Science & Technology: Where the Present and Future Collide

Many of the biggest ideas, top experts and most critical issues of our time are in the realm of “Science and Technology.” What will science teach us, what will technology look like in the coming decades and how will it affect the way we live? Will the future bring a world of more productivity, more energy, and more equality—or the profound threat of nonexistent privacy, ecological collapse, and nuclear proliferation?

Over the past decade, Imagine Solutions brought a wide variety of Science & Technology thought leaders to Naples, Florida: the most honored scientist in the world (Robert Langer), the author of MegaTech: Technology in 2050 by The Economist; the founder of MIT Media Lab, the director of Xerox PARK, two Nobel Prize winners, top researchers from RAND Corporation, and dozens more innovators and visionaries—all experts in their fields.

In 2019, futurist Lawrence Burns spoke about autonomous driving and his book, Autonomy: The Quest to Build the Driverless Car—and how it will Reshape our World. Daniela Rus, Director of the preeminent graduate school CSAIL at MIT, discussed developments in artificial intelligence, robotics and computer/human interface. Cybersecurity, AI and augmented & virtual reality were front and center at our 2018 conference, and the 2017 conference featured insights from the ultimate Silicon Valley insider, Walt Mossberg.

In previous years, conference-goers have learned about such varied and fascinating topics as regenerative medicine, human echolocation, biomechatronics (the research and design of assistive, therapeutic and diagnostic devices to compensate for the loss of human physiological functions), and IBM Watson and other incredible advances in artificial intelligence.

Of course, there is much overlap. Often, “Science & Technology” play a leading role in medical topics (e.g., The Brain Initiative, The Future Physician), education topics (e.g., PowerMyLearning – leveraging technology to strengthen relationships between students/teachers/families), social entrepreneurship (Designing Disaster-Resistant Housing), and other relevant areas of vital interest.

We look forward to announcing our Science & Technology line-up for the upcoming 2020 Imagine Solutions Conference in the fall.