Components in Electronics - CIE -British Public expects UK innovation to benefit society.

This survey from QinetiQ, conducted by MORI, highlights that the types of technological innovation that the British public expect will have the most positive impact upon, including slow-releasing cancer drugs (47%), renewable energy sources (38%), and new drugs to treat AIDS (37%). It also points out those innovations can have had a negative effect, with mobile phones and text messaging combining to be 25%. It would be interesting to understand if these are social or health concerns? I would imagine it's both.

"Looking further ahead, the issues most people want addressed through innovation in the next 20 years include disease (54%), pollution (42%), famine (37%), terrorism (37%), climate change (28%), road congestion (22%), recycling and waste (22%)."

Sounds like innovation has some very rewarding and adventurous goals to achieve in the coming years. However, whilst technology will play a large part in bringing these to society, we mustn't forget the role that people (who have the imagination to take us there) and government (who can guide and co-ordinate effort) amongst others can bring in concert to these issues. Technology alone will not solve them. This is highlighted in the article by Stephen Lake, QinetiQ's Director of New Business, although with a slightly different intent and take to mine where he highlights that entrepreneurial and political will is present but focused government funding to take it forward is lacking. This is an interesting comment from the partly owned government defense organization (23.7%), who recently released more shares on the market thus reducing the central governments ownership of it.