A Wagga tech-start up has won a major award, half a million dollars, and a American business partnership for an invention that solves the age-old problem of blackspots on rural properties.
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Zetifi won the Grow-NY award for coming up with technology that can eliminate blackspots and connect farmers to their mobile phones and the internet, even where there is little-to-no service.
The new technology has already proven a game-changer for Riverina farmers, who have been able to switch to modern "precision ag" techniques that were previously impossible due to lack of internet coverage.
The invention started off as a "side-project" by former TAFE teacher Dan Winson, who pulled together a small team of engineers to solve the problem of rural internet and phone coverage once and for all.
"The obvious problem, but the one that no one until us has managed to crack, is giving people better connectivity for their voice calls using WIFI calling and internet in the paddocks," Mr Winson said.
"There have been other attempts at solving this problem, but now we've got a patent pending in Australia and the US on the technology we've invented that allows us to put these devices to sleep and wake them on command, providing instant connectivity across massive areas."
The technology is currently being 3D-printed on a small-scale and trialled in Australian farmers, but the company is getting ready to start manufacturing them en masse and rolling them out across America.
Software engineer and "data guy" Ben Letchford will be joining their new branch in Rochester, New York, where he will help develop and roll out their new app over in the states.
Mr Letchford said he had enjoyed his time working with the small team of eleven in Wagga, saying they had managed to accomplish something great together.
"It's been absolutely brilliant working with the team. Lots of challenges, lots of interesting work, and it's all cutting-edge stuff," Mr Letchford said.
"I really like everyone here. It's been great."
One of the inventions is the ZetiRover, which can be stuck to the top of a tractor or car and provide instant coverage on the go.
The other is a ZetiCell, a long-range solar powered WIFI hotspot that can connect to tractors and farm systems while streaming constant video feed across the farm.