Intel Invests In A “Greener” London

Intel has launched the Collaborative Research Institute for Sustainable Connected Cities (CRISCC). The project seeks to use the Big Data produced by our urban environment to make London “greener”. The new technologies tested in the UK capital could later be applied worldwide.

The formation of CRISCC was sealed with the signing of a joint project agreement (pictured below) between the chip manufacturer and two universities – Imperial College London (ICL) and University College London (UCL). Signatories comprised (l to r) Stephen Caddick, vice-provost for enterprise at UCL; Martin Curley, senior principal engineer at Intel Labs Europe; Justin Rattner, corporate vice president and director of Intel Labs; UK Chancellor George Osborne; and Edward Astle, pro-rector for enterprise at ICL. The initiative was launched by Osborne in a meeting at Number 10 Downing Street.

Intel has also announced the establishment of Intel Labs Europe UK R&D network that will co-ordinate nine locations across the UK.

City as a platform

The project was first outlined by Osborne around a year ago. It was intended to take advantage of the increasing amount of public information, and advance the UK in the field of data analytics.

The new London-based institute will be Intel’s first research centre dedicated to exploring how technology can support and sustain the social and economic development of cities. In its aims and objectives, it is somewhat similar to the IBM’s Smarter Cities initiative and is a major win as the two companies try to gain a leadership position.

The institute will collaborate with the Tech City in East London, using the expertise of Silicon Roundabout-based startups to identify and analyse emerging trends within our habitat. CRISCC will harness real-time data, gathered through sensor technologies embedded in city infrastructure, and combine it with data shared by communities and the government.

Intel hopes the Big Data analytics will help it tackle problems ranging from droughts and long commute times to wasteful use of energy. Important data will be collected through huge networks of sensors providing data on pollution, water supply, traffic and populations. Analysis of this data could enable city planners to react more quickly and anticipate problems. The data collection and manipulation will require large, cloud-based services which Intel hopes will open a lucrative string of contracts as more cities benefit from the London research.

CRISCC will become a core member of the newly formed Intel Labs Europe UK R&D network consisting of nine locations including London, Brighton, Swindon and Aylesbury.

“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 centre of Europe, building on success such as Tech City and the recent investments in supercomputing,” Osborne said.

Justin Rattner, Intel chief technology officer and director of Intel Labs, commented: “In 2050, most of the nine billion people in the world will live in cities. 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.”

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