Urban Mill at the 20th ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN

Urban Mill’s first priority is to enable serendipitous discoveries and collaborative learning experiences for our members, customers and peers acting on our innovation platform and in its related ecosystems. Meaningful social interaction and suitable digital means are the key enablers of our support processes for them.

So, where to find the state-of-the-art of digitally enabled sharing and learning?

Aiming to contribute to the fore-front development activities we participated once again ”The Largest Global e-learning Conference for the Corporate, Education and Public Service Sectors”:

The 20th edition of ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN (OEB)

OEB was a resounding success, attracting 2,332 participants from 100 countries and more than 300 international speakers presenting over three busy days of plenaries, parties, networking and workshops.  This excerpt of the OEB Newsletter will reval some of the dynamic discussions and debates that came out of this year’s event.

Big data, reclaiming personal learning, educational ecosystems, and predicting and preparing for future demands were just some of the topics that got people talking.

Analysis, criticisms and solutions: OEB 2014 keynote highlights

The plenary sessions from ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN 2014 gave us a glimpse into the future, questioned how we are changing learning to meet new demands, and gave a frank assessment of the education sector as it stands today.

Providing varied and upfront insights; see what industry experts had to say in our roundup of memorable keynote quotes.

Friday plenary: Talking the talk to inspire action

As panellist Nick van Dam from McKinsey & Company and the e-Learning for Kids Foundation stated in his introduction: “Today it’s all about collective wisdom.”

It was in this spirit that the interactive plenary session called upon the audience for questions and comments to fuel discussion around the theme: ‘Less Talk, More Action! Meeting Tomorrow’s Needs Today.’

New ideas in the spotlight

The rolling programme of interactive formats in OEB’s newest feature made sure that not just the speakers but the audience was part of the show.

Speaking after his presentation on re-humanising e-learning, David White from the University of the Arts reflected that “100+ people seemed surprisingly willing to enter a piece of shared theatre!”

The OEB Debate: ‘This house believes that data is corrupting education’

As big data dominated much of the discussion at OEB, anticipation was high for the light-hearted yet intellectually serious battle over the controversial motion: ‘This house believes that data is corrupting education’.

Why mobile learning is key to student recruitment and engagement

Despite the shift from desktop computers to embracing approaches such as BYOD, just having access to mobile technology does not solely make it successful.

Institutions still face the challenge of how to effectively use mobile to maximise student success and outcomes, and should carefully consider their goals when mapping out mobile strategies

Download the post-conference report and discover:

• OEB in numbers – the key facts and figures of the conference
• Programme highlights, summaries and outcomes
• What participants said – social media clippings
• Exhibition overview and exhibitor list

https://www.facebook.com/ONLINEEDUCABERLIN

Indoor Location will be a Ubiquitous Enabler for Next-Gen Applications

Indoor positioning benefits will span all the industries, from health care to manufacturing, tourism to rescue services. Jouni Kämäräinen, Chairman, In-Location Alliance (ILA) — an ecosystem of industry players to stimulate innovation in indoor location space and accelerate market adoption — believes the potential market is hug.

Jouni Kamarainen
Jouni Kämäräinen
Chairman, In-Location Alliance, (ILA)

What are the major trends that you see in the indoor mapping and navigation market?

In a few years the ability to locate people and objects indoor will be a ubiquitous enabler for a new generation of context-based applications. Consumers will be able to navigate seamlessly indoors and outdoors. They will come to expect hyper local content and will enjoy the benefits across all aspects of their life from the simplification of tracking their personal belongings, to truly global navigation, to personalised services.

Indoor positioning benefits will span all the industries, from health care to manufacturing, tourism to rescue services. Facility owners and local service providers will gain the ability to establish more effective relations with their visitors. Shopping malls, for example, will increase the knowledge of their customers. Companies will be able to track assets and monitor workflow more effectively.

What were the critical reasons for establishing In-Location Alliance (ILA)?
We founded the In-Location Alliance (ILA) to accelerate the adoption of indoor positioning solutions that will open up new opportunities for consumers and venue owners. Our focus is both to promote open interfaces and standards-based approach, will ensure interoperability, and to work with member companies to pilot the most promising services and use cases from a business and solution point of view.

Where Urban Mill comes from? Introducing Innovation Alley, Otaniemi and Espoo Innovation Garden

Innovation Alley: Design Factory – Startup Sauna – Urban Mill

Situated in the heart of Espoo Innovation Garden, Innovation Alley is the focal point of innovation buzz on Aalto University campus. Its core activities pivot around Aalto Design Factory, Startup Sauna and Urban Mill. Together these three co-working and co-creation platforms, and their common yards, form a networked physical, virtual and social Knowledge Triangle with its nodes focused on learning (main responsibility Design Factory), systemic innovation (main responsibility Urban Mill) and new business creation (main responsibility Startup Sauna).

These three multi-disciplinary communities of practice work daily and closely together. Activities are mainly self-organised and collaboration is facilitated through shared boundary objects. The human-centered innovation orchestration approaches in use challenge the traditional institution-centered practices. Innovation alley attracts yearly thousands of international visitors (e.g. scholars, businessmen and investors) and the exchange with its global co-location networks is intensive.

Aalto Design Factory (founded 2008) is an experimental co-creation platform for education, research and application of product design – where ‘design’ has a broad meaning. Design Factory aims to develop a passion-based student-centric learning culture for the Aalto University.

Startup Sauna (founded 2010) is a non-profit space, organization and community for startups and aspiring entrepreneurs in Northern and Eastern Europe and Russia. The aim is to implement a blooming startup ecosystem and a pay-it-forward culture into the region in order to make it the best place for startups.

Urban Mill (founded 2013) is a thematic focal point and open innovation platform service for global urban innovators. It is a co-working space, an innovation community, as well as a change orchestration tool for urban development. It aims to re-define the way in which people accomplish joint innovation work, and aims to make societal impact in a global urban context.

IA-kuva

One alternative future, based on ideas collected from the Innovation Alley communities.

Otaniemi: Innovation – Business – Quality of Life.

Otaniemi, located in Espoo, Finland, is the largest technology hub in the Northern Europe, featuring a unique mix of top-level research organizations, academic institutions and technology businesses. Otaniemi is a community of over 32,000 people that includes 16,000 students and another 16,000 technology professionals.

110 different nationalities. Buzz. Serendipity.

If you are interested in visiting Otaniemi or if you’re looking for a suitable location to establish your hitech business in Scandinavia or Europe, look no further – Otaniemi is the place to be. Are you in Otaniemi yet? If not – allow us already in Otaniemi to help you get started and connected!

Otaniemi Marketing Ltd’s mission is to enhance Otaniemi’s competitiveness by supporting close collaboration between its key players and boosting its recognition and exposure around the world. For more information about Otaniemi and Otaniemi Marketing please check:

http://www.otaniemi.fi

Espoo Innovation Garden: Innovation and adventurous experiences!

Espoo is a garden of innovation and adventurous experiences – Espoo Innovation Garden. This refers to an innovative operational model that encourages a culture of collaboration; it’s the Espoo way of thinking and acting. Espoo Innovation Garden shares and enriches the Espoo story.

Espoo Innovation Garden is a growing and developing city garden that offers diverse services in the area that includes Otaniemi, Keilaniemi and Tapiola. It’s the home of the largest innovation hub in Northern Europe with thriving international companies, the hottest start-up sauna on the planet, various cultural activities and sports clubs as well as a renowned community of scientists and researchers. Science, financial activities and arts all make the Garden flourish.

Several world class companies have their global HQ’s, local or regional HQ’s or R&D units in Espoo Innovation Garden. These include Rovio, Kone, Nokia, Samsung, Microsoft, Bayer, Aalto University, VTT Research, EIT ICT Labs.

A total of 5,000 researchers, 25 research and development organisations and a number of Finnish listed companies operate in the area. The fact that there are people of 110 different nationalities working in the area is a clear reflection of its international character. The active centre of science and finance is enriched by abundant offering of arts and cultural events.

EIG-map

Espoo’s success in the European Commission’s 2014 search for the European Capital of Innovation inspired our gardeners to continue to work with the Espoo soil to make it even more of a fertile ground for growth and innovation. Espoo managed to get onto the shortlist of six prominent cities from among 58 applicant cities.

Encounters – planned or random – between people are a source of innovation and new experiences. The garden will grow and flourish the more gardeners that tend to it. Everyone is welcome to do some gardening, make it bloom and create new innovation and experiences.

Making the dream garden come true

Espoo Innovation Garden’s aim is to bring together the various partners operating in the area and to encourage their collaboration and sense of community. We are making our dreams come true by nurturing the best companies, the best research and the best environment to work and live in. We want to prepare a seedbed for creating new jobs and a good strong living environment in collaboration with companies, communities and residents. Our aim is to develop both as a ground where innovation can grow and as a partner who makes innovation work.

We want to increase cooperation activities in order to create opportunities for success for the entire country as well as good life for the people living and working in the area. Our dream is to make the Innovation Garden bear fruit for the entire metropolitan area and all of Finland.

How to become a gardener?

People, companies and communities are the most important resources in our garden. Espoo Innovation Garden is an open network of residents, companies and communities. Anyone can become a gardener – science and research organisations, companies, cultural and sports organisations, city employees and residents. Anyone who lives in or likes Espoo is welcome.

http://www.espoo.fi/en-US/Jobs_and_enterprise/Innovation_Garden

http://www.espoo.fi/en-US/City_of_Espoo/Decisionmaking/The_Espoo_Story

Markku Markkula EU:n Alueiden komitean 109. täysistunnossa: Vahva teollinen perusta EU:n kilpailukyvyn kulmakivi

Espoon kaupunginvaltuuston jäsenen ja Aalto-yliopiston johdon neuvonantajan Markku Markkulan (EPP) valmistelema lausunto Euroopan komission teollisuuspolitiikkapaketista hyväksyttiin keskiviikkona EU:n alueiden komitean täysistunnossa.

– Vahva teollinen perusta on ensiarvoisen tärkeä Euroopan kilpailukyvylle ja vakaalle kehitykselle; Markkula totesi.

– Etusijalle on asetettava teollisuuden innovointivalmiuksien parantaminen ja olemassa olevan huippuosaamisen hyödyntäminen.

Teollisuuden osuus EU:n viennistä on yli 80 prosenttia ja yksityisestä tutkimuksesta ja innovoinnista 80 prosenttia. Lähes joka neljäs yksityisen sektorin työpaikka on teollisuudessa ja edellyttää usein korkeaa ammattitaitoa. Jokainen valmistusteollisuuden uusi työpaikka synnyttää 0,5–2 työpaikkaa muille aloille.

-Teollisuus on paljon enemmän kuin perinteinen valmistusteollisuus, jota sillä tyypillisesti tarkoitetaan, ja teollisilla prosesseilla ja ekosysteemeillä on laajat vaikutukset koko yhteiskuntaan.Komission valmistelussa olevalla 300 miljardin euron investointipaketilla voi olla arvaamattoman suuret vaikutukset taloudelliseen kasvuun ja työllisyyteen, kunhan investointeihin yhdistetään mittava innovaatio- ja yrittäjyystoiminta,Markkula korosti.

Toimittanut: Leena Jokiranta

 

Avoimen datan suomenmestari Päästöt.fi paljastaa EU:n suurimmat saastuttajat

3.12.2014 Ajankohtaista by

Avoimen datan Apps4Finland-kilpailun kirkkaimman kruunun pokkasi tänä vuonna Päästöt.fi-visualisointi, josta voi tutkia asuinympäristönsä tai koko Euroopan suurimpia saastuttajia interaktiivisen karttakäyttöliittymän avulla. Kartalla voi tutkia esimerkiksi suurimpia hiilidioksidin, ravinteiden tai raskasmetallien päästölähteitä.

Päävoittaja valittiin nyt ensimmäistä kertaa yleisöäänestyksen perusteella. Valinta tehtiin neljän pääsarjan parhaimmistosta, joista muut olivat Eduskunta Explorer -sovellus, Infoapi-konsepti sekä HSL:n kehittäjäyhteistyö ja dev.hsl.fi-kehittäjäportaali. Palkinnot jaettiin 3.12.2014 Helsingissä. Kilpailu järjestettiin tänä vuonna kuudetta kertaa. Kilpailun järjestivät Forum Virium Helsinki, Open Knowledge Finland ry ja Suomen Verkkodemokratiaseura ry.

Apps4Finland-kilpailu innostaa avoimen datan ja avointen tietovarantojen luovaan käyttöön. Vuosien varrella kilpailun kautta on syntynyt runsaasti huimia sovelluksia, visualisointeja ja muita kisatöitä.

Palkintorahaa oli tänä vuonna jaossa yli 40000€. Palkinnot jaettiin neljässä pääsarjassa. Niihin pystyi osallistumaan niin sovelluksin, datanavauksin, visualisoinnein, ideoin kuin uusien datan hyödyntämistapojen kera. Lisäksi jaettiin lukuisia yhteistyökumppaneiden haastepalkintoja. Liikkumiseen liittyviä sovelluksia palkitsi vielä erikseen Apps4Mobility-kilpailu.

Finalistit valittiin tänä vuonna ensimmäistä kertaa vertaisarvioinnin ja yleisöäänestyksen perusteella. Voittajat palkittiin 48 työn joukosta. Kaiken kaikkiaan kisaan jätettiin tänä vuonna 132 kilpailutyötä.

Lue loppuun

Parasta kaupunkia Espooseen, vastaa kyselyihin

Espoon kaupunkisuunnittelukeskus kysyy kaupunkilaisilta tulevaisuuden asuinympäristöistä ja virkistäytymisen toiveympäristöistä. Karttapohjaisiin verkkokyselyihin voi vastata 1.12. alkaen. Ne ovat jatkoa syksyllä 2013 olleeseen Millainen on hyvä espoolainen asuinympäristö? -kyselyyn.


Tavoitteena on tarjota asukkaille mahdollisuus osallistua keskusteluun tulevasta kaupunkiympäristöstä. Samalla lisätään kaavoituksessa käytettävää arvokasta asukastietoa. Kyselyjen tuloksia käytetään hyväksi asema- ja yleiskaavoituksessa.

Kyselyt ovat avoinna 1.12.2014-28.2.2015. Kyselyihin on mahdollista vastata myös ruotsiksi ja englanniksi.

Kysely 1: Tulevaisuuden asuinympäristöt Espoossa (på svenska)  (in english)

Espoo-tarinan mukaan Espoota kehitetään aidoksi viiden kaupunkikeskuksen ja paikalliskeskusten verkostokaupungiksi, jossa vuonna 2025 asuu 300 000 asukasta. Länsimetro ja kaupunkirata muodostavat merkittävät kehityskäytävät, joihin suuri osa uudesta asuntotuotannosta kohdentuu.

Kyselyn tarkoituksena on kysyä espoolaisilta, miten he haluavat nähdä kaupungin kasvavan? Minkälainen on espoolainen kaupunkiympäristö tulevaisuudessa?

Kysely sisältää myös samat toiveasuntoon liittyvät kysymykset kuin vuonna 2000 Espoon kaupungin tekemässä kyselytutkimuksessa ”Espoolaisten asumistoiveet 2000”.

Kysely 2: Virkistyksen toiveympäristöt Espoossa (på svenska)  (in english)

Kyselyssä selvitetään miten nykyiset virkistysalueet ja -reitit palvelevat asukkaita ja minkälaisia toiveita asukkailla on niiden kehittämiseen. Kyselyssä virkistysalueilla tarkoitetaan erilaisia virkistys-, viher-, puisto-, ulkoilu- ja urheilualueita, joita käytetään vapaa-ajalla eri vuodenaikoina.

Vastaamalla kyselyyn asukkaat saavat kertoa muun muassa miten he virkistäytyvät ja millaisia virkistyspalveluita heidän toiveympäristönsä sisältää. Lisäksi kyselyssä on teemakysymyksiä joistakin kaavoituksen kannalta ajankohtaisista teemoista kuten veneilystä ja hevostalleista.

Lisätietoja:

Kysely 1: tutkija Laura Malm-Grönroos
laura.malm-gronroos@espoo.fi
p. 043 825 5231

Kysely  2: erikoissuunnittelija Tanja Hämäläinen
tanja.h.hamalainen@espoo.fi p. 043 825 5224

Espoon kaupunkisuunnittelukeskus

Urban development and city models have wind in their sails

The attraction of the EUE (Energizing Urban Ecosystems) research program that focuses on sustainable urban development and the regional innovation ecosystems, services and business models supporting it is growing. At the start of the third season, the number of participants is double that of the previous season. The program aims e.g. to develop and introduce virtual and interactive city models.

The EUE consortium consists of 12 enterprises, e.g. Kone Corporation and Fortum Corporation, the cities of Helsinki and Espoo, the health care organizations of the HUS hospital district and Orton, and five research institutes and universities. Both the enterprises and public operators will benefit from such strong interdisciplinarity and the results of extensive cooperation. Cities and municipalities will get answers to what is expected of new and refurbished urban areas in the future, while companies and consortia will learn how they can offer these solutions in the future.

SITO Oy is a good example of a new program member that studies and pilots the design and operation of the open, continuously updating city model and its integration into the key processes of urban planning. Another subject of its R&D is the sharing of the city model in the form of open data through open interfaces to all users. Practical results of that effort already exists: SITO created a 4D city model of the Kivistö residential and workplace area for the Building Supervision of Vantaa that can be viewed using a Net browser.

Another newcomer, Elisa Corporation, joined the program in order to promote the emergence of a digital service economy through R&D on service structures and their networks. Elisa also has already developed solutions that will allow taking decisive steps together with partners on the path to creating the service economy of the future.

Common vision and three work packages

The three work packages of the research program are Sustainable Innovation City (SIC), Regional Innovation Ecosystems (RIE) and Business in Built Environment (BBE). The work packages and their themes reflect the basic vision of the program and the foundations of urban development at its core: holistic wellbeing, user centric and technology that supports them.

The SIC package, led by SRV, focuses on the processes of sustainable area planning processes from the users’ viewpoint: experience orientation and service design as well as effective use of resources in cities. Answers are sought to how we can design an attractive and ecologically and socially sustainable urban space, and how the carbon emissions of low-rise residential buildings can be brought to a sustainable level.

The RIE package led by the City of Espoo and SITO creates, among other things, area data model concepts by integrating existing data with modern measurement technology, environmental and building models, and virtual elements. Mapping and laser scanning and related solutions are prominently featured as are interaction and BIM. The regional innovation ecosystem will be developed into a regional entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The BBE package led by Fira Oy examines value creation in business settings of several companies or organizations: how they form and function, and how the value creation logic changes during the life cycle.

The key idea behind all RYM research programs is strong international orientation. The EUE program is no exception: it involves active cooperation e.g. with MIT and University of Madrid as well as several other universities across the world.

More information:

Jarmo Heinonen, Program Manager

jarmo.heinonen (at)rym.fi

Tel. +358 50467 1432

RYM Award 2014 goes to Professor Kirsti Lonka

Kirsti Lonka, Professor of Educational Psychology at University of Helsinki, was the recipient of the RYM Award 2014. She and her research team have introduced world-class behavioral science and pedagogical expertise into the development and planning of different learning environments.

– We understand learning environments broadly since learning should take place everywhere: in schools and universities as well as workplaces, public facilities and homes. Yet, learning is first and foremost a state of mind. Physical spaces, in turn, must be such that they inspire people to learn, understand and internalize new things, Kirsti Lonka emphasizes.

According to Ilari Aho, Chairman of the Board at RYM Oy, the multidisciplinary expertise of Lonka and her research team has opened a completely new way of thinking in the development of the built environment. We are gradually shifting from the traditional minimizing of problems to maximizing value added.

Lonka has noted that RYM Oy’s Indoor Environment Program has provided behavioral research a suitable platform to test the performance of various learning methods and tools as well as spatial solutions in practice. – While new things are designed and built, theories are also developed. This Design Based Research approach benefits all, both researchers and users of spaces, Lonka concludes.

Converting stimulating learning environments into an export product

As an example of an agile Living Lab she mentions the modern, interactive teaching facilities built in just one summer at the Minerva learning center in Kruunuhaka, Helsinki. They adapt flexibly to many different uses and allow utilizing and experimenting with various intelligent learning technologies.

– There is room for improvement in learning environments. The pleasantness of schools has deteriorated much more than the results of PISA studies. However, by combining pedagogic expertise, multidisciplinary research and user-oriented spatial design, we can convert Finnish learning environments that hook students into an export product, Lonka believes. Her research team has a worldwide cooperation network that has also been utilized in many ways in RYM research.

The RYM Award was presented at a meeting of the consultative committee of RYM Oy. The previous recipients of the award are Granlund Oy’s former Managing Director Reijo Hänninen and Jukka Heinonen, currently a professor at the University of Iceland, Reykjavik.

For more information:

Kirsti Lonka, kirsti.lonka@helsinki.fi, tel. +358 50 524 9147

Ilari Aho, ilari.aho@uponor.com, tel. +358 40 707 7130

Kirsti Lonka RYM Award

Espoon ja Shanghain yhteistyö laajenee innovaatioihin ja yritysyhteistyöhön

ESPOO TIEDOTTAA 2.12.2014

Espoon ja Shanghain yhteistyö laajenee innovaatioihin ja yritysyhteistyöhön

Espoon kaupunki ja Shanghain kaupunki laajentavat sisarkaupunkiyhteistyötään innovaatioihin ja yritystoiminnan edellytyksiin. Kaupungit aloittavat neuvottelut yhteisen innovaatioverkoston luomisesta ja yritystoiminnan yhteisestä tukemisesta.

Kaupunginjohtaja Jukka Mäkelä tapasi Shanghain pormestarin YANG Xiongin perjantaina 28.11.2014 Shanghaissa.

Mäkelä esitteli pormestari YANGille suomalaisia yrityksiä cleantech-, terveysteknologia- ja koulutusaloilta. Kaupunginjohtajien tapaamiseen osallistuivat Evac Oy, Outotec Oyj, Promentor Solutions Oy, Rovio Oy sekä hyvinvointi- ja terveysalan startup-klusteri HealthSPA.

Pormestari YANG toivotti suomalaisyritykset tervetulleiksi Kiinan markkinoille. Hän korosti, että Espoo on Shanghaille tärkeä kumppani innovaatioiden kehittämisessä ja käyttöönottamisessa.

Pormestari YANG myös toivoi, että Aalto-yliopiston ja Shanghain Tongji-yliopiston välinen yhteistyö tiivistyy entisestään toimien hyvänä esimerkkinä myös muiden suomalaisten ja shanghailaisten yliopistojen yhteistyölle. Shanghaissa on 68 yliopistoa.

Mäkelä ja YANG tapasivat nyt toista kertaa. Pormestarin tehtävässä aloitettuaan YANG Xiong valitsi ensimmäiseksi ulkomaanvierailukohteekseen Espoon elokuussa 2013.

Lue loppuun

Open course presentations at Aalto Design Factory on Thu 4.12. – please join!

Hei,
Tervetuloa ensi torstaina 4.12. klo 9:30-10:30 katsomaan visualisointikurssin tuloksia Design Factorylle!

Kurssi toteutettiin projektina, jossa neljä opiskelijaryhmää osallistui kuvitteelliseen kilpailuun, jossa he suunnittelivat ja toteuttivat opaskartan Otaniemen alueesta ja teemakarttoja DF:n sisätiloista, käyttäjäryhmänä DF:lla työskentelevät ja vierailevat henkilöt. Tehtävään sisältyi myös vuorovaikutteisen digitoteutuksen ideointi.

Ehkä näitä karttoja voitaisiin näyttää myöhemmin Urban Cavessä, tai ehkä näiden pohjalta syntyy ideoita yhteistyöhön. Ensi syksynä kurssi joka tapauksessa toteutetaan uuden projektitehtävän ympärillä.

Terv. Paula

Are you interested in course developments at Aalto Design Factory?

On Thursday 4th of December, two interdisciplinary Master’s level courses will showcase their development efforts by organising open presentations at ADF (Betonimiehenkuja 5 C, Otaniemi) 9.30 onwards. Please join the following activities:

Visualization of Geographic Information: Come and see the ADF maps designed by students in four competing teams, and vote for the best proposal! For more information, see the attachment. The presentations and exhibition are held at ADF Puuhamaa at 9.30–10.30.

Combustion and Gasification Technology: Three competing teams of sellers are presenting their tenders for a fuel conversion project, in which biomass will substitute some of the fuels used in a fossil-fuel-fired power plant. After the presentations the buyers will choose the winner. The presentations are held at ADF Studio at 11.00.

For more information, please contact Maria (maria.clavert@aalto.fi <mailto:maria.clavert@aalto.fi> ).