2022 highlights from Policy and Insight

In September, we launched the Apollo Protocol project, which considers the interoperable communication between the digital twins created by the built environment and manufacturing sectors. We are now demonstrating this in the Apollo Forum, through a series of four one-day events to unlock the interoperable benefits of digital twins, which can also be applied to other sectors.

In April, we published the Safeguarding the Metaverse report, which outlines existing and future harms in virtual reality, and recommends that the government future-proof the Online Safety Bill against these harms.

Thanks to great advocacy from the reports co-authors, Catherine Allen and Verity McIntosh, and the IET’s Honorary Fellow Carol Vorderman who is also a strong campaigner for child safety online, the report received significant media coverage including BBC’s Woman’s Hour, Jeremy Vine on Channel 5, and The House magazine.

Our paper UK renewables – limitless energy or a precious resource recommends that we change the way we think about renewables - rather than abundant and disposable, renewable resources should be treated as finite and precious. The report and subsequent survey were quoted in Politics Home, and received significant attention at September’s Renewable Power Generation conference.

In addition, we have been leveraging our collaborative expertise to advise government policy. This year, the Future power system architecture programme produced two reports that have been published by Ofgem.

In January, we published a report on Electromagnetic fields and health, which concludes that there is no evidence that EMFs, as used in society, cause damage to human health. Subsequently, a related letter successfully engaged a number of parliamentarians with the theme and the report’s findings.

This year, we also published leading practice flyers on the subjects of artificial intelligence and functional safety and DevSecOps in a safety-related environment.

In February, we published a report titled Artificial intelligence and ageing - Machine learning for human health and longevity. The report drew attention in the House of Commons – during minister’s questions, an MP raised the report’s recommendation to set up a National Institute for AI and Ageing to the Minster for Health and Secondary Care. In addition, we published a report titled The Digital Advantage, outlining our position on the digital transformation of the NHS and social care across England

In December, we launched the results of the IET Skills for a Digital Future survey, which examines the digital skills challenges engineering firms are facing. The results – which show that a digital skills gap may be holding back the UK economy – received media coverage in The House magazine. The full Skills for a Digital Future report was published in early 2023, and accompanied by a parliamentary debate and dinner. This year, we also responded to the House of Lords inquiry into people and skills in STEM in the UK.