A vision-enabled robot who can create gigantic urban art works has taken out a Cooperative Research Australia's (CRA) Excellence in Innovation Award.
Innovative Manufacturing CRC received the Excellence in Innovation award for the development of vision-enabled robotics for Brisbane-based design company Urban Art Projects (UAP).
UAP has used the new technology to transform the work of influential artists into gigantic, bespoke urban art works. In doing so, it has grown its international business revenue by 30%.
The $8 million project was conducted in collaboration with Queensland University of Technology and RMIT.
UAP has obliterated the myth robots take human jobs. It has grown its Australian workforce headcount from 82 employees with 20 on the workshop floor in 2017 to 125 employees with 57 in workshop.
Cooperative Research Australia CEO Jane O'Dwyer said the project was a great example of how industry, cooperative research centres funded by the Australian Government, and academic partners can work together to create brilliant innovations and technologies.
Such collaborations give Australia a significant competitive advantage in hugely competitive global markets, she said.
The Excellence in Innovation Awards were announced at the first instalment (virtual) of CRA's Collaborate Innovate conference.
A live event is scheduled at Parliament House, Canberra in March next year.
