Outcome of the Open Platforms for Innovation Session at FIA Aalborg

posted 15 Jun 2012, 06:45 by Martin Waldburger

Main Take-aways

The Future Internet is currently addressed by several large R&D programmes in the different regions and related countries. This session was focusing on the EU (Future Internet Public Private Partnership and FIRE) and US (IGNITE and GENI) perspectives, analyzing the differences and complementarities in the approaches, business, challenges and involved stakeholders. The session gathered up to 70 participants in the room, providing the opportunity of a well balanced mix of presentations, discussions and Q/As. The session contributed to develop detailed mutual understanding between the EU and US approaches and identify potential synergies and convergence points. It is anticipated that the discussion will be furthered in the context of the forthcoming TRIDENTCOM conference (11-13.06.12 – Thessaloniki), GENI Engineering Conference - GEC (09-11.07.12 – Boston) and Dublin FIA (February 13 – Dublin).
Session Summary
Rapporteurs/organisers:
Didier Bourse (Alcatel-Lucent, France),
Petra Turkama (Aalto University, Finland),
Serge Fdida (University Pierre et Marie Curie  – France).

Session contributors:
Per Blixt (European Commission, Belgium),
Suzanne Iacono (National Science Foundation, USA),
Chip Elliott (GENI Project Office (GPO), USA),
Jose Jimenez (Telefonica I+D, Spain),
Alex Galis (UCL, United Kingdom).

The Future Internet is currently addressed by several large R&D programmes in the different regions and related countries. This session was focusing on the EU (Future Internet Public Private Partnership and FIRE) and US (IGNITE and GENI) perspectives, analyzing the differences and complementarities in approaches, business, challenges and involved stakeholders.
The session was kicked-off by Didier Bourse who explained the context and ambitions of this session, introduced the speakers and highlighted the US and EC approaches for Future Internet research. He then presented specific perspectives to structure the discussion (see slides 11-13/15 of the related presentation), including the layered and using/building approach, the respective programmes features and a set of additional questions (e.g. what would be the value chain, value sustainability and exploitation of the developed platforms and the usage areas applications? What are the detailed KPIs / characteristics / expected outcomes of the platforms, beyond the initial qualification?...).
Petra Turkama and Chip Elliott introduced respectively the FI PPP and IGNITE programmes. Beyond the contractual presentation of the FI PPP, Petra Turkama stressed the first year programme experience in terms of achievements and challenges (see slides 7/8 of the related presentation). The Core Platform (FI-WARE project) and the forthcoming Usage Areas pilots / experimentation (to be developed in the FI PPP Phase 2) are key elements of the FI PPP developments. The session participants were also invited to find out more about the Programme and the upcoming Phase 2 Open Call at www.fi-ppp.eu. Chip Elliott introduced the IGNITE programme that has been recently announced and is under contractualization. He explained in details how US IGNITE leverages current NSF-funding in GENI across U.S. campuses and cities (see slides 7-14/14 of the related presentation).
The panel was then introduced by Serge Fdida and Per Blixt. Chip Elliott and Jose Jimenez introduced respectively the FIRE programme, GENI programme and FI PPP Core Platform (FI-WARE project). Per Blixt highlighted the connection and interdependency between FI PPP and FIRE (complement testing, mid term (FI-PPP) market, long term (FIRE) research) and the next steps in the FIRE developments (see slides 3-5/6 or the related presentation). Chip Elliott provided details on the GENI developments and architecture, and stressed the current 100-200 US campuses expansion (see slides 4-5/6 of the related presentation). Jose Jimenez provided details on the FI PPP Core Platform and Generic Enablers and stressed the challenge of building an open application platform, highlighting that innovation requires much more effort than research (see slide 4-7/8 or the related presentation).
The very interactive and lively panel discussion and Q/As session was targeting answers to the following questions:
(1) Different or common potential innovation channels and innovators?
(2) Different or common (technical) challenges for each of the targeted vertical applications domain?
(3) Different or common enablers for experimentation, pilots and tests beds?
(4) Different or common roles for industry?
(5) Different or common roles for academic / research centers? and
(6) Different or common expected exploitation plans and success factors?
The main discussion points focused on the openness, scalability and sustainability of the developed platforms, the technical/technological enablers for these platforms, the experimental approaches (test beds, pilots, prototypes…) and the architectural perspectives.
The session gathered up to 70+ participants in the room, providing the opportunity of a well balanced mix of presentations, discussions and Q/As. The session contributed to develop detailed mutual understanding between the EU and US approaches and identify potential synergies and convergence points. It is anticipated that the discussion with be furthered in the context of the forthcoming TRIDENTCOM conference (11-13.06.12 – Thessaloniki) GENI Engineering Conference – GEC14 (09-11.07.12 – Boston) and Dublin FIA (February 13 – Dublin). A specific session in the Dublin FIA could be targeted on the FI PPP Core Platform (FI-WARE) use and usage.

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