• The winner of the 2013 National Defence Industry Innovation Award, Perth-based One Atmosphere, went on to win the prestigious 2014 DSTO Eureka Prize and has secured additional development funding to help bring its Pegasus helicopter buoyancy system into service with the ADF. Credit: Defence
    The winner of the 2013 National Defence Industry Innovation Award, Perth-based One Atmosphere, went on to win the prestigious 2014 DSTO Eureka Prize and has secured additional development funding to help bring its Pegasus helicopter buoyancy system into service with the ADF. Credit: Defence
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Fifteen Australian innovators from both the defence and civil sector have been shortlisted for the prestigious 2017 Maritime Australia Industry Innovation Awards to be held at the forthcoming Pacific 2017 International Maritime Exposition. 

The awards recognise and reward local companies and individuals at the forefront of naval and maritime innovation and carry with them a total of $40,000 in cash prizes. They will be presented in the following categories:

  • Defence Industry National Innovation Award
  • Civil Industry National Innovation Award
  • Defence Industry SME Innovation Grant
  • Civil Industry SME Innovation Grant
  • Young Innovator Scholarship for Defence Industry

The winners will be announced at 1100 on Wednesday 4th October during the expo at Sydney's International Convention Centre (ICC) at Darling Harbour. 

The shortlisted entrants include a WA company that has built a world-leading suspension system that reduces the shock and fatigue experienced by the crews of workboats and high-speed patrol vessels operating in heavy seas; an intelligent robot that can inspect the interior of a submarine ballast tank; an automated system to help launch and recover helicopters operating off small ships in high winds and heavy seas; and an unmanned surface vessel that can remain at sea for months, gathering environmental and military data. A list of the shortlisted entrants is attached.

The two winners of the National Awards for Defence and Civil Innovation will be presented with trophies, while the winners of the Defence and Civil SME Innovation Grants will receive cheques for $10,000, as will the winner of the Young Innovator Scholarship. All 17 entries shortlisted for the Innovation Awards will be showcased at the expo.

The Awards were presented for the first time at Pacific 2013 and many entrants have gone on to further success. The winner of the 2013 National Defence Industry Innovation Award, Perth-based One Atmosphere, went on to win the prestigious 2014 DSTO Eureka Prize and has secured additional development funding to help bring its Pegasus helicopter buoyancy system into service with the ADF.

The 2015 winner, DMTC along with the University of Wollongong and three other partners, developed an automated welding system to help construct submarine and warship hulls faster, to a much higher level of quality, and cheaper. This technology has recently been adopted by Thales Australia for the manufacture of its new Hawkei Protected Mobility Vehicle (Light) for the Australian Army.

"Innovation isn't just about having good ideas - it's about putting good ideas to use," Pacific 2017 CEO Ian Honnery said. "Australians have a special relationship with the sea, and we've shortlisted 15 innovators from four States who have set out to be game-changers in the global markets they're tackling. They illustrate the strengths of the companies operating in these sectors here in Australia."

The specially created Maritime Innovation Awards Showcase in the exhibition halls is adjacent to the Innovation Theatrette which is the venue for the Pacific 2017 Innovation Pitchfest organised by the Defence Science Institute and DST Group.

INNOVATION AWARDS SHORTLIST:

  • Abyss Solutions (NSW) - End to End Condition Assessment of Underwater Assets
  • Advanced Navigation (NSW) - Subsonus subsea navigation system
  • AMOG Technologies Pty Limited (VIC) - Longitudinally Grooved Suppression (LGS) Technology
  • Artis Group (NSW) - Artis Engineering Platform
  • Columbus Group (WA) - 3D Dynamic Fluid/Semi-solid pump
  • Defence Materials Technology Centre (VIC) - Microbiological Corrosion Control
  • Defence Materials Technology Centre and Partners (VIC) - High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) coatings for marine applications
  • Nauti-Craft Pty Limited (WA) - Nauti-Craft Marine Suspension System (NCMSS)
  • Ocius Technology Pty Limited (NSW) - Bluebottle unmanned surface vessel
  • Prism Defence Pty Limited (SA) - HeliSAFE shipborne helicopter operations management system
  • Rojone Pty Limited (NSW) - RADHAZ Isolation unit
  • Ron Allum Deepsea Services (NSW) - Energy Storage and Distribution System (ESDS)
  • Ron Allum Deepsea Services (NSW) - Pressure Tolerant Brushless DC Motors
  • Thales Australia (NSW) - Stingrae communications networking system for boarding parties
  • Woodside Energy Pty Limited (WA) - LNG-powered marine support vessel

YOUNG INNOVATOR SCHOLARSHIP SHORTLIST:

  • Dr Peter Kabakov, Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and DMTC (NSW) – Development of single crystal piezoelectric ceramics for acoustic transducers
  • Mr Andrew Short, University of Wollongong , Research Training Centre for Naval Design and Manufacturing (NSW) – Robotic inspection of submarine ballast tanks.
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