Published Thursday, 14 August, 2008 at 11:08 AM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Surf the web before you surf the break
New technology developed by a Burleigh ICT company could revolutionise the way lifeguards carry out their duties and help surfers and beach goers determine where the safest spots are.
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Desley Boyle yesterday announced a $1 million Smart State Innovation Projects Fund grant for CoastalCOMs – a Gold Coast firm developing technology that will help improve beach safety.
“The technology will provide lifeguards with information like wave height, surf quality and dynamics, wind and weather, beach state, beach usage (people) / boat usage and shoreline position – this will help determine where the swimming risks are,” Ms Boyle said.
“Not only that, but in the future Mums and Dads will be able to go online at home to find out which beaches offer the safest and calmest swimming conditions for their families. As well, surfers will be able to check out where they’ll catch the best waves.
“This will all be available in real time at the click of a mouse. If mums and dads want to see whether Burleigh or Broadbeach offers the best conditions for them they’ll be able to go online, access the simple to read beach safety rating and see the beach.
“They’ll also be able to compare the safety ratings of beaches on the Gold Coast with those on the Sunshine Coast and decide where best to head.”
Ms Boyle said CoastalCOMS would partner with Coastalwatch, Griffith University, Surf Life Saving Queensland and Surf Life Saving Australia to develop the technology for the project, CoastSAFE Alive.
“Researchers will use 25 shore mounted Coastalwatch cameras on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts to develop the cutting edge technology,” Ms Boyle said.
“Video images will be transmitted back to the CoastalCOMS data storage facility resulting in a comprehensive database of beach conditions in real time.
“This data will then be analysed to create a live safety rating that can be provided to surf live savers through a web portal.
“The portal will incorporate camera images from a range of locations and weather conditions in a comprehensive safety display system.
“From the data provided, surf life saving groups will be able to better allocate their resources, depending on the risk posed at different beaches.”
Ms Boyle said if the Gold Coast safety rating system proved successful, cameras could be installed at beaches in regional Queensland.
CoastalCOMS Director Kim Sundell said the research partnership with Griffith University and the State and National Life Saving Associations provided the expertise needed to develop the technology.
“The Smart State Innovation Fund is helping to bring this technology to the public sooner and creating an important tool for life savers in Queensland to minimise beach risk,“ he said.
The Innovation Projects Fund is part of the Queensland Government’s $300 million Smart State Innovation Funding program, which aims to build world-class research facilities, attract top-quality scientists to Queensland and stimulate cutting-edge research projects.
14 August 2008
Media contact: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005
Contact for: Christopher Lane, CoastalComs Pty Ltd tel 07 5592 1486
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Desley Boyle yesterday announced a $1 million Smart State Innovation Projects Fund grant for CoastalCOMs – a Gold Coast firm developing technology that will help improve beach safety.
“The technology will provide lifeguards with information like wave height, surf quality and dynamics, wind and weather, beach state, beach usage (people) / boat usage and shoreline position – this will help determine where the swimming risks are,” Ms Boyle said.
“Not only that, but in the future Mums and Dads will be able to go online at home to find out which beaches offer the safest and calmest swimming conditions for their families. As well, surfers will be able to check out where they’ll catch the best waves.
“This will all be available in real time at the click of a mouse. If mums and dads want to see whether Burleigh or Broadbeach offers the best conditions for them they’ll be able to go online, access the simple to read beach safety rating and see the beach.
“They’ll also be able to compare the safety ratings of beaches on the Gold Coast with those on the Sunshine Coast and decide where best to head.”
Ms Boyle said CoastalCOMS would partner with Coastalwatch, Griffith University, Surf Life Saving Queensland and Surf Life Saving Australia to develop the technology for the project, CoastSAFE Alive.
“Researchers will use 25 shore mounted Coastalwatch cameras on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts to develop the cutting edge technology,” Ms Boyle said.
“Video images will be transmitted back to the CoastalCOMS data storage facility resulting in a comprehensive database of beach conditions in real time.
“This data will then be analysed to create a live safety rating that can be provided to surf live savers through a web portal.
“The portal will incorporate camera images from a range of locations and weather conditions in a comprehensive safety display system.
“From the data provided, surf life saving groups will be able to better allocate their resources, depending on the risk posed at different beaches.”
Ms Boyle said if the Gold Coast safety rating system proved successful, cameras could be installed at beaches in regional Queensland.
CoastalCOMS Director Kim Sundell said the research partnership with Griffith University and the State and National Life Saving Associations provided the expertise needed to develop the technology.
“The Smart State Innovation Fund is helping to bring this technology to the public sooner and creating an important tool for life savers in Queensland to minimise beach risk,“ he said.
The Innovation Projects Fund is part of the Queensland Government’s $300 million Smart State Innovation Funding program, which aims to build world-class research facilities, attract top-quality scientists to Queensland and stimulate cutting-edge research projects.
14 August 2008
Media contact: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005
Contact for: Christopher Lane, CoastalComs Pty Ltd tel 07 5592 1486