Welcome to the weekly Futurescot Newsletter
Keeping you up-to-date with news and analysis across the public technology and innovation sector.
In the news this week, we bring you the story of a trailblazing decentralised web firm from Ayr, which is launching its platform at the end of the month after 18 years of development. MaidSafe's Autonomi platform aims to revolutionise the way people interact with the internet.
Read our coverage in full below, as well as the rest of our tech stories from the week.?. Don't forget to get in touch with your stories at [email protected] or send a tweet or DM to @futurescot_news, and please share with your colleagues.
WEB
Is the internet about to be disrupted by a little-known tech company from Ayr?
After 18 years of development, a tech company based in Ayr is about to disrupt the internet by finally launching its ‘quantum secure fully autonomous network’.
Maidsafe, founded by David Irvine in 2006, is set to unveil its long-awaited vision of the future at the end of this month, as details emerged today of its Autonomi platform.?MORE?
AI
ScotRail's AI emissions hopes
ScotRail is to deploy AI-powered digital twin technology in a bid to help reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency at its stations and depots.?MORE?
?Physios turn to AI for back pain remedy
NHS Lothian has become the first health board or trust in the UK to give patients access to an AI-powered physiotherapy clinic to patients with back pain.?MORE?
SOCIAL CARE
'Groundbreaking' IoT project to benefit retired residents
A ‘groundbreaking’ integrated housing and care technology project is to benefit residents living in a retirement housing development in South Lanarkshire.
The pilot project will see ‘unobtrusive’ sensors placed around the development in Biggar and inside each individual’s home in order to monitor property and wellbeing conditions such as temperature, humidity and motion.?MORE?
FINTECH
Fintech firms in Scotland post 8% jobs growth
Fintech firms in Scotland recorded an 8% growth rate in jobs last year, bringing the total number of people working in the sector to over 11,300. FinTech Scotland – the cluster management organisation for the sector – released new data today, which highlighted the significant contribution to the economy that continues to be made by the shift to financial technologies.?MORE?
BIOMETRICS
Scottish councils still using controversial Hikvision tech
Scottish local authorities and police are still using Chinese government-linked surveillance cameras despite security and human rights concerns raised by MPs four years ago. At least 22 councils have cameras supplied by Hikvision installed across their sites, with nine local authorities serving more than 1.5 million people using them for public space CCTV, a Times investigation found.?MORE?
领英推荐
CONNECTIVITY
Glasgow's James Watt School of Engineering to lead 6G research
Glasgow University’s James Watt school of engineering will take part in pioneering 6G telecommunications research – working on the design of new smart materials to enable ultrafast, low latency data transfers.
Engineers at the university will work will colleagues at the Tyndall National Institute’s Wireless Communications Laboratory (WCL) in Ireland on the groundbreaking research.
MORE?
TECH AWARDS
Extension granted for Scotland’s digital technology awards ceremony
Companies and individuals entering Scotland’s annual Digital Technology Awards ceremony have been given a five-day extension to apply. Applicants now have until Tuesday, January 14, to get their entries into ScotlandIS – the cluster management organisation for the tech sector in Scotland.?MORE?
CAMPAIGN LAUNCH
Optimising Microsoft licensing together
A new Futurescot campaign, in partnership with Brightsolid, is set to bring to light the often-overlooked complexities of Microsoft licensing and the significant financial opportunities hidden within proper management and optimisation. This initiative seeks to raise awareness among public sector and corporate leaders in Scotland about the potential cost savings and operational benefits they can achieve by understanding and addressing their Microsoft licensing structures.
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?BRIEFINGS
New ultrasound imaging technique reliably spots prostate cancer, initial patient trial reveals
A groundbreaking new imaging approach developed by researchers at Heriot-Watt University has shown ‘extremely encouraging’ results in early-stage clinical trials on prostate cancer at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland. The ongoing clinical trial demonstrated an initial 94% sensitivity rate in tumour detection. The new test is delivered in less than 20 minutes and relies on existing clinical ultrasound equipment.?MORE?
How Scotland plans to lead in AI, sustainable data centres, and cyber defence
Scotland stands at a crossroads in tech as AI demands outstrip skills, hybrid work reshapes talent pipelines, green energy fuels data centre opportunities, and cyber threats push for security standardisation. The key is bold action and strategic thinking to change these challenges into lasting advantages.?MORE?
Young people in Scotland deserve better than an unregulated digital wild west
Years from now we will look back on the days when children were given virtually unregulated access to the internet with complete disbelief. A leading addiction expert has warned that more young people than ever are becoming hooked on screens – spending every waking hour scrolling social media or gaming.?MORE?
PUBLIC SECTOR IT CONTRACTS
Scotland Excel goes to tender on a ￡13 million managed security operations centre for Scottish local councils
Scotland Excel - the procurement body - has gone to tender on a ￡13 million managed security operations centre for Scottish local authorities.?MORE?
Scottish Environment Protection Agency awards enterprise resource planning (ERP) software contract
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has awarded a ￡600,000 contract to Harrogate-based Unit4 Business Software Limited for the provision of a Cloud Based ERP System.?MORE?
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