As AI rapidly moves from digital systems into the physical world – powering robots, sensors and real‑time decision‑making – the demand for fast, trusted computing that is in close physical proximity to where the data is generated is growing.

Cloud-based approaches alone are no longer enough for safety-critical and time-sensitive applications, prompting governments, researchers and industry to rethink how AI infrastructure is designed and where it is located.

Against this backdrop, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has built new infrastructure that brings powerful AI processing physically much closer to where the data is created – right alongside the robots and sensors that rely on it.

The compact purpose-built infrastructure named Vetra is based at CSIRO’s Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies (QCAT) in Pullenvale. It delivers high-performance AI computing in a smaller, modular and sustainable footprint, located on site, where real-world testing and research is happening.

Unlike traditional, remote cloud-based data infrastructure, Vetra provides super-fast, on-site processing close to, or on the ‘edge’ of where the data is generated. This allows robots and sensing systems to respond faster, learn continuously and operate more safely in complex physical environments.

What is edge AI, and why does it matter?

Edge AI means running AI systems close to where data is generated, rather than sending that data to distant servers for processing.

Liming Zhu, Director of CSIRO’s Data61, said Vetra delivers sovereign, trusted AI computing at the edge, close in physical proximity to where data is generated by robots and sensing systems.

“AI is rapidly moving beyond digital systems into the physical world, including robots, infrastructure, sensing and safety critical environments,” said Dr Zhu.

“Vetra enables real‑time physical AI research by bringing high performance computing to the edge, where proximity to data allows systems to respond, learn and operate safely in complex environments in ways that are not possible with cloud only or distant data centre approaches”

“This represents a different form of sovereign AI, where physical location becomes part of the capability itself, establishing a model and associated innovative technologies that can be replicated and exported to other locations where on-site, trusted AI is required.”

Built alongside Australia’s largest robotics hub

Vetra sits alongside Australia’s largest robotics research facility, allowing AI systems to learn directly from real-world testing rather than simulations alone.

Dr Peyman Moghadam, Head of CSIRO’s Embodied AI Cluster said the infrastructure works alongside CSIRO’s larger supercomputing systems in Canberra as part of an integrated ‘edge‑core‑cloud’ approach, handling immediate, local processing first – before sending data to larger centres for deeper analysis.

“Robots and physical AI systems need to keep learning from the physical world, not just from internet datasets or simulations,” said Dr Moghadam.

“Vetra gives us the missing edge layer for this workflow, helping turn real-world robotics data into better, safer and more adaptable AI systems.”

Designed for sustainability

Powerful AI systems generate significant heat, making cooling one of the biggest challenges for modern computing infrastructure.

Vetra has been designed to reduce environmental impact by using carbon dioxide-based cooling systems and closed-loop liquid cooling, reducing reliance on traditional water-intensive cooling methods.

Under normal operation, the infrastructure wastes almost no water for cooling and is expected to save around 225 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year – roughly equivalent to taking 110 cars off Queensland roads.

CSIRO’s Chief Technology Officer Angus Macoustra said the infrastructure had been designed from the ground up with sustainability in mind.

“High-performance AI systems generate a lot of heat in very small spaces. Vetra shows how advanced technology can be delivered in a way that significantly reduces water use and emissions, particularly in warm climates like Queensland,” said Mr Macoustra.

A foundation for future growth

The Vetra infrastructure was delivered with the support of Australian small and medium sized businesses, including Oper8Global and XENON Systems, alongside global technology partners.

Vetra currently includes 48 high-performance computing units, known as graphics processing units (GPUs) which can perform thousands of complex mathematical calculations at the same time on large sets of data, and has been designed so it can expand over time as demand grows.

This staged approach allows CSIRO to scale the infrastructure over time to meet future research and industry needs.

The launch of Vetra reinforces CSIRO’s role in building the research systems needed to support trusted, responsible and impactful AI for Australia, particularly in sectors such as energy, infrastructure, environment and advanced manufacturing.

Images supplied by CSIRO.