AEEMA Identifies Photonics Opportunities

To develop a strong vertically integrated photonics industry in Australia, maximum cumulative 'value-add' needs to be retained here, according to Angus M Robinson, Executive Director, AEEMA.

Chairing the Photonics Industry Forum co-organised by AEEMA in Canberra last week, Mr Robinson said that photonics needed to be seen as the key enabling technology of the ICT industries.

Photonics is the control, manipulation, transfer and storage of energy and information using photons, the fundamental particles of light. As a technology, photonics underpins the communications revolution. For Australia to capitalise on its advanced, internationally recognised photonics research, the photonics industry needed to be integrated with the electronics industry and other key sectors within the ICT industry, including high-performance computing, Mr Robinson said.

A strategic vision for the industry, as well as an industry plan, should be developed by Federal and State governments in association with industry and universities/TAFEs.

Mr Robinson said that strong linkages with multinational companies would provide access to overseas markets and new R&D centres. In addition, strategic linkages with overseas countries such as Singapore and the US were vital to help the growth of this fledgling industry.

Mr Robinson pointed out there was also a need to foster the development of a vibrant services sector for the Australian photonics industry.

He said that AEEMA's role was to establish an effective forum to address these issues, to champion the strategic framework issues in government, and to be the key body for addressing concerns relating to standards, codes and the regulatory framework.

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