IP Review Autumn 2017

Contents 3-7 Is this the real life? A new generation of AR technology 8-9 Getting smart with clean technology An upturn in innovation activity in the area of Smart Grid technology in Europe 10-11 New kid on the block Rapidly developing technology Blockchain has the potential to alter radically the way that business is done 12-13 Rise of the social robots How social robots will play a much greater role in our daily lives 14-15 Patenting precision medicines Tailored remedies for patients 16 New partner and senior associates at Withers & Rogers IP review autumn 2017 Welcome to the Autumn 2017 edition of IP Review In this edition we’ve focused on emerging technologies and the ways in which innovators can protect their developments in these areas. Our main article takes a detailed look at Augmented Reality (AR), which is fast becoming part of everyday life, as foreshadowed by last summer’s Pokémon GO! craze. We’ve looked at patent filing trends and what they might tell us about how this industry might develop. Look out for a follow- up article next issue. Elsewhere, we try to demystify Blockchain, a technology that has seemingly come from nowhere and is now on the verge of breaking through to the mainstream. We’ve also been considering developments in the field of social robotics, another technology that could soon be impacting all of our lives, and ask how innovators can protect features of robot personality within the framework of European patent law. We also look at potentially life-saving advances in precision medicines, and recent developments in smart grid technology. We hope you enjoy the issue. Matthew Howell Editor 2