The MK Data Hub will make available vast amounts of information to businesses and academia to facilitate the creation of new products and improved services and contribute towards the Milton Keynes economy.

Paul Sant, Associate Dean at UCMK, said: “We are delighted to host the data hub here at UCMK and be involved with this exciting new initiative. As we begin a new era of a data-driven economy, we’re aiming to keep local businesses one step ahead. It’s all about doing clever things with data in way which is digestible and commercially valuable.”

The MK Data Hub will collect, model and analyse huge amounts of data from a variety of sources in Milton Keynes including:

• social media
• satellite data
• open data resources
• key infrastructure networks (energy, transport, water)
• sensor networks.

The MK Data Hub is the key component of the collaborative MK:Smart Project, partially funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and led by The Open University, who together with BT is developing the technical infrastructure of the data hub. The main aim of the project is to progress the smart city agenda in Milton Keynes, with UCMK leading on the business development side, providing city centre workspace, know-how and commercial intelligence, to assist businesses who wish to engage with the data hub.

Enrico Motta, Project Director, The Open University said “The goal of the MK Data Hub is to develop a leading-edge data acquisition and management infrastructure which will support the efficient development of smart city solutions not only by businesses in Milton Keynes, but also in the UK and abroad.”

The sensor data collected throughout the city also tie into a hot topic in Smart City design: The Internet of Things – the idea that everyday objects, such as street lights or cars, will begin communicating sensor data via the web. For example, in the near future a wireless-connected Milton Keynes will include rubbish bins which use sensors to let the Council know when they are full.

Alan Ward Head of ICT Research BT said: “BT has been instrumenting infrastructure in Milton Keynes to feed the MK:Smart data hub. The data that can be collected from these everyday objects is invaluable in improving our lives. Simply detecting free parking spaces and making that data available would reduce the number of drivers trying to park; estimated to be up to half the cars in a large city”

Rajinder Sharma, Commercial Manager – Business Engagement at UCMK said: “Here at UCMK we’re enjoying showing businesses what can be achieved using local data. It feels like we’ve only just scratched the surface when it comes to unlocking the potential of local intelligence sourced through sensors and open data. ”

UCMK is also taking part in the two-day MK Future Cities Conference (5^th and 6^th March). As part of the conference it is hosting an evening lecture with Geoff Mulgan, Chief Executive of Nesta, at University Campus Milton Keynes on the 5th March.

The lecture will look at how a city can think better about its shared threats and opportunities, and will discuss developments in smart cities and big data. Further information can be found at www.mkfuturecities.org/evening-lecture-day-one or go to geoffmulgan-ppls.eventbrite.co.uk to register for a free place.

Notes to editors:

The MK Data Hub is the key technical infrastructure component of the MK:Smart project, dedicated to the acquisition, management and processing of vast amounts of data relevant to city systems.