VTT - identifying the next big thing

WP 1 will identify emerging ICTs and likely areas of applications of these technologies. The emerging ICTs that ETICA is focusing on are those that are currently being developed and hold a realistic potential to become reality within the next 10 to 15 years. This limitation is justified because established foresight methodologies allow for claims using this horizon and also because technology development programmes have a comparable time frame. Such emerging technologies are very likely to be found in those academic and business projects where further development of concepts such as ambient intelligence, ubiquitous computing, autonomous systems, emotional computing, location sensitive devices, service robotics, convergence of ICT with other technologies, e.g. nanotechnology, or human implants are done. A list of such emerging technologies will be developed by Work Package 1, which will be led by VTT in Finland and is based on analysis of policies, strategies and visions presented in various available documents and resources related to the ICT research and development. At the same time when collecting a list of emerging ICTs we will review the assumed application areas that are foreseen to these technologies.