After being approached by St John Ambulance with their expressed concerns about emergency responses in remote regions, Balconi Telecommunications’ Managing Director Con Michael, specialist in broadcast communications and satellites, endeavoured to help close the gap in healthcare for regional and remote Australians. This undertaking saw Balconi consider creating something that was ultra-portable, low cost and had global coverage. The result was the Balconi Smart Torch – Global Live.
The Balconi Smart Torch is a hand-held video teleconferencing system that weighs less than 7Kgs. It can stream live 2-way video and to transfer HD jpeg images from remote locations to medical practitioners in the CBD, whose expertise could make the crucial difference in initial responses. This video teleconferencing system is ideal for both first responders and mental health clinicians.
Since securing a $20,000 Innovation Voucher in 2017 and being awarded the Woodside Oil and Gas Encouragement Award in the 2018 Innovator of the Year program, Balconi Telecommunications has worked in collaboration with Immarsat, a global satellite company, and Vivotek, a lesser known video company, to achieve the seemingly impossible. Investment interest has also been expressed by Australian and international medical humanitarian organisations such as the UN and Mèdecins Sans Frontiéres. The Innovation Voucher co-investment for development and field trials with St John Ambulance enabled these collaborations. Balconi was also able to utilise the services of Wrays for patent advice.
Balconi Telecommunications and Con Michael have been awarded with a number of accolades from industry participants such as WAITTA INCITE, the Australian Information Industry Association, and Engineers Australia. Most notably the Australian Government’s Innovation of the Year; a first for a Western Australian company. This support and recognition allowed their research and development to be fast tracked and costs reduced.
Going forward, trials for the world-first Smart Torch and kit will continue with St John, the UN, Rural Health WA and in indigenous communities. Working towards closing the gap for remote communities; delivering health services by taking the hospital to them. It will saves lives and take the pressure off regional hospital emergency departments.
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- Balconi Telecommunications website
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Awards and Recognition
- The Australian Government and the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) 2017 - Innovation of the Year iAward winner
- AIIA 2017 - Community Service Markets iAward winner
- AIIA 2017 - Mobility Innovator of the Year iAward Merit recipient
- 2017 WA Innovation Vouchers Program recipient
- WAITTA INCITE 2017 Most Innovative Collaborative Technology award winner
- WAITTA INCITE 2017 Most Impactful Social Benefit award winner
- Engineers Australia Most Innovative Engineer award 2017
Advice and Resources
In the Media
- Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia (CCIWA) Business Pulse February 2018 article: Beam be out of here.
- Curtin University article: Technology providing a guiding light in an emergency
