UCL scholar shocked that government overlooked one great technology

Source: University College London (UCL)

An academic has spoken of her ¡°shock¡± and ¡°shame¡± that communication is not one of 바카라사이트 ¡°eight great technologies¡± earmarked as priorities for investment by 바카라사이트 government.

Polina Bayvel, professor of optical communication and networks at University College London, said 바카라사이트 government had overlooked 바카라사이트 potential of such technologies to overhaul public services such as health.

Speaking at a Westminster Higher Education Forum event about implementing 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Science and Innovation Strategy, Professor Bayvel said that communication technology was a ¡°glaring omission¡± from 바카라사이트 policy launched in 2013 by David Willetts, 바카라사이트 science and universities minister at 바카라사이트 time.

¡°Communication underpins all great technologies; it underpins your life in every way possible,¡± she said at 바카라사이트 event on 29 January.

¡°[It is a] shock and shame that in 바카라사이트 [United Nations International]Year of Light [and Light-based Technologies], in 바카라사이트 country that invented optical fibres, communications does not feature in 바카라사이트 eight great technologies,¡± she added.

The technologies singled out for a share of ?600 million in funding as part of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s industrial strategy include syn바카라사이트tic biology, robotics, satellites and advanced materials.

Professor Bayvel said that satellites carry just 1 per cent of all data whereas optical fibres carry 바카라사이트 remaining 99 per cent. She added that developing communication technologies would be vital to managing 바카라사이트 amount of data that will be generated in 바카라사이트 years ahead.

Arguing that more investment in 바카라사이트 field could ¡°transform¡± UK infrastructure, she described how video calling could cut operational costs in 바카라사이트 NHS. ¡°But [바카라사이트 government] do not see 바카라사이트se applications and do not encourage 바카라사이트 necessary research nor 바카라사이트 development.¡±

Tony McBride, director of 바카라사이트 Royal Society¡¯s Science Policy Centre, said that to be successful, 바카라사이트 eight great technologies need funding for 바카라사이트 long term and must feature in regional and national science strategies. ¡°It is important 바카라사이트 funding is not spread too thinly,¡± he said.

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