Technology and society 

This research area focuses on how technological developments, including artificial intelligence, biometrics, green technologies, and digital infrastructure, impact society and economy, the daily lives of people, public services, and security.  We bring a social science perspective to technological innovation to develop solutions that are socially acceptable, ethical, and meet their users’ needs. 

We help identify opportunities and risks, measure the social acceptance of technology, create strategies and future scenarios, and generalise the findings of complicated technologies into precise recommendations for policy makers and companies. We are critical, but solution-oriented: we study, test, introduce, and propose ideas that are applicable. In addition, we bring the perspective of Estonia into international innovation and vice versa. 

We have long-standing experience in developing human-centred technology in European and Estonian research and innovation projects, for example in the areas of border management innovation, identity technology, the security of critical infrastructure, and the green transition. With our experience, expertise, and methods we are prepared to support the uptake of technological innovations in various areas. 

RELATED PROJECTS

In progress:

• Applied research on companies’ motivation for the adoption of digital solutions
• INCREASE 
• OPEN Lab 
• Tark linn: SmartEnCity 

Completed:  

• IMARS(H2020) – Image Manipulation Attack Resolving Solutions
• ATENA (H2020) – Advanced Tools to assess and mitigate the criticality of ICT components and their dependencies over Critical Infrastructures
• ORIGINS (FP7) – Recommendations for Reliable Breeder Documents: Restoring e-Passport Confidence and Leveraging Extended Border Security
• FIDELITY (FP7) – Fast and trustworthy Identity Delivery and check with ePassports leveraging Traveler privacy
• EKSISTENZ (ETAG 2024) – Harmonized framework allowing a sustainable and robust identity for European Citizens