Adapting the most advanced technologies.
The Australian Government in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam announced the award of grants totaling nearly AUD 1.4 million to four high-tech projects through the Aus4Innovation Program. Adapting the most advanced technologies developed and tested in Australia, these projects are expected to deliver practical values to the innovation ecosystem and create lasting socio-economic impact in Vietnam.
The four projects, selected from nearly 70 applicants who responded to the call for proposals from Aus4Innovation Partnership Grants Round 3 – “Enhancing Digital Transformation” – will be implemented through well-established partnerships between leading universities in both Australia and Vietnam, together with industry partners and local government agencies. These projects include:
- Augmented reality to improve access to healthcare in remote areas – an initiative to employ augmented reality technology to improve the effectiveness of remote tele-mentorship between experts in urban centres and less-experienced healthcare staff in remote areas. Ultimately supporting better outcomes for urgent and complex patient cases, the project will be delivered through a partnership between the University of Tasmania and Bach Mai Hospital (AUD 387,245);
- Smart Eye to improve sugar industry productivity – a project to develop a system incorporating drone technology and artificial intelligence of things (AIoT) to allow local farmers in Thanh Hoa province to monitor the nutrition levels and disease prevalence in sugarcane fields, thereby improving productivity and reducing production costs. The grant will be delivered through the University of Wollongong and VIGREEN, a tech start-up (AUD 300,000);
- AI/IoT Technology to enhance search and rescue capacity – a project that aims to enhance search and rescue operations in Vietnam during natural disasters by using the latest digital transformation technologies, including aerial vehicles (UAVs), artificial intelligence (AI) and remote sensing technology. The initiative will be delivered collaboratively by the University of Technology Sydney and Le Quy Don Technical University (AUD 440,000);
AI-powered dashboard for environment ecosystem management – an initiative that brings together leading experts in artificial intelligence, machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), environmental engineering and conservation biology to transform the environmental management of Tram Chim National Park. Work will be led by the University of Wollongong and Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (AUD 250,000)
Congratulating the winners, H.E. Robyn Mudie, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam said: “Building on the success of previous Aus4Innovation Partnership Grants, we’re delighted to continue supporting initiatives that address Vietnam’s most pressing socio-economic growth challenges. International collaboration in emerging areas of science and technology, like AI and IoT, will be especially important as the country recovers from COVID-19. The healthcare, natural disaster management, sustainable agriculture and nature conservation sectors all provide opportunities for widespread digital transformation that will have a lasting positive impact.”
“This pandemic is reminding us that digital transformation is essential for future social and economic development. The projects selected for funding are not only practical in how advanced technologies are applied in areas of critical need in Vietnam, but they are also very meaningful in today’s context. We look forward to embracing these state-of-the-art technologies into our innovation system, and the positive spill over that they will facilitate here in Vietnam.” Vice Minister Bui The Duy from the Ministry of Science and Technology added.
Aus4Innovation Partnership Grants delivered funding rounds in 2019 and 2020, providing support for eight high-tech projects. This third round was approved by the Australian Government in response to COVID-19 and supports Vietnam’s sustainable recovery from the pandemic. Information about projects funded in the three rounds can be found on the Aus4Innovation website.
Partnership Grants are an important part of the AUD 13.5 million (2018-2022) Aus4Innovation Program. It is funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), managed by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, in strategic collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam.
