29 April 2009

Promoting wider participation in the digital economy

People affected by social exclusion could find it easier to access the life-changing benefits offered by digital technologies thanks to a £12million Digital Economy Research Hub being created between the University of Newcastle and the University of Dundee.

Poor health, disability, family breakdown, poverty and unemployment are just some of the reasons why people of all ages may become marginalised from society - and may lack the skills, confidence or opportunities to access and benefit from digital technologies that have the potential to transform their lives.

The Digital Economy Research Hub is one of three new centres being created by a massive investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to help develop digital technology to transform the lives of the elderly, disabled, and people in rural communities.

The investment was announced by Lord Drayson, Minister for Science and Innovation.

Building on plans to provide universal connectivity to broadband in the UK, the new research hubs - Nottingham and Aberdeen will also host centres - are the biggest investment ever made by the research councils in creating a Digital Britain.

The University of Dundee will form a key part in the hub being led by Newcastle, which will address four fields where digital technologies and the building of a truly inclusive digital economy could deliver major social benefits: Connected Home & Community; Accessibility; Inclusive Transport Services; and Creative Industries.

'In all these areas, digital technologies can make a huge contribution to helping vulnerable people in our society,' says Professor Paul Watson from the University of Newcastle, the Hub's Director.

'Moreover, as the digital economy evolves, more advice and information - on jobs, public services, sources of support and so on - will be available online rather than through traditional means. Tackling the problem of exclusion from the digital economy is critical to tackling social exclusion as a whole.'

Research groups at the University of Dundee have years of experience in working on inclusion in digital technologies, particularly with older and disabled people.

'We have considerable experience and expertise in this area and through our community computing centre and the user groups we have built up there we can contribute a great deal to seeing what works in getting people involved with the broad range of digital technology,' said Professor Vicki Hanson, from the School of Computing at Dundee.

The user groups provide benefits to both the older adults who come to the centre and to researchers. Instructors from the university help older adults learn how to use computers. In turn, these older adults help researchers by providing input about the usability and utility of new technologies.

The benefits of getting to grips with technology are clearly shown by Dundee couple John and Joyce Gibson, both 74, who are keen members of the existing user group at the School of Computing (see case study below)

A critical aspect of shaping the Hub's research will be by working closely with people who are affected by social exclusion. The team will work with a group of 3000 volunteers from the Dundee and Newcastle areas. This will include people from a range of age groups and with a variety of disabilities and learning difficulties.

'The volunteers will help determine the direction of our research from the outset,' said Professor Hanson. 'We'll also be able to work with this group to test potential solutions, including different ways of equipping people with the digital skills they need and providing them with information necessary to access services.'

A range of private sector businesses and public sector organisations will also make a fundamental contribution to the work of the Hub. Collaborations with Philips Research, IBM and Microsoft will be developed, while Age Concern, the Alzheimer's Society and other charities will be closely involved.

'Our aim is to generate a pipeline of high-quality ideas that can make a real difference to people's lives, and then to start commercialising them as the Hub's work nears its conclusion," said Paul Watson. "As part of the Hub, we've set up a core technical team of software and hardware developers, so we'll be able to produce prototypes that are as close to the envisaged eventual products as possible. That means we could see life-transforming solutions reach the market within three to five years.'

Gary Moulton, Senior Product Manager at Microsoft, said, 'Information and communication technology can be instrumental in facilitating social inclusion, yet determining exactly how older adults can best apply and use digital products and services requires extensive interdisciplinary and user-driven research.

'Within just a couple of years, the Hub will generate innovations that will be transformational for older adults while enabling them to maintain their quality of life. Microsoft, a global leader in inclusion for people of all abilities, is eager to participate and to help with this important work.'

Frances West, Worldwide Director of the IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center, said: 'Technology that adapts to the unique needs of every individual - regardless of age or ability - is crucial to enabling economic self-sufficiency and lifelong independence.

'IBM is looking forward to collaborating with the Digital Economy Research Hub to address the needs of the aging population, which is such an important and rapidly growing part of the workforce and general population worldwide.'

Fred Boekhorst, Senior Vice President at Philips Research, said: 'Applying sense and simplicity in the home and community domain will connect a yet unaddressed large group of people to the Digital Economy and thus society.

'The Digital Economy Research Hub will allow us to uncover consumer insights and translate these into meaningful innovations that will improve people's lives.'

NOTES TO EDITORS

CASE STUDY - John and Joyce Gibson
John Gibson (74) helps lead an older person computer group at the University of Dundee, which will form the nucleus of the citizen group in the new Digital Economy Inclusion Hub.

John came to computers late in life, during his early 60’s, but quickly saw the benefits and opportunities that they could offer him. John spent some time learning by himself, but he was lucky that the village he was living in at the time got a new computer centre set up as an outreach programme from a local college. Inside the centre were plenty of learning materials. With no staff support at the centre, John quickly found himself teaching others at the same time as learning himself.

As his skills and confidence grew, he was keen to encourage and entice others to try it out. The least convinced was his wife Joyce (also 74) who took a decade of convincing before she really gave computers a proper chance. Joyce is still very clear that she is not a computer person but she appreciates that they have their uses. She likes using email to keep in contact with an old school friend who now lives in Australia. She is also happy to use the Internet to find out information such as planning holidays, as long as someone is with her to help. She is so sold on the possibilities of the Internet that she often uses ‘google’ as a verb synonymous with looking up information.

John and Joyce moved to the Dundee area in late 2003 and without his old computer centre, John missed sharing his love for technology (and the social side of meeting up regularly with others!). As luck would have it, the new Queen Mother Building that houses Dundee’s School of Computing had a purpose built space as a centre for older people. John and Joyce joined in at this centre to see what it was all about. John’s experience quickly became apparent and he became chairman, chief helper and spokesman for the group within a few short weeks. John and other older helpers work alongside researchers from the University in running the group. The setup is more informal than a traditional learning centre and people come for the social interaction as well as the help and support.

John has such a passion about what computers can do for older people that he rarely misses a session at the computer group. His experience has shown that most older people have a trigger that prompts them to want to learn to use new technology. People come to learn how to keep in touch with loved ones over email/webcams, how to access online ‘no more bag carrying’ shopping, or to find out how to use gadgets like MP3 players and digital cameras (gadgets often given to them as presents by tech-savvy grandchildren).

To find out more about the national project involving the three Hubs at Newcastle, Aberdeen and Nottingham, contact EPSRC Press Office, Tel: 01793 44 4514, Mobile 0776 889 4281, email: pressoffice@epsrc.ac.uk

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
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University of Dundee
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E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk