July 2007 and March 2009, CSIRO’s ICT Centre engaged in external business activities with more than 390 entities worth a total of $54 million. This is expected to grow to over $67 million in the next year.
CSIRO’s ICT Centre undertakes business with industry and government through a mix of short and long term contract research partnerships, licensing and enterprise creation. We are delighted to report on the following recent business highlights with our Australian and international partners.
Patents
In 2007–2008, 17 new patents were filed and are available for licensing. We now hold 77 unique patents.
Licensing
Trantek Systems
Trantek is targeting the $50m per annum horse and car racing markets with their licensing of our precision location technology.
This technology provides outdoor tracking of people and devices where GPS is unavailable. It can track fast-moving objects over several square kilometres with accuracy of better than a metre.
Partnering and co-investment
Verdant Health
This joint research activity is developing an innovative e-health application for the tailored delivery of health and wellbeing information via mobile phone.
Emergency Management Australia
This multi-year collaboration is aimed at delivering continuous tracking of first responder emergency services personnel indoors and in outdoor locations where GPS is not available or unreliable.
Apart from better placing personnel for more effective response and saving lives, the potential market for this technology is over100 000 units per year.
AQ1 Systems
Supported by CSIRO’s Australian Growth Partnerships program, this research collaboration is using advanced ICT to transform prawn aquaculture. The technology has the potential to increase feeding efficiency and productivity generating profit increases of ~$20m for Australian prawn farmers.
Australian Institute of Sport
Together we are developing advanced communications and coaching aids to allow the continuous tracking of athletes.
Apart from the potential to increase Australia’s sporting world rankings, the market for these aids is predicted to rise to $100m per annum over the next five years.
Australia-China Research Centre for Wireless Communications
Australia’s largest research collaboration with China in the field of wireless and mobile communication networks, this centre provides a hub for longterm cooperation between research communities in both countries.
Led by CSIRO and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, this collaboration is supported by the Australian Department of Industry, Innovation, Science and Research and the Ministry of Science and Technology, People’s Republic of China.
Seqwater
Using CSIRO sensors and sensor network technology – and Seqwater expertise – this co-investment project focuses on Wivenhoe and Somerset Dams in Queensland.
Around 50 floating nodes are monitoring water quality and some 70 microclimate stations are spread throughout the catchment. We plan to use our virtual fencing technology to control livestock in the catchment.
China Electronic Technology Corporation 54
Our international activities include licensing and research collaborations in advanced antenna technology for satellite and other communications applications.
