Eurobarometer Qualitative Study
PUBLIC OPINION ON FUTURE
INNOVATIONS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
National Report
June 2015
Ireland
This study has been requested by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and
Innovation and co-ordinated by Directorate-General for Communication.
Qualitative study – TNS Qual+
Project title
Eurobarometer Qualitative study - “Public opinion on future innovations, science and technology” - National Report Ireland
Linguistic Version EN
Catalogue Number KI-04-15-315-EN-N
ISBN 978-92-79-48061-4
DOI 10.2777/949632
© European Union, 2015
Eurobarometer Qualitative study
Public opinion on future innovations, science and technology: results of focus
groups in selected Member States
National Report
Ireland
Conducted by TNS Qual+ at the request of the European Commission,
Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
Survey co-ordinated by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Communication
(DG COMM “Strategy, Corporate Communication Actions and Eurobarometer” Unit)
NATIONAL REPORT – Ireland “Innovations, science and technology”
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................ 2
B. OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY ...................................................... 5
Objectives ............................................................................................ 5
Methodology and sampling ..................................................................... 5
Participant profile .................................................................................. 5
National context .................................................................................... 6
I. GENERAL PERCEPTIONS ABOUT SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL
INNOVATIONS .................................................................................... 7
1.1 General associations linked to the notion of scientific innovation .......... 7
1.2 The most important scientific and technological innovations observed
over recent years ................................................................................... 10
II. SPONTANEOUS PROJECTIONS ON TOMORROWS SCIENTIFIC AND
TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS ...................................................... 12
2.1 The scientific innovations expected to be part of peoples’ daily life in
2030 and their possible impact ................................................................ 12
2.2 Expected innovations in selected areas ........................................... 14
III. REACTIONS TO FUTURE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL
INNOVATIONS IN SELECTED AREAS ................................................. 17
3.1 Homes and living ......................................................................... 17
3.2 Health and healthcare .................................................................. 20
3.3 Ubiquitous communication and interaction ...................................... 24
3.4 Environment ............................................................................... 28
IV. CONCLUSION .................................................................................... 31
Qualitative Study European
Commission
Qualitative Study European Commission
NATIONAL REPORT – Ireland “Innovations, science and technology”
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A. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
General perceptions about scientific and technological innovations
In overview, the groups clearly associated scientific innovation with
communications, technology, transport and medical advancements. All noted the
huge change we have seen with regard to technology and its impact on
communication and societal behaviour. The most important innovations in the
past 15 years, which clearly stood out are the internet, medicine and transport.
There are pros and cons to innovation and participants differentiated between
progress that benefits the greater good (e.g. more efficient, cost-effective ways
to communicate) versus progress that can impact the individual in a negative way
(e.g. data privacy concerns).
Spontaneous projections on tomorrows’ scientific and technological innovations
Innovations that are anticipated in 2030 are far-reaching and have a broad remit
with a focus on transport (space travel, self-drive cars), medical advances (cures
for various conditions/disease, cloning, stem cell therapy) and fully smart homes.
People are excited about how science and technology will make our lives better,
more efficient and prolong life expectancy. However, they are anxious that
progress may not be evenly felt in society and the rich will potentially benefit
more than the poor.
How we live in 2030 will be impacted by advancements in “smart homes” and
mundane household chores will become a thing of the past. Our houses will be
more energy efficient; potentially carbon neutral and extensive recycling will be
the norm. Older people will be facilitated to live in their own homes for longer and
people with disabilities will be positively supported by smarter homes. There is a
fear that we may become lazy and too dependent on machines, with less
interaction with humans on a daily basis becoming the norm. With regard to
healthcare and how it will look in 2030, people are confident that our life
expectancy will be better, as we will be living healthier lives with more access to
“proactive” medicine. This does create concern that we will not be able to
financially support the ageing population and economically how will we manage.
Communication is ever changing and technology is advancing at a rapid pace.
There are misgivings about how we will keep up and stay on top of it. The
expense of changing technology is noted e.g. constant upgrades and new models,
resulting in technology becoming obsolete too quickly. Many older participants
feared the loss of their private personal data and felt overwhelmed by progress in
this arena. The environment is an area of anxiety, however many felt more
positive about how we will manage this and respond to climate change / global
warming in 2030. On a positive note, people maintained that we will be more
mindful of the environment, we will recycle more and there will be widespread
use of renewable energy. However, there is disquiet as to how we will manage
food production in the future and an anticipation that our climate is going to be
increasingly volatile and extreme.
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Reactions to future scientific and technological innovations in selected areas
This executive summary succinctly summarises the key highlights within each
scenario that was brought before the six groups. It is important to note that key
differences emerged across the age groups, but less so regarding education.
Homes and living
Participants struggled with the concept of PRA as a robot living in your home and
found it is unappealing and creates privacy issues. However, if PRA is re-worked
as a “smart home” controlled via a portal or App the tasks and capabilities are
much more appealing. Aspects of the innovation that are desirable, due to their
time saving and efficiency include the energy meter, smart fridge, coated glass,
home delivery and help with household chores. There is a strong fear expressed,
particularly among older participants, that we will become lazy, dependent and
redundant in our own homes. It will be necessary for us to maintain control and
choose the level of in-home technology we are comfortable with.
Health and healthcare The wearable bio-chips was an enlightening innovation that appealed to all due to
being able to detect and prevent illnesses / diseases. Having direct calls with
doctors over video link was contentious; people could see the positives i.e. not
having to waste your time or that of the doctors and not having to physically go
into the surgery (and risk picking up a cold/flu). The negatives included not
having that face-to-face (F2F) consultation with a doctor especially when matters
were of a more serious nature. Privacy of personal data remains a key worry for
some participants and the thought of having a centralised data record did not
appeal for this very reason. However, the area of stem cell therapy was
overwhelmingly positive and the vast majority were in favour of such an
innovation. The notion of being able to repair organs felt like a breakthrough and
one they look forward to seeing in society. An area that did not seem to sit well
with the participants was the fit between the supermarket and the medical
services. Participants struggled to comprehend how this scenario would evolve
naturally and ultimately re-framed how this could be more appealing i.e. a
separate medical centre beside a supermarket but not to be one and the same.
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Ubiquitous communication and interaction The topic of ‘Communications’ was an area which received the highest levels of
engagement, interest and conversation. This area was hugely important amongst
the groups. Every participant has a basic, if not strong, understanding of the topic
as they routinely interact with technology on a daily basis that has fundamentally
changed how they communicate. Not surprisingly, the section on
‘Communications’ is longer than the three other topics within the report.
Whilst the topic of communications was a ‘hot topic’ the groups identified both
positive and negative associations. The issue of ‘Privacy of Personal Data’ was the
main negative and the majority of participants were not in favour of their data
being collected, especially their personal preferences being used by companies.
Participants acknowledged that this is currently happening, but even so this idea
did not appeal. They felt it exposed them to identity theft. The idea of ubiquitous
tracking of people by satellites was not well received by the groups either.
Although perceived as negative, some participants were able to see potential
benefits with the innovation such as helping to find missing persons and being
better equipped to fight crime. The virtual reality element of the Communications
was, by far, the most positively endorsed innovation by all participants. They
could see positives from a personal point of view (i.e. communicating virtually
with family and friends in faraway places) and from a work perspective (i.e. the
next gradual step after video conferencing and training).
Environment With regard to the environment, participants were delighted with most of the
innovations described. This is deemed a ‘worthy’ important arena, that should
demand our attention and will ultimately benefit the greater good. However,
people struggled with the potential cost implication and political / commercial will
to drive this degree of change. They universally disliked the Geo Engineering
innovation, it felt too outlandish and scary. There was a strong fear that we could
get it wrong, it’s only a short-term solution and we risk destroying natural habitat
on a large-scale.
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B. OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY
Objectives
The aim of this qualitative study was to get a better understanding of Europeans’
opinion about the innovations brought about by science and technology in
society. More specifically its main objective was to test some innovations that
could be applied 15 years from now in the everyday life of citizens in Europe in
four different areas, and to understand their preferences and reactions in this
regard.
Four areas/scenarios were tested:
Homes and living,
Health and healthcare,
Ubiquitous communication and interaction,
The Environment.
Methodology and sampling
Fieldwork consisted of a series of 6 focus groups, each approximately two hour
and a half in length, conducted in each of the following 16 Member States:
France, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Finland, United Kingdom and the Czech
Republic.
Participant profile The table below presents the composition of groups:
Group Description
1 18-34 years old who finished their education between 17 and 22
2 20-34 years old who finished their education between 20 and 25
3 35-64 years old who finished their education before 18
4 35-64 years old who finished their education before 18
5 35-64 years old who finished their education after 18
6 35-64 years old who finished their education after 18
The detailed participant profiles and group composition, as well as detail on the
fieldwork dates are described in the technical report.
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National context
Ireland has a small highly globalized economy, with a large exporting sector, and
a significant number of multinational corporations. While the global downturn
impacted significantly on Ireland, the economy is rebounding as domestic
demand improves. Unemployment has been falling for the last two years, as the
economy continues to add jobs, this over-indexes in the ICT arena and benefits
highly skilled, well educated people. Ireland still has huge debts following the
bailout of its banking sector, and thousands of families remain in negative equity,
despite resurgence in house prices. The Irish public are disillusioned with how our
affairs are conducted and the current Government have been preforming poorly
in recent polls. The ongoing controversy of the impending Water Charges
continues with little clarity and increasing public frustration over the debacle.
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I. GENERAL PERCEPTIONS ABOUT SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS
This chapter focuses on the participants’ general view on scientific and
technological innovations in order to get an overall grasp of their opinion on this
subject. Firstly, what ideas, feelings and associations come to their mind
when thinking about these innovations? What positive and negative aspects
do they tend to associate with innovations brought up by science and technology?
Secondly, looking back on recent years, which innovations do they think
had the most impact on society and why? What positive and negative
changes did these scientific and technological innovations bring?
1.1 General associations linked to the notion of scientific innovation
Participants noted the following innovations spontaneously; the Internet,
Communications, Advancements in the Medical arena and Future Transport
(driverless cars etc.). This is not a subject matter that is thought about or asked
about often and so engagement levels were high.
There were apparent cross overs in terms of whether innovations brought about
by Science and/or Technology were positive or negative or in some cases both.
For example, the area of Communications was proffered as an innovation. When
probed, the participants felt that this area was a positive innovation given the fact
that we now have the internet, mobile phones, smartphones, and ability to skype
across the world etc. However there was a unanimous verdict, particularly
amongst the older groups, that the leaps in the area of communication have a
negative side in the sense that the art of ‘real communication’, face-to-face
communication, is suffering.
“It’s the lack of interaction with people and I mean I’ve seen it myself
where we’re in the same room and we’re on the laptops…lack of
communication.” (Ireland, Group 5)
Space Travel was discussed and the notion of entering competitions to win a one
way ticket to Mars. Space travel was quite top-of-mind because of the Virgin
Galactic spacecraft crash in California on October 31st. Participants felt that this
type of travel is a huge innovation and one that will become the norm for future
generations.
Spontaneous examples of positive aspects associated with innovations were
plentiful and are listed below:
Computers
How computers have changed over time and have become such an
integral part of everyday life. The computer has shrunk in size but its
capabilities have increased significantly. Computers are intelligent and
have created efficiencies worldwide.
Medicine
Cures diseases / illnesses, artificial limbs, key-hole surgery, extension of
life span in humans
Phones / Communications
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Introduction of mobile phones, how the look and feel of the mobile phone
has changed significantly since its inception, how much participants feel
they can do on their mobile phone (i.e. make calls, check email, check
social media, shop, pay bills…etc.)
Technology
Technology has become a whole industry in itself i.e. the world can do
almost anything nowadays. The advancement in network coverage such as
4G is seen as a major step towards faster reach, quicker streaming of
information and opportunities for the future.
Productivity
Being able to produce more goods, food, commodities was seen as a
positive. However conversations progresses the participants conceded
there was a negative aspect to Productivity also – unemployment i.e.
robots in production lines replacing humans.
Change/advancement (space)
Space travel was thought to become more accessible, talk of Virgin
Galactic flights to outer space and the recent competition to Mars was
prominent amongst the groups in Ireland.
When asked about what possible negative associations came to mind there was a
definite theme coming through which did not discriminate between the age
profiles of all six groups. The first of these negatives are consistent among both
the younger and older groups:
Greed
From a personal point of view where it was felt that people in general are
more interested in capitalism thanks to increased capabilities brought
about by new technological innovations. Participants also spoke about
greed from a Multinational companies that appear to be solely motivated
by profit and less so about corporate social responsibility.
Lack of Face-to-Face communication / Social Networking
Participants in all groups felt this was a major negative. The art of
conversation, letter writing and grammar has all suffered as a result.
While the older participants felt strongly about younger generations who
are losing out on simple things such as social etiquette. It was clear that
the younger participants had their own concerns, such as addiction and
FOMO (Fear of Missing out).
“Well I was going to mention the internet…the likes of Facebook and other
certain sites, they’re just very addictive. Sometimes if you have the phone
in your hand you’ll just want to be checking it every five minutes and it
becomes a habit”. (Ireland, Group 2)
“Lack of soft skills, communication, people can be very faceless, on
computers and stuff. People’s lack of patience now because everything is
so fast”. (Ireland, Group 3)
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Loneliness
This was verbalised more so amongst the older participants. The
juxtaposition that loneliness has been brought about by advancements in
communications is stark.
“It’s more the loneliness. I’m at home with three kids and they’re up in
their bedrooms having full conversations with people in other bedrooms in
other houses. They never come down or talk, whereas when we were kids
you played together”. (Ireland, Group 5)
Whereas the younger participants don’t mention loneliness as a concern
and it is more a Fear of Missing Out that is the issue.
Privacy Concerns
All participants voiced their concern over the loss of privacy or the lack of
privacy and there was a general consensus that they are being monitored
online via cookies and also monitored offline via PPS (social identification)
numbers and having to provide these for every application form.
“Everybody’s concerned about that, I mean, the water issue. Giving your
PPS number and your bank details and everything about you, you know.
There’s too much access to hacking. There’s too much information…”.
(Ireland, Group 6)
Loss of jobs
Tallied with the loss of personal contact it was widely felt that the
innovations made in technology will ultimately lead to loss of human jobs.
“It has lost jobs though…In my day you picked up a phone and you dialled
a number and you had somebody on the other end of the phone within 10
seconds – nowadays if you go to ring anybody it’s press number 1, press
number 2…”. (Ireland, Group 4)
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1.2 The most important scientific and technological innovations observed over recent years
The participants were asked to think about the most important scientific and
technological innovations we have experienced over the last 15 years. Many came
to mind and are listed below with why they felt these innovations were important
and also what positive and / or negative changes they have brought about.
Improved Communication methods (e.g. Smartphones / Tablets)
The evolution of the mobile phone was quite top of mind when participants
spoke of improved communication methods. Since the first mobile phone
came into widespread production (circa 1998/1999) participants in the older
groups described how much more the mobile phone can do in 2014 versus 15
years ago and how it has improved aesthetically - smaller, more powerful and
sleeker.
Mobile phones are now on a par with small computers and the participants felt
the real benefits of smartphones was that information was much easier to
obtain via the browser options now available, news feeds are much faster and
participants said they use their mobile phones for doing regular chores via
online such as banking, shopping, booking flights etc.
There were some negatives attributed to mobile phone progression such as
security issues and the fear of personal information being hacked easier via
mobile phones and free Wi-Fi. On a more subconscious level there were more
subtle negatives that surfaced indirectly such as FOMO and becoming addicted
to screen time (more likely amongst the younger groups). Loneliness and a
loss of F2F communication was noted amongst the older groups which left
them perceiving the youth of today as rude and not even being aware of this.
Medical advancements
Advancements in the medical profession were mentioned as one of the most
important innovations. When asked for examples of such advancement,
participants mentioned laser eye surgery, surgery to re-build limbs and
keyhole surgery. Finding ways to manage diseases such as Aids was a major
scientific innovation.
3D printing
This is a relatively new innovation and participants did not have as much of an
informed opinion about 3D printing with the exception that it has the potential
to impact on their lives dramatically.
Transport – more options (luas) and safest car in the world, less CO2
emissions (and Space Travel)
Transport was an area that participants felt had seen a significant amount of
change due to innovation. In Ireland participants in the older groups
mentioned the introduction of the Luas (city centre tram) in 2004 and how
this new mode of transport has been a positive introduction to the city from a
commuter and shoppers point of view. The introduction of ‘real time’
information at Bus and Luas stops is noted as a positive innovation and
largely down to the capabilities of GPS.
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It was felt that air travel was getting faster and cheaper and more accessible
to the masses. Space travel is something that is new and exclusive, obviously
not yet widely available but the future potential is there.
Defence
Technological innovation has led to the military becoming more sophisticated
and has allowed for precision in the form of the defence forces using drones.
The participants felt the main benefit from innovations in defence is that less
soldiers will be killed and more precise attacks can be conducted.
Work – ability to WFH
Improvements in communication and technology has made work more
accessible for both employers and their employees in a number of ways such
as being able to hold meetings and see people in different countries and being
able to work from home via laptops with full connection to the office server.
Participants also mentioned that their work is changing and changes have
been made in relation to hours worked i.e. no longer the normal 9-5 working
day. They felt that advancements made in this arena had blurred the lines
between what is the average working day.
The negatives were more top of mind for participants. Having a work mobile
phone meant that access to work was 24 hours and if participants had a work
laptop they felt that they could bring work home which they did not like as
other aspects of their life suffered as a result (social, family etc.).
“I think with work emails and stuff, you know like I always feel that I have
to reply to work emails even if I’m not in the office… they’re expecting you
to reply” (Ireland, Group 2)
The positive aspects of work associated innovations are meeting with
colleagues who are not in the same geographic location, having real-time
conversations and emails and the benefit of working for global companies
despite where you live.
GPS, Tracking
Participants mentioned GPS as an innovation that has become more prevalent
over the last 15 years. Polarisation was apparent among the groups for this
topic. In one sense, the benefits of such an innovation are fantastic and
participants in both young and older groups mentioned the benefits of using
GPS to solve crime. For example the participants spoke of a case in Ireland
whereby there was no hard evidence to convict the suspected perpetrator but
through technology and GPS the police force were able to build a strong case
against him.
In relation to negatives the participants associate GPS with tracking and felt
they are continually tracked over the last 15 years via online (cookies),
shopping offline (loyalty cards), and government via social security numbers.
Whilst many felt this was quite negative and ‘Big Brother’ only one or two
brought it to the other participants attention that having a phone
automatically makes them traceable. Awareness of this seemed quite low
particularly amongst the older groups.
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II. SPONTANEOUS PROJECTIONS ON TOMORROWS SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS
This chapter focuses on participants’ spontaneous projections regarding the
scientific and technological innovations that could be part of their daily life in
2030. Attention is drawn on the changes that are seen as beneficial and those
judged as more negative or undesirable. Finally, it looks at the scientific
innovations participants imagine more particularly in four selected areas:
How living at home will look like in the future; how people will take care of their
health; how people will interact with each other and with machines and how
people will protect the environment in 2030.
2.1 The scientific innovations expected to be part of peoples’ daily life in 2030 and their possible impact
Participant’s thoroughly enjoyed this section of the discussion which brought a
degree of energy and “blue sky” thinking to the proceedings. Looking ahead to
2030 they envisaged a large degree of change and exciting innovations being part
of their daily lives. The more remarkable concepts that emerged across the
groups included space travel, electric self-drive cars, Apps and DIY kits to self-
diagnose medical issues, advances in cloning and stem cell research, bionic limbs,
a cure for cancer and Alzheimer’s, supplements to replace food, interactive
wearable technology (Google glasses brought to the next level), fully smart
homes and all technology will be wireless.
“I’m thinking of medical advances, like therapeutic strategies, the way of
delivering drugs, different ways, say like avoid needles for insulin delivery
or something like that…. Environmental benefits like reducing flooding,
famine, offsetting carbon emissions etc..”. (Ireland, Group 2)
From a positive point of view, many maintained that there will be better, cheaper,
more energy efficient housing, technology will become more accessible and faster
via fibre powered broadband, plus there will be improvements in transport and
infrastructure. There was a lot of debate as to whether these changes will make
society more egalitarian or will it create a further divide between those who can
afford this type of progress, versus those who cannot (first world vs. third world).
Across the groups, there was a strong assumption and fear that we will have to
pay for progress (charges for everything we take for granted e.g. water, energy
etc..) and will be punished by taxes if not towing the line.
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In brief the key advancements noted in each area by 2030 included:
Homes Transport Work Environment Health
Better insulated, smaller homes
Wi-Fi on all public transport
Always connected to work (24/7)
Recycling as a matter of course
Key hole surgery & remote surgery
Energy saving devices in all
homes
Expansion of the Dublin
Bike Scheme
Increased flexibility to
work at home
No more rubbish collection, individuals
responsible
Injections to keep you looking
young
Pay for the
energy you use
Metro System
in Dublin
Global workforce
companies reallocating resource to
cheaper markets
Wind & wave power
widely available
Plastic surgery
DIY at home
Apps to control light and heat
Train from the airport to
Dublin city
Virtual keyboards
Heat from soil used as a source of fuel
Advanced Stem cell research –
umbilical cords stored from birth for future use
Smart home regulates energy & is
centrally
controlled via portal or app
Driverless cars
Hologram conferences & virtual meetings
New fuels will be sourced to replace natural stocks
Google involved in IVF and storing eggs for
fertilisation
Time delays on
appliances & ability to put the whole house on standby
Space travel Less people
more machines
Farmers will need to
grow more “environmentally” friendly food and crops
More diseases
like Ebola & emphysema
House work robots
Standing up on airplanes
Google glasses will change how
we work
Renewable energy used by everyone
Grow organs (like 3D printers)
Recycling all household waste
Everyone will have access to fibre powered
broadband
Laser eye surgery for all
Smart Fridges Plastic surgery more popular
and accessible
“Nanotechnology - tiny robots that can be used to build things, but it can
also be engineered as a terror weapon, so you drop in a few of these tiny
machines and they just break everything down to make more of
themselves and it’s out of control”. (Ireland, Group 2)
“There’s like apps as well coming out at the moment that you can measure
your own like heart rate. I think there’ll be more advancement in those
kind of areas. Jawbone is a wearable wristband and it does all that
information and puts it onto your phone for you. You can probably
measure your blood pressure. Your blood pressure, heart rate, all that
kind of stuff”. (Ireland, Group 1)
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2.2 Expected innovations in selected areas
Homes and living
There is a strong assumption that we will be living more environmentally friendly,
healthier lives (no one will smoke, obesity will be monitored, we will aim for
carbon neutral lives etc…). The world in 2030 is largely seen as more efficient and
many time saving devices will be used in the home to eradicate dull repetitive
jobs e.g. house work androids, coupled with smart self-cleaning homes will
reduce the need for housework and cleaning.
Positively, our standard of living should improve and our homes will run more
smoothly. Various initiatives will make life easier and free people up from
mundane household tasks e.g. shopping and housework. Advancements in how
we live will make it possible for older people to live in their own homes for longer
and people with disabilities will be supported to be more independent. However,
on a negative note, people expressed fear that we could become lazy and
dependent on machines. We could interact less with people and become more
housebound.
“Houses are going to become smaller for a start…there’s too much
population, the population is growing too fast and they’re not making
much land anymore… so the houses are going to become smaller, taller
and more like apartments than the individual three bedroom house with a
front and back garden”. (Ireland, Group 4)
“I think everything we use in the house at the moment will be connected.
Like in some way there’ll be some massive portal thing where you can
switch on different lights in different rooms or you know, they’re all
connected in some way. You’d probably be connected to whatever device
that you have, like somebody saying you can turn the lights on when
you’re away on holidays or something”. (Ireland, Group 1)
Health and healthcare
Throughout the groups participants noted how we will all probably live longer with
medical advancements and the potential impact this will have on society. There is
a strong assumption that we should have access to cheaper, better, medical
advice and procedures. It raised the question of how we will survive and whether
we have enough resources to manage this population spike. People are fearful as
to the impact on pensions, wages and the economy and whether we are equipped
to handle more people living longer. They questioned the ethics of certain medical
advancements (particularly IVF and cloning) and the future impact this could
have on society.
“They offered to freeze her umbilical cord for each child, apparently there
are all these stem cells in it so if the children do get sick, now it is very
expensive, it is about €1,500 per child. She has it for her 3 children so if
they God forbid had cancer, they can take the stem cells out of this. It is
not really well broadcasted but it is being offered right now”. (Ireland,
Group 4)
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Ubiquitous communication and interaction All acknowledged the progress and speed of change with the internet and how we
communicate with people. There have been fundamental changes regarding
communication over the last 15 years and human behaviour has significantly
changed in this arena; we have access to news 24/7, the web makes all
information accessible and the world is a much smaller place.
However, this progress is actively partnered with fear and anxiety regarding our
personal freedom and the access to all our personal data as a matter of record.
Participants are fearful of being constantly tracked and monitored, with little to no
regard for an individual’s privacy. As a nation of “talkers”, participants are
concerned that we will no long chat and communicate with one another face-to-
face and human interaction will lose its personal dimension. As our houses
become more self-contained there is a fear that we won’t leave them and people
will become more isolated as a result. This could lead to an increase in anti-social
behaviour and less of a community/neighbourly feel. Companies will become
more ‘faceless’ and humans will be replaced, losing jobs and potential income
with no customer service dimension and a more “impersonal” society as a result.
We could become over-reliant on technology and over time computers will “out-
smart” us and out think us. Fears are expressed concerning ‘nano-technology’
and the negative affect this could have, as many do not fully understand it and
are frightened of the possibilities this could create in the wrong hands.
“There’s technology out there that’s gathering information about you all
the time, It’s looking to hone in on what you like and where you spend
your time and what you do with your money. And so what they’ll do is
they’ll target people that have spent a certain amount…they’ll target what
they want and they will annoy you more. You’re just going to be pestered
and pestered with advertising. And people are just trying to make money
off you”. (Ireland, Group 2)
Environment
The majority are optimistic that recycling will be par for the course on all
household waste and sources of renewable energy will be more available. Both
water and food is going to become increasingly scarce and will have to be
managed differently and we will have to adapt our behaviour and how we
consume natural resources accordingly. Food is a worry and people expressed
concern as to what our food production will be like, will all food be genetically
modified and who will be in control of food production ultimately. Participants are
actively afraid about climate change and the impact on the environment. They
maintained that the weather will be more volatile, with crop shortages and
fundamental negative changes to natural habitats will occur. They worry that big
business and Governments are not supporting the environment in an active way
and this will ultimately hamper progress in this area.
“I think there’s no money in saving the environment but there’s money in
chopping it down to make things or to make medicines, I just can’t see
Governments, there’s too much corruption….if you’re going to make money
from something you’re only going to live for 70 years of whatever, you’re
going to be gone, you’re not going to see the negative consequences”. (Ireland,
Group 2)
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“40 thousand cars per day being sold in China alone. The Western world is
paying lip service to reductions in emissions but you can’t stop a developing
country like India or China and tell them to stop what they’re doing…..it’s only
the environment and our planet that is at risk”. (Ireland, Group 4)
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III. REACTIONS TO FUTURE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS IN SELECTED AREAS
The main objective of present qualitative Eurobarometer study was to test some
innovations that could be applied 15 years from now in the everyday life of
European citizens in four selected areas:
Homes and living,
Health and healthcare,
Ubiquitous communication and interaction,
The Environment.
A scenario related to each theme and introducing possible innovations was
submitted during the focus-groups in order to understand participants’
preferences and reactions in this regard.
This chapter focuses on participants’ reactions to the four scenarios and deals,
among others, with the following elements: how did they feel about each
particular scenario and the possible innovations they contained? What did they
like or dislike? How acceptable were the scenarios, what barriers did they see
arising from these and what other alternatives did they see for the future in each
area.
3.1 Homes and living
Spontaneous impressions are quite mixed with older participants more fearful and
negative in the main due to the potential loss of self-regulation, independence
and choice. Concerns are immediately expressed regarding the lack of privacy
and control. If a machine (PRA) is doing everything for you, you are no longer in
control and it could impact your physical and mental health to become this
dependent. The idea that an outside company will hold all your private data and
details is not appealing for the majority. All acknowledged that depending on your
life stage and how busy you are, will drive ultimate appeal and need for these
initiatives. The scenario feels quite far-fetched and incredible; many queried
whether these advances would be feasible in 15 years and whether they will be
able to afford it. The majority personalise the robot and felt it would be an
invasion of privacy to have another “person” living with you in your home.
Key words and associations that emerged upfront included the following and
tended to bias towards the negative initially:
Lazy
Dependent
Invasion of privacy
Ludicrous
Lack of control
Expensive
Convenient
Time saving
Efficient
“What am I going to do with my brain – if there’s somebody there doing
my shopping, taking down what I need…what do I need my brain for. It
would be total laziness; you’d end up being like a beetroot or a cabbage”
(Ireland, Group 4)
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However, on a more detailed individual review participants noted the key
elements that appealed including:
Energy Meter telling you the amount of energy you are using
Home insulation
PRA filling you in on relevant information – news and weather
Security aspect of having PRA in the house
Smart fridge
Overall the elements that participants liked focus on the time saving and
efficiency that a robot could bring to your day-to-day existence (especially
younger with families who find life too busy). It can be a handy reminder of the
small tasks that can be forgotten and take up precious time. Furthermore, older
people could clearly benefit from these initiatives and those with special needs or
disabilities.
“Say you have 3 small children and you’re out in the morning. PRA is
going to sort out your shopping, do the house…say you and your partner
won’t be home until 8 that evening, then PRA is ideal. It totally depends
on what stage you’re at in your life “. (Ireland, Group 4)
The key aspects that participants disliked were how lazy we would all become and
that we could get very dependent on a machine doing everything for us. All query
the cost and how prohibitive it would be. They assumed PRA would be very
expensive and only wealthy people would benefit from this innovation. Strong
assumption that you are no longer in control and you will lose your independence.
Most did not like the thought of an outside company holding all your data
externally, as it raises fears around data security, privacy and a loss of individual
freedom. A key stumbling block appears to be PRA and the physical manifestation
of a robot living in your home with you and your family. The majority suggested
that a fully “smart home” fulfilling these functions via a central control panel or
App would be more appealing. Critical barriers that would need to be overcome
focus on the psychological and cultural barriers of such a step change in
behaviour by having a robot living in your home completing these tasks.
“I don’t want to be ruled by a robot…I want that choice myself. You’re
cutting the link with people – do you want a relationship with a robot or a
person. You’re not in a relationship with a robot” (Ireland, Group 4)
Most are not surprised at the specific innovations described in the scenario – they
maintained that a lot of what is detailed already occurs and we are only a step
away from most of these initiatives. However, PRA is the one area that they feel
is unbelievable and potentially unobtainable for most people, due primarily to
expense. Fear emerged as a key concern; fear that we will lose personal privacy.
being monitored on a constant basis and the potential cost.
Specific Innovation Overall Appeal Key Barriers Overcoming
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Barriers
PRA: personal assistant (planning,
personal messages, weather forecast…)
Strong – seen as practical and useful.
Already occurs and one touchpoint would create efficiency
None N/A
PRA: personalised assistance in executing 'household chores'
(cleaning of the house…)
Mixed – younger like this better
Older struggle with being made redundant – cultural
barrier at play
Older unlikely to accept this as perceived need
is low
PRA: keeps a complete memory/ recording of home events
Weak – few perceive the need for this
Unsure how appropriate this is and how it would work in reality – psychological barrier
emerges
If you have full control and only you can access then it becomes more acceptable
all data stored by the Robot
in his memory are kept on-line at the company’s data servers (in case he breaks down)
Weak -none like the
concept of data being kept off-site
Potential for personal
data to be abused, hacked and stolen – psychological and cultural barriers emerge
If data kept on-
site this could work, off-site component is the main barrier
Smart fridge that warns you when you run out of food
Strong (especially among younger cohort) See this as
very similar to online shopping that they currently do
Some older participants don’t like the idea of something
external making choices on your behalf, removes spontaneity and impulse purchase
As long as you have the ultimate
say/choice then it could be adapted to work
Home delivery of goods by drones
Strong (especially among Younger
target)
None for younger, but older struggle with
humans losing jobs to drones
Replacing people with drones and
potentially jobs is problematic
Coated glass that automatically darkens to block excess sunlight
Strong – seen as practical and a positive initiative
None N/A
Smart meters connected to a
smart power grid (power company monitors your exact electricity consumption; example: charges you less for consumption during off-peak times…)
Strong – seen as
practical and a positive initiative
None N/A
In addition to the initiatives discussed participants push the idea further and
would like a fully smart home that goes into “standby” whenever you leave,
thereby saving energy consumption and bills. Across the groups the issue of
water consumption emerged, all would hope to see more innovation in this arena
with a home that monitors your water usage and automatically pipes in water for
drinking, versus secondary uses. The smart fridge concept could be dialled up
further and could monitor the nutrition of your food intake and make healthy
recipe suggestions and menu planning as an additional extra. Many assumed that
this style of living will bring enhanced security to your home and that a more
smart home could be particularly useful for people with mobility issues and
elderly people who live alone.
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“Or if they suggested recipes based on what’s in your fridge you know,
things that you wouldn’t think of making that would be really cool and
email me and said tonight you have this in your fridge you could make
this. Or moving around and told you how to do it while you were cooking
it. That would be good. Or you’re leaving that too long come on hurry up
and turn it over. (Ireland, Group 1)
3.2 Health and healthcare
There were polar opposite first impressions from the younger and older group
participants when the scenario was read aloud by the moderator. On initial
reaction, the younger group were very impressed and very positively disposed to
this scenario. They felt positively overwhelmed by the innovations that were
mentioned. There were no negative spontaneous mentions. This was in stark
contrast with how those in the older groups reacted. These groups had mixed
feelings about this scenario and whilst some felt it was in overview quite positive,
half did feel that this scenario was negatively charged i.e. too impersonal, in need
of face-to-face contact with a doctor and trust was an issue.
“I like that it’s proactive rather than reactive and they’re not throwing
antibiotics at you like most doctors do these days, they’re finding out what
could possibly go wrong in the future and telling you how to steer away
from that. I think it’s really good.” (Group 1, Ireland)
“Very impersonal, very non-human, I don’t like them, just impersonal.”
(Group 6, Ireland)
All participants, young and old, were in unanimous agreement in relation to the
supermarket connection with health and medical issues. They felt this was not a
good fit and struggled to comprehend how they would ever see the two knit
together to provide such an important service. There were some who felt that
medical services would be provided very much like how the scenario had read but
felt it would not be alongside the Supermarket. Some older participants
attempted to make it fit by re-framing the scenario to include a medical centre
where face-to-face contact with medical professionals was available.
Words used to best describe their general feelings about the scenario were:
Optimistic and impressive – the younger participants were more impressed
by the speed at which tests and results could be done. Doing this
electronically was also a plus factor.
Credible – younger and some older participant felt this was the next logical
step in medical appointments with their GPs.
Positive – would forego any privacy concerns if it meant that they could
find out an illness that they might have which could be prevented if
treated in time after a quick diagnosis. Participants were of the opinion
that health comes first over privacy.
Amazingly advanced – felt this scenario was a fantastic use of their time
management. In an era where time is precious and everyone is extremely
busy the participants were pleased to see that their time (and the doctor’s
time) would not be wasted.
Room for error – due to the lack of human contact. Older participants
struggled to see a future where this scenario could exist successfully or fit
their needs.
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Far-fetched – older participants more so than the younger participants
thought this was an invasion of privacy and so would not happen for this
reason.
Once the participants read the scenario themselves there was a general
consensus amongst the younger groups that this was a realistic situation that will
happen. Some of the younger group felt there was a dis-connect between the
medical arena and the supermarket whilst others in the younger group still felt
this was a good fit and of the opinion that ultimately there will be a by-law that
demands that supermarkets inform customers when they are buying too many
sugar items.
“I’d say in fifteen years the supermarkets will probably be kind of
by law obliged to tell you these things, you can’t sell too much
sugar to one person”. (Group 1, Ireland)
Those in the younger groups did feel that older people would be the demographic
who would struggle the most in terms of not accepting a scenario such as this.
“I think a lot of older people will probably think it’s a step too far. I think
the younger generation would be more inclined to be happy with it.”
(Group 1, Ireland)
“My children might find that more accepting that I would.” (Group 3,
Ireland)
Some older participants got too distracted by the supermarket association and
felt very uneasy with this fit. Many of them felt very cynical towards it and
thought it was a marketing ploy to make money.
“No but they’re probably going to suggest an alternative, obviously,
they’re there to make money. That’s their business and you shouldn’t be
eating these products. But perhaps you should consider these because
these don’t contain sugar. We’re very cynical.” (Group 6, Ireland)
Overall all of the groups liked aspects of this scenario. They particularly liked
being able to have diseases or illnesses predicted, having analysis done on their
bloods and instantaneous results.
Another aspect that older participants liked was being able to receive test results
virtually. For them this meant they did not have to go into the surgery and be
exposed to germs from ill patients in the doctor’s surgery.
“I like the fact when you do get the test, the idea of communicating with a
virtual doctor. Rather than going to a surgery because now I can do it at
my own time. In my own home, rather than sitting around picking up all
kinds of germs from somebody else.” (Group 6, Ireland)
Concern felt by some of the older participants that this scenario might
discriminate in favour of the wealthy or those with private health insurance
versus those who do not. Younger participants had more practical concerns i.e.
what is the protocol if the chip that monitors sugar levels stops working or needs
to be updated? How are they notified? They wanted to be informed as to who will
be prompted if there is a malfunction.
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“What if the chip failed though like how would you know? Would it come
up on say your laptop or maybe on the doctor’s computer? Or what if it
just stopped working and you thought you were fine and you had this chip
and then ten years later you realise you’ve got some serious condition and
your chip wasn’t working the whole time.” (Group 1, Ireland)
The younger participants would need a lot of technical information that answered
their questions before buying into this innovation. They liked it and were not
discouraged by the futuristic nature of it – they would need more rational
information to understand fully how it works.
Both young and older participants equally did not like the video call with a doctor
but for two different reasons. For some of the older participants they naturally
want a face-to-face meeting with their doctor, this is what they have been used
to. They felt the video link far-fetched and impersonal and could not imagine this
kind of innovation being successful. They likened this with self-diagnosing
themselves from the internet because they don’t have that one to one, physical
conversation.
Again with the younger participants it was more to do with the practicality of it as
opposed to wanting a face-to-face meeting. They felt that there are some times
when a patient will need a face-to-face meeting
“I think the video call with the doctor would have to be, in, only some
situations like, because most, a lot of the time you would need to see the
doctor in person. It could be definitely cheaper than going to the office
though…” (Group 1, Ireland)
The stem cell therapy felt like a new innovation for the younger participants but
for the older participants it did not feel new. They felt they could provide
examples of current procedures in place that were a version of the scenarios
assessed. For example taking their own blood tests and placing the blood sample
in a machine that reads the blood.
“The Stem cell….that they can cure it. Because if they’re saying possibly
they can cure that what else would they be curing then, that would be
pretty amazing.” (Group 1, Ireland)
('Over the counter') Genetic tests
All of the younger participants liked the sound of this innovation because they felt
it gave them the control as opposed to the medical profession. It also appealed
for the majority of the older participants. Those who did not like it, felt that if the
genetic tests showed positive signs of a heredity illness that the person would
need counselling and not a DIY test.
“I know if you do go for those tests in Crumlin, or wherever it is you do.
You have to have counselling before you get the results. So I don’t see
how you could do that over the counter really.“(Group 6, Ireland)
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Dietary advice for disease prevention
The majority of both younger and older participants liked the sound of this
innovation. The idea of being able to prevent an illness from happening spoke
volumes to all of the groups.
“I think prevention is huge. If you can prevent these things from
happening then that’s great. If we can see it coming and then stop it.”
(Group 1, Ireland)
(Wearable) biochips for health monitoring and diagnosis
This innovation had strong appeal, regardless of age. Many note how this
technology (e.g. jawbone) is available in a less sophisticated format and it is
feasible that this will occur in the future. The practical application of such an
innovation is queried with some concerns expressed regarding functionality and if
the biochip breaks down.
Centralised Health data records
Again this innovation was well liked by the majority especially the younger
participants because they felt that ultimately this will be of benefit to the majority.
Among the older groups some queried the innovation due to the issue of privacy
and personal data. They were concerned over their personal information being
stolen.
Medical consultations made from your home: Doctor consults/advices
you from your home ('tele medicine')
After much debate this innovation was positively received by all of the groups and
all gave it 7 out of 8. For the minority, they preferenced the traditional route to
the doctors i.e. face-to-face, as this is what they are used to. Those who did
endorse it did so unanimously because they felt it made sense and it would save
them time. They felt they could also escape any colds and flu’s that were active in
society (especially where immune systems are poor).
Stem cell therapy (for organ repair)
Unanimously all of the groups scored this innovation 8 out of 8. All participants
felt this was an amazing innovation and one that they would gladly welcome.
“Monitoring things like you know, cholesterol or something like that you
could prevent things like stroke. You know the way you could have a
blockage in your artery or something or you mightn’t know that was
building up and then people might have a stroke or a heart attack. If they
could monitor something like that”. (Ireland, Group 1)
“You can have a vaccination against cervical cancer and stuff like that so
maybe in fifteen years it will be, you can get a vaccination maybe to try
and prevent cancer and other diseases”. (Ireland, Group 1)
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3.3 Ubiquitous communication and interaction
First impressions on hearing the scenario are horror – amongst both older and
younger groups but marginally less so amongst the younger group. What initially
frightens the participants is the holographic calls – the younger participants saw
this as too invasive and ridiculous, whereas other younger participants saw that
holographic calling was a natural step to what society are doing i.e. video
conferencing. At a first impression and after discussions amongst themselves they
could see some positives from holographic calling such as more personal calling,
ability to read body language (especially for work related calls) and the visual
effect. They felt it is not something that could happen in the near future but
agreed that this was something that will happen further down the line.
“But it’s only a step away from video conference, it’s not a leap away but
like it’s still…Yeah teleconferencing is horrible, everyone is always
interrupting each other and stopping and saying no you go on, it’s easier
to interact with. You can’t tell what their reaction is as well.
With hand gestures or there’s visual cues to a conversation as well that’s
missing from a phone call.” (Group 2, Ireland)
A minority of participants assumed that the concept of facial recognition
technology was already in place. Targeted marketing via GPS e.g. shops are
sending text messages if a person is in close proximity – this shopper will receive
a text inviting to enter the shop and peruse the contents and maybe include a
discount for enticement.
A mixed reaction after the first reading from the various groups. Words that were
used to best describe how they felt about the scenario were:
Scary, robotic – older participants more so felt that this scenario described a
world where humans and human interaction was limited. Instead everyone
commutes and shops via robotic devices.
Interesting – there was a divide between the groups in terms of those who
thought this was interesting. For those who did not it was fear more so than
interest.
Privacy invasion, Big Brother – felt they were constantly going to be
watched and monitored. Both young and old participants felt that the satellite,
sensor and camera monitoring was a step too far and not the way they would
envisage their world to move towards. Participants from both younger and
older groups had the same fear that when found guilty of one thing that this
person would be ‘tagged’ for life and no hope of redemption. On the positive
side younger participants felt that whilst society might be tracked this would
help in finding people who went missing or disappeared. It is assumed that
parents of young children could find this very appealing.
Invasive, the future – as mentioned participants were divided about the
holographic element up front and some found it forward thinking and agreed
that this was going to be the natural next step in communication not only for
personal use but also from a work perspective too. Others felt that this might
be a bit invasive and would take time to get accustomed to.
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Pressure to purchase – the older participants appeared to have more of an
issue at first with the shopping element of this scenario and felt this would not
work for them. Felt the only winners from this innovation were shop and
brand owners as they stood to benefit most from the loyalty programmes and
social media feeds.
Knowledge is power – they felt that this scenario captured a lot of personal
information about people. A question arose as to who owns all of this
information? Who benefits from this information? They were not happy about
handing over more personal data from a security point of view and not
knowing who will be in receipt of this.
Nanny state – felt too much like a policed society and too far removed from
current society i.e. the satellites, sensors and cameras linking up with the
insurance company. Once this element of the conversation was over the
participants did like the fact that with monitoring on the roads there would be
less deaths and they felt this was a positive outcome.
After reading and absorbing the detail in the scenario themselves participants
from both age profiles felt that the technology used in these innovations are
currently in use in today’s world. They were not surprised by it even though they
felt it sounded futuristic at first, the innovations were perceived as being realistic.
“I think it is slowly happening at the moment. If we are talking 15 years
down the road then definitely yeah. In 15 years we will all have electric
cars. It will all happen so gradually, bit by bit, I will look back and I will be
55 then go – oh my God when I was 40 we talked about this.” (Group 3,
Ireland)
“A lot of the technology exists in some manner out there already, it just
hasn’t been rolled out. You have facial recognition software, you have GPS,
you have trackers, you can predict crowd control….they already use that
to design stadiums in New York when it empties, they have to design the
subway system so it can cope with that volume of people. So virtually
everything there is in some embryonic stage at least.” (Group 2, Ireland)
All of the groups liked the innovations that assisted in solving crime. Felt that
GPS tracking and satellites played a key role in preventing crime (fear of being
caught) and indeed solving crime after the fact. They felt it might help in
making crime obsolete in certain cases. The younger participants didn’t mind
being tracked as much as the older groups, as they felt that they have nothing
to hide.
“And for solving crimes, if someone says they’re in a certain place at a
certain time…you can prove it, would be so much easier, someone’s
missing, find them in a second.” (Group 2, Ireland)
Older participants raised more concern regarding tracking. They compared it with
the film ‘The Minority Report’ and were concerned over what would happen if the
satellites and cameras got something wrong (e.g. identical twins, triplets etc.)?
How could they get around these anomalies? All of the groups were concerned
about the fact that if a person is tagged because of a misdemeanour and
monitored thereafter then what was the appropriate length of time before being
de-tagged and allowed back into society where this person could live freely
without being monitored? They felt this area was a open to interpretation.
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Younger participants thought the holograms were amazing (on review) and
could see how they would integrate this into their daily lives. The older
participants in the groups were divided by the hologram. Those that liked the
innovation liked it because it felt more tangible than a phone call to a friend or
family member living thousands of miles away and some described it as a
‘virtual hug’.
“Instead of looking at them on the screen and going god he’s gotten big.
To actually see him there, say your nephew or grandson….you can see
how tall he is and you go, God he’s big and see him move around.” (Group
6, Ireland)
In relation to the shopping malls and facial recognition tracking of customers the
older participants did not think this would happen for a number of reasons; firstly
that facial coding was not accurate and secondly that shops will not want to
spend the money that is needed for such sophisticated technology. However they
felt that there already was an iteration of this initiative currently in place via
loyalty cards and ‘suggested posts’ on facebook.
“They already kind of do that anyway on facebook… Or on Amazon, if you
go into Amazon and you’re looking at things, the next time you’re up on
facebook, you have your side bar, they’re throwing up a couple of ads.”
(Group 6, Ireland)
Younger participants were also aware of being tracked online (via cookies etc.)
but were aware that some online shops were more sophisticated than others and
were very much monitoring the shoppers habits, purchase history. This was
particularly evident in online betting emporiums.
The participants struggled to comprehend how shopping malls could introduce
facial coding and did not think this would be easily accepted by society in general.
The younger participants agreed and felt it was an innovation for the sake of
using new technology and did not see the real benefit for society. They thought
the only benefit was a commercial one and in the end would aggravate shoppers.
“But it might increase just mindless consumerism. You know if you walk in
and you want to buy something specific and then you’re just bombarded
with 5 other things you don’t really need but, like the IKEA affect, you go
to IKEA to buy a set of coasters and you come out with god knows how
much other stuff that you don’t really need.” (Group 2, Ireland)
The groups were divided in opinion about driving being tracked in society and
how this would influence insurance premiums. The older participants were against
this level of tracking. They felt it was a marketing ploy and only commercial
entities would gain. They felt that if this innovation were to be introduced that
insurance providers would look for proof of ‘good driving’ and this monitored
behaviour would be the only acceptable proof making it quite difficult to obtain
reasonable quotas. They are concerned that this innovation would cost them
more money. Some older participants felt this was already in place via penalty
points earned by individual drivers.
Younger participants on the other hand felt this innovation was a more fair and
reasonable way of representing society. They felt those who deserve to be
rewarded with lower premiums will receive these when they prove they are good
drivers.
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“I think there’s a great element of fairness in that, that if you’re a safe
driver automatically you’re going to be rewarded….whereas you see a lot
of people getting off with stuff and the whole, females getting cheaper
insurance than men based on a stereotype. I think in the interest of
fairness, I think that would be good.” (Group 2, Ireland)
Ubiquitous tracking of machines and people with satellites, trackers and
cameras
Overall appeal of the initiative is weak due to the impact it will have on personal
privacy. Participants maintained that privacy was their right and this was being
taken away from them, that they had no control over their personal self and
thought this was intrusive and unnecessary. Younger participants were a little
less severe in their opinion and could see some potential positives to this
innovation such as solving crime and missing person’s whereabouts.
(Facial) recognition technology
This innovation lacked appeal as participants were concerned over their personal
privacy and their right to be alone. The older participants thought there was an
element of this innovation being done already, so they are aware of it but do not
endorse it. The younger participants did feel that the facial recognition technology
could have a positive aspect in being able to help with missing persons and crime.
Data collection about personal preferences, used by companies
Participants felt that they submit to this technology already via store loyalty cards
and online shopping so personal data and shopping behaviour is currently trended
and monitored.
Virtual reality
The majority of all of the groups liked this innovation the best. Younger
participants liked this one because they saw opportunities to learn new things
where the older participants liked this innovation to keep in touch with faraway
friends and family or for work purposes (e.g. conferences etc.).
“Like educating yourself, you know say there’s a way it teaches you how
to build a table and there’s a hologram that can tell you exactly what to
put where, you know.” (Group 2, Ireland)
“Some of the things, the pieces of technology on their own are quite useful,
and beneficial but I think the overall tone of it is unsettling. So what
they’re talking about seems far too open to abuse. You know this will be
implemented by stages. And if you start to have this tracking and facial
recognition become ubiquitous. That you know they can start to extend it
to other crimes or patterns of behaviour. And it becomes very controlled
and locked down. You know in a matter of years”. (Ireland, Group 2)
“If you go home every evening from work and you could take a walk
around anywhere, an archaeological site that you’re interested in or the
pyramids or you know wherever it might be. You can go and you can
explore them in your living room, you know what I mean, a virtual tourism
or something like that. Because like you’re not going to get to see all the
places that you want to see. (Ireland, Group 2)
NATIONAL REPORT – Ireland “Innovations, science and technology”
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3.4 Environment
On first glance participants are very positive about the innovations contained in
the Environment scenario, however many maintain these are unrealistic and
unlikely to be achieved in the next 15 years. They contend that there is a lack of
political will to bring these initiatives to life due to the potential impact on big
business and the commercial fall out. First impressions focussed on the following:
Great
Wonderful
Amazing
Reassuring
Bliss
Very optimistic
BUT……
Unrealistic
Unobtainable
What we want but can we ever achieve this?
No political will to do this on a mass scale
Far fetched
Expensive
Confusing
The key element that emerges is fear, as this felt quite scary and beyond their
comprehension. Participants don’t believe that they are equipped with the
knowledge they need to fully assess or evaluate this on a critical level. They are
anxious that it will cost a lot of money to implement and do we know enough to
be able to do this currently.
“The aspirations are good, that they’re trying to bring the carbon dioxide
levels back to whatever nominal level they should be but I think the
method is risky. So it’s like making this massive jail for carbon and if
there’s any kind of earth quake or anything goes wrong, it potentially
ruptures and it all is released in one big whack, at a later date, I think it’s
like storing nuclear waste in these concrete vaults but it will eventually
find its way out, it’s going to be flawed. (Ireland, Group 2)
Key areas of note that captured their imagination initially included the water
system (hot topic in Ireland right now due to the water charges), waste reduction,
usage of raw materials and better framing practises. Many felt they understood
these elements better and could grapple with the logic. However, the carbon
release into the sky was universally disliked and seen as a step too far. All raised
the challenge that there is no political will to make these changes, big business
have vested interests in maintaining the status quo and are more interested in
short term gains rather than long term benefits for the health of the planet. It
will be necessary to fundamentally alter human behaviour to instigate this level of
mass change and people will need to be either incentivised or punished to get
them to adopt or accept these type of initiatives. They assumed there will be a
large cost entailed in these type of innovations and they worry as to who will foot
the bill and pay for this level of investment.
“I think it’s how we live and consume, this didn’t explore how we might
change our patterns of living. So as well as houses that produce energy
and recycling waste, it’s also how we buy and what we buy, if you cut out
eating meat it massively reduces greenhouse gas as well so there’s
changes in patterns of consumption. (Ireland, Group 2)
NATIONAL REPORT – Ireland “Innovations, science and technology”
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On a more considered view of the scenario and when each participant did their
own individual evaluation, a more positive assessment emerged. On the whole
participants were happy and accepting of key innovations including;
the use of small scale renewable energy (promoted self-sufficiency,
controls costs and could provide a boost for the economy),
improved water usage and water system (very current for the Irish
audience
recycling materials (waste not want not, fits with our philosophy and
current thinking about the environment)
farm management (has to change and this feels like a movement in the
right direction)
Elements of the farm management innovation were queried and the replacement
of humans by machines or satellites did not sit comfortably with the majority of
participants. However, other aspects were clearly liked e.g. increased safety of
food production, less waste and using less chemicals/machines is positive. As
noted before, participants are fearful of the impact on food production and what
type of food will be produced as an end result. They are anxious that mass food
production on a large scale could result in poor quality, GM foods rather than a
focus on healthy, natural, fresh food.
“I don’t see how a satellite in the sky is going to work, if you have a 100
sheep lambing or something, and one is in trouble, you sit there waiting
for your satellite to go off and then you sprint out, it could be too late. I
just don’t think there is a substitute for human interaction for certain parts
of this, just I’d say even milking cows, how would that happen?”. (Ireland,
Group 2)
The main area, where participants struggled was with the CO2 and ocean floor
innovation. They found it too novel and were uncomfortable with the prospect of
changing a natural habitat on such a large scale. They did not understand the
science behind it and were anxious that it was detailed as a ‘short term measure’.
What if this went wrong? Not happy with the idea of it being a stop gap and the
disruption it could cause to the ocean floor and marine life raised immediate
concerns.
“OK so we think we’re bettering the world and that could have huge
changes down below that we’re not going to be aware of as in we get
antibiotics and we got super bugs right…. so you put CO2 down how that
affects the atmosphere, how that effects the atmosphere up above – it’s
like how much you can take away so we’re playing with stuff too much –
then what happens underneath whether the fish life or food life or
whatever changes down there and what happens with that – we don’t
know how that would pan out”. (Ireland, Group 4)
“Just sounds very artificial, I don’t know, again I just don’t know enough
about it but surely your causing a lot of disruption to the ocean and the
animals, you’d have a lot of backlash probably, like while drilling or that
kind of thing, what if there was an accident and I don’t know, like an oil
spill, like the equivalent or whatever. I don’t know”. (Ireland, Group 2)
NATIONAL REPORT – Ireland “Innovations, science and technology”
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Specific Innovation Overall Appeal Key Barriers Overcomin
g Barriers
(Most energy is derived from)
renewable energy like solar
panels and wind farms
Strong None N/A
Energy efficiency: energy
efficient homes and cities
Strong None N/A
Recycling of materials and
natural resources
(building/construction
materials, water…)
Medium (some query the quality of the material)
Reassuring that the material is fit for purpose
– cultural barrier
Education and information
needed
Recycling of waste
Strong None N/A
Conversion of waste into value-
added by products (ex. Bio
refineries turning agricultural
residues into plastic and fuel)
Medium (query whether plastic is appropriate)
Reassuring that this is a better option – cultural barrier
Education
New farming management
practices in agriculture
(minimum inputs/monitoring of
crops and cattle with high-
resolution satellites and
sensors)
Medium (older query how
practical/ desirable this is)
Replacing humans with
machines and doing farmers out of jobs – psychological
barrier
Better education
and understanding of what exactly is
involved.
Geo Engineering
Weak – did not appeal across the
board
Potential impact on the ocean
creates strong anxiety
Challenging arena with many feeling
this is not desirable
NATIONAL REPORT – Ireland “Innovations, science and technology”
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IV. CONCLUSION
On review, most claim to feel more positive on the whole when reflecting on the
discussions. The scenarios and examples used are good for focussing the mind
and suggesting potential innovations. Overall people are excited about future
developments and how technical innovation will help us lead longer, healthier
lives that reduce our impact on the environment. Key areas that have a positive
influence include the environment and healthcare initiatives that benefit the
majority, change behaviour for the better and help us live more responsible lives.
Many feel less negative about potential progress in these key areas, as they see
the impact on older people and maintain it has to improve their standard of living.
Younger people are more accepting of the initiatives overall and believe that a lot
of this innovation is underway already.
Progress and advancements regarding communication could be challenging if not
sensitively handled. Those innovations that have a more negative feedback are in
the arena of communications and housing, perhaps because of the more direct
impact on the personal private individual. There are clear concerns regarding the
privacy of personal data and the potential for this to be used against the
individual.
There has been huge societal change over the last 15 years and there is concern
that we maintain control and apply ethical thinking to progress. It will be
important that wide spread change and advances are applied equally and felt by
the majority and not just the privileged few. The area of mass food production
and manufacture raises concerns, who regulates this and will ensure that the food
we are eating is fit for purpose. Having the ability to opt in and out of initiatives
and operate self-regulation will be critical. Maintaining choice and flexibility is
essential and ensuring that not everyone is forced to advance at the same pace
or in a way that moves them out of their comfort zone will help uptake and
positivity towards innovation moving forward.