Presentation on 2 June 2009 delivered by:
DR ROBIN NORTH- IMPERIAL COLLEGE.
Biography
Hannah Bryan graduated from Newcastle University in 2006 with a first class MEng in Civil Engineering. She has since been working as a researcher in the Transport group of the Civil Engineering and Geosciences department at Newcastle University. Hannah’s work covers a rich area of research predominantly in the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) field. She is particularly interested in intelligent infrastructure and wireless networks for urban and interurban demand management, understanding and using future digital technologies and services in transport, and mobility for sustainability.
Audio
ABSTRACT
How can intelligent infrastructure help to minimise the impact of travel on the environment?
Travel has never been cheaper, and the desire for travel is a fundamental requirement of a vibrant society and growing economy. Instantaneous communications, broadcasts and the media have opened our eyes to a global world of opportunity for business, leisure travel and goods and services. However, we now face the challenges of climate change, resource scarcity and increasing demands for oil. The challenge it seems is to enable the levels of travel that are vital to a growing economy whilst managing the demands on energy and minimising the impact upon the environment through changes in behaviour, lifestyle and ultimately urban design.
Just as science and technology enabled the ability for rapid movement, they will play a key role in helping us to respond to these new challenges. Advances in sensor technology, computing power and telecommunications can allow us to build intelligence into the infrastructure and our decision making models enabling extended traveller information and ITS systems. This in turn could support us when we travel so that we make informed choices which limit the impact upon the environment.
However, although much of the technology is available for delivering such a system, the fundamental theories to support a world with diminishing privacy are yet to be fully explored and debated. Equally, dealing with the vast amount of data in order to deliver usable, relevant information, alongside the mechanism for implementing the system in a sustainable way, require s much further thought and research. The Foresight Intelligent Infrastructure Systems study set out to explore how science and technology could, over the next 50 years, meet these demanding and often confliction objectives. The presentation delivered will look at this study and go beyond to consider the fundamental question asked and if it could be possible.
links
Civil Engineering & Geosciences- Newcastle University
Imperial College- Centre for Transport Studies
BACK TO FUTRES FAIR 09 HOME
