Their mission will be to connect people with digital technology, to radically improve the way we live, work, play and travel, to ensure that everyone is included in our digital future. The centres will  develop new ways to use digital technologies to help business and stimulate economic growth.

Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson (right) said: “New technologies can transform our quality of life. The unique thing about the new hubs in Aberdeen, Newcastle and Nottingham is the focus on designing digital technology that includes people from all walks of life – this will ensure that everyone is part of our digital future.

"The hubs will develop new technologies utilising wireless networks and GPS, which will deliver hi-tech digital solutions across many sectors. They will create jobs, improve public services such as health and transport, reduce waste and bring digital revolution into people’s lives for the first time.”

Highlights of research to be carried out by hubs include:

• Small wireless body system monitoring kit to revolutionise NHS emergency response systems.
• Ambient kitchens - with sensors in utensils, appliances, cupboards and work surfaces, helping dementia sufferers live independently by monitoring users following instructions from a cookbook.
• Digital jewellery –  ceramic brooches that vibrate when touched, causing a vibration in a corresponding brooch belonging to someone many miles away.
• Combination of social networking systems such as Facebook or Twitter with GPS technology to develop car sharing networks, connecting individuals and coordinating offers and requests in real time on mobile devices.
• Integrated transport information systems to provide up to minute travel planning advice across all modes of transport.
•  Entertainment that responds to peoples emotional experiences in real time, as  rollercoaster rides that know when you’re scared
• ‘Walking satnav’ devices helping older pedestrians navigate shopping centres and large shops.
• Early warning flood systems for rural residents and businesses

Aberdeen – transforming rural communities
Left: Professor John Farrington director of the Rural Digital Economy research hub. Right: Dr Peter Edwards, the hub's technical director.
The Aberdeen University digital research hub awarded £12.4m funding over five years will focus on rural issues such as access to broadband, health, public transport, and natural resource, to transform rural areas. And the project will revolutionise how the NHS delivers healthcare in communities.

Scientists from Aberdeen will be working in some of the most remote parts of the UK but solutions developed there could be rolled out to rural areas throughout UK.  By including rural areas in our digital future it is estimated we could help to release more than £350bn into the UK economy.

Nottingham – developing business opportunities and transport
The Nottingham hub will be looking at ‘always on, always with you’ technology. The hub will promote creative industries such as internet and mobile phone gaming as well as online smart marketing tools for retailers.  The centre will also help reduce carbon levels by developing communication tools to encourage more car sharing. After flying, cars are the UK’s second largest source of carbon emissions so tackling single person car journeys is a priority. Research shows that while almost 50% of us have considered car sharing but only 10% currently do so more than once week.

Newcastle – new technology for social inclusion
The Newcastle hub will make sure everyone - young, older and disabled - is included in our digital future. By 2050 more people will be over 65 years of age than under 16 in the UK. Newcastle will work with older people to design simple, intuitive interfaces tailored to their needs. One example of their work is the use of GPS locating technology to bring independent mobility to dementia sufferers.

The European future & emerging technologies
The European Commission recently ordered an immediate increase in spending on its high-risk ICT research programme, from €100m in 2009 to €170m by 2013, and calls on Member States to increase national budgets to help Europe catch up with investment levels in the US, China and Japan. The increase was announced by European commissioner for Information, Society and Media Viviane Reding (above right) as researchers met in Prague for the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) conference, dubbed Science Beyond Fiction.

Focused on emerging technologies such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and robots, it is the first such gathering since this research programme started in 1989.  Reding said: "In this period of economic uncertainty, ICT becomes even more essential: to revitalise the economy, to improve our productivity, to boost our capacity to innovate, create jobs and tackle key societal challenges."

The Commission is to launch two long-term flagship research programmes – the development of biocomputers and a computer simulation of the brain being two possible examples. It is also intending to draw young researchers into the area and support small and medium enterprises turning the results of the FET programme into new business opportunities.

The conference showcased some fascinating technologies that have been developed in two decades of the programme, from demonstrations of the ability to control computers with thought waves; a “parentless” robot learning about and reacting to its environment, and a computer system to help stroke patients to recover limb function, activating unused neural pathways between eye and brain.

Reding said FET, is a “crown jewel”  and early investment in quantum computing means  Europe now produces half of the science worldwide in this area and research has been applied to computer network security,  taken up by Siemens, Thales and other companies.

She added  “FET was also amongst the first programmes in the world to bring neuroscience and computing together to explore how the brain processes information and develop alternative ways of computing,” 

EPSRC
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