Europe has announced its intention to become a world leader in
high-risk IT
research with plans for mind-controlled wheelchairs, computers
that mimic the brain, and unlimited computing power.
The
European Commission thinks the region needs to catch up with
Japan, China and the US by increasing its investment in
technology.
It has pledged to increase its investment in IT - currently
standing at 100m Euros a year - by 70% by 2013.
It said, "With more investment and cooperation in high-risk
research on future information technologies, Europe can lead the
way in turning bright research ideas into future technologies."
It is calling on its 27 member states to follow its lead, saying
the potential technological breakthroughs could bring "enormous
opportunities" for Europe.
"Europe must be inventive and bold - especially in times of
crisis. Research seeds innovation which is key for Europe's
long-term global competitiveness," said Viviane Reding,
Commissioner for Information Society and Media.
The commission says Europe lags behind other regions. It says
although the EU produces almost one third of the world's scientific
knowledge, research in this sector accounts for only a quarter of
its overall research effort.
The commission has also launched the first ever European Future
Technologies Conference in Prague.
Examples of European future research include:
- A thought-navigated wheelchair that interprets brain signals
to move, helping the 300,000 people in Europe disabled from a
spinal cord injury and other novel neural implants for handicapped
people.
- Computer technology that copies the way the brain processes
information so that it can continue to work even when parts of its
hardware fail.
- More secure computers that can function faster than light
speed and process unlimited amounts of information thanks to the
first breakthrough of quantum technology research - a domain where
Europe is already a leading player.