This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Funding for research into using the internet to improve everyday devices will more than double as part of efforts to make the UK a world leader in digital technology, David Cameron has announced.

The prime minister announced an extra £45m to develop the "internet of things" as he arrived in Germany for the CeBIT 2014 trade fair.

He is attending the event in Hanover – where he is due to hold talks with German chancellor Angela Merkel – as Britain is the official "partner country" of the event.

Combining British ingenuity with German engineering would put the two countries at the forefront of a new technology-based "industrial revolution", he suggested.

The prime minister said: "I see the internet of things as a huge transformative development – a way of boosting productivity, of keeping us healthier, making transport more efficient, reducing energy needs, tackling climate change.

"These are developments that could allow literally billions of everyday objects to talk to each other over the internet using low-cost, low-power chips.

"Electricity meters that talk to the grid to get you the best deals. Health monitors that keep an eye on your heart rate. Water pipes that warn of a fall in pressure.

"We are on the brink of a new industrial revolution and I want us – the UK and Germany – to lead it."