Open Tech Calendar

This online meeting is for anyone with an interest in IoT (Internet of Things) and data across the region, everyone is welcome. The theme for this meeting is Smart Buildings and Smart Cities, which can be made more efficient and people-friendly through use of technology including IoT.

Location:

The meeting will be held online using the Blackboard Collaborate platform. After registering, you will be sent a link beforehand.

Hosted by Mark Davies, CEO of Ioetec Ltd

Speakers: (10-15 min talks)

1. Chris Dymond - Smart Sheffield -"What should smart city professionals actually know about?"

Chris has over 30 years’ experience in digital application design, development and innovation, and now works to develop the digital capabilities of places, as the founder of Unfolding Ltd, a digital capacity building agency; co-founder and director of Sheffield Digital, the city’s digital industries association; and as a smart places consultant and teacher.

Since the Covid-19 lockdown began in March, Chris has been working with Zigurat Institute of Technology in Barcelona to design and deliver a masters degree course in Smart City Management. Over the summer, this course has been comprehensively redesigned in preparation for new accreditation and delivery in 2021 - a process which has raised interesting questions about which disciplines and areas of knowledge smart city practitioners should be familiar with in order to design and deliver successful programmes in the 2020s...?

2. Dr Ramsay Taylor - Department of Computer Science at the University of Sheffield and Dr Noukhez Ahmed, Twin Dynamics - Mixed-Fidelity Building Behaviour Models

Predicting the thermal and airflow behaviour of buildings is essential to designing and efficiently operating various building services, but especially Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC). For a large commercial or public building, HVAC can contribute a significant proportion of the operating cost and energy consumption. As a result, accurate predictive models from building data could inform HVAC management and reduce costs and energy usage. The team has been collaborating with the University of Cambridge remotely since lockdown and will share their progress to date. (Project supported by Pitch-In).

3. Andy Saunders, Partnerships Manager IoT Tribe - IoT Tribe’s Third Industrial Tech programme: Smart Buildings focus

In partnership with Barnsley Council and Barnsley Digital Media Centre (DMC), IoT Tribe is running its third accelerator programme at the DMC. From November 2020, the programme will attract industrial tech startups from across the globe to focus on developing their proof-of-value and creating links with key corporates and ecosystem players. Through the intensive acceleration programme, selected companies will connect with investors, mentors, VCs, partners and corporates.

4. Making IoT networks secure for everyone

SYNERGIA is a £2.2 million collaborative project involving Toshiba Europe, Smartia, Ioetec, MAC Ltd, Configured Things, and the University of Bristol. The aim is to develop a secure endpoint-to-core IoT Platform for large-scale networks of low-power resource-constrained devices, such as IoT sensors. The collaboration will be represented by one of more of the partners.

Time permitting, we will host an open 5 minutes towards the end for anyone wishing to shout about their relevant IoT activity/events/interests.

Our aims are to:

• Create a vibrant group around IoT and cybersecurity that enables individuals and organisations to share their capability and stimulate discussion and collaboration (sales-type pitches are discouraged).

• Enable real-world IoT applications, through facilitating technology research/development and commercial progress.

• Help position Sheffield as a leading IoT centre and lay the groundwork for larger events/activities that reinforce this reputation.

Code of Conduct:
We will follow Sheffield Digital’s code of conduct for meetups.