Siemens launches Australian hub for cloud IoT system

Swinburne University is set to house the Australian research and development centre for Siemens’ cloud-based operating system MindSphere, allowing the university and industry partners to dive deep into internet of things (IoT) data.

Swinburne said the MindSphere is unique in its industry and business engagement model in the tertiary sector – opening the campus to businesses for co-creation, while facilitating education, training and research.

Siemens Australia CEO Jeff Connolly said at the hub’s launch last night that collaborations through the platform, capitalising on research strengths and industry know-how, will lead to better data and the training of workforce-ready analysts.

“Preparing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution involves more than just developing technologies,” said Connolly.

He said it requires “holistic cooperation” between stakeholders and academia, with MindSphere providing a practical environment for that to occur.

Deputy vice chancellor (research and development) at Swinburne, professor Aleksandar Subic, added that MindSphere is an “important stage” in the university’s Industry 4.0 Strategy.

“The centre will facilitate the creation of applications in advanced manufacturing, smart cities and transport, health and other areas,” said Subic.

“Students across the entire education and training continuum, from apprenticeships across bachelor and master programs and all the way to PhD research, will be developing and using this technology for different industrial applications as part of their learning in collaboration with industry.”

MindSphere will be located within the within the Factory of the Future at Swinburne's Hawthorn innovation precinct, both of which were funded by a $135 million grant from Siemens in 2017.

Industry partners for the project include Alliance Automation, Globetech, NZ Controls, Centric PA, Spectrum Automation, Nukon, CNC Design and Mescada.

“This centre will provide a showcase and active demonstration of the capabilities and outcomes possible using global technology platforms,” said Subic.