by Ian Khan | Oct 10, 2023 | Futurist Blog
Dr. Katherine Kuchenbecker – Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems: An expert in haptic interfaces, Kuchenbecker's work revolves around enhancing the human sense of touch in robotic and virtual systems. She's led several research projects exploring tactile feedback and its integration into modern interfaces.
Dr. Vincent Hayward – University of London: A trailblazer in haptic technology, Hayward has pioneered numerous concepts in touch perception and mechanotransduction mechanisms. His studies underpin many applications, from assistive devices to VR.
Dr. Ken Salisbury – Stanford University: Salisbury is recognized for his work on the development of the Stanford/JPL Robot Hand, the Salisbury Finger, and other robotic systems. His research primarily focuses on haptic rendering and robotic manipulation.
Dr. Massimiliano Di Luca – University of Birmingham: Di Luca's expertise lies in perceptual engineering, particularly exploring how humans perceive and interact with the external environment. His research dives deep into the temporal aspects of touch perception.
Dr. Hiroshi Ishii – MIT Media Lab: An advocate of “Tangible Bits,” Ishii focuses on turning digital information into tangible experiences, emphasizing the importance of haptic feedback in human-computer interactions.
Dr. Cagatay Basdogan – Koç University: A leading name in haptic rendering techniques, Basdogan's studies encompass haptic interfaces, virtual environments, and robotics. His groundbreaking work on the haptic realism of soft-tissue cutting in virtual environments has been pivotal in medical training simulations.
Dr. Heather Culbertson – University of Southern California: With an emphasis on creating realistic haptic interactions in virtual environments, Culbertson's research bridges engineering and perceptual studies. She's worked extensively on techniques like fabric-based tactile displays.
Dr. Eve Hoggan – University of Helsinki: Hoggan's work revolves around developing novel interaction techniques, especially tactile and haptic feedback, for mobile and wearable devices. Her innovations are making strides in making technology more accessible and intuitive.
Dr. Domenico Prattichizzo – University of Siena & IIT: Renowned for his work on wearable haptics, Prattichizzo has been instrumental in pushing the boundaries of how wearables can convey touch sensations, paving the way for immersive haptic experiences.
Dr. Marcia O'Malley – Rice University: Specializing in haptic feedback and robotic training, O'Malley's research has applications in fields ranging from rehabilitation after stroke to skill acquisition in surgery.
by Ian Khan | Oct 10, 2023 | Futurist Blog
Elon Musk – CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink: Musk's groundbreaking work with Tesla in electric vehicles, solar products, and energy storage solutions is pushing the boundaries of sustainable technology. His vision for a sustainable future also extends beyond Earth, as seen with SpaceX's interplanetary ambitions.
Mark Z. Jacobson – Professor, Stanford University: A renowned advocate for 100% renewable energy, Jacobson's work focuses on developing roadmaps for countries and states to transition to clean energy sources. He's an authoritative voice on wind, water, and solar power.
Amory Lovins – Co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI): Lovins has been a proponent of energy efficiency and sustainable energy solutions for decades. RMI's research under his guidance has been instrumental in shaping green tech policies and strategies globally.
Dr. Jennifer Holmgren – CEO of LanzaTech: Holmgren leads LanzaTech's pioneering efforts in converting industrial off-gases into ethanol. Her innovative approach to carbon recycling is revolutionizing sustainable fuel production.
Danny Kennedy – CEO of New Energy Nexus: An influential figure in the global clean energy scene, Kennedy co-founded Sungevity, a solar power company. His latest venture, New Energy Nexus, aims to support clean energy entrepreneurs worldwide.
Bertrand Piccard – Initiator of Solar Impulse: Piccard's Solar Impulse project, which involved flying around the world in a solar-powered plane, showcased the potential of renewable energy in aviation.
Jigar Shah – Co-founder of Generate Capital: With a background as the founder of SunEdison, Shah is known for popularizing “no money down solar.” His insights into renewable energy financing have transformed the green tech industry.
Dr. Sylvia Earle – Oceanographer and Founder of Mission Blue: A passionate advocate for the world's oceans, Earle's work focuses on leveraging technology to explore and conserve marine ecosystems, emphasizing the oceans' role in climate regulation.
Bill Joy – Co-founder of Sun Microsystems: Apart from his contributions to computer architecture, Joy is deeply involved in green tech ventures, focusing on sustainable battery solutions, biofuels, and more.
Shai Agassi – Founder of Better Place: Though his electric vehicle services company did not last, Agassi's innovative ideas around battery-swapping stations for EVs marked a significant contribution to thinking around green transportation infrastructure.
by Ian Khan | Oct 10, 2023 | Futurist Blog
Jack Dangermond – Founder and President of Esri: Dangermond is a pioneer in the geospatial industry. His company, Esri, is renowned for its GIS (Geographic Information Systems) software, and he has played an integral role in promoting the importance and potential of geospatial analytics worldwide.
Dale Lutz – Co-founder of Safe Software: Lutz has been instrumental in the development of FME, a platform that focuses on data integration using spatial data. His contributions to data transformation in the geospatial sector are noteworthy.
Dr. Vanessa Lawrence CB – Former Director-General of Ordnance Survey and current Senior Strategic Global Geospatial Advisor: With her vast experience, she offers insights into national geospatial strategies and the global impact of geospatial technologies.
Chris Cappelli – Director of Global Business Development & Sales, Esri: Cappelli's expertise lies in helping organizations unlock the potential of GIS. He has worked on various projects, from local to global, emphasizing the power of geospatial understanding.
Geoff Zeiss – Principal at Between the Poles: A recognized thought leader in the geospatial industry, Zeiss emphasizes the integration of geospatial and BIM (Building Information Modeling) and the importance of geospatial tech in sustainable development.
Ed Parsons – Geospatial Technologist at Google: As Google's geospatial technologist, Parsons is at the forefront of integrating geospatial capabilities into a range of applications, including Google Maps and Google Earth.
Dr. Roger Tomlinson (Posthumous) – Often regarded as the “Father of GIS,” Dr. Tomlinson's foundational work laid the groundwork for modern geographic information systems. His writings and legacy continue to inspire many in the field.
Michael F. Goodchild – Emeritus Professor of Geography at the University of California, Santa Barbara: A prominent academic figure, Goodchild's research on spatial analysis and uncertainty in geographic data has shaped the way professionals approach geospatial problems.
Will Cadell – CEO of Sparkgeo: Cadell's work primarily focuses on geospatial tech in the context of startups and web technology. He offers fresh perspectives on the application and scalability of geospatial tools in today's digital world.
Muki Haklay – Professor of Geographic Information Science at University College London: Renowned for his research on citizen science and public access to environmental information, Haklay explores how geospatial tech intersects with community engagement and activism.
by Ian Khan | Oct 10, 2023 | Futurist Blog
Elon Musk – Founder of SpaceX and Tesla, Musk introduced the concept of the Hyperloop in a 2013 white paper. While he is not directly building a commercial Hyperloop, his Boring Company aims to create low-cost tunnels which could house hyperloop systems in the future.
Josh Giegel – Co-founder and CTO of Virgin Hyperloop, Giegel has been an integral figure in the realization and testing of the hyperloop concept. Under his leadership, the company achieved the world's first full-scale hyperloop test run with passengers.
Shervin Pishevar – As a co-founder of the original Hyperloop One (now Virgin Hyperloop), Pishevar has been a vocal advocate for the technology, emphasizing its potential in revolutionizing transportation by offering a faster, safer, and more efficient alternative to traditional modes.
Bibop Gresta – Chairman and co-founder of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT), Gresta is known for his enthusiastic approach towards sustainable and innovative transportation. HTT is known for its unique, crowd-collaboration approach to developing the technology.
Dirk Ahlborn – The CEO of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Ahlborn has spearheaded numerous initiatives and partnerships across different countries to realize the vision of a global hyperloop network.
Alan James – An expert in transport infrastructure and a key figure at Virgin Hyperloop, James offers insights into the regulatory, political, and logistical challenges and opportunities associated with global hyperloop deployment.
Rob Lloyd – Former CEO of Virgin Hyperloop, Lloyd played a crucial role in the early days of hyperloop's development, creating partnerships and garnering investments to further the technology.
Ryan Kelly – As the Head of Marketing and Communications at Virgin Hyperloop, Kelly offers regular updates, insights, and a behind-the-scenes look at the ongoing developments in hyperloop technology and its milestones.
Sara Luchian – Director of Passenger Experience at Virgin Hyperloop, Luchian is one of the first passengers in the hyperloop test runs. She focuses on ensuring that the hyperloop passenger experience is not just fast but also comfortable and intuitive.
Sebastien Gendron – Co-founder and CEO of TransPod, Gendron leads another significant hyperloop company aiming to commercialize the system by the late 2020s. TransPod has made strides in design innovations and strategic partnerships.
by Ian Khan | Oct 10, 2023 | Futurist Blog
Satoshi Nakamoto – The pseudonymous person or group of people who created Bitcoin, Nakamoto introduced the world to the first successful implementation of DLT through the Bitcoin blockchain. Although their true identity remains unknown, Nakamoto's writings provide deep insights into DLT's potential.
Vitalik Buterin – Co-founder of Ethereum, Buterin has been instrumental in advancing DLT beyond just cryptocurrency. Ethereum's smart contract capabilities have opened new possibilities for DLT in various sectors, from finance to governance.
Don Tapscott – A leading author and speaker on blockchain and DLT, Tapscott co-authored “Blockchain Revolution,” which explains how blockchain will fundamentally change the way we do business and interact in society.
Dr. Leemon Baird – The inventor of the hashgraph distributed ledger technology, Baird's hashgraph is deemed more efficient and secure than some traditional blockchains. As the co-founder and CTO of Hedera Hashgraph, his insights into the future of DLT are noteworthy.
Jed McCaleb – Co-founder of Ripple and Stellar, McCaleb has had a profound impact on the DLT world, especially in the realm of cross-border payments and remittances.
Brendan Blumer – As the CEO of Block.one, the company behind EOSIO, Blumer is pushing the boundaries of DLT scalability and interactivity. EOSIO aims to provide more scalable and user-friendly DLT solutions compared to its predecessors.
Silvio Micali – A Turing Award-winning computer scientist, Micali is the founder of Algorand, a blockchain aiming to achieve speed, security, and decentralization simultaneously.
Dominik Schiener & David Sønstebø – Co-founders of IOTA, a DLT designed for the Internet of Things (IoT) industry. Unlike traditional blockchains, IOTA uses a directed acyclic graph structure, promising zero fees and infinite scalability.
Charles Hoskinson – Formerly involved with Ethereum, Hoskinson is now the CEO of IOHK, the company behind Cardano. He's an outspoken advocate for blockchain's potential to democratize financial systems globally.
R3 Consortium Leaders – R3 is a consortium of several companies that created Corda, a DLT platform designed specifically for the needs of the financial industry. Key people like David E. Rutter, the CEO, have been crucial in bridging traditional finance with DLT solutions.
