Universities and science minister David Willetts has announced a £6.2 million competition focused on the ‘Internet of Things’, as well as £2.4 million for green IT projects.
The Internet of Things is the name given to interconnected networks of human-controlled and automated machines, which can include anything from light switches to cars. The government wants to spur innovation in the area, announcing that eight business-led projects will develop smart applications across areas such as transport, energy and the “built environment”.
“Through our life sciences strategy and Innovation and Research Strategy we are laying the foundations for future financial benefits in these high growth areas of technology.”
The Technology Strategy Board is bringing the funding. Another £2.4 million is to go on energy efficiency research, £1.25 million of which will see nine businesses develop research on how to make computers consume less energy. The remainder will go into a competition for 10 organisations to research energy harvesting, looking at ways to make batteries last longer or remove them altogether.
The funding was announced at the Innovate UK 2013 event in London today, where Willetts also announced £47.2 million was to be invested in the Biomedical Catalyst project, which will help 51 businesses in the industry with their research initiatives.
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Well words from politicians are cheap as innovators in the UK know. Every initiative to seek out IT innovation has failed miserably with no real commitment or follow up. The Skunkworks, the Innovation Launch Pad and the Solutions Exchange and becoming the Intelligent Customer they hardly understand what that means! Why well I guess too many empires are threatened and Politicians like many business people frightened to challenge "IT". David Willetts I am sure means well but does he really understand what “make computers consume less energy”. Well just maybe it should be address the energy used on wasted software….think about it! So Government need to get smart and start asking some searching questions on both software technology and those who are responsible for research…..