Episode 78 -- Ben Sorensen from EPE

@AuManufacturing Conversations

In the last episode for 2023, we hear from Ben Sorensen, Director of Innovation & Commercialisation at EPE.
He tells us about the importance of collaborating with Australian researchers, EPE's role co-leading the ELO2 consortium hoping to build Australia's very first lunar rover, and more.
Episode guide

0:22 – EPE’s focus: protecting people in hazardous environments, typically defence personnel. Supplying and sustaining hundreds of robots and thousands of sensors for customers.

1:20 – Leading EPE’s innovation company. Work includes commercialising new products with CSIRO.

2:50 – Joining the company via Data61 and the role of R&D in strategy.

5:26 – Collaborations with CSIRO.

7:23 – Moon to Mars Trailblazer Stage 1.

9:40 – The on-earth value of building technology for the moon.

11:14 – Why the space industry is important in general.

12:10 – The Big Dipper and Little Dipper challenges.

13:28 – Capital – and how we feel about capital – is an issue to address. We also need to be bolder and better able to partner with researchers.
Relevant links
EPE's website
ELO2's website
ELO2 to unveil its moon rover candidate today
Competition to name rover all over. Roo-ver it is
Unlocking lunar potential: Australia’s Big Dipper Challenge
Rolling for regolith
The challenge to design sample collection for a lunar rover