UK and Indian governments, scientists and industrial engineers are embarking
on a £9 million ‘Next Generation Networks’ project to bring online education, healthcare
and early warning weather/natural disaster systems to remote areas in both countries.
Part-funded by Research Councils UK (RCUK) Digital Economy Programme and led
by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the five-year
collaboration will establish a virtual research centre to look for solutions from
emerging and existing technologies.
Technology such as wireless sensor networks could be used to deliver healthcare
where resources are limited and automatically deliver real time data in areas such
as pollution and seismic activity.
The project will also examine how existing IT infrastructure like copper cable
networks can perform better, how to best set up new optical infrastructure and implement
UK broadband technology across India.
Dr Alicia Greated, Director of the RCUK Office in India stated:
"We are extremely pleased that this initiative has been funded. It is an excellent
example of India-UK research collaborations being developed across both the private
and public sectors and engages the very best of researchers from both nations."
The Research Councils UK Office in India and the Indian Department of Science
and Technology have worked closely together on this project. Dr Venkatesh Rao Aiyagari,
Head and Advisor, Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC), Indian Department
of Science and Technology (DST) said:
"I am delighted that the DST and the UK Government’s Department of Innovation,
Universities and Skills (DIUS) have been able to review and support this joint initiative
which is directly in line with our policies and priorities and I wish the consortium
every success for the future."
Notes
Funding
The project grant comprises £2.5 million from the Research Councils UK (RCUK) Digital
Economy Programme, led by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
(EPSRC) and funded by the UK Government through DIUS (UK Department for Innovation,
Universities and Skills). This has been matched by £2.5 million from the Indian
Government’s Department of Science and Technology (DST). A further £4 million is
being provided by a consortium of academic and industrial partners.
Further information
Professor Gerard Parr from the University of Ulster is the lead UK academic on the
project and BT is the lead UK company. India has an estimated 50 million internet
users, with 3.3 million in rural areas.
The consortium consists of leading universities in UK and Institutes in India,
and companies from both countries. These include the industrial lead BT, Infosys,
Wipro, Sasken, Midas and Tejas. The University of Ulster in Northern Ireland is
lead UK institution, and Surrey, University College London, Southampton, Bristol,
St Andrews, Lancaster, Cambridge and Queen Mary are also participants. Five leading
Indian Research Institutes are taking part – IIT Madras as the lead Indian institute,
Delhi, Mumbai, Kanpur and IISc Bangalore. A number of SMEs are also involved.
Digital Economy is an RCUK cross-research council programme, aimed at realising
the transformational impact of ICT for all aspects of business, society and government.
EPSRC is working closely with the Economic and Social Research Council, the Medical
Research Council and the Arts and Humanities Research Council to deliver the programme.
For more information on the IU-ATC (India-UK Advanced Technology Centre) visit
http://www.iu-atc.com
For more information on the RCUK Office in India visit
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/international/Offices/OfficeinIndia/Pages/home.aspx
For more information on the Digital Economy programme please visit:
http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/ourportfolio/themes/digitaleconomy/Pages/default.aspx
The University of Ulster release:
http://news.ulster.ac.uk/releases/2009/4212.html
To find out more about the work of other Research Councils involved in this project
please visit:
Arts and Humanities Research Council
Economic and Social Research Council
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Medical Research Council