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I’m no make-up aficionado. I can’t tell powder from primer. But I can appreciate the tech trends that are transforming the beauty industry. Not only are they promoting inclusivity through advanced personalisation, they’re fantastically futuristic too. Take the Nudemeter,  a computer vision tool designed by Harvard Business School graduate Atima Lui. Users upload a selfie, complete a short quiz et voilà! An algorithm suggests the product that best matches their skin tone. Acco

You’ll often hear about “must-watch” television: the latest water-cooler thriller from HBO or the long-awaited finale of insert generic celebrity “talent” show here . Rarely should these programmes be considered compulsory viewing. David Attenborough’s A Life on Our Planet , on the other hand, very much should be. I’d go as far as to say it should be mandatory for all school-age children to watch at least once. Yes, there are graphic scenes of death and destruction — the snip

Towards the end of October 2020, Forbes published an article detailing a trial in which an artificial intelligence-based diagnostic tool had reduced hospital admissions by more than 50%. Even in “normal times”, such a substantial reduction would be welcome news. But at a time when a global pandemic has pushed many of the world’s health care systems to breaking point, it’s very welcome news indeed. The tool’s manufacturer — Clare Medical — concluded that “predicting which pat

The past 16 months or so have been unlike any other in my lifetime. At times, it’s been all too easy to focus on how the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have affected our own lives: our daily routines, seeing friends and extended family, keeping the kids entertained on weekends…  But there have been more changes to our surroundings than we’ve perhaps noticed. Take fundraising for The Royal British Legion, for example. Poppy sellers have been a fixture of UK high streets for

Innovation breeds innovation. There’s no two ways about it. When the first iPhone was announced, we were blown away by the existence of a weather app.  Today, there are more than 1,960,000 apps to choose from. Not bad, when you consider there were just 500 when the App Store launched back in July 2008. That said, it’s no surprise that app development has gone from strength to strength. Why wouldn’t entrepreneurs take advantage of an accessible, cutting-edge platform with glo

I recently wrote a blog about the new technology of 2020, determining if the latest offerings to the gadgetry market were genuinely useful and worth the price tag (AKA “good”) or gimmicky and over-priced (“fad”).  One such gadget is Ring’s Always Home Cam security drone. Gadget Flow — whose “Best of Futuristic Tech” shortlist I assessed — are seemingly big fans of the concept: “What’s better than a home security camera that stays put? The Ring Always Home Cam security drone

When we think about Artificial Intelligence and the opportunities it could unlock, we tend to picture things we can see, hear and touch. But what about taste? Does AI have a role to play in developing and honing flavours?  Geneva-based Firmenich — the world’s largest privately owned perfume and taste company — certainly think so. In October 2020, Firmenich announced the first ever AI-created flavour: a lightly grilled beef taste for use in plant-based meat alternatives. The

“Do you know what I love most about buying a car? The sales process.” Said no one, ever. Car buying can be as frustrating as it is exciting. After the initial joy of finding your new wheels comes hours of waiting around: the haggling, the paperwork, the salesperson “running it past The Boss”, said Boss gracing you with their presence to tell you what a great bargain you’re getting. It’s all just a bit… dated. But things are changing... For younger generations convenience is k

When you hear the term “artificial intelligence”, what springs to mind first? For some, it will be the threat of a robot takeover, in part thanks to the “Hollywood” treatment the subject matter has received in recent decades. But what about “life-saving”?  Do you associate AI with improving the quality and longevity of human lives? Perhaps it’s time you did... In August 2020, Forbes published an interesting article detailing “5 Life-Saving Applications of Artificial Intellig

The term “mind control” may conjure up images of magicians and hypnotherapists, but where prosthetics are concerned, it represents hope.  Researchers have been developing mind-controlled prosthetics for more than a decade with the aim of dramatically improving functionality for the user. An MIT Technology Review article from March 2020 outlines the powerful potential of machine learning for such an endeavour, and the challenges faced by scientists in the process: "Until now

A regular feature of fictional survival movies is the isolation factor: “no one knows where we are”, “how will anyone find us?”, “we’re going to die out here". It serves to hammer home the hopelessness of the situation, and tends to precede the inevitable attack by shark, crocodile, bear, wolf or short-fused campmate. At least one of the main characters succumbs to their injuries, usually more. This in turn prompts further in-fighting — the blame game about who’s ultimately

If you’ve ever watched a documentary about how guide dogs are trained, you’ll know it’s the doggy equivalent of joining the Marines but with plenty of belly rubs, treats and “who’s a good boy...” Potential guide dogs undergo a temperament assessment before joining a 20-week STEP training programme (Standardised Training for Excellent Partnerships). Using positive reinforcement techniques, the dogs are taught to ignore distractions and avoid obstacles, all the while developing

You’ve watched David Attenborough shows. You’ve listened to Greta Thunberg speak. You’ve read about international initiatives instigated to combat it. Climate change is all around us. Literally. The highest ever UK temperature was recorded on 25th July 2019 in the Cambridge University Botanic Garden. It’s no coincidence that it’s so recent. Global warming is transforming the environment as we know it and, if we don’t act now, will continue to do so with the direst of conseque

One of the few positive side effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is the influx — and wider adoption — of exciting, new innovations. Touchless technology is one such innovation. Due to the omnipresent threat posed by contaminated surfaces, companies have had to reassess how users interact with their devices. In July, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) announced a new contactless touchscreen. Developed in conjunction with the University of Cambridge, their patented “predictive touch” techno

When you think of an advert for Microsoft you might expect the “Now only £499” fodder from Currys PC World or the like. But a couple of weeks ago, my curiosity was piqued by a very different type of TV spot: one providing an insight into Microsoft’s collaboration with the Snow Leopard Trust. With the tagline “Microsoft AI: Empowering us all”, the 67-second overview explains how Artificial Intelligence is able to do in ten minutes what would take a human ten days. The Snow Le

Since lockdown began, the prospect of drone delivery from Amazon has gone from a wacky pie-in-the-sky idea to a genius innovation. What better way to offer contactless delivery to the masses during a pandemic than by utilising an army of flying robots to do the deed? It’s amazing how quickly perceptions can change. Amazon wouldn’t be “taking over the world” — it’d be saving it.  ​ As with all futuristic out-of-the-box ideas, however, some land better than others.  Take  Key  

Can you remember a time in recent years when you left home without your smartphone? No? Me neither… Over time, that small device has become as essential to us as clothes, cards and keys. It’s hard to fathom now how we ever survived without one. It has become indispensable.  To understand our ever-increasing reliance on smartphones (iPhones, in particular), is to consider their evolution over the past 13 years...  The original iPhone launched in 2007. It was the year that Gord

The new fully electric MINI has landed. How soon you’ll get the opportunity to drive one, however, is up for debate. Somehow I don’t think test driving a shiny new hatchback could be considered “essential” right now.   Even if you are so inclined, it may take a while for the automotive industry to get back into gear (MINI stalled production at all UK, European and South African plants earlier in the year due to Coronavirus). But that doesn’t mean we can’t look forward to the

I’m sure every human being is suffering from stress and anxiety right now to varying degrees. In this current climate of uncertainty, sleep may be the last thing on our minds but it remains as important as ever.   Spending three or four hours tossing and turning does not constitute a proper rest, and our body will be more than happy to remind us of that at the most inconvenient times.  Struggling to focus, lack of motivation, physical fatigue… these are all classic symptoms o

Many moan about the long, dark nights of January and February, yearning for springtime when the sun stays out a bit longer and the temperatures start to rise. That is until a pandemic takes holds and our way of life changes completely…   A more “typical” springtime, however, does give some in our society a reason to celebrate — fireworks season is over. As early as October all the way through to New Year’s Eve, there are plenty of excuses to illuminate the night’s sky — Bonfi