Australian research to centre on service

SAP Research in Brisbane and the Queensland branch of the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) on Smart Services are teaming up to develop a series of web service applications known as the 'Internet of Services'.

The first Smart Services CRC opened in Sydney in July, and aims to develop technologies flexible enough to meet the requirements of a modern service based industry.

The Brisbane SAP will also work with universities and businesses in Queensland, and commercial organisations around the country, for future development and testing of service technology.

"The bigger picture with the Internet of Services is one of the major topics for SAP globally, and it's where the see the enterprise-oriented architecture developing," said vice president of SAP research Karsten Schulz.

The CRC is now investing in three different research projects. Over the next year, the team will research and develop the underlying platform of service delivery, particularly regarding taxation of foreign services.

Schulz also says the researchers hope to invest in service 'bundling', which will link together different, but related services, to provide consumers with a more streamlined experience.

"If someone is planning a trip, we could aggregate flight plans, hotels, and entertainment, so the user finds it easier to find and use the services," he said.

The team is also developing a financial services program that aims to help users forecast and plan their financial future.

Schulz believes this work is particularly important for Australian innovation, as so much of the nation's economy depends the service industry.

"With the Australian economy being driven by services- I think about 80 percent of the annual GDP- we're trying to capture that as far as possible," he said.

SAP has invested more than $12 million over the next seven years in funding, equipment, and infrastructure for the CRC's research.

Schulz says in that time, he hopes the CRC will be able to demonstrate the 'emotional' layer of service innovation and illustrate to consumers what it could mean to their lives.

"With SAP, we have what we call 'living labs' in Germany and Switzerland, where the public can come and actually see what the research is and where it's going," he said.

"I hope we'll be able to implement a similar idea in Australia, so consumers can get a better idea of what all of this research actually means."