Keynote: The Wireless Big Bang

João Schwarz da Silva

University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg

Abstract

Progress in wireless communications in the past 30 years has been staggering. Soon we will emerge from the ICT era to enter into the Nano age where wireless technologies hold the promise of stopping the digital divide and contributing to expand human capabilities. The Internet will fully embrace the wireless technologies to become the nervous system of our society.  The talk will review the progress made in wireless technologies and address some of the challenges ahead as we move towards such an all encompassing nervous Internet system. Issues such as spectrum, energy, health and radiation risks, cooperative networks and antenna design are amongst the questions that need being addressed. The promises are mindboggling but the threats are equally numerous. If we want the future wireless world to respond effectively to essential human requirements be it at the service level or at the resource level, more systemic approaches need to be considered. Beyond the technological and governance dimensions of the future network, care must be taken to ensure that ethical principles will drive us to this future where security and privacy of communications is guaranteed.

CV

Joined the European Commission in 1991 and in 2004 was appointed Director of the Network and Communication and further on Director of Converged Networks and Services. He had overall responsibility for all the R&D work relating to mobile communications, broadband networks including satellite communications, audio-visual and home networks; trust and security, software engineering and ICT for business applications. In 2005 he initiated a major European R&D drive toward the Future Internet.  He left the European Commission in 2010 to become  Research Fellow with the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Security, Reliability and Trust with the University of Luxembourg. He is a member of the Scientific Council of the French operator Orange.