Impact in digital technologies and empowerment

Digital technologies are used to store, process, share and transmit information. This includes computers, smartphones, tablets, cloud services, artificial intelligence, blockchains, robotics, virtual reality, augmented reality, IoT (Internet of Things) and more.

Digital technology has changed the way people communicate, work, acquire information and spend their free time. Digital technologies have enabled the development of new business models, products and services, which have an impact on society and the wider economy.

There are many examples of digital transformation across various industries. Here are a few:

1.  Retail: The rise of e-commerce and mobile shopping has transformed the retail industry.
2.  Healthcare: Digital technology is transforming the healthcare industry, from telemedicine and remote patient monitoring to electronic health records and data analytics. These technologies are improving patient outcomes and making healthcare more accessible and efficient.
3. Finance: Fintech companies are using digital technology to disrupt traditional banking and financial services. Mobile banking apps, online lending platforms, and blockchain technology are just a few examples of digital transformation in finance.
4. Manufacturing: The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is transforming manufacturing by connecting machines and equipment to the internet, allowing for real-time monitoring and analysis. This data can be used to optimize production processes and improve product quality.
5. Education: Digital technology is transforming education, from online learning platforms to virtual reality classrooms. These technologies are making education more accessible and personalized, allowing students to learn at their own pace and in their own way.

And we are moving fast. We can just imagine how the world looks like after 10 or 20 years by exploiting full benefit out from metaverse, quantum and AI.

We can simply say that digitalization is everywhere. Digital empowerment doesn’t only mean development of new technologies or transformation that enables in various applications and businesses. It also means people's ability to use digital technology efficiently and appropriately. It means skills development and training to enable people to use digital technology to find information, communicate, work and participate in society.

This topic is so wide and multidimensional. To narrow it down, even a bit, I will in this paper concentrate on technologies.

Global R&D Focuses and VTT

Microelectronics

One important technology area for digital transformation is microelectronics. Microelectronics is a field of electronics that deals with the manufacture and use of very small electronic components.  Integrated electronics, also known as integrated circuits or Ics, or chips, are miniature electronic circuits that are made up of a large number of tiny electronic components, such as transistors, resistors, and capacitors, that are all embedded onto a single piece of semiconductor material, typically silicon. This allows for complex electronic functions to be performed in a very small space, making ICs an essential component in modern electronics, from computers and smartphones to medical devices and automobiles.

Photonics is a technology that uses photons (particles of light) instead of electrons to transmit and process information. The advantage of using photons over electrons is that photons can travel faster and farther with less energy loss, which makes photonics a promising technology for developing faster and more efficient communication systems. Photonic integrated circuits and chips can revolutionize numerous applications from optical communication and quantum computing to medical imaging, gas sensing and autonomous vehicles.

While not all technology development requires microelectronics, it is fair to say that microelectronics has played a significant role in the development of many modern technologies. Microelectronics has enabled the miniaturization of electronic components and devices, making them smaller, faster, and more efficient. This has led to the development of many new technologies and products that have transformed our world, such as smartphones, laptops, medical devices, and many others.

At VTT we focus our R&D especially on:

• New materials and devices for MEMS sensors 
• New computing architectures utilizing post-CMOS integration for edge computing
• Silicon photonics and RF MEMS filters for 6G
• Quantum devices

Embedded, Flexible Systems

Electronic system doesn’t always need to be built on a traditional rigid or flexible Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) It can be also manufactured and embedded directly into  larger structures such as inside glass windows, floor laminates, plastic mechanics or textiles to create novel sustainable products with significant weight and space reduction combined with freedom of design.

One way to manufacture embedded, flexible systems is printed electronics. Printed electronics refer to the use of printing techniques to create electronic devices and systems. This involves printing electronic components and circuits onto a variety of substrates, such as paper, plastic, or fabric, using specialized inks and printing processes. Printed electronics can be used to create a wide range of electronic devices, such as sensors, displays, and batteries, and are often used in applications where required stretchability and reduced weight and space, such as flexible,wearable and structural electronics. 

At VTT we focus our R&D especially on:

• Wearable and stretchable electronics
• Sustainable electronics systems with bio-based material alternatives, energy efficient Roll-to-Roll manufacturing processes, novel product architectures with structural electronics and novel energy harvesting and storage solutions
• Novel diagnostics solutions

Quantum Computing

Quantum computing is a type of computing that uses quantum-mechanical phenomena, such as superposition, to perform operations on data. Unlike classical computing, which uses bits to represent data as either 0 or 1, quantum computing uses qubits, which can represent both 0 and 1 at the same time. This allows quantum computers to perform certain calculations much faster than classical computers.

Quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize fields such as cryptography, chemistry, and materials science, but it is still in the early stages of development and faces many technical challenges. On some measures, the computational power of quantum computers is now advancing faster than Moore’s law, promising significant application surprisingly soon.

At VTT we focus our R&D especially on:

• Quantum technologies foresight
• Quantum computing algorithms and applications
• Quantum technology hardware, including sensors, quantum computers
• Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and quantum-key distribution (QKD)

Sustainability

Sustainability is very important topic in the electronics R&D. Sustainability means the responsible and ethical production, use, and disposal of electronic devices and their components. This includes reducing the environmental impact of manufacturing processes, designing products that are energy-efficient and recyclable, and promoting responsible disposal and recycling of electronic waste. Some ways to promote sustainability in electronics include using renewable energy sources in production, reducing the use of hazardous materials, promoting the reuse and repair of electronic devices, and implementing effective recycling programs.

At VTT we bring sustainability systematically in to all our R&D topics.

AI and Big Data

At the end, lets come back to applications and summarize the most important application areas for VTT R&D in AI and big data. VTT uses artificial intelligence and big data in many areas of research and development. Here are some examples of the most important applications:

1. In Industrial automation and optimization, we optimize industrial processes, reduce energy consumption, and improve production efficiency.
2. In health and wellbeing we develop personalized healthcare solutions, such as predictive diagnostics and personalized treatment plans.
3. In Smart cities and mobility we develop smart city solutions, such as intelligent traffic management systems and smart public transportation.
4.  In Circular economy we develop circular economy solutions, such as waste reduction and resource optimization.
    

Overall, AI and big data are important tools for VTT to develop innovative solutions for a wide range of industries and societal challenges.