Peter Cochrane argues that simple thinking and sustainability cannot coexist without a comprehensive approach to resource management and innovation. He emphasizes the need for new materials, energy-efficient processes, and the integration of big and small data in various industries to create sustainable solutions. The document highlights the complexities of managing resources in a technologically advanced world and warns against the potential environmental degradation caused by current IoT implementations.

1. Peter Cochrane
Simple thinking & sustainability
do not go hand-in-hand: we have
to ‘manage’ all resources and the
environment
S M A L L D AT A
BIG IMPACT
No IoT = No Sustainability
Ahmed Elmagarmid

5. Continually polishing and
i m p r o v i n g o u r e x i s t i n g
processes and industries will
not realise a sustainable future
AXO I M 1

6. We need new materials with
new properties, produced and
recycled, repurposed, reused to
a far higher degree than those
provided by nature
AXO I M 2

7. We need new fabrication and
manufacturing processes that
do far more for far less energy
and materials
AXO I M 3

8. We have to rethink the
solutions to many of our old
problems…
AXO I M 4
…and they have to use less
raw material and energy
whilst being kinder to the
environment at large

9. We need products and services
that are more durable, resilient
and adaptable, that demand
less energy and material
AXO I M 5

10. Generating energy is not the
big problem, but storage (and
distribution) is !
AXO I M 6
“A surface area/volume problem
already solved by nature (?) and
ripe for bio/nano innovation”

11. Our world is not linear, simple, not
3/4D and disconnected, it is highly
networked and complex in the ’n’
dimensional sense - and generally
beyond the human span of
thinking visualisation
AXO I M 7
Stochastic complexity on a massive
scale exhibiting fractal behaviours
f ro m a l o c a l t o a n a t i o n a l ,
international & global scale

12. Politicians, manager, financiers
are confused, confounded and
generally lack the ability to
effectively manage resources and
make long term decisions.
AXO I M 8
“ I t i s f u n d a m e n t a l l y
impossible to effectively
manage the resources of a
p l a n e t u s i n g a s i n g l e
parameter: $$ ££ €€”
“ T h e y n e e d A I
support based on
effective and tested
models”

13. observation
People love simple - it is
all so obvious and does
not involve thinking

14. o b s e rvat i o n
Thermodynamics, complexity
and non-linear systems say
otherwise, and manifest in
t h e l a w o f u n i n t e n d e d
consequences
What we don’t see here
a r e t h e s u b t l e s o c i a l
interactions and comms
between people and the
devices they carry

15. Technology
Ecology
T O B E V E RY S P E C I F I C
Economics
Society
Industry
Care
Markets
Trade
Education
Policing
Defence
Commerce
Security
Logistics
Finance
Government
Companies
W e h a v e n o m o d e l o r u n d e r s t a n d i n g
Law & Order
Defence
Education
Health
Institutions
“ S o m e t i m e s W E m i g h t
o b s e r v e o r i n f e r s o m e
l i m i t e d r e l a t i o n s h i p s a n d
typify some characteristics
however AI can produce a
comprehensive analysis and
a much fuller picture”
“ B I G D A T A t e n d s t o
furnish an ‘average view’
whilst small data gives us
the fine grain detail”

16. My new new smart and intelligent car
F UT U R E BY A N A L O GY
Composite body shell is:
- colour programmable
- self repairing
- self cleaning
- the battery
Components are:
- failure predictive
- programmable
- self diagnosing
- self repairing
- low cost production
- low maintenance
- energy efficient
- self managing
- driverless

17. All macro-information recorded/stored on-board to
be updated by the day for full product life cycle
B I G D ATA BY A N A L O GY
Primary elements:
- Manufacturer & Model
- Component sources
- Production plant
- Assembly detail
- Testing & QA
- Handling
- Shipping
- Agent
- Sale
Lifetime elements:
- Purchaser & owners
- Licensing/taxation
- Journeys and use
- Driving history
- Service/repair

18. All micro-data recorded/stored within each component to
be periodically updated for the entire component life cycle
S M A L L : D ATA BY A N A L O GY
Primary elements:
- Manufacturer & Model
- Component details
- Production plant
- Assembly detail
- Software v1.0
- Testing & QA
- Handling
- Shipping
- Sale
Lifetime elements:
- Day one operation
- Service/repair log
- Vibration analysis
- Failure prediction
- Output history
- Trend analysis
- SW updates

19. Radar and car-to-car comms
3,4,5G Net
Connect
Self contained data storage & analysis Small Data Domain
V E H I C L E-v e h i c l e C o m m s
Wireless Connect to Gas Station, Repair
Shop for SW upgrades, failure reporting
and remote diagnostics
WiFi, ZigBe,
BlueTooth ???
Radar + car-to-car comms
Networked components
accessible remotely

20. Ship to
shore Container to Container to Bridge
H I D D E N V A L U E
BIG DATA = Container, schedule/location ?
Small DATA = Status of container contents ?
In every container operation globally

21. W h o o p s !
Is it still on board ?
Are my goods damaged ?
What is the delivery date?
Where is my container?

22. H EA LT H F UT U R ES
Hospital
Medical Centre
Home Based
Technology
Push
- Patient
M i g r a t i n g c e n t r e o f g r a v i t y
Solutions for the
average
- for the
individual

23. D e v i c e t o d e v i c e
Monitoring the in:out:effect for a complete picture
Self contained home net with no net
connect - or only an aggregated
sporadic net connect

24. The coffee machine !
A N E C D OT E
Purchased
Failed in month 12
Repaired under warranty
Returned with a user report
8000 coffees consumed in one year
8760 hours in one year ~ 1 coffee/hour
Health implications
Product implications
What will our appliances
have to tell us ??
Fridge
Freezer
Microwave
Dishwasher
Washing Machine
Tumbler dryer
Oven/Hob
Security
Air-Con
Shower
+++
Designer Feedback

25. d i s t r i b u t i o n
Automated & intelligent
BIG DATA
Where has the package come
from and where is it going ?
Where is it now and what
does it contain ?
small DATA
Detailed product history of
production, storage and handling
including testing, and any
damage +++
Item
Box
Pallet
Warehouse
Container
Supplier
Customer

26. No single solution
can deal with all
forms of attack....
S e c u r i t y
T h e r e a r e n o
s i l v e r b u l l e t s …
s m a l l / B I G D a t a
B I G & s m a l l DATA f o r
m o d e l s & s y n t h e s i s e o f
a n t i d o t e s a n d p ro t e c t i o n
… a u t o i m m u n i t y i s
a m u s t t o c o p e w i t h
I o T a t t a c k s !

28. N E E D T O S H A R E
T R U M P S N E E D T O K N O W

30. How Many Devices ?
I m p l a n t e d , w o r n , c a r r i e d b y p e o p l e
I w e a r / c a r r y 6 s m a r t t h i n g s …
b u t i n t h e f u t u r e i t i s l i k e l y
t o b e > > 1 0 ! !
H o w m a n y h a v e y o u g o t … . ? ?
T h e y a r e a l l b e c o m i n g a p a r t
o f t h e I o T t o p r o v i d e B I G
a n d s m a l l d a t a …

32. B E YO N D 3 R
Big & small Data ++++
“ To s t o p p r o d u c i n g m o r e a n d m o r e f o r t h e f e w
a n d s t a r t p r o v i d i n g s u f f i c i e n t f o r t h e m a n y ”
“ To e c o n o m i c a l l y m a n a g e t h e r e s o u r c e s o f t h e
p l a n e t i n t h e i n t e r e s t o f s u s t a i n a b l e f u t u r e s ”

33. N O F R E E L U N C H!
The IoT could bankrupt the planet
Internet Energy = 5 - 10% of global production
IoT Energy Use > 10 x more
“We need lower energy computing and communications”
T h e g o o d n e w s :
Almost all the low
energy tech options
we need are available

34. Thank You
cochrane.org.uk