Financial fuzz threatens european IT research

Posted: October 07, 2010

Industry leading companies highlight funding of research as a major challenge. The EU stands to losing the race to fund and promote research, but the game is not over yet.

Commissioner Neelie Kroes spoke at the launch of the ICT 2010: Digitally Driven - which is the largest ICT event organized by the European Commission.



Here, funding was clearly the hottest topic.


- In times of budget cuts all across the board, this type of discussion on future research in information and communication technology naturally has a strong economic focus. Taxpayers, ministers and people that are hard-pressed, all have good reason to except that public expenditure is properly justified- said Neelie Kroes.

- It is not impossible to increase public investment in ICT research. But we have to make the best possible case.-

Public Funding
It is obvious that there is a need for public funding.

The long term research and development is often risky and costly.

The IT sector uses twice as much money as the automobile industry and three times as much as the medical industry on research.

Over the past 30 years the Eorupean Commision has invested 149 billion DKK in IT research, which has increased Europe’s share of research and development from 10 to 25 percent on the global IT market.

Worldwide IT research has led to investments of venture capital, patents and high-wage employment in almost all industrialized countries, and at the Digitally Driven fair more than 100 public financed projects was presented.

Green IT, robots and innovation
The major themes at the event in Brussels include green IT, intelligent robots and innovation in virtual reality. Also the benefits that innovation and research can bring, was showed.



Projects on green energy to cut CO2 emissions, was presented by BeAware and Solid State Lighting, which have both received funding from the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

BeAware has developed interactive wireless sensors that measure how much energy household appliances consumes, making it possible for consumers to identify offenders and reduce their electricity consumption. The technology is currently being tested by families in Finland and Italy.



The Solid State Lighting project is about the development of an organic LED, which is five times as efficient as conventional light bulbs. Because lighting accounts 20 percent of the electricity consumption throughout Europe, this project can help cutting the CO2 emissions drastically.



Presenccia and Playmancer are both virtual reality solutions that can help people with physical and mental disabilities. In relation to that Presenccia is using a brain-to-computer interface to help the physically disabled.

Incapacitate people can type
A virtual reality can help teaching people with amputated limbs, how to use a prosthesis or help people with paralysis to write.

PlayMancer is using 3D games to relieve the negative effects of mental disabilities and help patients cope with the normal therapy.



The intelligent robots Kompaï and iCube are designed to sick, disabled or elderly who need assistance in daily life. Kompaï can speak and understand what is being said and find the way around the house. iCube can sit, crawl and collect items, and will learn from the surroundings like a child.



Innovations like these could not be done without public funding.

 An evaluation of FP7 will be published before the year is over and will form the foundation for the structure of FP8, which will come into force in 2013.


Source: Computerworld