KUCHING – Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kuching City Parking Systems Sdn Bhd (KCPS) and ODE Marketplace Sdn Bhd on Monday for the pilot deployment of smart parking application SPark.
The event was witnessed by Assistant Minister for Local Government YB Datu Dr Penguang Manggil who represented the Minister for Local Government and Housing YB Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, Sarawak State Secretary YB Tan Sri Datuk Amar (Dr) Haji Mohamad Morshidi bin Abdul Ghani, Swinburne University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Linda Kristjanson and other distinguished guests.
Signing on behalf of Swinburne’s Sarawak campus and KCPS were Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer Professor John Wilson and Mayor of Kuching South City Council YBhg Dato James Chan Khay Syn respectively, while Chief Executive Officer Wong Ka Bing signed on behalf of ODE Marketplace.
The MoU outlines the collaboration between the parties on the development of a smart parking application SPark which works in tandem with the existing parking system operated by KCPS and the commercial implementation of SPark by ODE Marketplace and KCPS.
The SPark application was successfully developed by researchers at the Centre for Digital Futures at Swinburne’s Sarawak campus in collaboration with ODE Marketplace. The pilot run of SPark to be carried out with KCPS is expected to provide invaluable insights crucial for the deployment of the application.
It is designed to work in parallel with existing parking coupon system and can potentially replace the coupon system once its effectiveness in easing parking lots searching and payment is proven. Furthermore, the design allows for parking operators to efficiently manage and enforce parking rules and regulations.
The Centre for Digital Futures was launched in August 2017 with the aim to bring together visionary researchers, innovators and community collaborators under one roof to develop technologies in the areas of electronics, informatics and design, as well as to understand the disruptive impact of digital innovation on the communities.
Providing expertise, facilities and resources to translate ideas into reality, the Centre works closely with researchers from Swinburne University Melbourne campus on digital lab innovation, factory of the future, design factory and Swinburne Innovation Precinct.
For more information about Swinburne’s Sarawak campus, visit the university’s website (www.swinburne.edu.my), Facebook page (@swinburnesarawak), Instagram (@swinburnesarawak), Twitter page (@Swinburne_Swk) or YouTube channel (Swinburne Sarawak).