Plenty

Adrian Bowyer is a semi-retired academic engineer. His main areas of research are the mechanics of friction, geometric computing, the application of computers to manufacturing, the creation of smart hydrophilic-polymer gels, and the engineering use of biology, called Biomimetics. In Biomimetics he works on self-copying and self-assembly in engineering.

He tells us about the worldwide RepRap Project - a project he founded that has created humanity's first general purpose self-replicating manufacturing machine - widely credited with starting the low-cost 3D-printer revolution.

Dr Tom Chatfield is a British writer, broadcaster and tech philosopher. He’s interested in improving our experiences and understanding of digital technology.

Tom’s non-fiction books exploring digital culture—most recentlyCritical Thinking (SAGE Publishing) andLive This Book! (Penguin)—have appeared in over thirty countries and languages. His debut novel, This is Gomorrah(Hodder), was published worldwide in July 2019.

Topics he’s written about recently include the ethics of AI, what it means to think well, technology in deep time and the philosophy of fake news.

He talks to us about the psychological, and social impact of an automated, AI optimised world, and how making things easier and easier may have drastic unforeseen consequences.

Helen Goulden is Chief Executive Officer of The Young Foundation. Prior to joining us in October 2017, Helen was Executive Director at Nesta, responsible for leading their Innovation Lab supporting and scaling innovation in the arts, civil society, government and education sectors.

She tells us about the recently completed Barcelona Basic Income trial, how easing the pressure of poverty affected people’s cognitive abilities and mental well being, but despite the enthusiasm of some in the tech world, that it is not a neat simple solution for deeply ingrained social problems. Another very human layer is required to really help people.

Gray Scott is a futurist, techno-philosopher and one of the world’s leading experts in the field of emerging technology. Gray has advised advertising agencies, think tanks and corporations in the area of foresight, including AT&T’s recent 25th anniversary YOU WIL campaign. Gray has spoken at conferences around the world, including NASA Johnson Space Center, Boston University, London Business School and the International Judicial Symposium of the Supreme Court of Korea.

He gives us a glimpse into a technological post-scarcity world, and reveals the dramatic social and psychological changes we will all have to go through to have a chance of making it a reality.