Welcome to the second of our Society Insights series. In our first blogpost about this series we explained that the Society Insights series looks at the subjects IET Local Networks are bringing to the wider public's attention.
For our second Society Insights digest we look at three topics that IET Local Networks have been discussing – food engineering, flood risk management and the Internet of Things, which we feel will impact on the wider public now and in the coming years. What follows are a summary of what these talks discussed...
Food engineering
IET Somerset and West Wiltshire Local Network
Steve Long’s talk on the process of turning caught fish into the fish fingers you find in the supermarket gave an insight into how engineering efficiently provides food on the table.
Steve, an IET volunteer, believes that the public are now seeing the importance of becoming aware of where food comes from and how it is produced.
“Because of recent food issues, starting with BSE and more recently with the contamination of horse meat, people are much more concerned about where their food comes from,” Steve says.
“Having worked in food processing there are certain products I would not eat having seen how they are produced – even in this country,” he continues. “I think the public would and should be very concerned about how easy it is to infiltrate meat products with lower standard products to increase yields from all areas.
“Only by looking into the food process can people have confidence in the system and I believe that it is the role of the IET to show this to the public where possible,” he notes.
Can information in the UK food supply chain help reduce waste and drive efficiencies? Read the IET Design and Production Sector's Insight.
Flood risk management
IET Wales South West Local Network
Due to the devastating flooding the UK has seen in recent years flood risk management is a hot topic and at a talk on the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, Professor Mike Phillips, from the University of Wales, discussed climate change and its consequences for coastal regions.
“People and their properties are at risk,” Mike says. “Once homes are flooded owners will have difficulty getting insurance and their properties will become blighted. In the worst cases they will not be able to get a mortgage.”
Mike notes that the biggest challenges for engineers is the prediction of events and also catchment management, but he is positive that new solutions will improve the situation.
“New modelling will enable inundation areas to be better predicted and [we could see] new land drainage strategies and more efficient pumps.”
Flood management: how to hold back the waters. Read the E & T article.
The Internet of Things
IET Mersey and Western Cheshire Local Network
Internet entrepreneur Professor Matt Wilson believes that the Internet of Things (IoT) is going to change just about everything.
His talk made the point that arguably, IoT is the third phase of the Internet, and it is an area of importance to the public because it could dramatically change how we interact with our houses, cars and even other people.
“We are leaving behind the world as we know it: the Internet of Things is going to be huge,” Matt says.
“Sometime soon, your fridge freezer will be connected to the Internet – so will your toaster, washing machine and microwave oven. Washing machines will be able to call their manufacturers to report faults and order spare parts and your fridge will order you fresh milk when it detects you’re getting low.
“We are now connecting the unconnected,” he continues. “It’s a hot topic because the implications of connecting things has major advantages, but many far reaching disadvantages if we don’t get it right.
“Without open standards and good security, IoT implementation will get very ugly and painful, resulting in risks that are incomprehensible in the present day,” he warns.
Internet of Things, the Hype and the Roadmap for Intelligent Buildings. Access the E&T Reference Paper on the IET Digital Library.
If you are interested in these types of subjects then you should attend your Local Network's events. They are usually free to attend and you don't have to be a member of the IET - these talks are open to anyone with an interest in engineering and technology and how they will impact all our lives in the future. To find your Local Network please use our interactive map.