The UK Government is pledging £20 million to help develop intelligent fridges and conscientious boilers.

In total, £40 million has been set aside to fund the virtual Interdisciplinary Research Centre (vIRC) - a coalition of technology businesses and universities including BT, Dyson, IBM UK, Microsoft and the University of Cambridge - which, we're, told will be only too happy to come together and share their research.

Other areas include intelligent wired security systems and eco-friendly "thinking" houses.

Oh, and let's not forget TV screens bolted on to just about any domestic appliance you can think of - such as a TV on your wristwatch, Net access on the microwave, or DVD players attached to fridges.

Eminister Douglas Alexander said the vIRC would allow the UK to "maintain its strong lead in high-tech industries" and "bring us closer to mass-market products and services with the potential to improve home security, cut energy consumption and improve quality of life".

Heaven help us. ®