Last month, Premium sponsor, James Cook University, opened Australia's first NarrowBand Internet of Things research lab (NBIoT) in Cairns, featuring technology provided by information and communications technology giant Huawei.
JCU launched Austrlia's first Internet of Things specific degree last year - the Bachelor of Engineering in Eelectronic Systems and the Intenet of Things combining the study of elecyronic engineering with internet technlogoies, wireless communications, sensor devides, industrial design and cloud computing.
"The Internet of Things is based on something tha is central to our mission in the Tropics: building greater connectivity between people, place and technology"JCU Vice Chancellor Professor Sandra Harding said.
"From designing smarter cities, to growing precision agricultural systems, monitoring natural environments in real-time, and creating clever health solutions that work in remote communities - we don't want to be just a part of that future, we want to lead it".