Intel Picks UK for Research Institute on Sustainable Cities

News
By Jane McEntegart
published

Intel is to open a research center to explore how technology can support cities around the world.

Intel announced plans to partner with two leading universities in London to launch the Intel Collaborative Research Institute for Sustainable Connected Cities.

Announced at No. 10 Downing St., the Institute will explore how technology can help support and sustain social and economic development in cities around the world. This will include research into how technology can help solve problems like drought, long commute times and wasteful uses of energy.

"In 2050, most of the nine billion people in the world will live in cities," says Justin Rattner, Intel chief technology officer and director of Intel Labs. "Therefore the demands of cities will be highly representative of the demands of humanity. Addressing these demands will be at the heart of the Intel Collaborative Research Institute for Sustainable Connected Cities, driving the development of new services to enhance people’s quality of life."

The chip giant will partner with the UK's Imperial College London and University College London to launch the research center and has also announced plans to collaborate with start-ups in London's Tech City to use social media in the analysis of emerging trends within cities.

"This new investment from Intel is great news for the UK economy and is recognition of the Government’s commitment to ensuring that the UK becomes the technology center of Europe building on success such as Tech City and the recent investments in supercomputing," said Chancellor George Osborne. "It is investments like this that will help us put the UK on the path we need to take to create new jobs, new growth and new prosperity in every corner of our country."

The London research center will also be a part of the Intel Labs Europe UK R&D network, which will consist of nine R&D facilities. This network will be a subset of Intel Labs Europe and is designed to connect Intel with the UK R&D community. The network will focus on information security and high performance computing. Locations will include London, Brighton, Swindon and Aylesbury. Further locations are expected to be added by the end of the year.

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Jane McEntegart
10 Comments Comment from the forums
  • doive1231
    We need to be able to capture and use energy much easier, whether this is from the sun or recapturing energy. The mechanisms for getting energy to batteries must be made easier, perhaps through a universal connection system. The UK Government knows this is the sticking point for greater home energy capture systems.
    Reply
  • eddieroolz
    "In 2050, most of the nine billion people in the world will live in cities," says Justin Rattner, Intel chief technology officer and director of Intel Labs. "Therefore the demands of cities will be highly representative of the demands of humanity. Addressing these demands will be at the heart of the Intel Collaborative Research Institute for Sustainable Connected Cities, driving the development of new services to enhance people’s quality of life."

    More reasons for us, even North Americans, to start building upwards instead of sprawling further and further into the suburbs. Needing a car just to live is simply ridiculous from a European or Japanese point of view.

    I miss the days when I could easily access anywhere without a car when I lived in Japan.
    Reply
  • dogman_1234
    I applaud Intel, but why not do it here is the states? I mean, we have cities with employable persons as well!
    Reply
  • The blokes love their technology. I wonder if ARM is building a tech center in their homeland.
    Reply
  • Zingam_Duo
    eddieroolzMore reasons for us, even North Americans, to start building upwards instead of sprawling further and further into the suburbs. Needing a car just to live is simply ridiculous from a European or Japanese point of view.I miss the days when I could easily access anywhere without a car when I lived in Japan.
    Now I live in Europe and I live in a part of Europe where most of the population (over 70% I guess) live in tall buildings. Do I need to explain you how I dream to live in my own house without stupid neighbors? It is the worst thing that can happen to a human being is to put him into a building with thousand others just like ants or bees. Living in tall buildings sucks! ;)
    Reply
  • Zingam_Duo
    In 2050, most of the nine billion people in the world will live in cities," says Justin Rattner, Intel chief technology officer and director of Intel Labs. "

    Maybe it is time to think about reducing the population, eh? I don't mean wars or Holocaust. I mean some people/cultures should just stop having 20 children per family!
    Reply
  • nord_musician
    zingam_duoNow I live in Europe and I live in a part of Europe where most of the population (over 70% I guess) live in tall buildings. Do I need to explain you how I dream to live in my own house without stupid neighbors? It is the worst thing that can happen to a human being is to put him into a building with thousand others just like ants or bees. Living in tall buildings sucks!well it depends, my apartment building is not that big, 3 apartments per floor(8) and each one is big enough, i dont feel like ants or bees
    Reply
  • Intel needs to work more on a design for sustainable HD graphics drivers for their GPUs. Intel needs to design a graphics driver framework that can be updated without intel's computer OEM partners having to write new driver software. This HD graphics driver framework should be forward and backward compatable with OPENGL, OPENCL, DIRECTX, etc. Intel should be responsable for updating this framework to maintain compatability for all computers that use Intel GPUs.
    Reply
  • Gundam288
    zingam_duoMaybe it is time to think about reducing the population, eh? I don't mean wars or Holocaust. I mean some people/cultures should just stop having 20 children per family!
    if people want to have 1 or 2 kids I'm fine with that. what I'm not fine with is the people who have 9 or 10+ that require help from the gov. to pay for them.

    they are YOUR kids, not the GOV.s kids......




    as for intel doing this, why? this strikes me as more of a google or apple thing(if it was green that is).
    Reply
  • blackened144
    Gundam288if people want to have 1 or 2 kids I'm fine with that. what I'm not fine with is the people who have 9 or 10+ that require help from the gov. to pay for them.they are YOUR kids, not the GOV.s kids......as for intel doing this, why? this strikes me as more of a google or apple thing(if it was green that is).What you are suggesting sounds a lot like "personal responsibility".. Thats a concept that most of the population doesn't even know exists.
    Reply