Page 12 - Frontier Technologies to Protect the Environment and Tackle Climate Change

Frontier Technologies to Protect the Environment and Tackle Climate Change

Box 1: Some definitions of Key frontier technologies used in this
report
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 29 30

Artificial Intelligence (AI): Artificial intelligence makes it possible for machines to learn from
experience. Intelligent systems use a combination of Big Data analytics, cloud computing,
machine-to-machine communication and the Internet of Things to learn to perform cognitive
tasks: sensing, processing of oral language, reasoning, decision-making, displacement and
manipulation of objects, etc. AI is empowering new kinds of software and robots to act as
self-governing agents capable of operating much more independently from the decisions of
their human creators and operators than any machine has ever done. There is also potential
for them to adapt to new working environments without any reprogramming.

Internet of Things (IoT): The Internet of Things is a concept that enables advanced services
by interconnecting (physical and virtual) things based on existing and evolving interoperable
information and communication technologies. IoT is essentially about measuring and
remotely controlling previously unconnected “things”. It reaches people and objects that
older technology could not.

5G: 5G mobile and internet technology is the next generation of mobile internet connectivity
promising much faster data download and upload speeds, wider coverage and more stable
connections. It is all about making better use of the radio spectrum and enabling far more
devices to access the mobile internet at the same time.

Clean Energy Technologies: The term ‘clean energy technologies’ often refers to technologies
that produce or utilize renewable energy, such as wind farms, electric vehicles and biofuels.

Digital Twin: A digital twin is the virtual representation of a physical object or system across
its life cycle. It uses real-time data and other sources to enable learning, reasoning, and
dynamically recalibrating for improved decision making.

Robotics: Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction,
operation, and application of robots.

Space 2.0: Space 2.0 is the new age of space technology in which businesses are developing
technologies for NASA and commercial use simultaneously.
Digitalization and Big Data: Digitalization is the use of digital technologies to change a
business model and provide new revenue and value-producing opportunities. It is the
process of moving to a digital business. Big data refers to extremely large data sets that
may be analysed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations.

6