Telstra invests in smart Internet

Telstra is committing more than $6 million, in cash and in-kind contributions over seven years, to a newly approved Cooperative Research Center (CRC), the CRC for Smart Internet Technology.

The Smart Internet Technology project aims to make Internet enabled devices and appliances easier to use through the development of intelligent software, and to improve the capability of switching systems that are the backbone of the Internet.

“Over the past five years Telstra has developed from a traditional ‘telco’ company to a new age information services organization," Telstra chief technology officer Hugh Bradlow said. "We are making significant investments in our R&D to ensure that Australia is at the forefront of the Internet world.

“Our involvement in the CRC for Smart Internet Technology is just one important investment in the future of the Internet. In Tasmania we are leading a socio-technical study called eLaunceston, which seeks to understand the motivating factors which drive people to use the Internet and last year we launched B-eLab, a new multimedia laboratory. The future of the Internet will be driven by broadband access, wireless access and new services that make the Internet easier to use in everyday life.

“With our broadband services studies in Launceston and our involvement with the CRC for Smart Internet Technology, we will be covering these major developments in the Internet. We expect to trial new services and devices from the CRC for Smart Internet Technology at our Launceston trial site and in other markets.”

There will be five core research programs which will form part of the Smart Internet Technology project, all of which are designed to reduce the complexity of the Internet. They will include:

• Natural Adaptive User Interface

• Smart Personal Assistant

• Intelligent Environments

• Smart Networks

• User Environment

The CRC for Smart Internet Technology will involve nine Australian Universities and a number of leading corporations including Telstra, Hewlett Packard, Nortel and Motorola.