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Passengers arriving at major airport terminals in the future will enjoy a much smoother, more streamlined and superior experience thanks to new technology affectionately dubbed ANIE.

ANIE (Airport Navigation and Information Engine) is a Siemens totally integrated airport command and control platform, and is being piloted for the first time in the world, right here in Australia.

The new intelligent platform, launched in Brisbane today is spearheaded by technology giant Siemens with an investment of $1.3 million into local R&D.

The pilot project is a collaborative effort with the Queensland University of Technology and is set to position Australian Airports as the new benchmark for airports around the world.  

Global head of Siemens security technology business, Frank Pedersen, said the new airport design model not only assists passengers but also provides airports with huge cost-savings and provides a more systematic approach to operational management, emergency, security and safety systems.

“At the moment air passengers spend a lot of time at the airport queuing to meet check-in, security and other government requirements - hence their satisfaction with the experience is low," Pedersen said.

"These inconveniences are set to increase with the growth in air travel, so the need for a whole-of-airport system that goes beyond improved security is pressing.

“One of the major benefits of this technology is the fact that passengers are able to track their information as part of a totally integrated 'whole-of-airport' system – straight from their Smart phone, which means a significant increase in the streamlining passenger flows, reduction in cost and most importantly a greater capacity to monitor security operations within the airport.”

QUT’s Dr Clinton Fookes from the Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering, said the Siemens system would enable QUT researchers to integrate data from seven research programs covering every facet of airport operations including security and passenger experience end to end. 

“Through our Airport of the Future research with Siemens, we see a real gap in the level of control airport operators and government agencies have over passenger flows," Dr Fookes said.

"This technology will act as a massive Airport Data Repository which will allow operators to address conflicts between aviation security and the passenger experience and provide potential solutions.”

QUT Airports of the Future research is world-leading in that it aims to balance the commercial interests of airports with the full range of government requirements, airline safety, shareholder interests and, most importantly, the satisfaction of air passengers.

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