Pictures of the Future Fall 2006
Inventors & Innovators – Expert Interview
The Environment Is the Interface
Interview with Viviane Reding and Reinhold Achatz
The Information Society is about a better life for everyone. NESSI — the Networked European Software and Services Initiative—is a visionary program supported by key European companies and the European Union that could transform our cars, homes and institutions into intuitive, service-based interfaces.
Dr. Viviane Reding (55) is European Union Commissioner for Information Society and Media. Her political career began in 1979 when she became a member of Luxembourg’s Parliament. From 1989 to 1999 she served as leader of Luxembourg’s European People’s Party delegation in the European Parliament. In 1999 she became Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth, Media and Sport. Mrs. Reding holds a doctorate in human sciences from the Sorbonne, Paris
Software and related services are a 67 billion-euro-per-year industry in Europe. What’s the role of this sector for the EU’s information society?
Reding: This sector plays a key role in the information society, and, with an expected 5.8 % annual growth rate in 2006 and 2007, is the fastest growing ICT market segment. Software, grids and service technologies are powerful enablers for many of Europe’s key industries, such as mobile telephony, telecommunications, automotive, aircraft, and the financial services industries. Large software systems also support vital aspects of our daily lives. The ability to produce software and deliver services in an efficient and economic way is therefore something that Europe should cultivate.
Achatz: Software drives innovation, and innovation drives business. In the automotive area, for instance, ninety percent of innovations are software-related. What’s more, we are experiencing an on-going shift from hardware to software. So the importance of software is growing steadily.
What are NESSI’s goals and how is the program designed to accelerate the introduction of e-services throughout the EU?
Reding: The Networked Software and Services Initiative is industry led; and it is important to note that it is not a Commission initiative and receives no financial support from European Community funds. This said, NESSI’s stated objectives—to provide new approaches for developing services in an open environment, and to deliver them efficiently through utility-like infrastructures and devices—are a clear answer to the challenges faced by European industry. To facilitate the delivery of innovative e-services that can compete successfully across Europe and worldwide, NESSI should be based on widely-open standards that will allow companies and individuals to deliver and use services across countries with a high level of interoperability and market acceptance.
Achatz: NESSI sets the stage for a framework that will allow us to define a service platform while providing services for industry segments, such as the healthcare and automotive sectors. Naturally, open source is an important part of that picture—as is, from our point of view, commercial software. Our philosophy is to treat open source and commercial software equally and leave it to the implementers and providers to decide which offers the best solution for customers.
Reinhold Achatz (52) is head of Siemens Corporate Research and Technologies. With Siemens since 1980, he has held numerous management positions in Germany and the U.S., Until his current appointment, he served as vice president for Software and Engineering at Siemens Corporate Technology in Munich with responsibility for Siemens’ software and engineering strategy. Mr. Achatz is a member of Siemens’ Innovation Steering Committee, a member of the Siemens VDO (automotive) Technology Board, and a member of the board of the EU’s ARTEMIS project, as well as board member and vice chairman of the EU’s NESSI project
Many kinds of convergence are taking place in the ICT and media sectors. One of these is the way diverse platforms for delivering e-services are coming together. What does this mean within the NESSI context?
Reding: The convergence of information society and media services, networks and devices is already well advanced. Voice over IP, Web TV, on-line music, movies on mobile phones—all this already exists. Market demand for ever more sophisticated services will reinforce the need for more usable systems with vastly greater capacity and functionality. In this scenario, a crucial missing piece is a reliable environment that will allow easy development of e-services, as well as a utility-like service infrastructure for the deployment, delivery and management of e-services. This service utility will allow the sharing of converged computing, communication and media resources and delivery of knowledge to citizens and organizations. In fact, it could become the backbone of the 21st century service-oriented knowledge economy. I therefore welcome NESSI’s ambition to support this goal.
Achatz: I agree one hundred percent with that vision. The convergence of service platforms is a great vision and primary objective of NESSI. However, there is still a long way to go before we get there. Obviously, major players are involved in NESSI, which makes me bullish about its future. But on the other hand, some of those players have entrenched interests. We will have to work closely with them to understand their concerns. But I am very optimistic that we will be able to achieve that within the context of the NESSI vision.
What’s driving all this convergence, and does this perhaps mean that as a society we are turning a corner—becoming a different kind of economy?
Reding: The information society is moving from a pilot phase to wide deployment as the ICT world becomes more mature and global. The convergence of digital networks, content and devices is radically changing the ICT sector itself, as well as the way we use ICT in society and the economy. But the benefits of an increasingly "digital" lifestyle depend crucially on our ability to greatly improve the quality, as well as the reliability of essential services. All in all, from an economic standpoint, the convergence of technologies will cause an unprecedented change in the market.
Achatz: I have no doubt that we are turning the corner on a new kind of economy. Until now the paradigm for accessing information has been the computer. That is about to change. Soon, the environment itself, be it a car, an office or a home, will provide pervasive access to services through a range of devices. Those devices will be things we do not today associate with communication. They will be things such as wheelchairs, refrigerators, and cars. These objects will be intelligent—that is, equipped with wireless microprocessors—and each will allow us to access utility-like information services in ways that simplify our lives. NESSI will allow these varied devices to use all kinds of services and communicate sensor information to a software platform.
What sorts of changes do you foresee as a result of the adoption of a common technology platform?
Reding: The information society is about a better life for everyone. Let me give you a few examples where NESSI might help: Innovative public services, such as online procurement can help cut red tape and simplify administrative procedures for businesses. When we reach our target of fifty percent take-up of online procurement, Europe will save €40 billion a year. New technologies can make healthcare more efficient, while responding to the increasing demand for health services in an ageing society.
Achatz: NESSI will facilitate new, more immediate, forms of communication. For instance, a wheelchair may be able to help a disabled person find ramps and elevators. In the kitchen, simply saying the words "lemon cake" might bring up an online recipe and automatically generate a shopping list based on what is not available at home. Sensors that are seamlessly integrated in the everyday environment will be able to use built-in intelligence to identify an emergency situation and trigger a call for help from the most appropriate source.
What are your hopes for the Networked European Software and Services Initiative, and how will Europe be different in ten years if it can be successfully implemented?
Reding: My hope is that NESSI will be successful in helping European industry to take a leadership role in exploiting the potential of advanced software, grids and e-services. With the economy moving towards a service-centric model and with the pervasive nature of software and IT services, the potential impact encompasses the entire value chain in all innovative business sectors. To reiterate what I said earlier, Europe needs vibrant industry and a market with choice for consumers. This is how we will get growth and new jobs. I trust that NESSI—and Siemens—will help us achieve this vision.
Achatz: My expectation is that within ten years the NESSI vision will be a reality for everybody. That means integrated services that are easy to access for people of all ages, regardless of income, language, culture or health conditions. It means your environment will be so smart that it will understand your needs and automatically translate them into the appropriate services. The service platform will be immediate and intuitive. In short, the environment will be the interface.
Interview conducted by Arthur F. Pease
For additional information, visit: www.nessi-europe.com