Microsoft is excited about the potential global benefits from TV White Space technology. The UK is playing a leading role and Ofcom’s White Spaces pilot is being closely watched around the world and includes participants from the US and Japan. We are pleased that Microsoft Azure has now been added to the list of White Spaces Databases (WSDBs) qualified by Ofcom to operate in the UK. Microsoft is currently leading several pilots including with the University of Strathclyde and Scottish Government, as well as with a local ISP and independent lifeboat on the Isle of Wight. Results from these pilot projects have been impressive and point to a bright future for the technology.

One year ago, the Philippines was hit by super-typhoon Haiyan (also known as Typhoon Yolanda). It was unofficially recorded as the strongest typhoon ever in terms of wind speed and also the deadliest typhoon on record in the Philippines. It killed over 6,000 people and affected over 11 million; leaving many homeless.

The disasters wiped out communications in the region, greatly slowing local and international response and relief efforts. In one of the worst affected areas, Tacloban City, there was little communication and no mobile phone coverage. This situation was repeated in many parts of Leyte Island with many remaining without power and communications for more than a month.

This communications challenge was in part alleviated by utilising pioneering TV White Space technology. The term, TV White Space spectrum, refers to frequencies in the VHF and UHF television broadcast bands that are either unassigned or unused by existing broadcasters or other licensees and could be used to deliver broadband access, services and applications. TV White Space devices and networks work in much the same way as conventional Wi-Fi, but because the TV signals travel over longer distances and better penetrate walls and other obstacles, they require fewer access points to cover the same area. In the UK, Ofcom is overseeing a number of pilots to look at how the technology can be used to supplement existing mobile 4G and 3G networks.

In the Philippines, Microsoft had already entered into a partnership with a number of Governmental departments to monitor fishing stocks using TV whitespaces technology. However, when disaster struck the technology was able to be rapidly re-deployed to help in the disaster relief efforts in Bohol and in Palo, Leyte: one of the areas hardest hit by Typhoon Haiyan. For the first time in history, TV White Space technologies were used in a disaster zone to expand the reach of communications solutions such as satellite links.

When the disaster struck, white space technology was deployed to help in the relief effort November 07, 2014

Dondi Mapa, National Technology Officer, Microsoft Philippines, says, “Many of the cell towers were on top of buildings, and all the buildings were wiped out by the typhoon. When a disaster causes this level of impact, it becomes very difficult to establish a cellular network in the traditional sense. A TV White Space network typically has four times the range and 16 times the coverage of a comparable higher frequency solution. By using TV White Space technologies, it was possible to share a satellite signal to sites as far as ten kilometers away. Instead of having survivors queueing around the central command centres where the VSATs are located, it becomes possible to establish connectivity centres in the evacuation areas where survivors have received shelter.”

White Spaces technology has been showing its value in other parts of the world too. In Africa, it has been used to provide Internet access in an increasing number of remote communities.

NVIDIA today reported revenue for the third quarter ended October 26, 2014, of $1.23 billion, up 16 percent from $1.05 billion a year earlier and up 11 percent from $1.10 billion the previous quarter. Revenue for the first three quarters of fiscal 2015 was a record $3.43 billion, up 15 percent from $2.99 billion a year earlier.

Imagine losing your sight and having to rely on other people to help you get out and about, or being restricted to the same four of five short routes that have taken months to learn. Or imagine being in a foreign country, unable to read the signs and unsure of where you need to go. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to overcome those challenges independently, allowing you to spontaneously and confidently get out to explore the world around you?

After months of in-depth field testing and research, Microsoft, Guide Dogs and Future Cities Catapult have launched the results of the first phase of an exciting project which will revolutionise how people with sight loss, and the sighted, experience the urban landscape, creating a revolutionary new application of 3D sound.

Microsoft, Guide Dogs and Future Cities Catapult have launched the results of the first phase of an exciting project which will revolutionise how people with sight loss, and the sighted, experience the urban landscape November 04, 2014

The headset creates a personalised 3D-soundscape transmitted through the wearer’s jaw bone November 04, 2014

Using a small headset, paired with a Windows Phone, the new application uses cloud based location and navigation data working with a network of information beacons placed in urban locations to create a personalised 3D-soundscape transmitted through the wearer’s jaw bone. The application will help both orientation and navigation and also provides enhanced contextual information such as shops, points of interest and addional journey details to help the user build up an understanding of their surroundings. This information is transmitted through bone-conducting technology, which means that sounds appear to come from outside of the user’s head. For example, if there is a coffee shop on the user’s right, the coffee shop will be read out from their right, allowing them to build up a mental image of their surroundings.

The act of getting around can be a nerve-wracking experience for too many people, especially the blind and partially sighted. With two million people in the UK already living with sight loss and two hundred and eighty five million visually impaired people around the world, this is a growing problem. The ability to travel independently, or not, can significantly affect a person's ability to go to school or work, engage in sport or get to and from social activities.

Kirsty Grice is a person living with sight loss , and has been trialling the new technology. She describes her feelings: “We want to live like normal people, we don’t always want to plan ahead to see if we can get community transport, or a taxi or something, we want to be able to just jump on a bus and go somewhere and have that freedom.”

Kirsty Grice is trialling the new technology November 04, 2014

Kirsty is not alone; this genesis of the project was rooted in personal experiences. Amos Miller is a Microsoft employee and former trustee of Guide Dogs who is visually impaired. He was inspired by becoming a father and wanted to share in and enjoy everyday experiences with his daughter, without having to worry about the challenges of exploring new environments.

by the tracks November 05, 2014 The headset creates a revolutionary new application of 3D sound.

“Living and researching complex challenges has informed our design process every step of the way,” Amos explains. “We have been able to develop something that has huge potential for society at large, not just those living with sight loss.”

At this stage, the technology is a demonstrator which is being tested on a sample journey from Reading to London encompassing walking routes, bus travel, shopping, and train travel. The long-term ambition for the programme is to bring other organisations and local authorities across the UK on board, so that more people living with sight loss, or anyome living in a city, can benefit from its services.

The long-term ambition for the programme is to bring other organisations and local authorities across the UK on board November 04, 2014

Our cities are becoming rich with information and Cities Unlocked is paving the way for the future of personalised products and services. Harnessing the power of this technology to open up more of our world to people with sight loss is just the start of an amazing journey for all of us.

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