Adelaide has been selected as the location for a new 5G Industrial Incubation Lab by a Finnish telecommunications company which is already supporting improvements in safety, productivity and efficiency at Adelaide Airport.
Based at the University of Adelaide, the federally funded 5G Industrial Incubation Lab was first announced in August 2021 following an agreement between the telecom and the South Australia Government’s Department for Trade and Investment.
The Lab is an exciting addition to South Australia’s economy and hi-tech ecosystem with 5G having the potential to contribute $8 trillion to global GDP by 2030 and covering a wide variety of industries, including mining, transport and health.
Opening the 5G Industrial Incubation Lab to a broad set of industries will encourage the development of an ecosystem of technology leaders in Adelaide and further positions South Australia as a true innovation hub for the entire Oceania region.
5G wireless technology has the ability to connect mobile robots, machines, sensors, computers, and people creating opportunities to relay data more rapidly. This, in turn, enables the automation and operation of robots and drones. The productivity improvements resulting from this automation will create significant economic growth in South Australia.
The Managing Director of the telecommunications firm for Oceania stated that the company is proud to bring its 5G technology leadership to South Australia and the exciting new 5G use cases that are being developed at the 5G Industrial Incubation Lab. Through the lab, and together with its ecosystem partners, industries are being shown the benefits of 5G for safer, more efficient and more sustainable operations.
The 5G Industrial Incubation Lab has deployed and commissioned a 5G network at the University of Adelaide, which has been placed inside a shielded room (Faraday cage) to ensure there is no interference with the public 5G network.
The Lab has undertaken three pilot projects supported by Adelaide Airport Limited, South Australian Power Network and the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, underpinned by the expertise of the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML). The projects cover:
Adelaide Airport Limited is one of the lab’s first industry customers. Currently, it is testing a variety of cameras and wearables including the HoloLens camera developed by an American multinational technology corporation. The aim is to determine the optimal 5G bandwidth required to most effectively run remote operations. The results are being used to determine how a 5G scaled deployment can improve the safety and efficiency of Adelaide Airport’s operations, across multiple sites, including Parafield Airport.
For Adelaide Airport, high-definition video streaming will be used for real-time analysis of airport inspection and safety monitoring. Using 5G wireless technology is a future platform for connecting mobile robots, machines, sensors, computers and people, creating opportunities for automation hasn’t been possible on a scale that up until now.
In this way, 5G-enabled networks will be essential for the automation of the world’s physical industries, leading to productivity gains.
The EGM for Technology and Innovation at Adelaide Airport Limited stated that working with the Industrial Incubation Lab has provided us with a much better understanding of the benefits 5G can bring to our airport’s business.
The telecom has already hired two full-time engineers to work on the National 5G Industrial Incubation Lab and further growth is anticipated in line with business demand. It is expected the firm’s expertise in 5G with the Azure Space platform will provide a national unique capability for industrial automation and other critical industries in South Australia. An ecosystem has been established to support and grow the lab’s 5G capabilities. These partners include the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML), MIT bigdata Living Lab, Adelaide Airport Limited, SA Power Networks as well as the South Australian Government among others.
The National e-Governance Division (NeGD), under its Capacity Building scheme, recently organised the 30th CISO Deep-Dive training programme. It targeted chief information security officers (CISOs) from central, state, and union territory governments, subordinate agencies, public sector undertakings (PSUs), technical wings of police and security forces, and officers in charge of IT system security in their respective organisations.
The deep-dive training was specifically aimed at educating and enabling CISOs to understand cyber-attacks comprehensively and thoroughly, get necessary exposure to the latest security technologies, and translate the benefits of a resilient e-infrastructure to individual organisations and citizens at large. The training also focused on providing a holistic view of legal provisions and enabling CISOs to formulate policies in the domain of cybersecurity and build concrete cyber crisis management plans.
At the event, a government official encouraged CISO officers to think innovatively and futuristically while supporting the cybersecurity endeavours of their organisations. Another representative stressed the need for robust cybersecurity conduct at an individual level and requested all CISO participants to use properly licensed software. Participants were reminded of various government initiatives in the cybersecurity domains, particularly the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC), which addresses potential cyber threats to critical infrastructure.
The training programme brought together an array of subject matter experts from the industry, academia, and the government to speak on key domain issues of cybersecurity, including:
Launched in 2018, the CISO training is a first-of-its-kind partnership between the government and industry consortium under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. Since June 2018, these programmes have capacitated 1,224 senior officials to secure the digital infrastructure and systems of their respective organisations.
The CISO training sessions are a part of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)’s Cyber Surakshit Bharat initiative, which spreads awareness about cybercrime and builds the capacity of CISOs and frontline IT officials across all government departments. It aims to ensure the country has adequate safety measures to combat the growing number of cyber-attacks and for organisations to defend their digital infrastructures and tackle cyber-attacks.
Last week, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) designed and conducted the cybersecurity exercise “Synergy” for 13 countries. The initiative is part of the International Counter Ransomware Initiative- Resilience Working Group, which is being led by India under the leadership of the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS).
The theme of the exercise was ‘Building Network Resiliency to counter Ransomware Attacks’. The exercise scenario was derived from real-life cyber incidents, in which a domestic level (limited impact) ransomware incident escalates to a global cyber security crisis. As OpenGov Asia reported, the specific objective of the exercise was to assess, share, and improve strategies and practices among member-states to build network resiliency against ransomware and cyber extortion attacks.
The potential impacts of corrosion on major infrastructure are a common and often costly challenge faced by many offshore operators. Supported by a contribution of more than AU$ 2.5 million from the Australian branch of an American multinational energy corporation, a research team at Curtin will design, build, and operate the Extreme Service Flow Loop facility with the aim to improve corrosion management and maintenance costs, assisting operators to minimise the risk of damage to major infrastructure and the environment. The energy corporation, which has been a partner of the centre for 18 years, will supply the funding as well as support a three-year research program after the flow loop is commissioned.
The Extreme Service Flow Loop facility will mimic the flow conditions inside pipelines and other high-flow environments in the oil and gas industry. It will allow the team to measure and then predict corrosion damage by studying the effect of pipelines transporting gas fluids in a controlled environment. The team will be enabled to specify operating parameters such as flow rate, temperature, pressure, single or multiphase, piping diameter, and a selection of corrosion probes and sensors to simulate real industry operations.
The project’s lead researcher, Associate Professor Ahmed Barifcani, from the Curtin Corrosion Centre, said the company’s investment would transform corrosion control strategies around the world. He noted that Western Australia remains a leading energy producer and, therefore, it is crucial that local capabilities are developed to assist with maintaining the large-scale plants that operate in the State. The funding will allow the Curtin team to manage this ongoing issue locally here in WA, without relying on international facilities for testing.
The corrosion of engineering alloys, which are commonly used for pipelines and pressure valves in the oil and gas industry, is common and costly to maintain and repair. To remedy this, the team’s research will aim to both predict and prevent corrosion in pipelines, so they can be repaired, reducing environmental risk while also providing companies with information that can help them build oil and gas pipelines with more confidence in remote and previously inaccessible locations.
In addition, the facility will enable more effective material selection and corrosion management methods, leading to product lifetime extension and, ultimately, moving towards a circular environmentally controlled economy.
Meanwhile, the Director of the Curtin Corrosion Centre welcomed the collaboration and its positive impacts on the industry. He noted that the team at the Curtin Corrosion Centre looks forward to working together on this project with Chevron Australia, which will result in significant benefits for industries which operate near or offshore as well as all large-scale operations that might be affected by corrosion.
With completion expected in 2023, the Extreme Service Flow Loop will initially focus on the natural gas facilities in Australia’s North-West, two of the world’s largest natural gas developments. The Director of Operations at the Australia branch of the multinational energy corporation noted that was pleased to continue to partner with the Curtin Corrosion Centre to support the ongoing development of Western Australia’s world-leading energy industry.
He said that the company has always embraced innovation and implemented technology to solve the energy challenges of today and the future, adding that the firm is proud to partner with the Curtin Corrosion Centre to build local capabilities and expertise in corrosion management – an important maintenance area for our industry that has the potential to create new jobs and post-graduate research opportunities in Western Australia.
The Flow Loop concept design was carried out by Ammar Al Helal, Darwin Hartono, Fenny Kho, Yu Long, Christopher Lagat, and Francisco Vouilloz from the Curtin Corrosion Centre.
To assist people in locating government benefits and services catered to significant life events, the US government recently established a new online locator tool known as the Benefits Eligibility Awareness Resource Service (BEARS).
The loss of a loved one is the first life-event covered by BEARS. A person can utilise the locator to determine the benefits they could be qualified for, such as survivor payments, military funerals, and housing assistance, after losing a family member. They will receive a personalised list of prospective federal benefits from several agencies after responding to a few straightforward questions, and they will learn how to apply.
The government is gathering data now that BEARS is accessible to the public to understand how users engage with it and make any required modifications. It will use the data to monitor traffic to BEARS to determine how and when people are using it, validate and iterate on the content and design based on survey feedback and user testing exercises.
To apply those lessons to add more benefits and life events in both English and Spanish and collaborate with agency partners that manage and administer federal benefits to ensure that the best information is presented for each programme. Moreover, at the Defense Health Information Technology Symposium (DHITS), technology professionals, providers, stakeholders, and other specialists gathered to explore the range of IT resources accessible to providers. The DHITS 2022 focused on clinical care, revolutionising health care delivery, and utilising the power of data.
With this, the Defense Health Agency (DHA), which provides support to more than 400 military hospitals and clinics around the globe, is concentrated on creating modernised tools to improve treatment for Military Health System (MHS) patients.
For physicians to keep track of patients’ medical records, digitally interact with them, and strengthen their relationship with care, as well as training programmes for ongoing education, DHA offers several services.
To deliver the best care, it’s essential to have safe access to a patient’s whole medical record. MHS GENESIS, the new federal electronic health record for the Department of Defense, tracks transitions made by service members, retirees, and their families inside the MHS.
Additionally, when a recipient attains veteran status, their records will eventually shift to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The information recorded on a patient’s electronic health record will accompany them wherever they go during their career.
An online appointment could be more convenient for some beneficiaries. Service members and their families can obtain care whenever and wherever it is most convenient for them thanks to MHS Video Connect, which enables healthcare professionals to easily interact with patients over secure, live video.
In addition, patients who are seeking treatment for mental health issues, managing minor diseases, attending follow-up consultations, or updating prescriptions can benefit from online appointments. Providing patients with more practical options might also result in fewer missed visits.
The Joint Knowledge Online serves as the MHS’s enterprise learning management system to maintain training. The programme seeks to consolidate the majority of online military health instruction in one place. Providers within the MHS have access to online training to further their professional military and medical education. Providers may significantly contribute to the transition of military medical care into the digital age if the MHS community continues to embrace technology as part of their practice and learning.
The Prime Minister recently inaugurated a two-day Science Conclave in Gujarat. It will explore state-specific technologies and innovations for adoption and scaling up through an integrated approach with support from the central government.
According to a press release, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, said that the broad theme of the conclave will be to present Vision 2047 for the science and technology sector. Participants will map the priorities, challenges, expectations, and technology needs of each of the states.
The Minister said that the states can work in convergence for optimum outcomes with the six science departments: the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), and the Department of Space (DoS).
A key agenda of the conclave is doubling private sector investment in research and development by 2030 and supplementing the country’s and state’s overall economy. Singh said that plenary sessions will be held on topics like:
The event will also feature special sessions with the CEOs of over 100 start-ups and industry players, who will explore solutions for the unique problems faced by individual states. The Minister promised support from all the six science departments to the potential start-ups willing to work with state governments with funding from all stakeholders. He said the meeting will help break silos between the centre and the states while strengthening the science, technology, and innovation (STI) ecosystem through greater synergy across the country.
Several action-oriented decisions will be taken at the event, and all states and union territories will be asked to have individual STI policies, in line with the National STI policy. The conclave aims to foster proactive engagements between the centre and states in science and technology, create a mechanism to facilitate the flow of STI information and data, and build the capacity of scientists, technologists, and professionals in key technology areas.
The centre and states will work together to promote private sector participation in technology research and development and will try to put in position a robust and long-term centre-state coordination and monitoring mechanism in STI at the highest level.
Increasing the adoption of technology-enabled solutions across the country is part of the government’s goal to build an e-government. In June, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a draft National Data Governance Framework to mobilise citizen non-personal data for use by public and private entities in a bid to improve services. The policy proposes launching a non-personal data-based India datasets programme. State governments are encouraged to adopt the provisions of the policy and rules, standards, and protocols where appropriate.
Through the League of Developers Initiative (LODI), a collaborative project of the Science Education Institute (SEI) and the Planning and Evaluation Service (PES), the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) IT students will soon have access to government internship opportunities.
“It’s an opportunity to provide a challenging environment to further develop the skills of our science scholars and encourage them to join the government workforce,” says Dr Josette Biyo, Director, DOST-SEI.
The department asserts that the agreement is mutually beneficial as the internship programme promises to give the youth scholars unique IT internship experiences while also bolstering DOST’s digital transformation efforts.
The project is scheduled for long-term implementation and will address more complicated aspects of the transition, such as culture and system education, adding to the automation of various DOST data and operations.
The programming, testing, copywriting, design, and implementation will all be part of the development process. The DOST-SEI is the driving force behind the country’s leading science scholarship programmes. It also works on teacher training programmes, educational innovations, and youth science promotion. Project LODI is an addition to the Institute’s programmes to foster professional excellence and social responsibility among scholars.
According to Dr Biyo, an increasing number of DOST scholars are participating in beneficial projects. Many people have begun to volunteer in their communities. DOST students from across the country can participate because this is a “bring your own device” (BYOD) arrangement on a virtual or work-from-home configuration. Around 1,000 DOST scholars-graduating IT students are anticipated to participate in the project’s pilot run.
To create a list of scholars suitable for the internship, the DOST-SEI will work with state universities and colleges (SUCs) that deliver DOST learning programmes. The DOST-PES Information Technology Division has already developed the DOST’s Programming Conventions and Standards with an IT Library of components and assets, and the Standard Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) as a foundation for the project.
Meanwhile, despite global health issues and societal concerns, young Filipino innovators remain beacons of hope for the country. With this, the DOST-SEI recently presented the coveted Youth Innovation Prize (YIP) Award to three school teams for their innovative solutions -for eye illness detection, Haribon or Philippine Eagle monitoring and conservation, and aerial emergency relief for isolated locations.
These initiatives were chosen as winners due to the innovation, functionality, patentability, extensibility, and practicability of their technology. DOST-SEI agreed that more important than announcing scientific award winners is the department’s ability to successfully bring together aspiring innovators with exceptional mentors, advisors, and, of course, government and private sector stakeholders in the innovation process.
Furthermore, the customisation and deployment of the first and only Filipino-made Electronic Purchase Requisition Form (e-PRF) using power apps is planned to be rolled out in foreign schools in the region.
The e-PRF project, which is already in the pre-production phase of development is intended for use in official transactions at many international schools in Asia. This is in line with the programmes of the DOST and Trade and Industry to enhance the Philippines’ IT sector. Production using the implementation is planned to begin in three international schools in Singapore, followed by schools in Vietnam, and finally throughout the Southeast Asian Region.
The Vietnam Petroleum Institute (VPI), under the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam), has built an Oilgas AI ecosystem using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The system collects and analyses in-depth data in the oil and gas sector, with products such as crude oil, petroleum, liquefied petroleum gas, and natural gas.
VPI is partnering with an industry giant and taking measures to optimise the analysis, use, and management of data, helping firms improve work efficiency. For each product, Oilgas AI performs an analysis of market data, price forecasting, supply and demand, infrastructure, and inventory. It also helps users easily find, tap, and interact with vivid data through charts, reports, and dashboards. The data will be constantly updated, making it easier for users to monitor real-time data.
Petroleum suppliers, importers, and sellers can monitor the retail petrol price forecast through petroleum products at the Oilgas AI ecosystem. Its petrol price forecast model uses ML algorithms to model input data sources. It continuously updates new factors to provide the most accurate prediction of provisions and expenditures using the Petroleum Price Stabilisation Fund. It also inputs base prices of domestic and imported petroleum products.
According to an official, Oilgas AI targets becoming a network of experts, scientists, organisations, businesses, and consumers at home and abroad on the back of using the latest technological advances. This ecosystem creates a competitive advantage through the optimisation of analysis, mining, and use of data safely and conveniently. It also employs the application and use of models and algorithms that have been developed by VPI experts and other leading specialists in the oil and gas sector who are cooperating with VPI. Energy market products and services will provide solutions to help businesses make faster and more effective decisions in daily production and business activities, as well as devise long-term plans and strategies.
VPI has also started a free data mining service for users to experience the trial version of the Oilgas AI ecosystem. Following the trial period, VPI will provide optional service packages to meet the diverse needs of customers.
The organisation is also deploying AI/ML to identify the presence of fractured granite basements. The technology has an accuracy rate of over 80% and helps save exploration time and costs. VPI worked out a fracture prediction solution that applies AL/ML to accurately detect the presence of fracture systems based on real-time data. Relevant data will be used as inputs into ML algorithms, and then models will be classified, ranked, and assessed to find out the best for fracture prediction. The VPI has tested the accuracy of this prediction model on drilling data of 12 wells in some fields with similar geological structures, showing a prediction accuracy rate of more than 80%.
As OpenGov Asia reported, the results from the ML operations (MLOps) platform are expected to help improve drilling effectiveness, ensure safety for the process, and shorten the rig rental duration. Depending on each contractor’s drilling plan, the saved expenses can reach hundreds of thousands of US dollars.
Indonesia and Argentina are exploring opportunities for cooperation in the field of information and communication technology (ICT) during the recently held Digital Economy Ministers’ Meeting (DEMM).
The exploration of cooperation between the two countries was marked by a bilateral meeting between Johnny G Plate, Minister of Communication and Information, Indonesia and Micaela Sánchez Malcolm, Secretary of Public Innovation, Argentina.
The cooperation between the two countries can be carried out in the upstream or upstream sector of ICT in the form of disseminating fast connections (broadband) to connect the South American region to the Asian region.
Regarding downstream or downstream digital collaboration opportunities, Minister Johnny cited that it could be done through digital economic literacy and digital training by utilising various digital spaces owned by the two countries.
Indonesia and Argentina agreed to form a team to prepare for the continuation of the exploration plan, which includes a framework for cooperation, legal policies, an agreement, and a draft memorandum between the two parties.
Secretary Micaela, on the other hand, stated that through the cooperation built between the two countries, her party is optimistic that it will make the telecommunications connectivity network in Argentina become wider.
The Argentinian secretary hopes that cooperation between the two countries can happen soon since it’s important to have good communication networks nowadays because people’s needs are getting higher in the digital age.
Meanwhile, Minister Johnny and Minister of Technology and Digital Economy of the United Kingdom (United Kingdom) Damian Noel Thomas Collins have discussed the continuation of cooperation in the procurement of Indonesia’s Satellite (SATRIA 2).
Minister Johnny said the British government had committed to providing financial support for the procurement of green satellites with a capacity of 300 gigabytes per second (Gbps). He added that the discussion between the two ministers also discussed bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and the UK, particularly in upstream digital infrastructure.
He appreciated the British delegation’s support for the three priority issues that were brought up by Indonesia in the G20 DEWG such as connectivity and post-Covid -19 recovery, digital skill and digital literacy and the data free flow with trust and cross-border data flow.
Furthermore, the Japanese government through a research and educational network provides high-speed internet network assistance up to 100 gigabytes per second (Gbps) for 83 universities in Indonesia which are represented by the Indonesian Research and Education Network (IDREN) community and the Universitas Brawijaya (UB) during the ratification of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
With this initiative, the 100 Gbps network to IDREN, which is Indonesia’s research and education network, creates a great history for the future, not only for Indonesia but also for academics in the Asia-Pacific region for the sake of a resilient society. IDREN is a milestone for the future of the Asia-Pacific region for the sake of a resilient society.
Students, researchers, and lecturers will have access to high-definition data, cloud, AI computing and multimedia communications, plus collaboration opportunities with global universities and research institutions.
Indonesia is bringing together the governments, bilateral and multilateral organisations, civil society, and the corporate sector, among others, who are committed to enhancing the efficacy of their economic development partnerships as every nation recognises the need of collaboration as well as the significance of receiving international help for the growth of their economies.
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