The Queensland State Government has coughed up $10 million in funding for NICTA’s Queensland Research Laboratory (NICTA QRL).

NICTA QRL director, Dr Chris Scott, said under the four-year agreement the State Government will commit $10 million to support ICT research at NICTA QRL. This research will include ongoing development of a range of public security technologies for the State as well as research on human system integration to ensure ICT systems fit human needs.

According to Scott NICTA welcomes this investment from the State Government. “The funding means NICTA will be able to continue to build on its research in the areas of safety and security to improve Queensland and Australia’s ability to respond to natural disasters and terrorist events,” he said.

Most recently NICTA’s laboratory has been working closely with Queensland Transport to develop a new intelligent closed circuit television security technology to detect unusual and potentially threatening behavior around key transit areas, said Dr Scott.

Queensland-based researchers working at NICTA QRL include contributing researchers from NICTA’s three Queensland partner universities: QLD University, Griffith University, and QLD University of Technology.

“[NICTA QLD] has also developed a wireless mesh network technology solution for emergency service, requiring high bandwidth in very dynamic situations," said Dr Scott.