The Future of Technology
Hello Tomorrow is an annual event where more than 2000 technology leaders and entrepreneurs at the forefront of innovation come together to showcase and discuss the future of technology. Last week we had the pleasure of going to the event which took place over two days in Paris.
From a pill that delays ageing to a drone that can sense smells, we had an exciting few days!
One of the speakers was Nathaniel David. He is the CEO of UNITY Biotechnology, a company that ‘designs therapeutics that prevent, halt or reverse diseases of aging’. In other words, you still age but without disease which would have us living in a future where it does not hurt to grow old. So due to a pill, in theory we could be out playing tennis, feeling as fit and healthy as ever, and then it could just suddenly happen where we pass away on the spot. A shocking thought, but leaving this planet doing what we love isn’t a bad way to go!
Nathaniel was not the only one looking to change the medical industry. We got to see the first ever demo of the augmented reality product from Raymond Lo, the CTO of Meta. He said their product offers the widest field of view compared with what is currently on the market and allows for direct hand interaction with holograms. The image below shows what we saw which was a hologram of a human brain. The brain could be expanded and manipulated all with hand gestures, allowing for a deeper level of analysis. Augmented reality has gained a lot of attention in the public sphere recently, being used by artists, gamers, educators and more. This very immersive technology can be applied to many industries and we are certainly excited to see what the future holds.
We saw how technology can enhance biology, but what if we could use biology to enhance technology? Koniku, which was one of the startups showcasing what they are working on, are building co-processors made from a combination of biological neurons and traditional silicon processors. This mix means that sensory stimuli can be detected by the neurons which is then processed into something readable by the electronic component. This innovative chipset is small enough to put on a drone, so before we know it we could have machines that can sniff!
There was plenty at the summit to wow and inspire but we also sat in on an in-depth discussion about how to give an artificially intelligent robot morals. Should we crowd source morals or should it be left to the government of each separate nation to decide? Then again, would owning a robot be the responsibility of its owner just like a parent raising a child? Despite the differing opinions one thing was for certain, that even though we’re still several years off having a robot best friend, these are questions worth thinking about now.
Over the two days, we got to meet some very interesting people with a shared passion for technology and who were excited to hear all about KOMPAS and how we’re using artificial intelligence to change the travel industry.
