Projects in the Cambridge-MIT Partnership Programme

1. Communications Research Network

The Cambridge-MIT institute recognised the importance of the communications sector to the UK economy. Realising that there was no single organisation acting as a forum for the industry as a whole in the UK, CMI created the Communications Research Network to bring the industry together with a focus on research and how the industry might evolve in the future. The network's research had two main themes: to better understand the value chain of the industry and explore roadmaps to possible futures; and to conceive and demonstrate unexpected and disruptive visions of the future. CRN helped to inform industry about the barriers at which to focus innovation, and to inform academics about the research that would have the greatest impact on industry

2. Intelligent Book

In order to improve the teaching of complex material, and make that material available more widely, a collaborative "Intelligent Book" is being jointly developed by the University of Cambridge and MIT. The Intelligent Book collects data from large numbers of people who read it on the Web, and it uses that data in a modelling system to assess and predict reader progress and provide multimedia information tailored to a given reader’s needs. Educational materials designed for the Intelligent Book will be developed and used to teach introductory electronics at MIT and Discrete Mathematics at the University of Cambridge.

3. Internet Security Group

In the digital knowledge economy, as the value of information increases so does the importance of maintaining the security of that information. Business is becoming ever more dependent on electronic information exchange such as email and the internet, but with that dependency comes the danger of complacency. It is vital therefore that Business recognises not only the efficiency and productivity that electronic communication can deliver, but also the potential risks. We must stay alert and ask – what about security?

4. Smart Media - The Flexible Media Prototype Research Experiment

The Flexible Media Prototype Research Experiment brought together teams from industrial R&D, Creative Media Production Research, Academia and Creative Education. Together they forged a new media content form, new presentation formats for projects, and new tools for creating and exhibiting digital media stories and programmes.