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Computing for the Future of the Planet

Digital technology is becoming an indispensable and crucial component of our lives, society, and the environment. Computing for the Future of the Planet is a framework for computing in the context of problems facing the planet. The framework has a number of goals: an optimal digital infrastructure, sensing and optimising with a global world model, reliably predicting and reacting to our environment, and digital alternatives to physical activities.

Optimal digital infrastructure

Our lives have become dependent on the digital world. But to sustain this appetite for technology, we need to make a major shift to more energy efficient ways. For example, devices and systems only need to be powered when they are actually performing a function or doing something useful. They should be switched off – and not just on standby – at all other times.

We are interested in system architectures that precisely monitor energy consumption and can turn systems on and off rapidly. And with hardware increasingly becoming a disposable commodity, we are looking at better reuse and longer lasting components to mitigate the environmental impact of production and fabrication.

Predict and react

Using computing to make accurate predictions is an established science – from the weather to economics. But working on such a large global scale with indeterminate multiple variables is by no means exact.

Increasingly powerful computers and algorithms are required to improve the precision and accuracy of forecasts on global warming and its effects. But more fundamental is the question of how we know if the models work. If we don’t understand the problems; how can we fix them?

Even our most commonly used computing applications require frequent updates to deliver software that expresses the programmer’s intent without bugs and vulnerabilities. Complex simulation applications simply multiply the risks and unknowns.

Sense and optimise

Computing has a key role to play in optimising the use of resources in the physical world. One way this can be achieved is by actively sensing the environment in real time and using new algorithms to create cost functions which reflect natural resources in sectors ranging from transport to water management.

Innovative approaches to global-scale monitoring, generation of information and interpretation and analysis are needed to realise this goal, together with new technological and legislative frameworks.

Digital alternatives to physical activities

There has already been a major shift to the digital world in our daily lives at work and at home, reflected by the wide scale adoption of electronic messaging, digital media and the web.

In the future there may be greater change so that the primary way we operate for the purposes of wealth creation and entertainment is in cyberspace.

This will reduce the impact of our activities on the physical world while allowing societies to grow sustainably. New tools, environments and infrastructures are being conceived that will make an accelerated shift to a digital world that is enticing, effective and rewarding for us all.

Student opportunities - current undergraduates

Interested undergraduates might like to get involved with the project through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP). More information on previous years UROP work in the DTG is available here: http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/research/dtg/summer. This is in addition to various other UROP opportunities within the Computer Lab. The main page for information about the UROP programme is here:  http://www.eng.cam.ac.uk/teaching/urops/.

You might also like to consider a related Part II project. The important thing to emphasise is that you must identify and use relevant Computer Science within your project. One way to do this is to think about what content from lectured courses you will apply to solve your chosen problem. Feel free to contact us if you have ideas and would like some advice.

Student opportunities - postgraduates

We are keen to hear from postgraduate students interested in Computing for the Future of the Planet both for the  Masters and  PhD programmes. Again, feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss potential research proposals. Remember that you should be able to highlight the Computer Science challenges you will overcome and the Computer Science contributions that your work will make.

More Information

Articles in the Press

25-Apr-2011: "Really Remote Data, Far-flung data centers could use otherwise unharvestable renewable energy for computation.", technology review,  http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/37460/page1/

07-Apr-2010: "Using technology to reduce the carbon footprint", The Inquirer,  http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/feature/1599632/using-technology-reduce-carbon-footprint

09-Mar-2010: "Where next for the web?", BBC News,  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8555987.stm

22-Jul-2009: "Computing for the future of the planet", ElectronicsWeekly,  http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Articles/2009/07/22/46568/computing-for-the-future-of-the-planet.htm

22-Jul-2009: "How technology will ease our traffic woes", NewScientist,  http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20327176.400-how-technology-will-ease-our-traffic-woes.html

22-Jun-2009: "Researchers Ready Personal Energy Monitoring Devices", Communications of the ACM News  http://cacm.acm.org/news/31116-researchers-ready-personal-energy-monitoring-devices/fulltext

17-Jun-2009: "Researchers ready personal energy monitoring devices", EETimes  http://www.eetimes.com/news/design/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=218000032

23-Apr-2009: "The Tech Lab: Andy Hopper", BBC News  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8014248.stm

Oct-2008: Green Computing, Communications of the ACM  http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/1400181.1400186

06-Jun-2008: "Prof Andy Hopper talks about computing for the future of the planet", Business Weekly  http://www.businessweekly.co.uk/2008060631994/q10-talking-heads/prof-andy-hopper-talks-about-computing-for-the-future-of-the-planet.html

12-May-2008: "The healing power of computers", BBC News  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7396041.stm

03-May-2008: "Beyond Green Computing", wattwatt  http://wattwatt.com/pulses/262/beyond-green-computing/

02-Apr-2008: "Computer laboratory working toward a greener future", Business Weekly  http://www.businessweekly.co.uk/2008040231707/computing/computer-laboratory-working-toward-a-greener-future.html

18-Mar-2008: "Wind power urged for computers", guardian.co.uk  http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/18/carbonemissions.news

Research details

  • Project members
  • Publications
  • Optimal digital infrastructure
  • Predict and react
  • Sense and optimise
  • Digital alternatives to physical activities

Other information (local access only)

Attachments