The University of Adelaide has launched a new design facility which will give organisations and individuals an opportunity to “push the boundaries of technical, industrial and business innovation.” 

The Collaborative Design Facility, which is the first of its type in Australia, will be used by leading players in key sectors including defence, energy, AgTech, life sciences or health.

“Innovation occurs through creative collaboration,” says Interim Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mike Brooks.

“The Collaborative Design Facility provides an environment in which people produce innovative design solutions and translate them into tangible concepts.”

The spaces within the facility have been designed to enable interaction between people based on the activity they are involved in, their mood and their personality.

Located close to the Australian Space Agency and Lot 14, the new facility is equipped with state-of-the-art technology such as high-end computing capability and large touch-sensitive screens.

It includes 12 workstations where specialists can work on a project such as a virtual model of a submarine, a robot roaming the surface of another planet or an industrial process that needs to be developed.

Professor Brooks says the technology is so good people will be able to interact without the normal hindrances that can sometimes slow down collaboration.

That means they can focus on the creative process and stretch their boundaries in a secure, open and collaborative environment, he says.

Enabling companies to grow their capabilities

“The facility is a tool for engagement, which will enable companies to grow their enterprise capabilities locally, nationally and globally.

“It is a precursor for what we see as an integral part of the Lot 14 vision, to foster the exchange of creative solutions to real-world challenges faced by industry of all scales, government agencies, and academia.”

Professor Brooks says SMEs will especially benefit from using the space as they will be able to more successfully interact with much larger companies such as those in the defence sector.

“Post-graduate researchers will also benefit from access to the facility which will expose them to the latest developments in design innovation and focus on its human dimension.”

The facility builds on the collaborative education program between the University of Adelaide, Capgemini and Dassault Systèmes.

Competitive advantage

“Dassault Systèmes is thrilled to build on our established links with the University of Adelaide and Capgemini, in an industry-first in Australia, with the Collaborative Design Facility,” says Samson Khaou, Executive Vice President, Asia Pacific, and Managing Director, Asia Pacific South, Dassault Systèmes.

“The facility will enable companies across the country to gain a competitive advantage through shortened timeframes in product development, enabled by state-of-the-art digital technology and practices.

“Our 3DEXPERIENCE platform is enabling customers worldwide to transform their operations and business models and empower their workforces with knowledge and know-how. We look forward to working with industry and academia to create new opportunities, deliver digital transformation and drive future innovation.”

The intelligent industry

Luc-François Salvador, Executive Chairman and Head of Capgemini Asia Pacific and the Middle East says: “Looking ahead we will see the digital and physical worlds come together to form what we call the intelligent industry.

“This new facility will benefit from Capgemini’s deep industry expertise and proven accelerators to enable engineering, co-creation and product excellence, in collaboration with industry, academia and government.

“It will facilitate agile and productive cooperation through colocation in South Australia while being connected to the global world of ideas.”

Professor Brooks adds: “As a catalyst for innovation, value creation and commercialisation, the facility will contribute to the development of the South Australian economy and position Adelaide as the leading Australian node in a network of similar facilities around the world.”

The opening of the Collaborative Design Facility included a demonstration of its capability by students from the University’s School of Architecture and Built Environment and the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Mathematical Sciences.

The students are collaborating on a project to design a base on the Moon, develop the virtual twin of a small agricultural robot, and participate in a NASA-led competition to operate robots on the surface of distant planets or moons.