About Innovation PitchFest
Innovation PitchFest is a dynamic and stimulating event where selected participants have the chance to present their latest science and technology ideas to Defence in the form of a short 3-minute pitch. The event brings together DSTG, industry and academia and is an opportunity to learn from rising talents in Australia’s research and development sector.
2021 PitchFest Goes Virtual
This year, to accommodate the current COVID-19 safety measures, Innovation PitchFest will look a little different. Successful applicants, in lieu of live presentations, will deliver their pitches prior to the event via Zoom. Pitches will be recorded and stitched together to produce a virtual form of the typical PitchFest. The compilation of 3-minute pitches will be played throughout the day at Land Forces, streamed via the official Land Forces website as well as that of numerous other organisations we are in discussions with.
The Winners
The winners’ trophies will be presented at Land Forces 2021 at the Innovation and Technology for the Future Force Conference on Thursday 3rd June. They will be presented by the Keynote Speaker, Dr David Kershaw, Chief of DST Group’s Science Engagement and Impact Division.
The Judges were:
The Pitches
List of Pitches and their Topics
| Topic | Name | Company |
|---|---|---|
| What’s behind the Trees? | A/Prof Gregory Cohen | Western Sydney University |
| Industry 4.0 R&D Digital Material Laboratory | Mr. Jeff Lang | Titomic |
| Control drones & other devices with just two fingers | Ms. Annette McClelland | Tekuma |
| Deployable Fuel Generation for Resilient Energy | Mr. Adrian Martin | CuraIT |
| AIVA – AI Driven Automated Assessment and Training Tools | Mr. Christian Fulton | AIVA |
| Escape Room Education | Dr. Robert Ross | LaTrobe University |
| RADENET: Rapid deployable IoT sensor network setup for hazardous environments | Dr. Hamid Abdi | Deakin University |
| Investigation of dual air‐marine vehicle for intermedia transition | Dr. Nima Nadim | Curtin University |
| Autonomous Behaviour Tracking of Military Working Dogs in Kennels | Mr. Michael Stone | Curtin University |
| Scotty ‐ Digital Power Transfer Vehicle Alternator | Mr. Bruce Loxton | Safiery |
| Creating a high antimicrobial environment is easy | Mr. Richard Jeffery | Biosafe Innovations |
| Training Cognitive Skills Can Enhance Soldiers Performance | A/Prof Sean Muller | Federation University |
| Drones and machine learning help build the best world map | Dr. Karen Joyce | GeoNadir |
| A Platform for Lean Model‐Based Systems Engineering | Dr. Dan Powell | Kompozition |
| Mobile Microgrid and Air Deployable Solar array | Mr. Roy Mitchell | Onetide Modular Systems |
| Large Scale Onboard Machinery Thermal Cloak | Ms. Rebekah Manley | Onetide Modular Systems |
| Smart Microchips for Military Working Dogs | Dr. Garnett Hall | Vetchip |
| Transforming Hearing Loss Detection on the Battlefield | Dr. David Sly | Sonic Skunk Works |
| Human Performance improvement through data analytics and artificial intelligence | Mr. Michael Hardy | KBR |
| Human Machine Teaming | Mr. Aidan Creamer | Chironix |
| SAWS: Stand‐off Automated Warning System | Mr. Hamish MacDougal | Murray Consulting Solutions |
| Live AI Training for humans to ask better questions | Mr. Mic (‘Mike’) Black | Readiness.io |
| Green Shield | Prof. Udo Bach | Monash University |
| Protecting soldiers with wheeled robots with maximum traction and manoeuverability | Dr. Ian Spark | Federation University |
