Artificial Ball Lightning

Josh Bailey, Google New Zealand

Session Chair: Paul McCarthy

Abstract: What high voltages can teach you about the value of scientific research (without zapping you!). Some people have friends that ask dangerous questions, like "I wonder if it's possible to make home made X-rays," or "is it possible to make ball lightning." I haven't succeeded in the latter yet, but I have learned all kinds of things (everything from learning that flames conduct electricity, to how to build rail guns) along the way....

Biography: Originally from Karori, Wellington, now back working for Google and based at Victoria University (via Australia, and the San Francisco Bay Area). Working on next generation networks OpenFlow and Measurement Lab. Playing with high voltages in spare time.

Can it be made to work, or will it work? What does it take to answer the right question?

Andrew Robins, Test Manager, Tait Communications

Session Chair: Rasika Withanawasam

Abstract: Tait Communications is in the process of developing over the air programming capability for it's radio based communications solutions. We want to sell this to public safety organisations all over the world. Before we can do that we need to develop and test this capability.

This presentation describes the "why, how, and what it means" parts of Tait's solution to the testing problem posed by the development of OTAP. Key drivers for the test strategy will be described, and some of the trade offs made.

Biography: Andrew Robins is an alumnus of Otago University, graduating with a BSc in computer science in 1997. Since 2001 he has been working as a tester of real time mission critical applications at Tait Communications, in a variety of different roles, taking over as Test Manager in 2010.

Andrew affiliates with the “Context Driven” school of testing, and promotes the use of Rapid Test Methods and Session Based Test Management at Tait. He leads a team of test analysts, test technicians and design engineers, as an integral part of Tait’s extensive R and D team.

Tait Communications is one of New Zealand’s largest and most successful technology companies with offices in ten countries and over 800 employees. The company specialises in radio based communication solutions, with a focus on applications in the public safety and utilities domains.

Let's talk Business: Technology can take care of itself

Nicolás Erdödy, Director and Founder, Open Parallel

Session Chair: Kai-Cheung Leung

Abstract: How do you measure success in your research? Is your final goal to get published and quoted? Does your work actually matter?

This keynote will walk you through the start up world that leverages entrepreneurial approaches from research. A simple due diligence method will be presented. It will be explained why in average 99% of ideas and proposals are discarded by investors in the initial meeting and how to be part of the 1% group.

The talk concludes on how a software based technology business can be successfully started and what is expected from a research team in the process. Examples of ventures currently in development will be briefly presented

Biography: Nicolás Erdödy is a high technology entrepreneur, company director and former venture capitalist that founded and implemented 15+ start ups in different countries and industries. In 2010, Nicolás established Open Parallel Ltd, specialised in Multicore and Parallel Computing. As part of its strategy for New Zealand being a global hub in multicore software, Open Parallel organised Multicore World 2012 (Wellington, 27-28 March) the inaugural conference of multicore technologies in Australasia.

As Founder and CEO of a multicore software company established in 2005 in Dunedin, Nicolás created, raised venture capital and internationally consolidated the business as multicore ISV for Sun Microsystems and successfully negotiated the firm’s divestment in 2008. Between 2008-09 Nicolas was PM of the Open Source Learning Lab in Wellington and in 2000-2002 with French investment Nicolás created the first e-learning Mathematics academy of South America, with users in 14 countries, based in Montevideo, Uruguay

Nicolás holds a Master of Entrepreneurship from the University of Otago, New Zealand; a Research Diploma for New Technologies in Education from INRP (Uruguay – France) and forgot decades ago the FORTRAN that studied between Mathematics and Hydraulics at the School of Engineering of Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay. He lives in Oamaru and knows how to ask for a beer in five human languages.