Cameron turns 'internet of things' slogan into fact | Jessica Bland

PM announces £45m research funding and a review of how to make the most of internet of things technologies. Make the most for whom?At the digital technology trade fair CeBIT 2014 in Hannover, David Cameron announced that UK chief science adviser Sir Mark Walport will lead a review into internet of things technologies. He also said £45m will be available for internet of things research in the UK, as well as £1m grants for European companies developing related products. Speaking alongside German chancellor Angela Merkel, he urged: This is a world on fast forward. A world of permanent technological revolution. And in this world, countries like the UK and Germany will only succeed if we have a relentless drive for new ideas and innovations.But how could a term of art like "internet of things" help drive this innovation? How will a government push to "turn this slogan into fact", as Cameron put it, deliver technology-driven growth? The internet of things describes a system of distributed computing power. At the moment, most of us share digital information by typing it into a computer or taking photographs. In the future, more and more data will come from other sources: an air pollution sensor in the garden or a smart meter on the boiler. As these technologies develop, it won't just be data collection that is more diffuse, but also the power to analyse that data. The air pollution monitor might respond to a high pollen count by telling the patio door to close. A smart meter coul...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: theguardian.com Blogposts Science policy Source Type: news