The Internet of Things Special Interest Group (SIG) was formally established on 1 August 2011, as a partnership between the

Technology Strategy Board and the Creative Industries, Electronics, Sensors, Photonics, and ICT Knowledge Transfer Networks.

Special Interest Group

The Internet of Things Special Interest Group was established to help stimulate and support an emerging programme of work from within the Technology Strategy Board, linking together existing networks and communities, and providing a platform for collaboration, and for the exploration and development of new innovations. The SIG is a partnership between the TSB and the Creative Industries, ESP , and ICT Knowledge Transfer Networks, and is supported by the UK Future Internet Strategy Group an expert group of leading businesses and academics, set up by the TSB to support and advise on internet and digital policy in the UK and EU. It will run until the end of March 2013, following which a review of the TSBs work in this area will be undertaken, in order to inform future support and interventions. More information on the work of the SIG can be found at tiny.cc/tsbiot And why not track information on Twitter using #tsbiot

Background
The Internet of Things (or IoT) describes the revolution already under way that is seeing a growing number of internetenabled devices that can network and communicate with each other and with other web-enabled gadgets. Sometimes referred to as the Pervasive Internet or Ubiquitous Computing and manifesting itself through Connected Environments, Smart Cities and Smart Homes IoT refers to a state where Things (e.g. objects, environments, vehicles and clothing) will have more and more information associated with them and may have the ability to sense, communicate, network and produce new information, becoming an integral part of the Internet. A widespread Internet of Things has the potential to transform how we live in our cities, how we move, how we develop sustainably, how we age, and more. The Technology Strategy Board has been responding to these emerging and transformational opportunities with sectorspecific on-going initiatives, programmes, and investments, such as in Intelligent Transport, Assisted Living, Smart Energy, and the Modern Built Environment. Some research estimates that the added value services using the Internet of Things could reach 200 billion a year worldwide, with new business models, applications and services across different sectors of the economy. Such demand will also stimulate innovation and growth in areas such as components, devices, wireless connectivity system integration and decision support tools.

Technology Strategy Board

The Technology Strategy Board has identified the following aim for its work supporting the Internet of Things: Driving the formation of an open application and services ecosystem of the Internet of Things, unlocking new markets in services and helping the UK gain a competitive advantage in Internet of Things technology, services and adoption. The TSB will help communities to address the challenge based on these key strategic pillars: Increased availability of data and service enablement. Innovation in applications and services of the IoT will be boosted through increased and trustworthy access to data, services and other functionalities of the IoT nodes. Promoting data and services convergence. Convergence at the data and services level, e.g. by agreeing provenance and data semantics, would lead to a boost in the ability of innovating at scale and across silos. Stimulating application and services development. Innovation and experimentation with applications, services and business models enabled by increased and converged access to data and services of the IoT nodes. The mission of the TSB programme overall can be summarized as stimulating and supporting development towards an Internet, rather than an Intranet, of Things including facilitating cross-sectoral collaboration and application development.

Work Programme
Since setting up, the SIGs work has mainly focused on supporting the TSB IoT Convergence Competition the first phase of which kicks off in March. Two major collaborative events were run in London and Edinburgh, and a series of articles have been published on the SIGs on-line site on _Connect. In addition, a policy Report was published in October, drawing together the findings of a range of workshops in 2011. The Internet of Things SIG supports the TSB in delivering on its ambitions through two interconnected objectives: To build awareness and understanding of the opportunities for, and barriers to, UK business through cross-sectoral IoT applications and services. To promote the exploitation of those opportunities and stimulate cross-sectoral collaboration and innovation. The SIG achieves its objectives through the following core work-streams: Knowledge-building Build knowledge and understanding of the IoT landscape and opportunities, including international. Community-building Work with KTNs to build a cross-sector community and develop activities with the community around a high-level strategic agenda of Internet Style Internet of Things applications and services. Opportunity-building Including direct support engagement and participation in the TSB IoT initiative in particular the funding calls. Support and showcase Identify, highlight and promote successful and exemplary projects and applications, including those funded by the TSB. A wide-ranging programme of activity includes: A Mapping exercise, to capture and present IoT activity in the UK. Developing, in partnership with the Research Councils UK, a research and R&D roadmap for the UK. A Thought Leadership Programme, bringing together leading business leaders to help develop future policy and programme initiatives. A programme of Showcasing, highlighting exemplary and other IoT projects, to help inspire and stimulate new collaborations. Supporting the TSBs IoT Convergence Competition. More information on the work of the SIG can be found at tiny.cc/tsbiot Look out for regular updates on Twitter via #tsbiot Go to http://tiny.cc/tsbiot-map, click on a part of the map, and then click onto the reports section. Search and find your details, and please correct, amend or confirm them. Its that simple! The IoT SIG is in the process of mapping the range of companies, academics and others participating in the IoT space. This data is based on the membership of the SIG _Connect group, and participants in the various workshops and other events held over the last year. The Map can only be as good as the data weve got, and we are keen therefore, that people click and update it as often as possible.

Key features of the IoT SIG Workplan in 2012

Research and R&D road-mapping A Research and R&D road-mapping project, being undertaken as a partnership between the SIG, the TSB and three Research Councils. Four full-day workshops are being facilitated, bringing together businesses and academics, to identify long-term research challenges for IoT development. Themes to be addressed include: infrastructure challenges, ethics, and future modelling. Thought Leadership Programme Five events are planned, bringing together business leaders from across a number of market sectors, to identify innovation challenges and opportunities. Issues to be addressed include: M2M, User-engagement, and Data-gateways. These round-table events will review the Interim Report on IoT Challenges published in October 2011, and are likely to make recommendations to Government, TSB and other policy-makers. The IoT Interim Report can be found at http://tiny.cc/tsbiot-interim-report TSB IoT Convergence Competition Support The SIG has worked closely with the TSB in supporting and promoting the IoT Convergence Competition. Phase 1 of the TSB Competition will run from March through to the end of May. The SIG will run two workshop sessions with IoT businesses during this period, feeding into a major showcasing event at the end of June. Exemplars/Showcasing This is a longer-term programme of work, which will seek to promote the outcomes of all of the projects identified here, and will be undertaken mainly in the second half of the year, beginning with a Showcase event, linked to the TSB Competition, on 27 June.

Partners
The Internet of Things Special Interest Group is a partnership between the Technology Strategy Board and three Knowledge Transfer Networks: Creative Industries KTN Creative Industries KTN is the UKs National Knowledge Transfer Network for the Creative Industries https://connect.innovateuk.org/web/ creativektn/overview The SIG and related programmes are funded by the Digital Team at the Technology Strategy Board, which aims to help innovative businesses unlock the economic potential of digital technology, by identifying and addressing systemic challenges and resolving tensions between people, processes and technology. The Digital group is working with businesses and organisations across the entire scope of digital industries, including both private and public sector, understanding their innovation needs and how these complement one another.

Electronics, Sensors, Photonics KTN ESP covers underpinning technologies such as electronics, sensors, photonics, plastic electronics, embedded systems, displays, lighting, instrumentation, and Further information about the IoT SIG can control systems to make a single entity be found at tiny.cc/tsbiot focused on knowledge sharing for growth. https://connect.innovateuk.org/web/espktn ICT KTN The ICT KTN is the result of a merger for two KTNs the Digital Communications KTN and the Digital Systems KTN which have respectively served the interests of the communications and IT sectors separately although through regular collaboration. https://connect.innovateuk.org/web/ictktn