QUT has partnered with Meshed and The Things Network to launch Brisbane’s first public access Internet of Things network to bring low-power, long-range, wide-area connectivity to the city using the open standard technology, LoRaWAN.
QUT Associate Professor Dian Tjondronegoro, from the Faculty of Science and Engineering, said Brisbane people would be able to connect their battery-powered, smart sensor devices to the internet without using cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or other wireless technologies for the first time.
“The Internet of Things enables smart devices, applications and connected systems to communicate with each other using the internet and no human intervention,” Professor Tjondronegoro said.
“QUT’s role is to create and coordinate public access to the community driven IoT network, with the first LoRaWAN gateway being located at the QUT campus.
“Open data with real-time sensors connected to the Internet placed at strategic places to monitor traffic congestion around schools, or air quality for cyclists are just some of the potential uses.”
Professor Tjondronegoro said research by the IoT Alliance Australia had found the IoT could bring $116 billion into the Australian economy by 2025.
“QUT has an open invitation to the public and people from government involved in asset management, environment transport and communication to attend the launch of the Brisbane IoT Community Network and a hands-on IoT workshop on October 26,” he said.
“The workshop is designed to gather ideas on how communities could use Brisbane’s new free IoT network to their benefit.”
Professor Tjondronegoro said QUT’s Institute for Future Environments was partnering with Meshed, the initiator of the Brisbane Community IoT network, who has launched public access LoRaWAN networks in Sydney and Wollongong.
Meshed sales and strategy manager Catherine Caruana-McManus said TTN’s aim was to encourage communities to build an open, affordable and decentralised IoT network around the globe.
“QUT will host the first gateway which will cover a radius of 2.5km, taking in the CBD and we are encouraging the city and community to host additional gateways,” Ms Caruana-McManus said.
“We are pleased Brisbane is joining other cities offering community IoT networks, such as Amsterdam, New York, Zurich, Madrid, San Francisco, Sydney, San Paulo, London and Singapore.”
Professor Bronwyn Harch, executive director of the Institute for Future Environments (IFE), said the IoT network was an exciting new tool for the Brisbane community.
“The IFE is researching what we call IntelliSensing or the ways that people and organisations can harness data from sensors and other digital devices to solve real-world problems and make better decisions,” Professor Harch said.
“The Brisbane IoT Network will give the Brisbane community access to information that will help us to understand and improve our city.”
Professor Tjondronegoro said the Meshed model enabled companies and communities to set up their own IoT data networks at a fraction of the cost of alternative IoT carrier networks.
The launch of the network is part of the QUT Blue Sky Forum which will be held from 8.30am to 5pm on Wednesday, 26 October in room 419 of P Block at QUT Gardens Point. It is free to register.
Media contacts:
QUT: Niki Widdowson, QUT Media, 07 3138 2999 or n.widdowson@qut.edu.au
QUT: After hours Rose Trapnell 0407 585 901 or media@qut.edu.au
Meshed: Catherine Caruana-McManus Catherine@meshed.com.au
