The University of Melbourne, IBM and National  ICT Australia (NICTA) have announced a joint collaboration to develop the Australia Disaster Management Platform (ADMP), described as a ‘next generation open standards-based IT platform aimed at improving disaster management, protecting communities and potentially saving lives’.

The collaboration will see researchers from the three institutions develop a platform designed to gather, integrate and analyse ‘vast amounts of geo-spatial and infrastructure information’ from a multitude of data sources to create real-time information networks.

"The size, timeliness and significance of the objective behind the Australia Disaster Management Platform demands true global collaboration,” said Professor Glyn Davis, Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne.  “To develop this important Platform, the University of Melbourne commits to bringing our expertise, capabilities and resources as a university, together with those of our two great partners, IBM Research - Australia and the NICTA VRL optimisation research group."

 In the initial stages, the researchers will undertake a pilot that utilises the buildings and related information of selected urban Melbourne areas.  The researchers will develop compelling proofs of concept by studying how to provide decision-support that facilitates speedy and efficient evacuation during emergency situations.

 “IBM is committed to bringing our expertise and experience, along with those of the University of Melbourne and NICTA, to this significant undertaking which represents a smarter approach to disaster management,” said Glenn Wightwick, Director, IBM Research - Australia.     

"Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) are critical in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters,” said NICTA Chief Executive Officer, Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte.  “NICTA, Australia's national centre of excellence in ICT, will bring world-class expertise in areas such as data management, optimisation and decision support to meet the challenge of disaster management for the nation."