As society learns about and integrates technology into our everyday lives, there are new relationships that form and alternative perspectives that arise.
Bing and BigThink are teaming up to offer a new video series about technology and the evolving relationship between man and machine. The series is called Humanizing Technology.
Humanizing Technology adheres to Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and
addresses human need from the perspectives of safety and security, relationships, and personal growth.
There is also a contest to go along with the video series where contestants are asked to identify and submit technologies that are bridging the gap between human need and technology. The pinnacle of the series will be a real-world expo showcasing technology that elevates the best of human nature.
Here’s what Bing and BigThink said in their release about the events:
On June 30-July 1, Bing and Big Think will present For Humankind, a weekend-long science, technology and design pop-up expo at 201 Mulberry Street New York City. Here we will spotlight those ideas, communities and devices that integrate our lives, capitalize on our unique strengths, and amplify the best of human nature. For Humankind will explore the boundaries of what it means to be human, today and into the future.
A highlight of the event will be The Humanizing Technology Prize, awarded by a panel of judges including:
* Peter Diamandis – Chairman and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation
* Jaron Lanier – Computer scientist, composer, visual artist, and author credited with coining the term “Virtual Reality”
* James Gleick – Tech writer/columnist, Pulitzer prize and National Book Award finalist for his book Chaos,
* John Maeda – President of Rhode Island School of Design
* Joi Ito, Director of MIT Media Lab, CEO of Creative Commons
* Maddie Grant – Founder of SocialFish. Co-author of Humanize: How People-Centric Organizations Succeed in a Social World
* Sonia Arrison – Bestselling author/technology analyst and founder of of Singularity University.
* Jon Yost – CEO of SuperBetter Labs
A few of the exhibitors and presenters that you’ll see:
Soccket: Meet the founders of unchartedplay.com, two female Harvard students who devised a soccer ball that can provide electrical power for people with poor or no access to electricity.
Open Source Ecology: What would it take to build civilization? These folks are creating the Global Village Construction set, a modular, DIY, low-cost, high-performance platform that allows for the easy fabrication of the 50 different Industrial Machines that it takes to build a small, sustainable civilization with modern comforts.
Sonar: Know who you should meet wherever you go. Sonar is a mobile app that lets you know when friends/friends-of-friends are nearby, allowing you to take advantage of serendipity and the ways we are all connected.
Not Impossible Foundation: On April 24, 2009 a totally paralyzed graffiti artist created a completely new mural on a 10-story wall in Los Angeles — using only his eyes. Learn more about the Eyewriter technology that made this possible.
Sounds like an interesting event and series if you’re interested in how technology is shaping the way we live and making our lives better. There’s a lot going on surrounding the series so take a closer look at the materials I’ve linked to in the article and find out which ones best suit your interests.