dean economou - nicta overview

© NICTA 2007

From imagination to impact

© NICTA 2007

Technology Strategist

Office of the CEO

Dean Economou

© NICTA 2007

About us

• National ICT Australia (NICTA) is Australia’s Centre of Excellence in Information and Communication Technology Research

• Outcome of Australian Government’s 2001 policy initiative “Backing Australia’s Ability”

• Biggest ICT research effort in Oz - Headcount over 700

• $680M total funding over period FY2002-FY2011 (60% Federal)

© NICTA 2007

Our Focus

• Make fundamental advances in ICT to underpin globally competitive products, processes and services

• Building innovative ICT companies and new ICT industries for Australia

• Contributing skills and outcomes that are changing the profile of our ICT industry.

• Use–inspired research to meet technology challenges facing industry, community and the nation.

• Aspire to be one of the world’s top-ten ICT research centres by 2020.

© NICTA 2007

Research Philosophy – Industry Pull

Louis Pasteur is an exemplar

Use-inspired basic

research

Use-inspired basic

research

Purely applied research &

development

Purely applied research &

development

Pure basic research

Pure basic research

Approach to Research

Improved Understanding

Improved Technology

ExistingTechnology

ExistingUnderstanding

© NICTA 2007

NICTA at a glance

• 5 Laboratories:– Australian Technology Park &

Kensington, Sydney– Canberra ,Queensland, Victoria– Outreach in WA and SA

• 425 Staff, 313 PhD Students

• 27 projects across 4 research themes

• 6 Business Areas & 4 Spin outs so far

• Partners– USyd, UNSW, ANU, UQ, QUT,

UMelb, Griffith– NSW, QLD, ACT & Vic Governments

© NICTA 2007

Research and Impact

Themes Disciplines Business AreasICT used for…

• Trust and Security • Reliable Operating Systems• Tools and Platforms for ES

• Trust and Security • Reliable Operating Systems• Tools and Platforms for ES

Embedded Systems

Embedded Systems

• Communications Stack• Sensor Network Platforms• Networking Technologies

• Communications Stack• Sensor Network Platforms• Networking Technologies

Networked Systems

Networked Systems

• Formal Methods• Software Design Process• Constraints• Control• Optimisation

• Formal Methods• Software Design Process• Constraints• Control• Optimisation

ManagingComplexityManaging

Complexity

•Machine Learning•Reasoning•Knowledge Representation•Image Understanding•Data Understanding•HxI (Human-x Interaction)

•Machine Learning•Reasoning•Knowledge Representation•Image Understanding•Data Understanding•HxI (Human-x Interaction)

Making Sense of Data

Making Sense of Data

Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences

Intelligent Transportation Systems Intelligent Transportation Systems

Safety and SecuritySafety and Security

Environmental ManagementEnvironmental Management

Mobile Systems and ServicesMobile Systems and Services

Software InfrastructureSoftware Infrastructure

© NICTA 2007

Research and Impact

Themes Disciplines Business AreasICT used for…

• Trust and Security • Reliable Operating Systems• Tools and Platforms for ES

• Trust and Security • Reliable Operating Systems• Tools and Platforms for ES

Embedded Systems

Embedded Systems

• Communications Stack• Sensor Network Platforms• Networking Technologies

• Communications Stack• Sensor Network Platforms• Networking Technologies

Networked Systems

Networked Systems

• Formal Methods• Software Design Process• Constraints• Control• Optimisation

• Formal Methods• Software Design Process• Constraints• Control• Optimisation

ManagingComplexityManaging

Complexity

•Machine Learning•Reasoning•Knowledge Representation•Image Understanding•Data Understanding•HxI (Human-x Interaction)

•Machine Learning•Reasoning•Knowledge Representation•Image Understanding•Data Understanding•HxI (Human-x Interaction)

Making Sense of Data

Making Sense of Data

Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences

Intelligent Transportation Systems Intelligent Transportation Systems

Safety and SecuritySafety and Security

Environmental ManagementEnvironmental Management

Mobile Systems and ServicesMobile Systems and Services

Software InfrastructureSoftware Infrastructure

© NICTA 2007

Bionic Eye Project

• Implantable microchip bypasses damaged photoreceptors, restores independence

• Expertise in micro-electronics, materials science, image processing, psychophysics, electrophysiology, biosafety & retinal surgery

© NICTA 2007

Bionic Eye Project

• Comparison of normal and simulated prosthetic vision• Enormous signal processing task• Resolution constantly improving

© NICTA 2007

© NICTA 2007

Intelligent Transport Systems

• Transport systems that are intelligent are -:

– more efficient (20%)

– adaptive, easier to use

– less environmentally harmful

• ICT has a crucial role in providing the intelligence for

– traffic management

– infrastructure management & security

– driver safety

– logistics support for transport operations

• Major project is Smart Transport and Roads (STaR)

© NICTA 2007

Albion Park

• Major intersection

• Cannot build overpass due to airport – large roundabout

• Safety issues in peak hour as turning queues extend into highway

• Grid lock in holidays

• Now 10% improvement

© NICTA 2007

NICTA Technology Making a Difference

• L4 microkernel • Robust kernel now in 500 Million mobile phones

© NICTA 2007

Dean.Economou@nicta.com.au

Come and talk to us!