Enabling technologies for the internet

and the impact of “Digital Britain”

on the UK Electronics Sector
Nigel Rix
Technology Business Manager
nigel.rix@electronics-ktn.com
The UK Electronics Sector
Introduction to the Electronics KTN
• Proposed by the EIGT Report by David Kynaston in 2004
to provide a focus for the UK Electronics Sector

• UK Electronics Sector –
• Over 10,000 companies
• Mostly Small Companies
• Individually Highly Innovative
• But too small to reach potential

• EKTN structured as –
• Core Team producing website, national events and SIGs
• Regional Network
 EKTN Themes
Autonomous Medical &
Systems & Healthcare The Connected
Devices Electronics World

Military Personal
Assiste
d Living
Market
Implants Imaging
RFID Interoperability
Healthcare Diagnostics Drug
Delivery Communities

High Frequency Embedded Product Design

RF Systems Systems & Realisation
Technology
Multi-
mmWave Terahertz FPGA Design
core
SiP / Tools Product
SoC Development

Science Leads
Industry
Science
Grand Challenges
SKA
in Microelectronics
Technology Push or Challenge Lead

• Sector has traditionally worked by Technology Push

• Larger companies moving to “Open Innovation”

• “Voice of the Customer” and Innovation Management

• We are moving to balance Technology and Challenge

Web presence
Business Tools – Capability Directory
Business Tools - Fundmap
Impact of “Digital Britain” on the sector
Impact of Digital Britain - Infrastructure

• Opportunity for new product sales

• Drives communications technologies

• Allows businesses to work “virtually”

• Opens new Business Models

• But… coverage and capacity

Impact of Digital Britain - Connectivity

• “Internet of Things” – why was it born?

• reduced cost
• Interoperability/standardisation
• move data into “the cloud”

• Provides ability for “global” systems

• New opportunities for networked/data driven products

Impact of Digital Britain – Pervasive Data

• A "Connected World” mindset

• Connecting, Sharing, Adding Value to data pools

• Move to:
value is in the data / use of data
as opposed to hardware

• But…
Privacy, Accuracy, Ownership
Impact of Digital Britain – New Markets

• If infrastructure exists – new opportunities follow

• GPS - TomTom
• iPhone - Apps

• Access to data – use and display

• Innovation Platforms become accessible

• Assisted Living
• Low Impact Buildings
Feasibility Studies Competition
Enabling technologies for the internet

• Proposals for hardware and/or software technologies that:

• Extend the core functionality of the internet
• Support the services that run on the internet

• Examples
• Content Management – Metadata, monitor, benchmark, index
and access content on the network
• Revenue distribution – micro payments, click counts
• Quality of Service
• Personalisation / Privacy of data
• Data in the home – Smart Meters, set top boxes, home hub
Digital Test Beds

• Technology Strategy Board is also leading the introduction

of digital test beds

• Anticipated to start in 2010 and will form new competitions

• Feasibility Studies
• May lead to demonstrators for test beds
• Extend core capabilities of the test beds
• Become part of the platform for new applications/services
 Thank you

Nigel Rix
nigel.rix@electronics-ktn.com