NZ | Technology + Innovation + Agriculture

[SYDNEY]

Kiwi exoskeleton gives presenter new lease on life

A Kiwi invention that allows wheelchair-users to walk has given an aspiring TV presenter a new lease on life. The robotic exoskeleton called Rex was hailed as a miracle cure for helping paralysed patients walk on a documentary that aired in the UK last week. TV presenter Sophie Morgan, who covered the Paralympics for Channel 4 appeared in a news story for the channel as she tried the world's first hands-free robotic legs for the first time. In a London hotel room with family and friends watching on, the 27-year-old took her first steps since the car accident nine years ago which resulted in a broken back and loss of the use of her lower limbs. "It was a bizarre feeling," she told the Daily Mail newspaper after the show. "I'm 5ft 10in and the floor looked so far away. I felt safe but it was all an emotional blur ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Telecom to trial 4G technology by Christmas

Telecom says it remains on track to trial 4G technology before Christmas. The company said in May it would give hundreds of consumers and at least four big businesses - Mitre 10, KiwiRail, Mainzeal and supermarket group Countdown - their first taste of 4G technology this year. Telecom told analysts at a financial briefing in August that it had not set aside any capital expenditure for 4G, leading some to speculate the trial had been postponed. But spokeswoman Lucy Powell said that was not the case. 4G networks can carry more data using the same amount of radio spectrum as earlier mobile technologies, meaning they should result in faster and/or cheaper mobile broadband plans with higher data caps. They also have much lower latency - or "lag" - making mobile applications that rely on frequent, rapid data exchange such as mobile gaming and mobile video-conferencing more practical. Retail chief executive Chris Quin said in May that the trial would be in Auckland and Wellington and in some smaller centres and regions. Telecom might not take the equipment down afterwards, meaning the trial could evolve into the full commercial launch of a 4G network. The wide-scale deployment of 4G networks awaits the release of 700MHz spectrum, which will be freed after analogue television shuts down.

[SYDNEY]

Kiwiana on Times Square digital billboards

The work of Wellington designers will be displayed today on enormous digital screens to the crowds thronging New York's Times Square. Listed telecommunications infrastructure company Chorus hired 12 digital billboards, including the Nasdaq, ABC, Fox and Sony and 24 digital screens, to display the New Zealand-inspired designs. The artworks were selected from 131 entries in a nationwide competition, transmitted from New Zealand to New York to show how fibre optic cables can transport high-resolution digital work across the world. In two half-hour slots the work of three winning New Zealand designers, including two Wellingtonians, and 10 finalists will take over the screens in one of the largest synchronised screenings to take place in the famous advertising spot of Times Square. Fibre connections will live-stream the event to Massey Design Campus in Wellington, at Auckland's Event Cinemas and on chorusfibre.co.nz at 10am today. A former Wellington resident now based in Japan, Johnson Witehira, who specialises in Maori graphic design, was one of the three winners whose work will be showcased. "It's amazing to have my work shown in Times Square," he said. "It's just nice seeing my work, as a Maori designer and artist getting worldwide exposure." Elspeth Hoskin, a graduate from Wellington's Massey University design school, said the opportunity was exciting ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

The ICEHOUSE and ATEED partner to fuel city’s businesses

Top business growth centre The ICEHOUSE and Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) have formalised their partnership to help create an environment in which Auckland’s innovative high-growth businesses can thrive. The partnership continues the two organisations’ history of working together to showcase Auckland’s innovation, encourage research and development in high-tech sectors, and stimulate angel investment in promising companies. The first component of ATEED’s $70,000 investment is its support of the New Zealand Angel Investment Showcase jointly organised by The ICEHOUSE and ICE Angels. The event on 23 October in Auckland will give 15 companies the chance to impress an invited audience of more than 200 potential investors. Angel investors who attended last year’s Investment Showcase invested $2.5 million across 11 of the 17 start-ups which presented. Companies which attracted investment covered the spectrum of industry sectors, including 1Above, Caldera Health, Nextspace, Photonz, Nexus6 and MiniMonos. ATEED Chief Executive Brett O’Riley says the collaboration with The ICEHOUSE is a great fit with the council organisation’s vision: “ATEED is focused on delivering key priorities in Auckland’s Economic Development Strategy, which was launched by the Mayor last month. This will create a city where innovation thrives, a city with a skilled workforce, and a city of opportunity which attracts crucial investment.” ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Broadband rivals bring out their cheap deals

Broadband users are being bombarded with offers of higher data caps, Sky TV discounts, free surfing on unmetered websites and cheaper prices. And an industry expert says New Zealanders will soon have access to even more data without any great cost increase. Orcon is leading the charge with a $99-a-month plan that includes unlimited data and national landline calls of up to an hour. It also gives its users unmetered access to websites including iSKY, herald.co.nz and Trade Me. Vodafone is also upping the ante with increased data allowances and free nationwide calls to five mobile or landline numbers, and Telecom is offering heavy users up to half a terrabyte of data. Telecommunications Users Association chief executive Paul Brislen said the broadband market had become "far more competitive" since the demerger of Telecom and Chorus last year. Upgrades to the Southern Cross cable had enabled internet service providers (ISPs) to increase customers' data allowances. "Now all the ISPs are positioning themselves for when the UFB [ultra-fast broadband] starts, so you are starting to see some much better price points coming through." ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Local Start-up Launches Online Media Monitoring iPad App

Earlier today, Cliptec, a homegrown startup launched ClipSmart - an Asia Pacific first in the provision of mobile app based media intelligence services. The application or app allows users to monitor and analyse New Zealand based mainstream news and business websites as well as influential blogs and other forms of consumer generated media. ClipSmart is designed for any business that aims to stay on top of news that may impact their reputation. Mr. Phillip Smith, Employee Number 1 at Cliptec said “the new ClipSmart app reinforces Cliptec’s commitment to innovation whilst maintaining core service attributes such as accuracy of content and timeliness of service”. He further added that, “the service aims to assist busy communications professionals by providing relevant media content in a fun and familiar format”. The free iPad app can be downloaded from the Apple® Store and the Cliptec media monitoring service that supports the app is available to clients for a monthly fee. In the interest of providing accurate online monitoring services, content will continue to be reviewed by skilled local analysts before being delivered to clients. The company monitors over 300 influential content feeds and reviews 40, 000 news stories per month on behalf of a client base that includes public and private sector organisations, as well as not-for-profit entities. Upon receipt of the near real-time content feed, clients have the option to review content as well as build reports. Users can also share news content through leading social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

[SYDNEY]

International win for NZ farmers

Central Hawke's Bay deer farmers Tim Aitken and Lucy Robertshawe have been recognised by a big British supermarket chain for environmentally safe farming. They have been named the 2012 Champion of Champions in the Marks & Spencer Farming for the Future Award. The award, held annually, celebrates those farmers in the British retailer's supply chain who are improving the environmental sustainability of their businesses. The couple, who run 600 hinds at Tikokino, were first named as the winners of the award's International section, before going head-to-head against the winners of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. The ultimate winner was decided by public vote, via the Marks & Spencer website. Aitken said they feel "very humbled that all those people got in behind us. It is a validation of all the hard work we've put into the farm over the years". Steve McLean, in charge of sourcing meat, vegetables and fish for Marks & Spencer, said the judges were particularly impressed with the work the couple had done on improving the natural environment and water quality on their farm, with their involvement as a deer industry research farm and with their approach to animal welfare. They were also pleased they shared their knowledge with the wider farming community. The couple are suppliers to and shareholders in Firstlight Venison which sells to top British retailers.

[SYDNEY]

PowerSmart wins NZ Innovators Award

On Friday night PowerSmart, a solar electricity company from Mount Maunganui, took out the award for innovation in Clean-tech and Sustainability at the 2012 NZ Innovators Awards in Auckland. It was a huge honour to be recognised amongst the other great companies that Idealog, Bayer, and Ideas Accelerator brought together for the evening. To win New Zealand Innovators - Clean Tech is a real pleasure and we're very proud of our work on the Tokelau Renewable Energy Project. The night brought together an impressive range of companies all doing very exciting things that provide us with real inspiration to keep building on what we've started at PowerSmart. We truly enjoy competing for awards like NZ Innovators because so many New Zealand companies are doing things that we can all be very proud of. “So much of the credit has to go to our great team who works tremendously hard. We're a positive and fast-paced bunch committed to world class results and we all should take the time to recognise what a great achievement the Tokelau Renewable Energy Project is. I can't speak highly enough of the great people who work for and with us and dedicate this award entirely to them.” Says PowerSmart Managing Director Mike Bassett-Smith. “Very shortly the Tokelau Renewable Energy Project will be complete and we will be carrying on to other things. We have a placing at the Sustainable 60 Awards in our sights and will not be resting on our laurels. Thank you again to Bayer, Idealog, Ideas Accelerator and Alcatel Lucent for the great award and evening. Thanks also to our great competitors and colleagues for keeping us honest and pushing forward to always get better.” ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Risks pay off for engineering firm

A family-run Howick company struck gold with a contract to supply machinery which will provide accommodation for the visitors to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia. Innovative Howick Engineering has invented technology which allows faster construction with light steel frames, removing the need for the more traditional heavier structural steel. CEO Bruce Coubray said this simply meant that buildings could be assembled at high speed with extremely high accuracy - "like a meccano set". In Russia, they have four machines at work, producing cold rolled frames that are able to withstand heavy snow dumps. They got the contract off the back of a contract they scored supplying similar machinery for the London Olympics to provide accommodation for support staff and hotels. Coubray's father Keith bought little two-person Howick Engineering 34 years ago. Fast-forward today and it's grown to around 60 staff, under the management of Bruce and his brother Allan. Coubray's sons Nick and Haimish are both heavily involved in the business, in sales and business development. "They've been coming in to help us work since they were 10 years old," said Coubray ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

New Zealand is a digital Nation

New Zealand is fast becoming a digital nation with more Kiwis choosing to use the internet to shop, bank and pay bills than ever before, a survey has found. The annual Roy Morgan analysis examined how New Zealanders were using the internet and technology in their everyday lives. The results showed that 84 per cent of Kiwis were now using the internet. Client services head Howard Seccombe said the shift online "has fundamentally changed how we communicate, how we do business and engage with the media". Mr Seccombe said the rise of online shopping was the biggest standout, with nearly two-thirds of New Zealanders choosing to shop online. Kiwis spent $5.6 billion through the internet last year. "This is important for retailers and business, which may need to change how they approach customers." Only a small number of people shopped using smartphones. Nearly 70 per cent used phones to surf the web and nearly one-third accessed Facebook and Twitter through their phones ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Students weave success from flax

Skateboarders and snowboarders will be hitting the streets and slopes on boards made of flax if a local start-up has its way. EcoFibre, based at the University of Auckland's Centre for Advanced Composite Materials (CACM), has developed a recyclable alternative to carbon fibre, manufactured from flax and corn starch. The product has a wide range of applications, from aircraft interiors to sails, foot orthotics (supports, splints and braces), skateboards and snowboards, said Oliver McGregor, who invented the fibre as part of his PhD thesis and has been working on the project for four years. "After testing and enhancements the product has been refined to show a 50 per cent improvement on any other natural fibre product in the market today," McGregor said. Shaun Tan, another PhD student at the university, has also been involved in EcoFibre's development. Carl Jones, a post-graduate business student who teamed up with McGregor and Tan to form the start-up, said it would take another 12 to 18 months for EcoFibre to begin earning revenue ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Sanford First NZ Company to Join World Ocean Council

Sanford Limited has become the first New Zealand company to join the World Ocean Council (WOC), a global alliance of leadership companies working for sustainable development and conservation of the world’s oceans, significantly expanding fishing industry involvement in the WOC. Sanford Managing Director, Eric Barratt said the WOC is an unprecedented global industry alliance focused on corporate ocean responsibility. “The fishing industry has a vital role to play in achieving WOC’s ultimate goal of ‘a healthy and productive global ocean and its sustainable use, development and stewardship by a responsible ocean business community’.” “With Sanford’s fleet operating around New Zealand and the Pacific gathering a range of ocean, weather and climate data, we’re impressed by the potential to share this as part of WOC’s efforts to expand the gathering and sharing of information by ocean users. This data is an important global business and scientific resource.” WOC Executive Director, Paul Holthus said Sanford’s membership brings a leading Pacific and Southern Hemisphere company and fleet to WOC that creates new and critical opportunities for business led action on ocean sustainability challenges ... MORE

[otumoetaiNZ]

It looks like hamilton is going to be a major hub for IT in this country!

Makes sense though... perfect location right in the centre of the population, lower cost facilities than in auckland and low chance of being destroyed by earthquakes tsunamis and stuff.


Shouting for the roof
Kapua, Maori for "cloud"
ANDREA FOX

Construction teams at Datacom’s $30 million data centre in Te Rapa will get together for a roof shout today to celebrate the finish of structural works.

The building, to be named Kapua, Maori for "cloud", incorporates the latest data collection and green technology and is due to open in February.

Connected to all the major fibre networks, the centre has been designed to meet exacting government security requirements and has the capacity to house 920 racks of equipment with room for expansion.

The data centre is the sister facility to Datacom’s Orbit centre in Albany.

The company said it chose Hamilton for the significant new investment because of its geographic suitability, high network connectivity and as an emerging hub of high-tech business activity.

[SYDNEY]

Good news

Agricultural exports could double by 2050

New Zealand has the potential to capture $1.3 trillion more in agricultural exports between now and 2050 if targeted actions are taken, according to a new report released by ANZ today. ‘Greener pastures: The Global Soft Commodity Opportunity for Australia and New Zealand’ quantifies the size of the opportunity open to New Zealand and Australia agriculture as a result of the shift in global economic growth to Asia ... MORE INFO

[SYDNEY]

Indian IT giant eyes NZ

Within India's booming technology sector, the rise of Infosys is a corporate fairytale - and the IT powerhouse is eyeing acquisitions in New Zealand. Seven software engineers with nothing but vision and a paltry US$250 ($305) formed a company in 1981 that today records billion-dollar annual profits and employs about 150,000 staff. A pioneer of IT outsourcing, the Bangalore-based firm has clients in 32 countries across the globe and is now looking to flex its muscles in the South Pacific. With a strong focus on research and development, Infosys is ranked by Forbes magazine as one of the world's top-20 most innovative companies. The IT titan develops technology solutions ranging from back-end services for banks to tools for helping firms manage and track their online marketing campaigns. It has more than 20 New Zealand clients and earned upwards of $50 million in revenue from them during the past financial year. Its biggest play in this market came in June last year when it purchased Gen-i's software solutions business and signed a strategic partnership with the firm - Telecom's information-technology arm ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Alan Gibbs makes splash with amphibious vehicles

Kiwi businessman Alan Gibbs plans to target the military, public transport suppliers and rescue services with his new range of amphibious vehicles. The NBR Rich Lister announced the first of these vehicles this week – an all-terrain vehicle called Quadski – saying the way it could travel on water as fast as it could on land (72km/h) was the greatest technological breakthrough to hit motoring since Ford launched its Model T more than 100 years ago. “It’s aimed at anyone who wants a new form of freedom to go on land and water at good speed,” Mr Gibbs told NBR. The vehicle – the first of eight amphibious vessels he plans to launch – is the result of more than $US200 million of investment over 16 years ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Tait increases focus on innovation

Half the Cabinet have been through Tait Communications' factory in Christchurch and chief executive Frank Owen says the first comment ministers make is usually the same: "I didn't expect it to be this big". They could be forgiven. According to Owen, Tait is the largest electronics manufacturer in the southern hemisphere, based on the number of components it handles and its floor area. It manufactures hundreds of thousands of radio communication devices each year for public safety agencies, utilities and transport operators, exporting 95 per cent of its production to more than 100 countries. About 10,000 London buses use a digital radio network supplied and supported by Tait. Earlier this month Tait hosted prospective customers from Brazil, where authorities are gearing up to host the 2014 Football World Cup. "It is not by accident that you get successful radio-communications companies coming out of small isolated countries or states with low levels of infrastructure," Owen says. "Whether it is Nokia in Finland or even Motorola from the US MidWest or Tait from New Zealand. It is a needs-must driven industry." Tait believes it is also Christchurch's largest private sector employer, with 630 staff in the city and another 300 in offices overseas providing a beacon of economic stability for the earthquake-recovering city. But what perhaps sets Tait aside above all else is that the company is footing it in international markets against large competitors such as Motorola while distributing all of its dividends to worthy causes, which include Canterbury University ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

NZ ranked 3rd in the World for ease of doing business

Singapore tops the global ranking on the ease of doing business for the seventh consecutive year, while Hong Kong SAR, China, holds onto the second spot, followed by New Zealand. Australia is also among the top 10 in the global ranking on the ease of doing business. Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu were the top performers for the Pacific. Samoa leads the region in four of the 10 indicators, including starting a business, trading across borders, protecting investors, and registering property. Fiji made paying taxes less costly for companies by reducing the profit tax rate—though it also introduced a capital gains tax. At the same time, Fiji made obtaining a construction permit more expensive, and transferring property and starting a business more difficult. The report, which covers the period from June 2011 to June 2012 and which uses data for indicators that measure regulation affecting 10 key areas of the life cycle of local businesses, finds that 11 of 24 economies in East Asia and the Pacific improved business regulations in the past year. China made the greatest progress in improving business regulations for local entrepreneurs, and Mongolia is the region’s top improver for the year ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Waikato University students create printing app

A group of senior students from the University of Waikato’s Computer Science Department has developed a phone-based photo printing app for the United States’ biggest pharmacy chain, Walgreens, thanks to support from MEA Mobile, one of New Zealand's top mobile application developers. The four Waikato students took on the job of developing the app for their COMP 314 software engineering project -- a three-month exercise for third-year students to design and implement a medium-sized software project. MEA Mobile provided technical guidance and market support for the students to give them real world experience in the globally booming business of mobile app development. A New Zealand based company, MEA Mobile has already developed a range of successful apps for the mobile photography market, and through its US offices was able to facilitate the special arrangement with Walgreens. Called Printicular, the free Android app lets users send their phone, tablet or Facebook photos to be printed at the nearest Walgreens store. Walgreens is one of the largest chain drugstores in the US with over 8,000 outlets throughout the country all of which provide a photo printing service. Mark Feaver, Jeremy Roundill, Yoni Villamor and Simon Campbell had eight weeks to build the app, using Walgreens Application Programming Interface (API) or code library which was made available to them through MEA Mobile ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

NZ software fighting crime

A New Zealand company is at the cutting edge of intelligence-led crime fighting around the globe. Software called Intelligence, created by the Wynyard Group, a subsidiary of Jade based in Christchurch, is used by more than 60 of the largest law enforcement agencies in the world. Ever-increasing technology means police investigations gather huge volumes of evidence such as emails, text messages, banking transactions and phone logs which traditionally must be analysed by hand. It is a painstaking process which can take months to complete. But the Wyndham software is able to analyse millions of pieces of evidence to find common threads - names, dates, places, common words - and draw links between them. Theft, fraud, money laundering, murder, corruption, counter-terrorism, cyber-crime and drug trafficking - the application can be turned to any major crime. The technology is currently being used in an "extremely high-profile investigation" in Europe. Wyndham chief operating officer Paul Stokes said that 300 million emails would be analysed in "two to three nights" ... MORE