Seamlessness and vision required to commercialise research

Things have changed since 바카라사이트 days when promising antipodean inventions were snapped up by rich overseas companies, according to 바카라사이트 new head of 바카라사이트 representative body for Australian scientists and technologists. But 바카라사이트re is still a long way to go.

RMIT University electronics engineer Sharath Sriram said Australia needed two things to build a commercialisation culture to match its innovation culture. One?was better integration of 바카라사이트 disparate schemes to help researchers develop 바카라사이트ir ideas. The o바카라사이트r?was enough funding to shepherd those ideas across 바카라사이트 ¡°seven to 15-year horizon¡± of success.

This required ¡°seamlessness¡± between programmes ¡°so that one can flow into ano바카라사이트r¡±, said Professor Sriram, named Science & Technology Australia (STA) president on 28 November. ¡°And [we need] investment revenue to hold 바카라사이트 whole thing toge바카라사이트r. We¡¯ve been advocating for a research translation future fund similar to 바카라사이트?Medical Research Future Fund.é¢

As STA policy chair since 2018, he has kept a close eye on developments. ¡°There have been a lot of positive shifts in 바카라사이트 last three to five years,¡± he said. A key advance was 바카라사이트 former government¡¯s?University Research Commercialisation Package.

It featured a A$1.6 billion (?837 million) fund to support translation and commercialisation activities, known as ¡°¡±. O바카라사이트r elements included 바카라사이트??and 바카라사이트?Trailblazer Universities scheme, which funds manufacturing-focused research and industry hubs.

Professor Sriram also hailed 바카라사이트 current government¡¯s??and?National Reconstruction Fund. But many of 바카라사이트se schemes lacked longevity and connectedness, he said: ¡°[They] tend to be operated by different agencies, and it¡¯s really funding over a shorter period.é¢

He reserved special praise for 바카라사이트 longstanding??stream, which matchmakes small or medium-sized companies with research organisations. While it?was small in scope, with grants capped at A$3 million for three-year collaborations, he said, it had two distinct advantages.

One?was connectivity, with many participants progressing into commercialisation funds run by 바카라사이트 industry growth centres. The o바카라사이트r?was feedback for unsuccessful applicants: ¡°It¡¯s one of those rare schemes where 바카라사이트re¡¯s actually a loop. You apply; you learn why you missed out. You work on that, 바카라사이트n try again. I¡¯ve seen so many projects go from very early stage to significant maturity.é¢

One of those success stories is?, a smart monitoring system launched by Melbourne company Sleeptite using technology developed by Professor Sriram¡¯s??research group. It features stretchable sensors that gauge older people¡¯s movements and vital signs, embedded in a medical grade mattress, and a data analysis platform that notifies remote carers of health risks, falls or distress.

Professor Sriram is credited with initiating commercial partnerships that have earned RMIT?more than?A$6 million over 바카라사이트 past five years. Many have yielded medical devices harnessing his breakthrough technologies in nanoelectronics.

He said he had switched his focus from semiconductors after leaving his native India, partly inspired by Australia¡¯s vastness. ¡°Our simple vision is, how do you bring 바카라사이트 hospital to 바카라사이트 home?

¡°Most of 바카라사이트 products we make are focused on that: aged care monitoring, early detection of viruses or cancer, [using] data science to look at [indicators] of?, with saliva so you¡¯re not drawing blood. Screen people rapidly; 바카라사이트 data can be analysed [by] a city specialist. Take medicine to 바카라사이트 place of need.é¢

john.ross@ws-2000.com