3D printing also known as additive manufacturing, turns digital 3D models into solid objects by building them up in layers. Whilst on work experience Christopher Wilkin (Yr11 student) from The Bishop's Stortford College explored the growing developments of this technology.

One of this decade’s most technologically advanced developments in the modelling industry was the development of the 3D printer. When given the correct instructions, it can recreate what was just a virtual object, designed with mouse and keyboard on a computer, into a real object that you can touch and hold. Previously, prototypes for complex designs were created through long, laborious processes, often done completely by hand due to the unique nature of the designs. Now, with the aid of 3D printers, the same models can be sculpted in front of your very eyes in just a few hours.

Passwords have long been the default option for verifying a user's identity. However, the sheer volume of them can be difficult to remember and they are increasingly susceptible to being stolen. While on work experience Ciaran Hollebrand (Yr10 student) from St. Mary's Catholic School explored the advancing technologies in biometric identification that are becoming an emerging replacement.

Recent advancements in the biometric identification and verification industry have made sure that it is almost impossible to bypass the extreme accuracy of a biometric identification device. Soon it will be as easy as picking up your phone or holding your device to unlock it.    

Virtual and Augmented Reality applications represent the next stage in human interaction with technology. With the recent mainstream success of Pokemon Go, Daniel Short (Yr10 student) from St. Mary's Catholic School decided to research both realities whilst on work experience here.

In March 2015, we wrote about a tale of two realities, Virtual and Augmented Reality. At this time, both of these were still in their infancy, and had not yet been widely used in everyday life, and things like google glass or Microsoft HoloLens were extremely expensive, making it almost impossible  for everyday buyers to get their hands on a piece of this advanced and complex tech. Therefore, I have decided to write this article, to explain just how far these two new realities have come in the last 18 months, and where they are being used in society and everyday life.

The drone industry is the latest technology to disrupt the retail and delivery ecosystems. Whilst on work experience Lottie Wilkinson (Yr10 student) from The Herts and Essex High School investigated how Amazon is incorporating drone technology in its business.

Wearable technology is playing a growing role in sport all over the world, used to help coaches, trainers and general managers maximize player performance. While on work experience, Daniel Fernandes (Yr12 student) of The Bishop’s Stortford High School explored how ‘wearables’ are shaping the future of sport.

The wearable technology industry is growing at an extremely rapid rate, currently selling $14bn worth of wearables and expected to increase to $34.2bn by 2020. Everyday new wearable tech, commonly referred to as ‘wearables’, is released; and people are buying them. The range of wearable technology is vast, with some established businesses (Tommy Hilfiger), offering solar powered jackets that act as portable chargers, and some smaller businesses (Future Interfaces Group) enabling you to use your skin as a touchpad, with their new technology- SkinTrack. The range of wearable technology is truly extensive.

Bitcoin: boom or bust?

The definitions of Bitcoin and Blockchain have been previously covered in ‘Confused by cryptocurrencies? Bemused by Bitcoin? Baffled by Blockchain?’ While on work experience, Alex Sokhanvari of Bishop’s Stortford College took a deeper look at whether the hype and attention surrounding Bitcoin is warranted and how its future may pan out.

Bitcoin’s volatility sees it feature in the media on a regular basis. Bitcoin by analogy, is like being able to send a gold coin via email. It is a peer-to-peer online payment system that introduces an entirely digital currency. Could Bitcoin revolutionise the way we make our payments? Or could it just be a passing fad that will fade and be forgotten?

Whilst on internship Gary Kirby from the University of Leeds continued the 'chain' in the series of posts on cryptocurrencies and blockchain.

CRISPR has been around since 1987 but scientists have only began to discover the gene editing tool's revolutionary capabilities in the last decade. Whilst on work experience at Delta2020, William Walker Y12 student from the Bishops Stortford High School decided to research his keen interest in this rapidly developing but controversial topic.

What is CRISPR?

The latest tool being developed in biotech laboratories around the world today is “CRISPR” (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats), a genome editing tool that allows scientists to make changes in the genetic material of a cell or an entire organism in an easier, cheaper and faster way than previous techniques. This advanced technology has countless applications for human and animal health, medicine, agriculture, the environment and food supply chain. 

Regardless of what your views on genetic engineering are, the CRISPR technology is being used and has been developing rapidly over the past decade.

Facial recognition is often being talked about as one of the next big things but where can it be used and how secure is it? While on work experience, Sam Shelton (Yr10 student) from The Bishop's Stortford High School looked into the subject.

As mobile technologies are increasingly evolving into 'wearables', Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) solutions continue to capture the imaginations of millions and are expected to exceed 24 million in device sales by 2018. Whilst on work experience Gabriella Freeman (Yr10 student) from St. Mary's Catholic School looked into its many possibilities for enhancing and improving the education system.

Augmented Reality is the technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world. This is highly popular within the gaming world as seen through the popularity of the Pokémon game: Pokémon Go. 

Blockchain technology can facilitate trustless consensus across all industries. Amber Magson (Yr12 student) whilst on Work Experience from the Bishop Stortford College decided to look into how Charities can benefit from this technology and Ethereum's Smart Contracts.

Research shows that one in five UK firms were affected by a cyber-attack last year. Whilst on work experience Toluwa Alabi (Yr10 student) from The Bishop's Stortford High School explored the importance of cyber-security in light of the recent WannaCry ransomware attack. 

Whilst on work experience Alex Ainsworth (Yr11 student) from The Bishop's Stortford College explored the growing phenomenon of autonomous vehicles.

In 1908, the Ford Motor Company created the world’s first mass produced automobile, the model T. In 2016 Ford announced its plan to have fully autonomous vehicles in operation by 2021.  As such, with the demise of driving seemingly on the horizon, this raises many questions

While on work experience, Henry Walton of Hockerill Anglo-European College looked into the growing Smartwatch phenomenon.

Is now the time of the Smartwatch?

Growth of the Industry

2012 saw the rise of a new industry following the success of the newly founded smartwatch company Pebble. The company pitched their e-ink display smartwatch to crowdfunding platform Kickstarter in April that year and received $100,000 in the first 2 hours after the project went live. The project went on to raise over $10,000,000 from 70,000 backers, demonstrating the substantial demand for intelligent wearable technology.

The Pebble Watch

Although fitness bands and simplistic smartwatches have been in existence for almost 10 years, it was Pebble’s success that acted as the catalyst for the smartwatch industry’s growth. Other major brands such as Samsung, LG and Motorola quickly followed suit and released their own products across 2013/14.

The huge impact of e-Commerce and home deliveries are revolutionising the retail industry and radically changing our shopping habits. Rose Nott from Birmingham City University has written an article on the future of the online shopping experience.

Angel deal analysis

Bookended by Covid-19 restrictions, I invested in seven angel rounds this year (2 new deals and 5 follow-ons) in comparison with 2020 comprising of eight rounds (5 new and 3 follow-ons). 

Of this year’s investment rounds, three were in software, three in healthcare and one in sustainable materials. Five of these deals were led by Angels, and two by VCs. One of my portfolio companies completed a Series B, another a Series A, one exited and another became a ‘Soonicorn’.

Recent reports show that 4 billion people (over half the world's population) are now online, with 250 million joining for the first time in 2017. Whilst on work experience Year 12 student Molly Dorman from Birchwood High School explored the way technology has revolutionised how we now communicate and its global implications.

Proxy servers – How may they serve you?

Servers are an integral part of the world’s digital ecosystem. They come in many different forms and ‘serve’ many different purposes. While on work experience, Charles Drew of Bishop's Stortford College,explored the role of proxy servers and how businesses are benefiting from their use.

Whilst on work experience Year 11 student Emily Bond from the Bishop Stortford College researched the future possibilities of Space technology. She has produced a timely article in light of recent news that the UK Space Agency is giving Highlands and Islands Enterprise £2.5m towards the development of the first UK spaceport to be hosted in Sutherland, Scotland.

Whilst on work experience Lauren Beaver (Yr11 student) from The Bishop's Stortford College explored the growth of the 'smart city' phenomenon.

Before we can talk about the future of smart cities and their benefits we must ask what they actually are? 

Over the last decade Delta2020 has supported the local Schools by offering Work Experience Placements during the Summer months primarily for Year11 Students who have shown an interest in the STEM subjects. 

Due to COVID implications last year, the program was moved online and held virtually.

This offered a new dynamic to the program and enabled it to be extended to students further afield.

Delta2020 is keen to run its signature program again and offer the opportunity to Year 11 students nationwide for one week in July.

(limited availability).

Date and Duration

w/c 5th July 2021 (Mon-Fri 9:30am start, between 5-7hrs p/day).

The program would suit students who have a keen interest in the STEM subjects at School: 

• Science
• Technology
• Engineering
• Maths

iPhone sales have decreased by 50% since 2015. Max O'Reilly, Year 10 student from The Bishops Stortford High School on work experience at Delta2020, decided to look into the diminishing role of the smartphone in the future mobile device industry.

Since the first iPhone was announced in 2007, there have been 21 different variations on the original iPhone model. But, while there is obvious change, the designs have never substantially moved on.

The North of England has long been at the heart of British innovation since the industrial revolution. Whilst on work experience Luke Cooper (Yr12 student) from The Bishop's Stortford High School looked further into the new emerging digital ecosystem of the Northern Powerhouse.

The digital revolution in the North is growing 4 times faster than the non-digital sectors. In the Northern Powerhouse area (highlighted red on map) major cities such as Manchester and Liverpool the have a rapid digital economy growth rate of 13% and 7% respectively between 2011 – 2014.

While on work experience, Jack Bassett from John Hampden Grammar School explored a hot topic of public debate – encryption.

Data security, more specifically encryption, is as old as the art of communication itself. The word encryption derives from the Greek word kryptos, meaning hidden or secret and has been used throughout history, with applications from the Egyptians through to the Second World War, and is becoming an ever more pervasive theme in modern day society.

Phoebe Seymour (Yr12 student) from The Bishop's Stortford High School researched the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to understand why fewer women are pursuing AI careers when the majority of the constructed AI personalities are female.

It is common knowledge within the tech world that there is a severe lack of women in the artificial intelligence (AI) field. Statistically, 50% of all A-Level physics classes in the UK do not contain girls according to Sherry Coutu, and women received just 18% of undergraduate computer-science degrees in 2011 (National Centre for Education statistics). 

The translation and interpretation industry has doubled in the past seven years, advancements in translation technology have enabled translators and interpreters to improve their performance. While on work experience, Wendy Cowen (Yr11 student) from The Bishop’s Stortford High College explored how translation technology is breaking down language barrier

Charlotte Nash (Yr10 student) from The Herts and Essex High School was interested in the process of how athletes secured funding to enable them to 'go for gold' at the World Championships and Olympics. Whilst on work experience she decided to research the topic further.

Companies from all industry sectors understand the importance of investment in Artificial Intelligence (AI). It has the potential to transform the way we live and the ability to tackle inherent societal challenges. Whilst on work experience from the Herts and Essex High School, Yr10 student Emily Hollins explored its future impact and opportunities. 

Microsoft research has highlighted that there is just a 5 year window to ignite STEM passion in UK schoolgirls before interest markedly drops off (between the ages of 16-17). Charlotte Brown from the Bishops Stortford High School is a keen Yr12 Maths student; she has recognised in her studies that girls are significantly underrepresented in STEM, therefore wanted to research why and what is being done to help rectify the situation.