I’ve always wondered why we’ve not been back to the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. A mixture of astronomical costs – in every sense of the word - and ebbing of the Cold War no doubt played a large part in dulling this ambition. The result today is a generation of people for whom space means little more than a decaying space station, a powerful telescope and Battlestar Galactica (if their inner geek will admit it). But the reality is that there’s a lot more going on high above our heads than just floating unshaved cosmonauts and buzz-cutted yanks, and today’s launch of the new Space Innovation and Growth Team (IGT) aims to get the UK excited about space again.

Space technologies have a bigger impact on our lives than we might think and they are playing an increasingly important role in delivering public and private sector priorities. Global communications, both military and civilian, rely on a network of satellites and ground support equipment to deliver data. We are seeing an increase in the number of people living in rural areas taking advantage of satellite broadband services, indeed a leading British company is preparing to launch a new satellite to keep up with the demand. And the value of space technologies to essential climate monitoring need not be stressed.

Space also has enormous potential to deliver government priorities in the areas of transport, healthcare, climate change, creative industries, security and the recently announced universal broadband service commitment. Space IGT should provide a strategy to guide government’s adoption of space technologies in these areas.   

The UK already leads the world in satellite manufacturing and space applications. The space sector is worth around £7 billion to the economy and employs nearly 70,000 people. It is a rapidly growing global market worth £250 billion in 2008 and is set to double in value by 2015. Keeping our seat at this lucrative table means jobs and growth for the UK and this should clearly be a top priority for both government and industry. This work  begins now for the Space IGT and conveying some of that old space race excitement and education to the public will play an important part in this journey.

By Daniel Smyth, Press and Public Affairs Executive.  

Three years after first announcing its intention to roll out smart meters across Great Britain, the Government has finally published plansof how it is going to happen. In brief, smart meters will dramatically change the way that meter readings are taken, see an end to bills based on ‘estimated’ consumption and enable householders to see exactly how much energy they are using. This final point is particularly interesting. One easily could have imagined the smart meter being in the same place as where meters currently reside; in a cupboard somewhere! However, the Government are proposing that alongside a meter, a free-standing display will be included to ‘provide real-time, near instantaneous feedback on consumption (in terms of energy, money or CO2)’. It will be interesting to see if innovative companies can link this requirement into existing technology, so the information could be displayed on a mobile phone, a television or a laptop, for example. It’s even possible to receive updates about your home’s energy usage via Twitter.

Rolling-out smart meters to 26 million homes and several million businesses is a huge undertaking, so how does the government propose to do it? Well, their preferred approach is to give responsibility for the provision of smart meters to gas and electricity supply companies. A single provider will be also appointed centrally to supply communications services to and from meters. From a business opportunity point of view, it’s fair to say this will be exciting some boardrooms this morning.

Ensuring a smooth and successful roll out over the next decade(s) is a huge challenge, but technology companies – working with the other parts of the sector – are more than up to the task. The consultation announced this morning raises a lot of questions and no doubt the wide range of stakeholders involved in this area – including Intellect’s Smart Metering Group – will be seeking to provide constructive feedback on the proposals. However, with eight documents to get through, some strong coffee a decent supply of biscuits may be order of the day.

Finally, it’s very pleasing to see the consultation state that smart meters are a ‘key step’ towards smart grids. I could not agree more. At a micro level, they will enable a smarter grid to literally have two-way communications with every home; at a macro level, they have significant transformational capacity. Today’s developments once again highlight what an exciting time it is to be involved with the sector. For more information about what Intellect is doing in this area, please get in touch.

By Ben Andersen-Tuffnell, Programme Manager. 

One element of recession coverage that really gets under my skin is the oft repeated view that UK manufacturing has ‘fallen off a cliff’ recently. But what cliff are we talking about? Dover? Or, as one commentator recently put it, ‘not so much a cliff, more Mount Everest!”. In fact, the keener the author is to get coverage, the more dramatic the metaphor that is used.

I’m not denying that large elements of the sector are in trouble. It is not a good time to be making cars in the UK. But at the same time, to talk about all manufacturing in this light is at best a generalization and, at worst, simply incorrect.

If you talk to the electronics manufacturers involved with Intellect, and read the data we collect from them on a monthly basis, you get quite a different story. Many members in this area are lower down the supply chain and sell on a business to business basis, rather than directly to consumers. In general, their business model revolves around outsourcing, or contract manufacture of some kind. A recent poll of their customers noted that 59% of them expected to increase outsourcing in 2009. There is every sign that their markets are actually growing, rather than contracting. Customers want low-cost added value manufacturing options. Moving production away from in-house facilities saves money. And everyone wants to save money at the moment. Some members are even opening new facilities and expanding capacity to meet new demand.

Those electronics manufacturers even lower down the supply chain, especially those that make items like circuit boards (the base material of all technology products) are little bit more reticent. We’ve seen layoffs here, and order books are generally fairly flat. But there has been certainly been no crash in the same way there apparently has been in other manufacturing industries.

In essence, I’d say that UK electronics manufacturing is engaged in a bit of light down-hill skiing (probably on a blue slope) rather than, as the analysts would have us believe, involuntarily base-jumping off Mount Everest. Hopefully as the rest of UK manufacturing catches up, analysts metaphors will as well.

Thankfully, the most recent data shows that perhaps this process is beginning.

By Henry Parker, Programme Manager, Intellect

Just as politicians get to grips with social networking sites to engage an increasingly digitally savvy citizenship, protestors have found the very same platforms equally advantageous.

As the G20 protests take shape across London today the ideological divisions are clear. However less obvious is the impact that social networking sites would have as organisational and publicity tools in the hands of thousands of protestors.

If the birth of the internet brought a new era of freedom and connectivity to the world, social networking sites are clearly the next step in this evolutionary cycle. Websites such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter are able to spread themselves across connected and converged consumer devices including netbooks, blackberries, and Smartphone’s to create an incredibly fast network of contacts and information.

The organisational benefits of networking sites when combined with pocket sized devices are then abundantly clear. By subscribing to Twitter feeds groups of previously unconnected, yet likeminded individuals, have informed each other of protest meeting places and times. The ability of real time updates sent to the gadgets in protestors hands cannot be underestimated, allowing numerous rallies to occur before the authorities have time to shut them down.

As the two sides converge on the ‘battlefield’ of central London, it’s ironic that the protestors and politians alike are using the same tools to their own advantage. Technological convergence is then creating an interactive and open playing field able to equally empower each actor. By offering new ways to share information and communicate across networks and devices, convergence is facilitating freedom of choice. The increased availability of converged consumer products and the empowerment of social networking sites mean that convergence not only offers freedom of choice, but also the freedom of expression and communication.

So, as the crowds converge on the streets of London to vent their spleen - through technological convergence -  their angry message will be carried in the blink of an eye to the rest of the world.

I’m not sure this new found freedom for protestors is what David Cameron had in mind when he recently stated that “we are fortunate to be in politics at a time when technological innovation has … developed the opportunity to decentralise power”. In reality technological convergence has given birth to a new age of empowerment where every citizen has an outlet for their anger, be that physical or virtual.  

By Colin Batten, Programme Executive

In the world of business, technology is often associated with spreading efficiencies or generating cost-savings of some kind. In the theatre of war, technology saves lives every day and is transforming military operations. Network-Enabled Capability – or NEC as it is commonly referred to – is alive and well, and making a real impact in the battlespace.

Intellect’s Battlespace Systems Council embedded itself in the operational use of NEC last week, meeting with Major Tom Crapper of 52 Infantry Brigade HQ and Signals Squadron to explore how information exploitation is supporting UK Forces in Afghanistan.

The group’s discussion of operational IT ran from top level system considerations to the technical complexities of integrating all the different applications and comms channels used by a Brigade HQ. Harnessing information on the front lines is no easy task: military units are constantly transmitting huge amounts of data back and forth to report their positioning, generate situational awareness and share information on enemy tactics. Processing this information requires substantial resource, including an operations room of 20-30 differently classified terminals manned around the clock by fully trained staff.

Three key themes emerged from the session:

First, the benefits are striking. Managing real-time information enables rapid decision making, meaning that military operations can proceed quicker than ever before. Every soldier reporting back via laptop or radio is a sensor and information gatherer; processing this information gives the Armed Forces a significant advantage in the tactical domain, whether this relates to poppy harvests or trends on enemy activity.

Secondly, sharing and indexing information helps UK Forces “future proof” – in practical terms this means preventing loss of life.  Tom gave us examples of British and coalition troops coming across new types of IEDs (improvised explosive devices) – the discovery was reported straight to headquarters and from there disseminated to all other units, thus ensuring that everyone was alerted to the threat.

Thirdly, challenges to optimal information management remain, and in this sense NEC is a work-in-progress. Technical systems are still stove-piped in places, and the military will have to follow the lead of blue chip companies in the private sector, where information governance has matured over time. Another major challenge is military personnel’s relative lack of familiarity with the complex and unique technology used in theatre, and require extensive training to maximise its potential. Developing more user friendly technologies will be a big part of this.

“If knowledge is the goal, then information is the currency”. For NEC to maximise its nascent potential, the power of technology needs to be communicated effectively across all echelons of the military.  In theatre, information is not an ‘add-on’ but the lifeblood of a modern war-fighting capability.

By Sebastian Fox, Programme Executive.

For broadband speeds it seems very clear that bigger numbers are better. Yesterday’s announcement by Virgin Media offering 1.5 million of its customers an upgrade to 50mbs set great stead by the half century of speed it offers, double that of its closest rival and greater than the 20mbs it previously offered to consumers as ‘the mother of all broadband’. Just in case the number doesn’t represent enough altitude Virgin’s CEO Neil Berkett went on the record saying that Virgin could roll out 100Mbps tomorrow though 50Mbps is a more manageable step up for the time being.

It would appear pretty reasonable at this stage to ask what this speed increase allows you to do any differently. Virgin cites movies downloading in just three and a half minutes and music even quicker, as just some of the benefits of the new and improved service. Households with multiple and simultaneous internet users which generally strain slower connections would also benefit from the upgrade and looking out at the changing broadcast market HD over the internet could be an innovation supported by this fibre evolution. 

What else? The Broadband Stakeholder group who advise the government on next generation access issues have a neat triptych of benefits they have identified around speed and quality of service. They say it will allow efficiencies through saving time, expansion through doing more of existing things and transformation, by doing entirely new things.

And so, inevitably to price. This is the crucial issue here as unless Virgin can offer this premium service at a premium price then the economics of NGA look very shaky indeed and BT, amongst others will be watching very closely to see what the uptake of service is like.  Some analysts have been sceptical  with Ian Watt, at Enders, describing the first-year price of £602 or at least £46 a month - including broadband, line rental, installation and free wireless router - as "very high in the context of a consumer recession and the price of some lower-speed offers.’ However Virgin can point to a significant increase in its customer base for 20Mbps - the previous premium product, priced at £35 – which has now grown to 55 percent as evidence of appetite for their premium offering.  48% of UK households have access to the cable network so Virgin also does have the potential to scale up this offering substantially and they expect to have upgraded their entire network by the summer of 2009.

The interesting subtext in all of this is that Virgin’s move could be the catalyst which drives other players to roll our next generation networks as consumers are impressed with the nice round number 50. The telecoms market will be keen to identify which number the consumer cares about more though, the 50mbs of speed or the roughly £50 of sterling it costs.  

By Sam Ingleby, Programme Manager

I was on an interesting panel yesterday with Peter Mandelson and various heads of industry, discussing what measures need to be taken to bring the country out of recession. There were some bold points raised, some of which are covered in an article in today's Guardian. In the light of what was discussed, and with the focus of the Pre-Budget Report, I think it's important to not to forget the wider high-tech industries and the value that intellectual property brings to the economy.

When we talk about manufacturing and engineering there is a tendency to think of the person with an oily rag and rugged hands. While traditional manufacturing is an important part of the UK economy, it is vital that we do not forget the value and contribution to our economy of those engineers with perhaps softer hands. Our software engineers, musicians, games designers and all those involved in the creative industries have a big role to play in the UK’s economic recovery.

Whilst the PBR was about urgent action in the short-term, the government must soon complement that with a greater emphasis on innovation and technology, as engines of growth and creators of high value jobs. Future economic growth will be powered by the high-tech industries, where intellectual property drives wealth creation just as much as industrial production. We hope that government will build on plans for a high tech, high growth future as part of an integrated and diverse economy, as well as coping with the present.

John Higgins CBE, Director General, Intellect

With the dust settling from the election of Barack Obama, many commentators in the US technology industry have been talking of cautious optimism. It is said that Obama is a man who understands the importance of technology, illustrated by policy proposals such as calling for the creation of a Chief Technology Officer and demanding better application of technology in the public sector. Some of his more eye-catching plans include; doubling funding for basic research with the aim to boost home-grown innovation, providing a permanent R&D tax credit and enabling every citizen access to next-generation broadband. Obama has also utilised technology to great effect in his campaign developing a virtually connected support based and building a formidable online fund raising machine.

Clearly the USA’s President-elect is a man who understands the primacy of technology in modern life. It is now more important than ever that the UK builds on recent policy and government developments to match this agenda.

 
We have begun to move in this positive direction.  In the last reshuffle Gordon Brown appointed  Stephen Carter as Minister for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting in recognition of the importance of these industries to the UK economy. In addition to this the government’s transformational agenda has been active for some time now with the UK leading the world in the modernisation and transformation of public services. Last Monday the Cabinet Office published a report on social mobility staking the future of high value jobs almost solely on the tech sector. And in the Observer this weekend, Gordon Brown gave a strong indication that he sees the high-tech industries taking a leading role in the national economy. 

Here in the UK we are waking up to the reality that in a global knowledge economy, a healthy high-tech sector is crucial. As we enter a worldwide recession the technology industry has the opportunity to become the cornerstone of the UK economy and lead us out of troubled times. In the future, economies that offer intelligent services, high-tech innovations and cutting edge R&D will be the ones that will prosper.

In a time when short term solutions are at the front of everyone’s mind, it is important that politicians, high level observers and the technology industry begin to look for those medium term solutions that will reinvigorate the UK economy.  We have been talking about the UK knowledge economy, now is the time to make it a reality.

By Carrie Hartnell, Programme Manager

With the Olympic flag now safely in the hands of Boris Johnson on behalf of London and the return of Britain’s medal heroes, the whole of the UK will be looking towards 2012 with considerable expectation. The success of team GB has set a sporting precedent that is expected to be surpassed in 2012. Likewise the success of the Beijing Games has got some people questioning how London can deliver such a spectacle in 2012.

While London may struggle to compete with the scale and grandeur of Beijing, our Games promise to be more compact and integrated. By 2012 we will see some of the most advanced technologies in the world underpinning the delivery of a green, secure and interconnected Olympics.

The aspiration is to deliver the first ‘Olympics 3.0’ with spectators being able to enjoy multiple viewpoints, real time Games updates and live travel information delivered through mobile devices. Each audience member will be able to access information previously available only to the sports commentator in the booth.

The use of 4G mobile devices, contactless access platforms and smart cards will revolutionise the experience of spectators and athletes alike. Using these devices attendees will be able to interact with the Games in a number of ways including; finding their way through the London traffic, receiving security alerts, buying tickets, web blogging on the Games live, networking with friends across the Olympic village and accessing local wireless networks for close-ups and replays of Olympic events streamed to their mobile devices.

Opulence may have won gold at Beijing, but London promises make innovative use of technology the gold standard for 2012. I, myself, can’t wait.

By Carrie Hartnell, Transformational Business Programme Manager