The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) in Australia has won an award for bringing a rock imaging device to market.
The award, presented by the Enterprise Development Institute of Australia, recognizes CSIRO’s success at demonstrating the commercial viability of Sirovision, a new high-precision, three-dimensional digital imaging technology for the mining industry.
Sirovision could be used worldwide as a system for mapping the rock mass-structure and analysis system for open-pit mines. The technology delivers an unprecedented level of surface detail in models generated from digital photographs taken from as far away as 1 km from surface.
Sirovision is already used at operations owned by half the world’s 10 largest mining companies. The software can also be applied to in the civil construction and tunnelling industries.
“Winning the award clearly demonstrates that scientists can have a realistic interaction with the business world while still doing and enjoying great science,” says George Poropat, CSIRO team leader.
The team had so much belief in its product that team members poured their personal performance bonuses, as well as many weekends and late nights, into a business training program in Queensland. The training helped them develop their business plan.
To get to the national finals, the team first won the Queensland Group Enterprise Workshop Business Award. CSIRO’s current Sirovision reseller, software developer Surpac Minex, is working with the CSIRO team to promote the product globally. An underground version of the Sirovision software is expected later this year. The winning Sirovision team consists of Poropat, Philip Soole, Alison Gardiner, Andrew Beitz and Wayne Robertson. Most of the team is based at Brisbane’s Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies.
The Enterprise Development Institute of Australia encourages new ventures and helps increase the commercial opportunities for Australian innovations.
— The preceding is from an information bulletin published by the Melbourne-based Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization.
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