2004: Technology keeps UQ alumnus searching

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Tags: centenary-edition, engineering

Oscar Pozzobon, MPhil

Security concerns about the rise of surveillance technology has inspired a UQ graduate to form an award-winning company.

Oscar Pozzobon

Oscar Pozzobon was named one of 50 leaders in 2006 by GPS World magazine for his work with Qascom, which he founded in Italy after completing a masters degree in telecommunications engineering.

“Satellite navigation has become the fifth public utility after gas, water, electricity and communication systems,” Mr Pozzobon said.

“Every recent mobile phone sold in the EU has GPS and a navigator integrated. It helps for pedestrian and car navigation as well as to remotely locate your loved ones.”

Qascom is currently involved in two major projects known as IMSK and TIGER, with both feeding into a landmark European GPS initiative named GALILEO.

IMSK combines technologies for area surveillance, checkpoint control and biological and nuclear weapon detection, and can also be used for VIP protection in places such as hotels and music festivals where mobile security is required.

The TIGER project involves building technology that will permit data access and encryption based on a person’s location obtained by GPS.

“In addition, the technology can be used to attest the position and time that a document or email was digitally signed and can enhance security audits,” Mr Pozzobon said.

GPS technology that we take for granted today became operational in 1995 after decades of research and development by the United States Government.

“The fact that after the creation of the GPS and the Russian GLONASS other countries such as China, Japan and those in the EU began to develop satellite navigation systems proves the importance of this technology both in the civil and military domain,” he said.

Mr Pozzobon said he was thankful for the opportunity to study under Emeritus Professor Kurt Kubik, a world leader in the field, and hoped to return to UQ one day to share his research with other engineers.

By Cameron Pegg

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