China holds promise for New Zealand tech sector

Xinhua News
May 6, 2011

New Zealand's technology sector could rival the size of dairy giant Fonterra, with China holding enormous opportunities, according to an industry leader Friday.

The Business Day website quoted Brett O'Riley, chief executive of the New Zealand Information and Communication Technologies Group (NZICT), which represents hundreds of companies in the hi- tech sector, as saying the county's top 100 technology firms " easily" had the potential to double exports to 10 billion NZ dollars (7.84 billion U.S. dollars) in the next 10 years.

A 2010 report put exports of the top 100 technology companies at 4.9 billion NZ dollars, second only to the dairy sector.

O'Riley said NZICT would capitalize on an ICT trade mission to China last year with an inbound China investment and trade forum in Auckland. NZICT would showcase New Zealand software, geo- spatial, digital and robotics capabilities and innovation.

He said China held enormous opportunities with its 318 million Internet users, 726 million mobile phones and a market for software, hardware and ICT services worth tens of billions of dollars.

RexBionics To Bring New Robotic Mobility to Wheelchair Users

Redherring.com
Jan 06, 2011

New Zealand startup Rex Bionics has developed robotic legs that enable wheelchair users to stand, walk, and even climb stairs.
An individual with enough upper body strength to be able to self transfer and use a joystick by hand is likely to be able to use Rex. The robotic legs enable people to stand, move sideways, turn around, climb stairs and walk on slanted surfaces such as ramps and slopes.

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