| The goal of Stanford University Media X is to foster | | | | as we age. We need to redefine "aging". Nowadays, |
| collaborations between industry and academia. The 5th | | | | there are many role models in their 70s and 80s that |
| Annual Media X Conference on Research, | | | | show how age is not an obstacle for being active |
| Collaboration, Innovation and Productivity, which I was | | | | contributors in society. |
| fortunate to attend, served its purpose well. Let me | | | | 5) Virtual Simulations for medical education. Dr. LeRoy |
| share the 10 Key Trends that every business | | | | Heinrichs showed how simulations work very well to |
| executive and innovator should be paying attention to: | | | | train surgeons and other medical professionals learn |
| 1) Personal Robotics is poised to explode soon | | | | how to perform their jobs. Virtual simulations (in a |
| (predicted by Paul Saffo). It usually takes 20 years | | | | simulated virtual environment) can work as well as |
| science basic science exists until applications reach | | | | physical ones (which typically are more expensive and |
| inflection point and take the world by storm-and we | | | | less scalable). |
| are about to see that happen. Some indicators: | | | | 6) Green Building and Green Cars. Prof. Gilbert M. |
| DARPA sponsored first robotics attempts in mid-80s, | | | | Masters recommended reading the article "It's the |
| and now we have applications such as the Roomba | | | | Architecture, Stupid!" to understand how buildings |
| vacuum-cleaner, and a fully automated racing car. Prof. | | | | account for 35-45% carbon emissions in the US, more |
| Kenneth Salisbury showed how there are robots | | | | than transportation and industry. |
| today with great motor skills-i.e., they can unload a | | | | 7) Friends not Email: Prof. B.J. Fogg claimed that email |
| dishwasher! | | | | "cheapens our lives" and insisted that maintaining close |
| 2) Brain Computer Interfaces. Prof. Krishna Shenoy | | | | relationships is critical for happiness. Email is a very bad |
| explained how, for many people who can't move/ | | | | tool to manage close relationships. Wise words. |
| communicate well, new systems enable the translation | | | | 8) Science Videos: Prof. Roy D. Pea made the case |
| of brain signals into control signals, by implanting | | | | that there is an increasing need for DIY videos in |
| electrodes in brain that measure signals and help | | | | protocol sharing among scientists, so they can better |
| predict behaviors based on response pattern | | | | replicate experiments. His Lab is creating new ways to |
| recognition There are already applications today that | | | | enable people create conversations about video to |
| help people move cursors based on their thoughts. | | | | enhance diversity of views and connections. |
| 3) Clean Technology: Scott Z. Burns, co-producer of | | | | 9) Games for Learning: Prof. Dan Schwartz |
| An Inconvenient Truth, explained how Al Gore was | | | | showcased new methods for learning outside the |
| reluctant to make the movie, but he was convinced to | | | | classroom. Games can help merge formal & informal |
| participate given the increasing threat of global | | | | learning. Teachable agents are computer programs |
| warming. Al Gore saw an analogy between the movie | | | | created by students to make their knowledge explicit, |
| and a bio-feedback device that her daughter used to | | | | and can be used as part of games to motivate |
| treat her migraines. In biofeedback, one learns how to | | | | students do their homework. |
| manage vital body variables in order to reach a goal | | | | 10) 3D Scientific Imaging. Prof. Paul Brown displayed |
| (preventing migraines, managing stress...). Similarly, Gore | | | | some of the new imaging and software packages |
| wanted each viewer to find his or her own "levers" or | | | | that allow doctors navigate virtually into the bodies of |
| "muscles" and ways to act -not just be told what to | | | | patients, in a non-invasive way The images are simply |
| do. | | | | spectacular. They used these technologies to see in |
| 4) Reinventing Aging: Prof. Laura L. Carstensen, of the | | | | detail the interiors of an Egyptian mummy. |
| Stanford Center on Longevity, explained how | | | | Which of these trends is more relevant to your |
| Technology & Science has been improving Biology for | | | | business? What can you do to start preparing for the |
| the last 150 years, and now we need to focus on how | | | | future, today? |
| to help people remain physically fit and mentally sharp | | | | |