

This year, from 27th May to 18th June, Vivid Sydney is back with spectacular light shows, visual art pieces, and live music! It is an annual event that not only attracts Sydneysiders, but people from all around the world. The blend of arts, technology and innovation is truly awe-inspiring, so if you’re around Sydney this month, read this article for all the info you need! What is Vivid Sydney? Vivid…

Can a Robot Take Your Job?
As the world continues to witness a quantum leap in artificial intelligence technology—will our jobs be safe from automatization in the future? New research by EPFL answers the much-debated question.

The Platinum Jubilee: The UX of the Elizabeth line
For the last addition to our Tech Through Time: The Platinum Jubilee series, we thought we’d take a very UX-focused approach to a topic everyone has been talking about: The Elizabeth line. Recently opened and renamed in homage to Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, it has been highly anticipated for the past 13 years! Connecting Reading all the way to South-East London (through use of separate branches), it has been…

The Platinum Jubilee: How Queen Elizabeth II Has Consistently Embraced Technology
For the second segment of our Platinum Jubilee series, we thought we’d take a look at how the Queen has embraced technology throughout her 70 years on the throne, and used it to her advantage. Regularly labelled as a long-time supporter of digital communications and the advancement of technology, she has overseen the creation of the most popular commodities of modern times. So, here’s a list of the times when…

The Platinum Jubilee: British Tech Developments Throughout Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 Year Reign
Later this week Queen Elizabeth II will celebrate her 70th year on the throne, a monumental milestone for the British monarchy. As a company born and bred in London, we’ve been seeing Jubilee content everywhere – whether it’s flags adorning the streets, celebratory festivals, or even purple-wrapped buses! So, as a UX company with interest in all-things-tech, we thought we would celebrate the Platinum Jubilee in our own way, from…

The White House Is Pushing Directives to Advance Quantum Technology. Here’s Why It’s Important.
Directives from the US President aim at pushing quantum technology to safeguard American intellectual property, sensitive data and research from cyber threat actors.

VR For Disaster Preparedness
The University of South Australia is leveraging virtual reality (VR) tools to equip the youngest citizens of the country with survival skills in an immersive yet safe environment.

Elon Musk Buys Twitter
New age, new owner: what could the social media giant’s recent buyout mean for the platform?

ITER: An Ambitious Leap in Energy
A 445 acre project in the South of France could change the world’s usage of electricity.

Emotionally Intelligent AI
The ability and inability to comprehend emotions have been a key distinction between humans and artificial intelligence for long—but a recent discovery by Japanese researchers might change that.

BitB: A New Form of Phishing
A newly discovered cyber-attack, known as ‘Browser in the Browser’, is almost undetectable to the average user

Snapchat acquires NextMind
In a recent takeover, Snapchat has acquired a brain-computer interface (BCI) specialist – NextMind – with the intention of developing a next generation of Spectacles.

Robots, Inspired by Bugs
Miniaturized robots developed by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh is a sizeable development in the science of small robots.

Future in Films: 2001 A Space Odyssey
Next in the Future in Films series, we will take a look at Kubrick’s cult classic 2001: A Space Odyssey. What predictions did Stanley Kubrick make back in 1968 that have come true, and which are we yet to achieve?

Future in Films: Minority Report
The next installment of the Future in Films series will be on the futuristic world created in Spielberg’s sci-fi thriller, Minority Report, where we see Tom Cruise in the role of John Anderton; a detective in the Department of Pre-Crime where murders are seen before they happen, and the team must decode clues and stop the crime before it takes place.

Google Cuts Out Cookies
A new multiyear Google initiative will see the tech giant scrap ad tracking in exchange for a safer, more private alternative.

What On Earth is a Metaverse? – Part III
We have looked into what the metaverse is and who is making it. Now we focus on why it is being made. This final part of the series will detail the possible functions of this new platform and how it could change the way we interact with technology.

Silicon Hills Startups: The Companies Defining Austin as a Major Tech Startup Destination
As you probably know by now, the UX Connections team will soon be attending SXSW. So, we wanted to focus a bit on the city in which it’s hosted – Austin, Texas. This city has a long history of being the birthplace of some very successful businesses, it was even nicknamed ‘Silicon Hills’ in the 1990s due to a cluster of high-tech companies setting up offices within the area. To…

Future in Films: Iron Man
In the Future in Films series, we will focus on the tech we see in popular films and whether this is available in the real world. Our first instalment will put Iron Man in the spotlight as we look at Tony Stark’s impressive array of high-tech assistants that aid him in running his uber successful weapons business, Stark Industries.

Governing Our AI: Continuing The Push for Algorithmic Accountability
AI is not untainted by bias, and the United States House of Representatives has taken cognizance of the fact. New York Representative Yvette Clarke has reignited a polemic against discriminatory algorithms.

Future in Films: Avatar
In this iteration of our Future in Films series, we will look at James Cameron’s Avatar. We will look at the 22nd century human technology as well as the actual process of creating and using an Avatar body as Jake – the protagonist.

Typealike: From Gestures to Commands
VR is changing the way we interact with technology every day. Researchers at the University of Waterloo are developing a method to extract commands from hand gestures.

STAR: The Robot That Performed a Surgery
In a breakthrough procedure in autonomous surgery, a robot designed by a team of researchers at Johns Hopkins performed a laparoscopy—independently.

Future in Films: Back to the Future II
The second instalment of Future in Films – where we judge how realistic the technology in popular films is – we highlight the culturally iconic Back to the Future II where Marty McFly takes the Delorean to the year 2015 (or at least how 2015 was imagined back in 1989).

What On Earth is a Metaverse? – Part II
After reviewing the history that has brought us to the age of the Metaverse, we are going to take a look at those who are developing the software that will bring this revolutionary dimension to life.

UX Highlights 2021
When the world changed back in 2020, there was a shift in focus for a lot of us. Things that brought us so much stress and worry no longer mattered in the grand scheme of things, and it was more about using our time to learn new skills, find new hobbies and rediscover that childlike joy of our favourite things. Since a lot of our time is still spent inside…

What On Earth is a Metaverse? – Part I
A word that is permeating the social consciousness with a loose definition, few who truly understand and some seemingly bizarre possibilities: what on earth is a metaverse?

World’s First Small Modular Nuclear Reactor
As China continue their impressive drive towards global domination of the power industry, they have pushed through their first small modular nuclear reactor.

Recognizing Algorithmic Biases
Transparency, accountability, and reliability are the virtues of trustworthy AI. By keeping inclusivity and equity as the cornerstones of the development of AI standards, organizations can address implicit biases of algorithms.

The Female Lead: The Women Behind Swedish Tech
To end our Swedish Design Series on a high, we thought we’d champion some of the most successful women working in the Swedish tech industry. Not all women mentioned are Swedish-born, but they are helping Sweden become a world-leader in tech. Though not all are design-based, we appreciate that all women mentioned in this list are business-minded, innovation-led and tech-driven, which would explain why they’re all excelling in their field.…

Flying on Air, and Sunlight
Six years ago, Solar Impulse 2 showed the world that it was possible to fly around the world on solar energy. Now, scientists have found a way to source carbon-neutral fuel from sunlight and air.

Neusbot: Solving Oil Spills, Sustainably
Using only sunlight as an energy source, UC Riverside’s soft robots can clean up oil spills and safeguard marine ecosystems from contaminants.

GM Jellyfish Brain Examination
Scientists have been analysing a jellyfish to understand how it thinks and how its neurons work together

Spotify’s TikTok Feature
Spotify are the next tech giant to be seen developing their own TikTok-esque feature for mobile apps.

Roboats: Sustainable, Adaptable, and Autonomous Vessels
Ferrying along the canals of Amsterdam is set to become more sustainable, thanks to MIT’s fully autonomous, modular vessels.

Wearable Tech: Fabric That Lets You Interact With Technology
Textile-integrated metamaterials are pushing the frontiers of what’s possible with wearable technology. UC Irvine research explores two use cases for the novel “body area network” in a published study.

Are Autonomous Vehicles Safe from Cyber Attacks? (Part II of II)
As reliance on artificial intelligence modules and machine learning algorithms increases in designing self-driving cars, we must take cognizance of the cybersecurity risks they carry.

Are Autonomous Vehicles Safe from Cyber Attacks? (Part I of II)
As reliance on artificial intelligence modules and machine learning algorithms increases in designing self-driving cars, we must take cognizance of the cybersecurity risks they carry.

Evolving to Learn: How Algorithms Can Mimic Biological Evolution
Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change, and truly intelligent machines must be adaptive. Researchers propose a new approach to adaptive learning—by making them mimic biological evolution.

Can Intelligence Be Taught to Robots?
Researchers from the University of Tokyo have found a way to induce ‘intelligence’ in robots, empowering machines to think like us.

Could Automation Solve the Demands of a Post-Brexit Britain?
The coronavirus pandemic left an array of challenges impacting businesses, markets, economies and lives across the UK. With each sector facing a unique challenge, could automation help Britain overcome shortfalls?

Amazon’s Project Mic: Be a DIY DJ
Amazon – alongside a whole host of tech giants – are capitalizing on a new form of social media and their Project Mic brings an exciting twist.

Artificial Intelligence Research Draws From the Mind of a Sea Slug
The endeavour to build smarter AI brought the researchers at Purdue to draw from one of the simplest creatures in the animal kingdom.

Spotify Car Thing
Spotify are releasing their first physical device to play your music in the car without using your phone.

GM Stake Their Claim in the Self Driving Market
General Motors have released their self-driving system that will reportedly be able to deal with ‘95%’ of driving scenarios – could this be Tesla’s first true competitor?

Caltech’s LEO Can Walk, Fly, Ride a Skateboard and Walk a Slackline
Land, air, and the slackline—Caltech’s new robot is a master of all terrain.

The Problem with Passwords: Microsoft’s New Security Feature
Microsoft are enabling users to stop using passwords and opt for safer and easier forms of authentication

Electronic Democracy: Empowering consumers to extend products’ lifetime and Reduce E-Waste
Is Recycling Enough? The true key to achieving a circular economy relies on the hands of the consumers themselves.

This London Start-up is Converting Classic Cars Into Electric Vehicles
London Electric Cars is reusing, reducing and recycling—while turning the roads of London into a classic auto show. We discover LEC’s vision of classics on clean energy in an enthralling conversation with founder Matthew Quitter.

Volatility, Bugs and Politics: The Challenges Facing El Salvador’s Bitcoin Experiment
President Bukele’s El Salvador has become the first country in the world to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender—but the Salvadorans aren’t ready to lead the crypto reform just yet.