PLATINUM SPONSOR:

Computing Continuum:

The Next Frontier of the IoT, Edge and Web3.0

10 October 2023

Area42, Rue des Palais 46, 1030 Brussels, Belgium

 

Computing Continuum allows the exploitation of hybrid IoT-Edge-Cloud infrastructures with great flexibility while guaranteeing high-performance. Using Edge Intelligence (EI) enables executing computation tasks as close as possible to the data/event sources, to enable complex yet time-sensitive applications of artificial intelligence (AI) over resource-constrained IoT devices. Such a transition of AI algorithms and models from the Cloud to the peripheral ecosystem and vice versa makes the EI beneficial for the whole spectrum of domains which are today limited by the conventional "sense-and-forward" approach typical of Cloud-based architectures.

We will explore how IoT and Edge Computing business driven scenarios and use cases can support these objectives and challenges, in particular how to deal with current energy crisis, CO2 reduction, support circular economy and digital product passport, impact on manufacturing and data spaces and measuring climate impact, examine real-world use cases and international deployment of IoT, Edge and Web 3.0 as complimentary solutions, provide insights into where the Cloud-Edge Continuum ecosystem is going to struggle in the near future related to digital skills from policy, research/academia and industry perspective. Examples will be presented of how I+D is challenged with Advanced Digital Skills shortage, together with what are our current options to act today and secure a competitive European Cloud-Edge industry tomorrow and discuss what is next frontier in the computing continuum and how AIOTI can best contribute to overcome identified challenges, having in mind key European policies and experience from other regions.

We will also present AIOTI initiated and led Web3 Accelerator demonstrate practical WEB3 implementations while enabling public and private user engagement and regulatory sandboxes and give for the first time AIOTI Award as recognition for exceptional achievements of our community.

AGENDA

8.00        Registration and Welcome Coffee

8.30        Opening and Welcome

Jürgen Sturm, AIOTI Management Board Chairman

Tanya Suarez, AIOTI Management Board Member and Event Moderator

8.35        Keynote panel, moderated by Tanya Suarez

Axel Voss, Member of the European Parliament

Jürgen Sturm, AIOTI Management Board Chairman

9.35     Session 1:         Climate and Resource Resilience

The ongoing challenges in energy production, distribution and consumption due to the ongoing political development in Europe, COVID related disruption and striving to achieve objectives of the green transition are additional layers on top of the already existing challenges in climate transition and resilience.

The green and digital transition should generate new business in particular in the area of using IoT and edge computing as enablers to reduce the energy and carbon footprint in vertical industries. AIOTI focused on providing guidelines and a methodology to IoT and Edge Computing technologies and services stakeholders on making informed choices on (1) how to assess the carbon footprint of solutions and services they use, (2)  include selection criteria that are needed to help stakeholders to select the most suitable PCF methodology for each considered scenario, industry sector, initiatives and standards, existing methodologies of measuring ICT carbon footprint and how they can be applied to IoT and Edge Computing, and (3) measure how these methodologies support carbon footprint reduction of their use.

In this session we will show how IoT and Edge Computing business driven scenarios and use cases can support these objectives and challenges, in particular how to deal with current energy crisis, CO2 reduction, support circular economy and digital product passport, impact on manufacturing and data spaces and measuring climate impact.

Moderator:      Georgios Karagiannis, AIOTI Digital for Climate TF Leader (Huawei)

Panelists:

1   Dieter Wegener, Vice-President and Head of External Cooperation, Siemens

2   Ilias Iakovidis, European Commission, DG Connect, Adviser for Digital Aspects of Green Transformation

3   Gauthier de Villenfagne, Lenovo Belgium, Country Manager Infrastructure Solutions Group

4   Luis Neves, GeSI, Chief Executive Officer

10.20    Q&A

10.35      Coffee Break

10.45    Session 2:         Applying the Computing Continuum in the real world

IoT has enabled the measurement and instrumentation of the world around us. Edge computing has enabled our world to become intelligent and automated. Now, Web 3.0 promises to enrich our digital world with context and meaning. This confluence of technologies is driving transformation across multiple industries.

In this session, we examine real-world use cases and international deployment of IoT, Edge and Web 3.0 as complimentary solutions:

  • How did we get here – The evolution from IoT to the meta-world
  • Real-world deployment (European and global perspective - US, India, China, Korea)
  • Major sectoral challenges and use cases (Healthcare, Energy, Manufacturing, Mobility)
  • How is this next frontier going to deliver real transformation where IoT and cloud growth has been slower than expected?

Moderator:      Charles Sturman, (Tech Work)

Panelists:

1   Max Lemke, European Commission, DG Connect, Head of IoT Unit

2   Philippe Sayegh, Chief Adoption Officer, Verses Global

3   Kurt Dusterhoff, Manager, Technology Strategy Unit, Fujitsu Research of Europe Limited

4   Jan-Willem Lammers, Principal Technologist, VMWare

11.30    Q&A

11.45      Presentation of AIOTI Award finalists and Voting

12.30      Lunch break and networking

13.15      AIOTI Award Ceremony

13.30    Session 3:         Advanced Digital Skills to deliver on promise of the Computing Continuum

This session will provide insights into where the Cloud-Edge Continuum ecosystem is going to struggle in the near future related to digital skills from policy, research/academia and industry perspective. Examples will be presented of how I+D is challenged with Advanced Digital Skills shortage, together with what are our current options to act today and secure a competitive European Cloud-Edge industry tomorrow.

Moderator:      Brendan Rowan (BluSpecs)

Panelists:

1   Rehana Schwinniger-Ladak, European Commission, DG Connect, Head of Interactive technologies, Digital for Culture and Education (TBC)

2   Jacob Sherson, Aarhus University, Head of Center for Hybrid Intelligence, Departments of Management, Physics, and Cognitive Science

3   Siemens representtive (TBC)

4   Industry Use Case member from MetaOs (TBD)

14.15    Q&A

14.30      Coffee Break

14.45    Session 4:         The Next Frontier for Computing Continuum

In this session, the moderators from previous sessions will summarise findings of the sessions and discuss what is next frontier in the computing continuum and how AIOTI can best contribute to overcome identified challenges, having in mind key European policies and experience from other regions.

Moderator:      Francois Fischer, AIOTI Steering Board Chairman (FSCOM)

Panelists:

1   Georgios Karagiannis, AIOTI Digital for Climate TF Leader (Huawei)

3   Charles Sturman (Tech Work)

4   Brendan Rowan (BluSpecs)

15.30    Q&A

15.45    Presentation:   Web3 Accelerator

The accelerator, led by AIOTI and its members, is initiated to help the ecosystem to deploy proper and interoperable WEB3 solutions based on insights and components provided by the AIOTI community.

Newly published, assessed and certified testbeds will demonstrate practical WEB3 implementations while enabling public and private user engagement and regulatory sandboxes.

The purpose of this presentation is to demonstrate the outcomes and winners of the Hackathon and how experimentation that is based on the AIOTI WEB3 Accelerator will be implemented during the Belgian EU Presidency.

Presenter: Tom De Block, AIOTI Web3 Accelerator Task Force Leader

16.30    Wrap-up & announcement of the next edition