Tech Foresight 2038

Shifting realities

The Tech Foresight 2038: Shifting Realities event took place on 14 June 2018 at the British Library, London. The event explored technological breakthroughs stemming from Imperial College London, investigating how these could change the world around us.

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Introduction video

Enter 2038; a world of shifting realities, where things are not always what they seem to be, and where technological breakthroughs could change the very fundamentals of how we engage with and see the world.

Controlling Light at the Nano-scale – Dr Riccardo Sapienza

What if we could harness and control the power of light? What happens when we can sense light at the nano-scale?
 
This talk will delve into Dr Riccardo Sapienza’s work on how to control light at the nanoscale by using hyper-uniform disorder material. Trapping light can have many benefits and applications spanning a multitude of industries. We will be taken on a journey of how our interaction with light and lasers might be completely different in 20 years from molecular quantum computing to bio-sensing.
Dr Sapienza and his Complex Nanophotonics Research Group are currently working on nano-antennas, random lasers, and new materials. The potential applications are broad, from photonic circuits for faster information processing, biointegrated sensors to sense our health, and hyper-sensitive devices.

Bringing the future to life – Anab Jain and Prof. David Gann in Conversation

Anab Jain and her studio Superflux bring the future to life, creating experiences where people can touch, see and feel the potential of the world we’re creating. Do we want a world where intelligent machines patrol our streets, for instance, or where our genetic heritage determines our health care?

Superflux inspires and challenges us to look critically at the decisions and choices we make today. After her 20 min keynote presentation, she discusses what implications this may have for the future with Professor David Gann.

Creating value by quantifying uncertainty – Prof. Mark Girolami

There is a current hype around data. How might we unlock the power of data through the use of computational statistics?

Professor Mark Girolami’s talk will explore his vision of how data might impact the way see and practice engineering through the use of computational statistics. He has worked across industries to identify and harness value in often complex, uncertain and data-rich areas. During the talk, we can hear his vision of how cities might go from static objects to responsive beta structures.