Collaborative CRC research delivers world first innovations in multi-media delivery technologies
Wollongong - 19 May 2005 - Collaborative research between Smart Internet CRC and the University of Wollongong (UoW) has resulted in the launch of enikos, a commercial entity producing unique solutions in multi-media application delivery that drives international standards.
enikos, founded in June 2003 as a joint initiative between Smart Internet, the inventors, Dr Ian Burnett and Gerrard Drury, and UoW is leading the way in MPEG-21 technology. This is a new framework that manages the delivery of rich multi-media content suitable for both consumers and B2B applications.
enikos is currently the sole provider of tools that allow the exploitation of the MPEG-21 standard. With music downloads accounting for some US$360 million in 2004, and projections for 2010 reaching as high as US$14.7 billion, the potential market for this technology is huge.
The new standard allows the download of music, video and still images in a protected ‘structured package’. This has already created much interest within the music and film industries worldwide, where it will allow them to cater to consumer demands whilst protecting royalty revenues.
enikos is the first commercial spin off from Smart Internet CRC, a federal Government funded organisation that works to bridge the gap between academic research facilities and commercial organisations to drive the intelligent development and deployment of internet technologies. enikos today is a vehicle for commercialising Intellectual Property (IP) and software developed from collaborative research projects.
Dr Ian Burnett, CTO at enikos said, “enikos has access to unprecedented levels of research and resources to deliver pioneering solutions within the MPEG-21 space. It is very exciting for an Australian start-up company to be so critically involved in the production of global standards. Founded on MPEG-21 as a broad, core-platform, enikos intends to exploit its expertise and the opportunity to license technology through a channel model into a number of verticals including broadcasting and e-publishing. This positions enikos as a leading technology company providing services in R&D, product development, IP development, sales and licensing.”
Dr Burnett is currently the Australian head of delegation to MPEG and is Chair of the Multimedia Description Schemes subgroup at MPEG, alongside other enikos staff who have also taken significant roles as editors of parts of the MPEG-21 standard.
Dr Burnett continues, “MPEG-21 is an ISO/IEC International standard, therefore the market opportunity is global. The size of the opportunity however, is dependent on application spaces in which MPEG-21 is deployed. enikos has a unique capability to offer markets a package of IP, expertise and ability in the space of MPEG-21 and broad multimedia delivery applications.”
enikos distributes its MPEG-21 tools, DICreator and DIBrowser, on its website and has already closed a contract with one of the top four music companies and sold solutions to individuals and companies in Hong Kong, Norway, the UK and US as well as Australia.
Professor Darrell Williamson, CEO Smart Internet said, “enikos is a great example of how the CRC can work with leading academic institutions to develop real world solutions to drive the development of the smart internet. The Internet is now a pervasive technology and has changed the way we live. It is vital that we capitalise on the knowledge contained within our academic facilities to deliver an enhanced user experience to the wider public.”
enikos will demonstrate its technology on the Smart Internet stand G6 Hall 2 Future Parc at CeBIT 2005 May 24-26.
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