We believe that there are many aspects of society and business that could be transformed by the innovative design and use of digital technologies. This has led to the Digital Economy programme.
What is Digital Economy?
Digital Economy is the novel design or use of information and communication technologies to help transform the lives of individuals, society or business. Research will help understand these technologies and why change is needed, what the impacts will be and who will benefit. In this cross-research council area, research can be driven by economic, social or technical need.
Examples include:
- Improving the treatment of patients with heart disease by using personalised computer models which can accept real-time data (eg, electrical patterns and blood pressure).
- Developing a computer tool incorporating GPS and barcode scanners to help children who cannot speak to create a story about their day at school.
- Creating an integrated transport system, connecting travellers, vehicles and services to provide personalised information that will help influence travel behaviour.
- Enhancing entertainment experiences by designing theme park rides which can adapt in real time based on the physiological response of the reader to the experience.
Research in Digital Economy
The use of technology to capture, share and manipulate information is an established cornerstone of our society and the economy. The research that underpins this capability is well established and the UK has a world-leading ICT research capacity.
Increasingly, the novel, innovative and in some cases subversive design and use of new technologies can affect an individual’s life choices, change the way society interacts, offer new modes of interaction for government, revolutionise existing business processes or create new business paradigms.
The early involvement of the user community is vital if new technologies are to be integrated successfully into business opportunities, technical solutions or commercial products and processes. This includes industry, goverment, charities, the public and other relevant groups.
Challenges in the Digital Economy will require multi-disciplinary input across a broad spectrum of subjects including, but not limited to, researchers from the arts and humanities, economic and social scientists, medical sciences, in addition to engineering and physical sciences.
The Programme
The Digital Economy Programme is a Research Councils UK programme, led by EPSRC and working closely ESRC, MRC, AHRC and TSB. The programme brings together the underpinning technologies, with all the elements required to deliver transformation, and is focused on understanding the impacts of the research and will be driven by users.
In its first phase, the programme will focus on engagement with the transport, creative industries and healthcare sectors, but will aim to build engagement with other sectors where the use of information can have a transformative effect.
The aims of the programme are to:
- Deliver research that is driven by a real need with the ability to have impact.
- Create a community of new researchers who understand the technology and how people use it and what the impact is.
- Provide a focus for the interaction between researchers and key stakeholders.
Programme Budget
| Research: |
- £46 million commitment for 2008/09
- £18 million commitment for 2009/10
- £19 million commitment for 2010/11
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| Training: |
- £34 million commitment for 2008/09 (five-year commitment for centres for doctoral training
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