Quick Start

The best place to start is here Industry Capability Table or here Research Capability Table.

Missing from the Table?

Is your company missing from the Industry Capability Table, or your university R&D team missing from the Research Capability Table?  Creating an entry costs you nothing and makes you an official Embedded Systems Australia member.  It's not hard to do.

The instructions can be found here: http://www.embeddedsystemsaustralia.com.au/capability_directory_how_to

Background

The Embedded Systems Australia Industry & Research Capability Directory was published in Oct 2008 based on data collected from an online survey. The directory is a booklet containing 74 industry and 18 research entries. In what might be an industry first, research applicability is mapped to industry capability via a common ‘capability map’ table. The directory has generated a lot of buzz; at a recent student event, students were asking for copies so they could identify potential employers.

The Oct, 2008 printed version is attached below.

Introduction to the Oct 2008 Edition

Welcome to this first edition of the Embedded Systems Australia Industry Capability Directory.

Embedded Systems are micro-computers 'embedded' in devices. This process creates smart electronic systems that have computing power but don’t resemble traditional computers. Embedded Systems are pervasive in our society and form the heart of modern electronic equipment found in industry, the field and the home. Examples include industrial controllers, mobile phones, music players, video recorders, microwave ovens, machine tools, robots, sensors, and electronic toys. A modern car has many dedicated embedded systems controlling items such as airbags, the engine, air-conditioning, navigation devices, and the anti-lock braking system.

Embedded Systems are typically implemented using both hardware (digital and analog electronic circuits) and software. Devices utilising embedded systems may also include keypads, controls, displays, sensing devices and mechanical components.

Embedded Systems are becoming an ever-increasing portion of total product value, as explained on a European Union embedded systems website:

“In the next five years, the share of the value of embedded electronics components in the value of the final product is expected to reach significant percentages in areas such as:

• Industrial Automation (22%),
• Telecommunications (37%),
• Consumer Electronics and Intelligent Homes (41%) and
• Health/Medical Equipment (33%).

In the automotive sector, given that 20% of the value of each car today is due to embedded electronics and that this is expected to increase to an average of 35–40% by 2015.”

Embedded Systems Australia (ESA) is an industry cluster with a mission to facilitate the development of a sustainable embedded systems industry within Australia. This directory forms an important element in that effort.

By its very nature the embedded systems sector is rapidly growing and evolving, making it difficult for many people to keep track of exactly who is doing what. Achievements and developments in one area can go virtually unnoticed by others working on similar projects.

ESA is therefore very keen to find ways to ensure everyone involved in the industry is connected, thereby creating a critical mass of experts and assisting overall development. However, because many companies active in this space tend to be very specialised, they can often fly ‘under the radar’ of other organisations. This makes it difficult for other firms to locate and make contact with companies that might have the particular skills and experience they require.

This directory is designed to overcome this challenge. By providing a concise listing of all organisations actively involved in designing and developing embedded systems, it will provide an easy-to-use method of understanding their area of focus and the best way to make contact with them.

The desired long-term result is the growth of an Australian embedded systems industry that can compete on the world stage. The benefits of this, both to the companies involved and the nation as a whole, are significant.

I commend this directory to you.

Sincerely,

Chris Nicol
CTO Embedded Systems — NICTA (ESA Cluster Chair)

Attachment	Date	Size
200810-ESA Industry and Research Capability Directory.pdf	07/08/09 12:03 am	2.5 MB