POST has published 20 COVID-19 Areas of Research Interest (ARIs) for the UK Parliament. ARIs were identified using the input of over 1,000 experts. They were then ranked in order of interest to UK Parliament research and select committee staff, following internal feedback. Each ARI comes with a series of questions aiming to further break down each broad area. The ARIs focus on the impacts of the global pandemic and range from economic recovery and growth, to surveillance and data collection, long-term mental health effects, education, vaccine development, and the NHS.
Documents to download
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Optical fibre networks (213 KB, PDF)
The use of light to transmit information along a glass fibre was first proposed in 1966 in the UK. Now the technology has advanced to the point where connections could be provided to the home and business to carry an essentially unlimited number of services such as TV, facsimile, computing, as well as telephony. However, current regulatory practice could be seen as a barrier to developing this technology in the UK, with consequent adverse effects on the UK’s competitive position in opto-electronics.
This POSTnote describes the present and potential applications of optical fibres and examines issues arising from the current regulatory framework within which they and competing technologies operate.
Documents to download
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Optical fibre networks (213 KB, PDF)
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Machine learning (ML, a type of artificial intelligence) is increasingly being used to support decision making in a variety of applications including recruitment and clinical diagnoses. While ML has many advantages, there are concerns that in some cases it may not be possible to explain completely how its outputs have been produced. This POSTnote gives an overview of ML and its role in decision-making. It examines the challenges of understanding how a complex ML system has reached its output, and some of the technical approaches to making ML easier to interpret. It also gives a brief overview of some of the proposed tools for making ML systems more accountable.
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Contact tracing apps could be used to control the COVID-19 outbreak. Most of them work by automatically registering another smartphone when it is close by for a set period of time. If the user then tests positive for COVID-19 in the future, the contact tracing app notifies these contacts. Concerns have been raised about misuse of personal data. Initial data suggests there has been slow uptake of this new technology by users, and it's unclear if contact tracing apps have had or will affect the pandemic. Northern Ireland, Scotland, and now England and Wales have recently launched contact tracing apps.
