For those of you who are familiar with our monthly debate series, this is a new variation, the ThinkOut Podcast series, which seeks to dwell deep into the personal journey, research and future progress of leading researchers and academics, industry experts and societal influencers, to better understand the motivations and prospects of their field of study and how it impacts society. In this inaugural episode, we meet with Prof Lam Kwok Yan.  Professor Lam is a renowned Cyber Security researcher and practitioner. He is currently the Associate Vice President (Strategy and Partnerships) and ..read more

In the age of technology, it is no secret that our health has become inseparably intertwined with the technology that surrounds us. Biomedical technology has seen an exponential rate of growth in the past decades, extending life expectancies, combating illnesses, and generally improving the quality of our lives. Indeed, the development of medical treatments and therapies through technological advancements have unequivocally ameliorated all aspects of healthcare. Treatment, however, is but one purpose of medical advancement. On the other hand, enhancement is an oft-neglected outcome from medi ..read more

Robots have become an integral part of our lives, interacting with us, directly or indirectly. The pandemic has increased our dependence and acceptance of robots in our daily lives. From bringing us to our tables at restaurants to allowing for touch-free elevator buttons, the robotic technology has made some of our activities seamless and less labor intensive. This ThinkOut, seeks to highlight the role of Robots in society and how popular culture, especially the movies, have played a big role in influencing our perception of robots and the technology behind it. Dr Wong Choon Yue, will showcase ..read more

Complex Systems span a wide range of different application areas but exhibit common systemic behaviours that emerge through the interactions of simple elements. This systemic behaviour can only be understood by holistic analysis that necessitates viewing the system as a dynamic collective of individuals. In this talk I’ll explain and demonstrates ways in which complex systems models can be applied to reason about social systems, and how these models can be used to reason about policy.  In this talk I’ll focus on one area, that of school segregation. The issue of segregation in education c ..read more

What is Climate Science?  Why is it important? How do we effectively communicate it to future generations? Climate Science investigates the structure and dynamics of the earth’s climate system. It seeks to understand how global, regional, and local climates are maintained as well as the processes by which they change over time (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).  Its focus is broader than just environmental impacts, it encompasses economic, social, environmental, and psychological issues that need to be addressed to ensure the quality of life. The future citizens and leaders, the ..read more

Can you guess one truth against the two lies in this talk title? [Spoilers ahead] The meatverse may have become enamored with the concept of the metaverse during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the term “metaverse” is three decades old and the concept even older. What is so meta-different now? Do we finally have access to an interconnected universe of immersive virtual worlds powered by decentralized platforms that facilitate private ownership over digital goods!? No! Can we teach classes in virtual reality headsets? Yes, and I did so for the first time in spring 2022! Does this mean the end of the ..read more

What if your virtual self was authentically you? Extimacy is a concept defined as externalized intimacy — showing how one feels on the inside to the external world.  Extimacy is  expressive wearable technology whereas biosensors monitor physiological states and translate feelings into visual, auditory, and or tactile displays. Embedded in fashion, this bioresponsive interface “gives the body a voice” as it offers tangible biofeedback to inspire interaction.  The fundamental emotive language is socially dynamic to enhance interpersonal relationships, mediate empathy and ultimatel ..read more

The experiential poetics of “wearable music” offers a body-centric motivation of playfulness and wonder that contrasts with traditional discourses of control and mastery. Wearable music invigorates the possibilities for creating less spatially bounded and less individualistic, collaborative, room-scale musical instruments, fostering participatory technocultures in which participants adapt wearable technologies through joyful and embodied processual design. This playfulness can also be reflected back onto traditional musical practices, such as playing the violin, via novel tangible interfaces t ..read more

The Interactive Organisms Lab leads new explorations of organisms-device symbiosis by blurring the lines between living forms, design, and technology. This talk will present novel interfaces in/around the skin such as  Beauty Technology (electronics embedded into cosmetics), Body Modification Technologies (biosensors into tattoos or dental orthodontics for health monitoring), and Growable Interfaces (sustainable interfaces through bio-based materials as a substrate for circuitry such as mycelium for wearables and interactive objects). About the Speaker Katia Vega is an Assistant Professo ..read more

Metaverse is the internet built by game developers. – Ryan Gill (Co-Founder & CEO, Crucible) So, is the Metaverse a big game room?  Will it be a passing fancy, a new form of entertainment or will it change the world of communication and interaction? Well, the Metaverse or the Web 3.0, is defined as a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connection (Wikipedia). More plainly, in the metaverse, individuals interact using virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR respectively) technologies to share experiences in a common space.  Instead of reading information on web pages ..read more