Plaudits for innovative engineers

By CHRIS DANIELS

Three local software pioneers and one group of underwater experts have been recognised with Technology Commendation Awards for their business nous and technical innovation.

The awards, sponsored by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, through Technology New Zealand, were handed out by Science Minister Pete Hodgson at the annual Export Awards dinner in Auckland last night.

Companies that have worked out clever ways to harness computing power for businesses dominated the awards but a firm that has its headquarters above a New Plymouth burger shop was singled out for commendation.

The winners of the innovation awards are:

* Magellan Technologies, set up by New Plymouth engineers Stewart Kidd and Stefan Campbell in 1998, which owns the only underwater remote operated vehicle in the country.

They have developed a new way to launch and retrieve the ROV, allowing it to be used in rough weather without damaging the control ship.

Magellan's ROV is used to survey underwater pipes and cables, including those in the offshore Taranaki Basin, and the Cook Strait electricity cable.

* Orion Systems International makes software systems developed especially for the health sector. It integrates existing health information systems, giving clinicians better and quicker access to medical data.

Employing 120 people, Orion Systems has offices in London, Melbourne, Los Angeles, Chicago and Baltimore. It says that more than 1000 clients in 20 countries use Orion software.

* EMS-Global, founded in 1996, is a software company specialising in security systems for telecommunication companies.

Its flagship product, ECIS, is "a comprehensive suite of security services" that allows business to be conducted securely on the internet. It is offered by telecommunications service providers to their users. EMS-Global employs about 70 staff in Auckland, Sydney, Singapore, London and Manchester.

* Payglobal is a Christchurch software company that has developed an internet-based human resources and payroll system.

It also covers rosters, employment contracts, OSH requirements and staff training.