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Research lab aims to improve transport and logistics

The transport and logistics sector will operate easier thanks to a new future logistics living lab

By Ruza Zivkusic | February 25, 2011

The transport and logistics sector will operate easier thanks to a new future logistics living lab, which aims to create groundbreaking information technology.

Based in Sydney’s Australian Technology Park, the lab will provide a physical platform for industry and research to work together, investigate and overcome real-world logistics issues and to demonstrate and test innovative technology.

Australian research organisation NICTA, German software giant SAP, Europe’s applied research organisation the Fraunhofer Institute and Linfox are partners in the lab.

NICTA’s lab leader Neil Temperley says the lab is where the industry and research meet to resolve real-life problems.

“We want to tackle real-life problems and we want to engage with the industry to tell us what we should be researching,” Temperley says.

“Logistics is quite a complicated business. There are quite a few inefficiencies due to the number of players, data interchange issues, re-entry of data, and parties involved.

“There’s room for improvement without doubt, we’ve been saying to people there’s opportunity to make our logistics a bit greener, safer and more efficient.”

The lab is first of its kind in Australia and is supported by the NSW Government, two universities and eight leading logistics and IT companies in the venture.

SAP President and Managing Director Tim Ebbeck says the lab will enable SAP to innovate hand-in-hand with industry and research to solve problems.

“The strength of the living lab concept is its industry partnership focus,” Ebbeck says.

“This will drive practical, technology-based solutions that will ultimately deliver real productivity benefits for our economy.”

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