Edinburgh Earth Observatory (EEO) Seminars

Prof. Ewan Klein

School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh Living Lab

Title: Putting Things in Places: IoT and Community in Edinburgh

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Abstract:

Within the framework of the recently-signed City Region Deal, the Data Driven Innovation (DDI) Programme aims to place the University at the centre of the data economy, building on theoretical and practical strengths in data science across multiple disciplines. There are multiple challenges to be addressed in realising the DDI vision, especially in a world dominated by a handful of tech giants, with widespread concerns about data privacy, and questions about the balance between commerce and social benefit in the use of data. I will look at two initiatives which contribute to the debate on these issues: the University’s Internet of Things Programme and work by Edinburgh Living Lab on the data-design-society nexus.

About the Speaker:

Ewan Klein is Professor Emeritus of Language Technology in the University of Edinburgh's School of Informatics, and has 30 years experience of research in natural language processing. Many of the projects he has worked on have explored ways of applying language technology to concrete problems in non-academic contexts. He has moved across disciplinary boundaries as a founder and co-Director of Edinburgh Living Lab, which explores the role of data, technology and participatory design methods in meeting the challenges of sustainable future cities. He is the academic coordinator of the University of Edinburgh's Internet of Things Initiative and currently a Fellow of the Turing Institute in London.