There is a constant demand for increased safety and security in almost every aspect of our lives – from personal emergency and home security systems, to government-led protection from crime and terrorism. However, such systems need to be reliable and easy to use – an area in which ambient intelligence will be an essential element.
Nanoelectronics will provide the necessary intelligent sensors, computing power and reliability at cost levels that allow safety and security to be built into the fabric of our environment – whether in low cost personal systems that are affordable to consumers, or in high-performance, highly efficient systems for secure banking, identity card and safety-critical systems. The demand will be on miniaturisation and integration of a wide range of sensor, electro-mechanical and optoelectronic devices that can communicate reliably by wired and wireless networks.
