Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, together with Minister of State for Training, Skills, Research, and Development, John Halligan, have launched ENABLE – a new €14.5 million Science Foundation Ireland research programme which will study how the Internet of Things can be used to improve the quality of life for ordinary citizens living in urban environments.
The ENABLE research programme will address a wide range of topics including water management, air pollution, transport congestion, data privacy and cyber security. It will receive €10 million from Science Foundation Ireland and a further €4.5 million through collaborative research agreements with industry partners.
ENABLE’s academic researchers will work in partnership with over 25 companies including large multinationals such as Intel and Huawei and SMEs such as Cork-based Accuflow.
The project will be led by Professor Siobhán Clarke at Trinity College Dublin and will include 60 researchers in three existing Science Foundation Ireland Research Centres - CONNECT, Insight and Lero. The researchers will be based in Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University, Cork Institute of Technology, Maynooth University, NUI Galway, University College Cork and University of Limerick.
Speaking at the launch of ENABLE, Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, John Halligan said, "SFI programmes such as ENABLE are of critical importance to Ireland’s economy. In addition to world-class scientific research, they also contribute to job creation and the development of a vibrant ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship. They also provide us with a competitive edge as we seek to win further international funding, attract new research talent into the country, and expand our industry-academia partnerships."
Director of ENABLE, Professor Siobhán Clarke said, "ENABLE will work with our industry partners and via citizen engagement to address the challenges that currently limit the potential benefits of the Internet of Things for communities. Our research aims to enable smarter buildings, more efficient transportation, better handling of environmental issues, and enhanced cyber security and data privacy. These challenges align with our industry partners’ priorities ensuring economic as well as social impact."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
