The seven technology families

Innovation UK

The fourth pillar from the UK’s Innovation Strategy focuses on mission-oriented policies that direct innovation to tackle complex technology families and societal challenges. The UK needs to discover and concentrate on technologies with market potential and strategic interests to tackle these challenges.

The UK has conducted a process called horizon scanning, which examines information to identify potential threats, risks, emerging issues, and opportunities. Through this process seven technology families have been identified which include:

Advanced materials and manufacturing

First, with this technology family refers to the new and innovative materials with interesting and useful properties that solve major societal challenges. These materials include:

Metamaterials with unique tunable electromagnetic properties
2D materials
Self-healing materials

By concentrating on this technology family, the UK will be better prepared to survive harsh conditions, investigate the ocean’s depths, and transport the fuel of the future. An example of this technology comes from QinetiQ who developed a stealth material technology that can be deployed cost-effectively into traditional wind turbine design and manufacturing processes, eliminating the planning constraint caused by the interference of wind turbines with air traffic and weather radar. The technology has been deployed successfully in several wind turbine farm installations internationally.

Energy and environment technologies

Second, with the UK’s net zero goal set for 2050, energy and environmental technologies will be critical to achieving this goal and protecting the world. This, within the technology families includes:

The energy generation
Energy storage
Energy management systems
Waste management
Carbon captures

By concentrating on this technology family, the UK will be able to improve the environment around the country and the world. An example of this technology is Heliogen. Their main focus is developing solar energy solutions that are powerful enough to eliminate the need for fossil fuel energy. Their solar power technologies use AI to align their panels in the most efficient positions to maximise the amount of energy they can produce.

Electronics, photonics and quantum technologies

Third, this technology family includes various hardware and embedded software that allows products to sense and measure; communicate; be powered; have intelligence, and be controlled and automated. This technology family includes:

Photonics
Advanced sensing
Microelectronics

By concentrating on this technology family, the UK will further AI capabilities, deliver the internet of things (IoT), create autonomous vehicles, and enable various MedTech for healthcare. One example of this technology is from NPL. They have a rich heritage in exploring, developing and applying quantum science. They aim to harness these quantum effects to deliver increased information processing power, secure communications, high-precision navigation and earlier diagnosis of diseases.

AI, digital and advanced computing

Fourth, there is a huge potential to improve the UK economy and society by combining data with digital and computing technologies. Within the technology families this includes:

AI & machine learning (ML)
Augmented & virtual reality
Blockchain
High-Performance Computing
Cyber Security
Quantum Computing

By concentrating on this technology family, the UK will entrench itself into Industry 4.0 and remain at the cutting edge of technology. An example of this technology is from DataRobot. The platform enables organisations to leverage the transformational power of AI by delivering the world’s only AI Cloud platform combined with an AI-native strategic success team to help customers rapidly turn data into value.

Robotics and smart machines

Fifth, the world of robotics and automation are no longer confined to the manufacturing industry and factor environments. The future will see an increase in independent, resilient and scalable smart machines, which will often operate alongside people in their jobs or helping at home. This technology family includes:

Robotics and smart machines
Autonomous vehicles

By concentrating on this technology family, the UK will enhance robotic strengths and help businesses apply them across our lives at home, work and play. An example of this technology is from Optimus Ride. They are an autonomous shuttle company on a mission to drive the future of transportation. They are committed to delivering the safest, smartest advancement and adoption of AV technology to address critical transportation needs in localised environments

Engineering Biology

Sixth, this technology family joins physical science and engineering with biology and can move the UK towards a bio-based economy. This technology has led to plastic-free packaging, improved silk fibres, and other nature-inspired solutions. This technology family includes:

Synthetic biology
Agritech

This technology family will continue to create new and exciting business growth opportunities and contribute to the UK’s climate goals. An example of this technology is from Apeel. They use materials in the peels, seeds, and pulp of all fruits and vegetables to create an extra protective peel that seals moisture and keeps oxygen out. It means less produce goes to waste throughout the supply chain—from grower to retailer to consumers at home. Less waste for you means less waste for the planet and a more abundant future for us all.

Bioinformatics and genomics

Seventh, this technology family is essential to improving the UK’s environment, enhancing human health, and sustainably feeding the world’s population. This technology family includes:

Omics
Personalised & precision medicine
Disease control (human)
Medical imaging
Targeted therapy

This technology family has given the world regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and the COVID-19 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines. An example of this technology is from Yourgene Health. They are an international molecular diagnostics group that develops integrated genomic technologies and services enabling precision medicine. Yourgene primarily develops, manufactures, and commercialises simple and accurate molecular diagnostic solutions for reproductive health, precision medicine and infectious diseases.

Finally, in the future there is a role for government and businesses to unleash technology innovations and wide-spread adoption across businesses and the wider economy.

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Some of the above information has been sourced from the UK Innovation Strategy put together by the Department for Business, Energy, & Industrial Strategy.

Hit this link to access the UK governments Evidence for the UK Innovation Strategy!