PETRAS Impact Report 2023

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The PETRAS National Centre of Excellence presents the Impact Report 2023, documenting the influence the Centre has had on the IoT landscape in the past seven years.

PETRAS has made significant strides in influencing government policy and industry practices over its seven-year journey. Initially funded by EPSRC in 2016 and later by the UK Government’s Strategic Priorities Fund from 2019 to 2023, PETRAS focused on ensuring the safe and secure development of IoT, AI, and ML technologies.

The impact report reveals an extensive 116 funded research projects, distributing over £13.2 million in total funds. PETRAS has addressed key cybersecurity challenges, including networks, applications, endpoints, and the intersection of social and physical aspects. Notably, the focus on edge devices with AI or ML capabilities has been a recent highlight.

Case studies in the report highlight the Centre’s collaborative approach, where  research projects partner with organisations in government, industry and academia to maximise knowledge exchange and real world impact. This approach has seen the network grow to over 149 User Partners, including BBC R&D and Siemens.

The report showcases PETRAS’s influence on national policy-making, exemplified by literature reviews commissioned by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) in 2018. The engagement extends to the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), where PETRAS researchers contributed to a literature review on public perceptions of connected places.

Local governments have also benefited from PETRAS’s insights, particularly in the adoption of IoT and edge technologies. The collaborative approach with 149 official user partners, including industry giants like BBC R&D and Siemens, has resulted in impactful outcomes. From AI in journalism with the BBC to securing water utilities, PETRAS has demonstrated its commitment to co-creating solutions with tangible societal benefits.

PETRAS’s extensive outreach efforts, including exhibitions, events, and a podcast series, have played a crucial role in fostering public understanding and engagement. The podcast series, ‘At the Edge,’ has explored the role of IoT, AI, and cybersecurity in addressing climate change and achieving Net Zero targets.

The legacy of PETRAS extends beyond its research phase, with postdoctoral researchers and PhD students achieving success in academia, industry, and government. With approximately 45% of PETRAS research publications having at least 10 citations, and 30% considered highly impactful, PETRAS continues to shape the research landscape both nationally and internationally.

In a constantly evolving technological and societal context, PETRAS’s commitment to a legacy repository of work ensures that its contributions remain accessible, navigable, and influential in the ever-changing landscape of IoT cybersecurity.