Big Company Innovation – a success story

Australia’s largest defence and technology contractor is building new markets and developing intellectual capital following the successful rollout of a number of technology solutions designed to deliver efficiency and intelligence.

One of Tenix’s technology success stories, emerging from its major work for the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), is a database integration product called Crossbow.

Crossbow was developed by Tenix engineer Mike Sykes in 1999 to address technical data-sharing problems associated with Tenix Defence’s $7 billion ANZAC ship project for the Australian and New Zealand governments.

Crossbow is a web-based tool that allows databases across different organisations, countries, formats and content to be viewed and interrogated as a single, integrated and coherent ‘window’.

It effectively integrates multiple and disparate information sources into one program and provides a comprehensive and accurate information foundation.

The Crossbow system is ideal for projects that require protection, but have a critical requirement for shared access to sensitive data. The system’s technological design ensures absolute security and confidentially of stored information across and beyond organisation boundaries.

Crossbow is ‘revolutionary’ for project management. It can create a virtual data warehouse for many sources of information, such as law enforcement, construction and research and development that can be accessed instantly, conveniently, and at a far cheaper cost than other data warehouse solutions.

Crossbow has received significant interest from governments and corporations abroad, with Tenix currently negotiating with US-based Aerospace Corporation and managing a pilot for six law-enforcement agencies in Los Angeles.

Locally, the Tenix Crossbow is used by the Royal Australian Navy and the ANZAC Ship Alliance involving Tenix, the Federal Government and SAAB Systems.

Together, the groups are charged with supporting and developing ship and combat system upgrades for the frigates.

Tenix recently received an Award from the Australian Information Industry Association for the Commercialisation of Intellectual Property for Crossbow.

Best-known originally for its defence work, Tenix is actively targeting its expertise, products and capabilities at the commercial sector.

Areas where Tenix is breaking new technological ground include traffic control and monitoring, database integration, air to land scanning, detection of volcanic ash in flight paths, and securing operations exposed to network vulnerability.

Tenix recently appointed a Technology Advisory Council to steer existing and potential technology investment business across its emerging technology business group, which now also comprises a number of ventures with US and European firms.

Chaired by a former Chief Defence Scientist, Dr Ian Chessell, the Council includes the President and CEO of the National ICT Australia, Dr Mel Slater, and the Deputy Chief Executive of CSIRO, Dr Ron Sandland, and is supported by Australia’s first astronaut, Dr Paul Scully-Power, who is Tenix’s Chief Technology Officer.

Tenix is committed to identifying, developing and commercialising new technologies through:

·         a culture of innovation
·         partnerships with government and industry
·         joint ventures
·         new initiatives that grow from its existing projects
·         its own personnel.

Mr Paul Salteri, Managing Director of the Tenix Group, will deliver the 2005 Warren Centre Innovation Lecture in Melbourne on 8 March and in Sydney on 9 March 2005. Be there to hear Tenix's innovation story. For more information click here or download a registration form by clicking here, contact Fiona Hearne: email fionah@eng.usyd.edu.au or phone 02 9351 7205. 

At the time of publication, the 2005 Innovation Lecture is being sponsored by:

Deutsche Bank
Shelston IP
and supported by InnovationXchange Network

The Warren Centre thanks them all for their support.

The Warren Centre publishes articles relating to new technology and innovation that are often based on information supplied by participants. While an editorial process is applied, we make no exhaustive investigation into the accuracy of the information, thus no liability will be accepted for its accuracy. Please note that in providing this information, The Warren Centre is not supporting or promoting Tenix or Crossbow, merely seeking to inform. Interested readers should take their own steps to verify the information prior to relying on it in any way.

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