The impact of future trends on information businesses

Research and innovation event explores a wealth of future technology trends

Exploring the potential for data integration was the focus of the Terra future research and innovation conference at Ordnance Survey.

The event looked at the impact of future trends on information businesses, with more than 130 invited thought leaders from business, government and academia gathered to express their views on new and evolving technologies, societal change and consumer demands.

Keynote speaker Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, opened the event exploring how the semantic web – an automated extension of the web using machine-readable information to share and reuse data – has the potential to boost its reach and functionality:

"Everything can be given a uniform resource identifier (URI), which describes concepts as well as objects. Translating your data into Resource Description Framework (RDF) language means you can explain what it does, make it available and connect to other people."

Read the full news release.   

This conference was held on 19 September 2006 | Ordnance Survey, Southampton, SO16 4GU

Keynote speaker: Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Inventor of the World Wide Web

Other speakers were:

• John Darlington
• Daniel Erasmus
• Leticia Gutierrez Villarías
• Mike Liebhold
• Glenn Lyons
• Robin Mannings
• Sheila Moorcroft 
• Dr. Tracy Ross
• Jens Jacobsen
• Dr. Cathy Dolbear

Inventor of the World Wide Web and keynote speaker Sir Tim Berners-Lee  introduced and inspire debate on the future of location information. Key themes include the semantic web and the growing importance of geographic information. 

Other high-profile industry speakers, were Mike Liebhold of the Institute for the Future and Professor Glenn Lyons, Director for the Centre of Transport and Society, who discussed topics related to new and evolving technologies and the impact of societal change, globalisation and policy on the future development of information businesses.

Terra future welcomed thought leaders and innovation drivers to this unique and convivial event, to interact and share ideas that place location at the heart of their thinking.

For more information email Sherrie-Lee Samuel.

The 2005 pages are still available to give you a flavour of last year's event.