These and other questions are answered in this collection of 11 short films, which show how EU funding and regulation, through DG Information Society and Media, impacts our everyday lives:

• Digital revolution
• Driving safely
• Healthcare
• Easier learning
• Internet – getting connected
• Mobile communication
• Easier lives for the disabled
• Cultural heritage
• Government online
• Television
• Emergencies

Digital revolution

The information society, once a futuristic scenario, is now a reality. But the digital revolution is just getting started. Because technology is crucial for improving our quality of life and driving growth in the whole economy, technology is where Europe wants to be ahead. That is where EU funding and regulation comes in…

 

 

 

 

Driving safely with intelligent cars

The EU funds R&D in technologies that can make us all safer in our vehicles. Despite ever increasing numbers of cars on European roads, new forms of safety equipment, like airbags, ESP and ABS, make them more stable and safer than ever.

"There are 240 million cars in Europe today but the accident rate has gone down from 46,000 to 40,000 a year ... we want to half that number by 2010"(Michael Møller Nielsen, Ertico)

New "intelligent" systems enable cars and roads to interact, exchanging information with each other to detect obstacles the driver can't see.

Another EU initiative is the eCall system, which alerts an emergency centre if you have an accident and tells them where your car is.

"If all the cars in the EU were equipped with eCall nearly 2500 lives could be saved every year." (Michael Moller Nielsen, Ertico)

Health - technology can save your life

Technology can help people with serious heart conditions who could have a fatal attack at any moment. Their hearts can be monitored around the clock by sensors in their clothes, which transmit information wirelessly to a surveillance centre. If their heart shows any signs of a problem, this centre will alert the emergency medical services.

This is just one way that technology can save your life, meeting the EU's overall goal of improving healthcare services for all.

The use of technology in healthcare also makes it easier to train medical personnel. And it facilitates the transfer of medical reports, journals and diagnoses between medical units and hospitals. If a patient is transferred elsewhere, the latest information and their medical history can be easily accessed. This saves time and money and makes medical treatment safer and more accurate.

Easier learning

One EU funded research project for applying technology to education is Weblabs, where schoolboys learn maths by programming robots.

Digital technology can also be used to provide tailored training and enable you to follow courses on the internet at your own pace. Your online teacher can even be in another country.

" With ICTs we can develop life long learning.We will learn after school, in life - instead of learning in school, for life. ", says Dr Volker Zimmermann, IMC - Information Multimedia Communication:

Internet – getting connected

The EU also seeks to get more Europeans connected to the benefits of the internet. For example, accessing your online bank account by biometric authentication. This high security transaction technology works by a computer recognising your voice and face.

At online tailors, customers' measurements are scanned in the shop and sent by internet to the factory, where the suits are made.

The internet has changed the way we work and interact with the world. As well as supporting freedom of expression, it has paved the way for entirely new forms of business.

But the internet can expose young people to dangerous or harmful content. To counter this, the EU created its Safer Internet Programme.

Mobile communication - anything, anytime, anywhere

The EU has liberalized the telecoms market and developed common standards like GSM. Today the European telecoms business is very competitive, generating €125bn a year.

It has also introduced rules to reduce the very high cost of making mobile phone calls when abroad.

And with wireless networks and applications popping up everywhere, in some places you can use your phone as a tourist guide, for satellite guidance and information, or as an electronic wallet with maximum security.

Easier lives for the disabled

Disabled or elderly people represent 20% of the EU population and many of these can be helped by technology.

For example, new software can help lip reading deaf people use the telephone like everyone else. Such systems generate an artificial face on a computer screen, replicating the lip movements of the other caller.

The EU funded Meyer project is developing a technology for reading brainwaves and connecting the information to a machine. This would enable people to control a wheelchair just by thinking about it.

The EU is funding the development of many such technologies that can help disabled and elderly people lead fuller lives.

Cultural heritage

Hundreds of films and TV programs are produced in the EU each year, but it is a challenge for filmmakers to get them seen in other countries.

A major goal of the EU's MEDIA programme is to increase distribution for such works, so cinema audiences all over the world have a chance to see more European films.

Existing TV and film material also needs to be saved and stored for the future. This is the goal of the Prestospace project, which archives content for future generations. This is important not only for the film and media business and audiences, but also for protecting and promoting European culture in general.

 

Government online

Think of government and you might think red tape and paper chasing but technology is increasingly offering new solutions for both the general public and business. Projects funded by the EU can help make administrations more efficient and cost effective.

However, if governments are going to offer more and better services, they must make them accessible to everyone.

 

 

Television - what's on tomorrow?

Some time in the near future we will all have the power of interactive TV in our pocket.

New TV and multimedia standards are now being established in more than 60 countries, thanks to the backing of the European Commission.

Supporting research into new technology in this field can also offer new services and opportunities to small businesses. The focus now is on 3D TV, individual mobile services and round the clock access to networks.

 

Emergencies - anticipating, preventing and reacting

Floods, fires, industrial and transport accidents ... natural and manmade disasters can have a devastating effect on people, communities, the environment and the economy. Research funded by the EU can help develop advanced information and communication technologies that can both prevent disasters and help us rebuild if they do happen.