Enabling a National Cyber-Physical Infrastructure to Catalyse Innovation

This consultation seeks to broaden the UK’s understanding of the impact and opportunities for cyber-physical systems​ and also advance our collective understanding of the value of, and options for an underpinning Cyber-Physical Infrastructure to unleash innovation. Understanding and connecting complex systems has been key to every major human endeavour. As we face critical challenges such as reaching net zero and responding to global health crises, there is a need to understand, innovate and act in complex environments. Connected systems of digital and physical, or ‘cyber-physical’, technologies, such as digital twins and smart robotic systems, will be key to this. This consultation presents a vision for Cyber-Physical Infrastructure in which connected networks of cyber-physical systems could provide a step change in the economic and social value of individual systems. Much like the internet, this would not be a single, centrali