Computer scientists from the University of Southampton will support key developments of global scale decentralised systems as part of a new EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum launched by the European Commission.

Experts from Southampton’s Department of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS) will work with European research groups and industry partners to shape blockchain technologies that will impact digital services across different sectors, e.g. in the healthcare, finance and government services.

Blockchain technologies bring about high levels of traceability and security in online transactions by storing blocks of information that are distributed across a network. The new EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum will help Europe seize new opportunities offered by this technology by building expertise and leadership in the field.

Professor Elena Simperl and Research Fellow Dr Luis-Daniel Ibáñez from ECS’s Web and Internet Science research group will publish findings from recent research and innovation activities as part of Southampton’s contribution to the international consortium.

“The EU Blockchain Observatory is one of the first projects of this kind to be supported at a European level and will provide a comprehensive, holistic overview to a field that has been advancing at great pace,â€? Elena explains. “The University of Southampton brings in unique expertise in studies and methods to blockchain technologies which will have profound socio-technical impacts in the near future. Our work in this project will result in white papers on specialist subjects that inform thought leadership frameworks and policies in the blockchain space. In particular, we will be promoting our recent activities around interoperable distributed ledgers and their applications in creative industries, government and science, drawing upon principles that have already made the Web so successful.â€?

The EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum was launched last month February and continues the European Union’s rich investment in the field. By 2020, up to €340 million in projects could be funded through the EU’s FP7 and Horizon 2020 research programmes that could draw upon blockchain technologies.

Andrus Ansip, European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, says, “Technologies like blockchain can help reduce costs while increasing trust, traceability and security. They have huge potential for making social and economic transactions more secure online by guarding against an attack and removing the need for any middleman. We want to build on Europe's substantial talent base and excellent startups to become a leading world region that will develop and invest in the rollout of blockchain.â€?

Research from SMARTmove, a collaborative project between Electronics and Computer Science (ECS) and the Faculty of Health Sciences will be presented at the Houses of Parliament on Monday 12th March 2018 at the prestigious ‘STEM for Britain’ event. Dr Katie Meadmore, a Senior Research Fellow in Health Sciences, was shortlisted from hundreds of applicants, and will attend Parliament with Dr Neil Grabham, a Senior Research Fellow in ECS.

Katie and Neil are representing an interdisciplinary research team, funded by the Medical Research Council and led by Dr Kai Yang. The research combines cutting edge printed smart fabrics, intelligent control and health care methods to achieve wearable electrical stimulation technology that will assist arm movement in stroke survivors both in clinical settings and at home.

On the opportunity to present this research in Parliament, Katie said, ‘STEM for Britain is an excellent platform from which to advocate the need for low cost solutions to rehabilitation and to showcase our research to address this which was developed with stroke survivors. I hope that my day in Parliament will raise awareness amongst MPs of this need for rehabilitation, as well as the consequences of living with stroke more generally.’

STEM for Britain is a poster competition that aims to encourage and foster greater engagement between early-stage researchers and MPs. Stephen Metcalfe MP, Chairman of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, said: ‘This annual competition is an important date in the parliamentary calendar because it gives MPs an opportunity to speak to a wide range of the country’s best young researchers.’ The SMARTmove research will be presented to politicians, scientists and a panel of expert judges. It has been entered in to the Engineering session of the competition and judges will award a gold, silver and bronze winner.