Tasmanian ICT Centre

The Tasmanian Information and Communication Technologies Centre (TasICTC) aims to promote employment growth and wealth creation throughout the Tasmanian economy by accelerating growth of its ICT industries.

The Tasmanian ICT Centre is exploring new information strategies to facilitate the discovery, sharing, re-use and re-purposing of data to provide tailored, relevant and timely information to individuals, communities, industry and government.  The objective is to increase our situational awareness and ability to respond to complex, inter-related issues such as water management, coastal ecosystems and urban water and energy usage for sustainable, optimum use of increasingly scarce resources.   

Watch our video

 Take a look at a short video that showcases our research partnerships CSIRO Tasmanian ICT Centre on YouTube

our capabilities

To deliver our research outcomes, we have established two research capabilities.  We have developed a core capability in the area of near-real-time Data and Information Systems.   The objective of this capability is to support the development of innovative methods for acquiring, storing, integrating, processing, communicating and reasoning about data and information collected from sensors installed in different environments.  Sensors include sources of real-time or near-real-time data through to historical databases as well as the output of models.  The capability relies on strengths in the areas of sensor and model integration, technical and semantic interoperability and in the concept of sensor-web enablement; an infrastructure where information sources are accessible across a network and increasingly accessible as a service that can be assembled in user-defined constructions to explore relevant issues or questions.

To support the impact from this area or research, we have developed a capability in the delivery of Personalised Information.  In essence, the focus of this capability is to develop platforms for dynamic personalised content provision and web service integration which allows the users to conduct efficient complex processing and analysis tasks contributing to sustainable behavioural changes.  This capability relies on strengths in the areas of adaptive integration and presentation and interface design.  These are fundamental to increasing our ability to make sense of the data and information that is becoming available to individuals, maximising its effectiveness in supporting, guiding and maintaining the exploration of options and commitment to chosen solutions.

Recent Highlights

Take a look at our most recent newsletter for an update on the most recent highlights. August 2009 Update 

Funding

TasICTC is jointly funded by the Australian Federal Government through the Intelligent Island Program and CSIRO.  The Intelligent Island Program is administered by the Tasmanian Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts.

Goal

The primary goal of TasICTC is to develop an internationally competitive ICT sector in Tasmania.

To reach this goal, we are working in four strategic areas:

• building research capability
• conducting innovative research
• developing linkages and collaborations
• undertaking knowledge and technology transfer.

More about the Tasmanian ICT Centre goal and objectives.

Research agenda

TasICTC's research is strategically aligned with the National Research Flagships program addressing issues of national significance.  Our core research capability is in real time situation awareness.  By using the increasing amount of sensed data that is being made available across a range of domains, we are developing a services platform that allows the sharing and re-purposing of information to increase our ability to understand our world and developed improved responses to the complex, inter-related questions we face.  This new approach will eventually provide higher value information that is timely, relevant and tailored to the particular issue of concern.

Initial research is in:

• water resource information systems
• tailored health information delivery
• marine observations networks
• improving aquaculture efficiency
• distributed energy management.

More about our research projects.

Collaborations to drive research and industry

TasICTC has developed collaborations with innovative companies and agencies to ensure our research is responds to identified needs and that therir is a path to adoption.  Our industry partners include AQ1 Systems, Verdant Health, Energy Response and Hydro Tasmania Consulting. 

We have also built strong alliances with other research organisatins and agencies to demsontrate the value of ICT research to impact across a number of domains.  Our partners include the Bureau of Meterology, the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment, the Tasmanian Institute for Agricultural Research, the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute and the Derwent Estuary Program. 

Doctoral scholarship program

A joint Doctoral scholarship program with the University of Tasmania is part of our commitment to the long term growth of ICT research capability and to building research relationships.

Over the life of this program we will support ten scholars offering them the opportunity to work side-by-side with CSIRO researchers.  The program already has attracted 6 joint candidates focused on delivering impact from ICT research in health, water and agribusiness and marine robotics.

Networking

TasICTC is actively developing linkages and collaborations in Tasmania and beyond, between ICT industry, education and research organisations, to:

• act as a catalyst for the ICT industry in Tasmania
• provide a portal into CSIRO capability and Intellectual Property.

Research Investment Advisory Committee

Part of this engagement strategy is the formation of the Research Investment Advisory Committee (RIAC).

This Committee identifies opportunities for research and potential technology transfer partners.

The members of the RIAC are:

• Mr Roy Barkas, Independant - former CEO LogicaCMG, Tasmania
• Mr Chris Edwards, Managing Director, Moonraker Australia Pty Ltd, Tasmania
• Mr Jonathan Wood, Executive Director, Governance and Strategy Division, Tasmanian Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Hobart
• Associate Professor Jack English, Australian Innovation Research Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart
• Dr Bruce Lee, Director, Food Futures Flagship, CSIRO
• Dr Phil Robertson, Chief Operating Officer, National ICT Australia
• Mr Peter Gartlan, Independant - former Executive Director, PK Business Advantage.

Staff and facilities

The Chief Executive of TasICTC is Dr Stephen Giugni.

TasICTC has 30 research staff located at Battery Point, Hobart, Tasmania.

More about our research staff.