Marko Suvajdzic: "Emerging Technologies and Humanity" | Talks at Google
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Hi. Everyone my name is Marco Suresh and today. I will talk about emerging. Technologies, and humanity. And when. I say emerging, technologies in humanity, I, really. Am referring. To a large umbrella, term. That. Kind. Of encompasses these two basic, categories, and. Those two basic categories are, almost like a simplified, version of Maslow's pyramid of, needs that you're probably familiar with, that on one side we, have a. Care. For our body for. Our health and that, tends to be our primary, involvement. Because if, we're not healthy if we're not doing good if we feel secure, for our safety. It is hard to do anything else that becomes very much primary, thing however, once, we achieve that once we do have a body, that is okay and you know we're only relatively, safe The. Other category kind, of kicks, in which is the, desire. For being. Inspired, desire, for having. A meaningful experience. So. Today. I'll be talking about how, emerging. Technologies. Have. Affected. Or affecting. As we, talked about it these. Two categories, and. One. Thing I wanted to kind of, reiterate. When, I talk about emerging. Technologies I really, mean that emerging. As of like present. Continuous, as of what is happening, today, meaning. That as we. As I speak so. Sometimes. In the future these emerging. Technologies, will be established. Mature technologies. And we. Probably will already have some, ideas of what. Do we want to use them for however we want to you know implement. Them but, right now we're, kind. Of looking. At new. Technologies. And try to figure out exactly what. Is it that we can do with them and. In, doing so I am. Choosing. In a way to, emerging technologies and their, influences, with these two categories, so on one side it's, virtual, reality, and its, influence. On health. And combining. That with another, emerging. Technology, of blockchain, and its. Influence. On inspiration or as represented. By art. Interestingly. Enough, as I. Was, thinking. About this we can actually literally criss cross those, technologies, and we could just, as easily talk, about the role of blockchain, in healthcare, and the. Role of virtual. Reality and, art. So, again. These are somewhat, choices. That used, to give. Us an example to explore, both, these two areas of Health and inspiration, and within. That these two technologies. Obviously. VR being a little bit more established. With. Much longer, history but. Only in the last three. Plus. Years can kind of you, know VR has come to the fore, with more, user-friendly. Devices. And we're, now kind, of starting to use it on a more, massive scale and with. The blockchain in a similar way obviously, technology, that was, about ten years old now since 2009, and the first white paper that was penned. By Satoshi Nakamoto, the. Founder of Bitcoin, but, only in the last three, years or so has, blocking. Technology been, kind, of started. To use to, be used for in apply to other, uses. So those, are the two things that we will explore, together today. So, the first topic is the virtual reality and applications. For health and, I'll. Talk both about. General. Use but, also use. A prism, of my own research in my own work to kind of present what. Is being done today. Now. My. Research in the world of virtual reality is. Kind. Of focused on this interaction. Between, what. I call virtual, reality and variable, or verified. Or validated. Reality. Validated. Reality being the reality that we are sharing right now together. And, I'm, not gonna go into the side. Conversation. That is always possible of is this, validated, reality really reality or are we living. World of you know Maya as Sanskrit, would put it or azulon. Mas has no chance of one in 15 million that we are actually not living. In a, simulated. Reality, so for, the purposes, of this research I'm referring, to validated, reality, as reality, that we experience every. Day and then, that relationship, with, virtual. Reality. And one. Of the key words. Here is the key word of presence and presence. Describes. This sense that when, we put a virtual, reality set. Feeling. Into, that space feeling, into the space that oh I really believe that I am virtual, reality or, that I mean real that my validated, reality, becomes what, was given to me by the VR headset. And in, that, transition. Is where most, of my research, is focused, to. Date. Virtual. Reality has been used in hospitals, it. Has been, used. Very successfully to.
Primarily. Affect, perception. Of pain -. Lower the perception of pain it, has been used for treating, burn victims, especially, when. It's. Necessary to kind of sidetrack. The mind and not be focused, when a painful. Therapy, might be applied. And. You. Know in such, a case we did our. Own research at, the Shands Hospital you, have health your Florida it's one of the biggest hospitals. In Florida and. We. Started, realizing that we, are affecting three different. Characteristics. Perception. Of pain quality. Of sleep and, cognitive. Deterioration with. Our VR. App and, it. Just so happens that those three things are the three things that really affect the, onset of delirium. We. Were working primarily with the patients, in a ICU. Unit intensive, care unit so delirium. Is something that is really, a big, problem we're. Almost 50% of, ICU patients, develop, some type. Of delirium, so we're, working to, introduce. Virtual. Reality therapy for. ICU patients, that prevents, a. Other things the onset. Of delirium. So with. The project dreams, which, is acronym, stands for digital rehabilitation. Environment, augmenting, system. We're, looking to, introduce. Mindfulness. And, meditation. Ultimately. As a, therapy. For. Accepting. The reality as is and, applying. The therapy, to, the ICU, patients, in a, state when they are not, as a jeté 'td so, in. Other words. Let's. Say we would like to introduce. Meditation. Or relaxation techniques. To the hospital. Patients, well. Many. Patients, are older many. Of them are almost, most of them are in severe pain. They, are in ICU, units, that usually, have lights on 24/7. There's a lot of machines people going in and out and it's really hard to kind of remove, oneself, from where you are you. Know you kind of every. Wants to know you know every few. Minutes there is kind of a interruption. Of ones. You. Know presidents, in that in that room so, by. Introducing virtual, reality, what we do we, take. These. Patients. Away from. Where they are this is a main, menu of our prototype, app and, you can kind of see it you know it's a combination.
Of You can choose your location choose. Your background, music and then the experience which is the voice-over. Guided. Meditation that we work with mindfulness, meditators. That. Would, then. Guide the. Patient. Into a relaxing, state of mind, so, they, can choose variety, of different, locations, like Beach or forest, or you, know variety. Of places, so far Beach seems to be the most popular and. From, here, what. We do I. Would. Take, somebody's, mind. We. Apply, initial. Relaxation. Usually we actually do a quick app that introduces. Them to the VR in general just, what, they understand where, they are and then, it, will be about 15, minutes guided. Meditation. And within, the guided meditation what, we're looking to do is to create that sense of presence and to. Create that sense of taking. Somebody's, mind away. From the. Reality that at that moment is not very supportive, it's a ICU, room, right and take, it somewhere else like, a beach, or, any place that that person, would feel comfortable, and allow, to relax, so they have noise cancelling headphones a VR. Set and all. Of a sudden they're being. Moved. Away from a hospital and, put. Somewhere, else. Within. That reality. What. Happens is that. At. First and this is kind of how the voice-over goes at first we, will, say. Things like hey they. Could look around you if you know Beach look. At the sand beach hear. The seagulls so. The voice actually, affirms and confirms. What the user is seeing it. Helps, again, that sense of presence they're, like oh there's. Somebody else see, what I'm saying even though it's just a voice over it, really works, in. Kind, of allowing, it to like oh okay, I'm really here and then. After a minute or so or, asking. Them to like okay and now focus. Your attention, to. Your breath. That's. One of the exercises it's there's a breathing exercise so within, that exercise, then they're. Parse, when we, would ask user to let's say close their eyes and it's. Interesting because these are kind of things that could, be almost considered a little you, know small. Nuances. But it's what makes the. Therapy, work where we're, kind of used to recondition. To think about that you know I'm now seeing. The, world around me and I, close my eyes and now I'm inside my own mind, and my own head and I'm. Expecting, that and when I open, my eyes I, will, be back into reality, so. When you somebody. Puts a virtual reality headset on and starts. Meditating, at the beach and then. They're asked to close their eyes and for the part of the experience they. Have their eyes closed even though they do still, have a VR headset and even. If they cheat the, open in their own their Beach okay and the closer and then, when they asked to open their eyes, they're. Back to the beach and that. Really, kind, of confirms. That, they, are really at the beach the mind really feels like oh yeah I open up my eyes and, this. Is where I am okay. And then, they continue with their meditation, experience. Right and it, is that moment of taking. The. Consciousness. In a way taking the mind. To. Another location. Applying. The. Therapy. While. Mine is calm, instead. Of being agitated. In. A hospital, but mine is calm and receptive. Of such, therapy, and, once. The therapy is done allow.
A Mind to come back taking, off the VR set coming, back into this world, hopefully, stronger, and kamar, followed. By that we would. Have an exit you know this this will be a two times a day for a certain amount of days that we would track our progress. And. We. Would talk to patients about their. Ability, to continue doing this even with all of your so, they can do this with out of your set and actually. We have a lot of patients who express, an interest to get a VR set so they can have that aid even, when they leave, the, hospital. Now. As. I talk about it here, are three questions or, three arguments, on why would we use these, kinds, of tools in. Healthcare. So the. Three, arguments are apps. As an observational, tool, scaling. And then the immersion and sense of presence in VR, and, this is really a much. Wider argument, not just for, VR but using, video. Games interactive. Systems. In, healthcare. Because number. One. App. Can, become, an observational, tool for us meaning. That it. Is not easy to have somebody. Always present, who, tracks. How. A patient, is doing right it's. Actually quite expensive for. Nurse to go and do something every. Day or every hour or every few hours that's, quite. Expensive how, as soon as the app is on it's, actually tracking how somebody, is interacting, and particular. Types, of interactions, can be yellow flags and literally. They become an assessment, tool, that, is. Almost hidden in, a format of a game or a virtual reality experience. Number. Two is scaling I mentioned, already how difficult, it is to have or how expensive it is to have nurses, check. Very, often, it takes about 30 minutes for a nurse to check, for the Delirium and it. Probably happens once per day or every other day in most of the hospitals so, by. Having software. Powered. Assessment. Tools we're, allowed you know we're able basically, to, grow. At scale, and to assess. These things twice a day three times today or even more, often an argument. Number three the, biggest one for the virtual reality is the sense of immersion and. The sense of presence that I spoke, about you know that sense, that what, we are seeing. In the virtual, world is. Real. That what we're seeing in virtual real what we're experiencing. Is real. And. That. Is the basics. Of the. Research. That I'm doing just. The other day I did. Here. In. LA I did void, VR, and we, did a horror experience, which is a virtual reality kind, of thing. And. You know it really, is scary I don't really like horror so but. It really is scary you have zombies coming at you you have to run over a wooden. Plank and not, fall down you know and then you got to the path away and you're like and, I mean you know there's nothing to the side of course, but in the, virtual, reality mine. Really, plays, that trick and makes it feel like as if there's. Really something, there right and, that, is what's. Really important, in order to apply the therapy if if that sense, of presence is not there it. Would not work so. It's, it's, really very, very important. That we have that sense of presence again, it, would take, our consciousness. Move it into the virtual reality. Apply. Therapy, want you to calm the mind down make it receptive. Towards the therapy, apply. The therapy and then, allow, the, person to come, back. Right. So. One. Of you know as I mentioned before among. Many other uses, of virtual reality in healthcare one, thing that we did at, the digital, world's Institute, and University. Of Florida have. Identified. In collaboration. With our College from college of medicine is the, delirium. Is one of the things that we have not really, experimented. With and we've, been working on it now for a year and a half. Conducting. Real, Hospital. Studies we did two large. Studies with, hospital, patients, when. I say large is about sixty patients or so for research purposes, that's relatively large it, takes a lot of.
Administration. And bureaucracy to. Get okay, to work with live, hospital, patients there, are in intensive care unit meaning that they are, potentially. Not going to make it out of there alive and to. Have, an intervention, that. Can, impact. How. Their. Healing, goes, you know will they survive. Or not so that's really really that. Was challenging, and one of the more challenging almost, steps in this process but the. Reception. Was great, we've. Been having. Many. Actually, patients. Having great feedback on that and now, we're working on the next. Iteration. On our of our prototype, that, we're, looking to create. Biofeedback. Connected. To virtual, reality so, what we do in this world actually. Affects. How what we see in the virtual reality. World. Now. As. For, the next steps of this particular, project, where, do we want to take. End-of-life. Care, is one big, area that. We're thinking about, basically. Uh the idea here is you, know it's really. Special. Or nice if, somebody at the end of the life gets an opportunity to. Say. Their goodbyes or to be surrounded by the loved ones. But. In a hospital situation that's often not a case quite. Often people die on, their own alone without anybody, around. And it's a stressful experience. You know you might know, that you're gonna die in the matter of days and there's nobody around you and it's a very cold, and lonely experience, so. We're looking at. Including. Virtual reality, as means. To humanize. This, experience. Working. With, hospices, where, we, can create personalized. Experiences. For, people towards. The end of their life that, they can you. Know go back into their. You. Know photographs, of their life. Places, they've been to you. Know images, that would, inspire them and calm them down and allow them some kind of a connection with their own life and their history that has, been, there. Behind them at this very sensitive. Time, of their life. Another, look. Into the future here we talked about VR, is. Inspired, by the. Work. Of the philosopher, Roy Ascott, when he talks about moist, media, and moist, media, as a concept, is a media, that is. Created. At the intersection. Of three VRS, and those. Three VR czar VR. Virtual reality, which is kind of a cyber computer-aided, reality, this being one of them but any kind of computer-aided. Reality. Validated. Reality which we spoke about already. Reality. That we, perceive, as real and the, veget of reality measure to reality talks about, medicinal. Plants, plants. Like ayahuasca, plants. Like. Mushrooms. Peyote, that. Creates, the cotellic, experiences. That traditionally. Have, been used, for healing purposes, and, it's. Been used in a variety of ways but either shaman, would use, and the, patient. Actually is not let's, say drinking ayahuasca as an, is a tradition. In Amazon, that, has changed since and now, patients. Are the ones who are drinking it, too. You know many other forms, and as the future comes in we start realizing then now we have this other form of guiding. Through, virtual reality, and having, this situation. Where we have a real. World and, that, virtual, reality world and then, this, vegetal, reality. World and that there's somewhere on the intersection, of this three world worlds we. Find again. What we refer to as moist media, media, that will, create. Experiences. At those. At, that intersection, there. Is a lot of work already being done with, suicide. Then and PTSD. Especially. With. The VA office veterans, of a fair office and. That work is really kind, of coming about now and starting. And being for. The first time seen with a little bit different I not being judged. And. Then. Another. Option that we're looking at is augmented, reality these. Are, magic. Leap goggles. Where. We're changing so. In. Virtual, reality we move. Somebody away from the, validated. Reality right so, I take a patient away from the room. I apply, the therapy and then. Bring. Them back into, this reality, with, augmented reality is a little bit different, you know as, you know it functions, what overlaying, something.
You Know augmented, reality into. Where we are so, now we're. Trying to do something different in terms of instead of moving, somebody, out applying, therapy bringing them back how. About can, we make this reality, more magical, can, we make somebody. Put. The glasses on and be able to paint the room in which they're in create. All kinds of you know pictures. And things like that so the, room where they're in. Changes. And becomes, more, human. Or you know more. Approachable, and what's, interesting is in, our conversations, with people who. And we did some initial tests, here. They. Proceeded, almost, as if they will say things like oh yeah. Those. Things are still there I just don't I just need a special glasses to see them and. For them they're really there like don't put. Things on it's like oh yeah I just put me in my special glasses and like you know you can see everything it's still there and. It's been really interesting and I think as the technology, moves forward for, augmented reality right. Now you know magic leap is quite expensive at three-and-a-half thousand dollars for the developer, kid, but. As that technology moves, forward and the prices started going down we'll, start seeing a lot more, uses. Of AR in. Health. Therapy as well so, those are some of the ideas of where we're looking to move the dreams project, into the future, which really deals with digital. Rehabilitation. Environment. You. Know changing, processes, that we can do through, technology, now. I. Want. To move now from health care to inspiration, so, I talked. A little bit about VR, I talked about how we can help, our bodies how we can heal how we can stay healthy. I want, to jump to the second topic of blockchain. And art. In. This particular case and we're gonna talk about blockchain, art art about blockchain and. Blockchain. Facilitated. Art markets. You. Probably have all heard, about Bitcoin. About, blockchain read, about it a little bit and art. Is probably one of the areas that maybe very, few people have explored in relationship. To blockchain, so it's a little bit of a niche topic. Right now that is becoming bigger, and bigger as we speak, so. My. Work in this area is. Under umbrella, of global blockchain. Initiative that I have started at the University, of Florida and we. Are working. On Applied Research so. Kind. Of like maybe computer, science departments, where we. Work. On the actual protocols, or. The. Actual, maybe. Different. Cryptocurrencies, or sampling times like that we're, looking at applied, research of. What can be done with, these new technologies, and also, how can we spread. The word we educational. Institution. Primarily right so the, two steps, that I am charged, with as the researcher, and a professor, number, one is generation, of new knowledge and, number. Two is spreading. That knowledge, to students, so, it's kind of a really one-two, step you. Know I spent half of my time looking to generate new knowledge that has not been there before and, then. Testing. It putting it to rigorous, testing and then, applying it and, sharing. It with other researchers, and my, students. Now. Blockchain. Is such, really. Offers very interesting. Opportunity. Especially for conceptual, art, I, remember, when. Network. Art or Internet are started, happening in the late 90s I was living in San Francisco, and I remember around. 2000. SFMOMA. Put, up the very first show that dealt. With network art it was called a belief zero one zero one zero one or org. And. Leaving. That show actually the thing, that I remembered, was that whole, sections, were. Sectioned, off with, this yellow tape. Saying up you, know the system is down no. Internet, here stuff. Like that it was very touchy artwork.
You Know where, half, of stuff would not really work and that's part of being emerging. Technology, right anything, that is a gen, one it. Doesn't really kind of work always, out. Of the box as we, would, think about it but also artists. Take. That and take. It places where maybe initial. Researchers. And creators, did, not even think about using. It right so. In this particular. Set. Of examples, I'll, talk about art, about blockchain. Meaning. Our that has, blockchain. As. Topic. As a focus so, it's a traditional, art but. It kind of comments, on block. Shining away. Number, two is blockchain, as means of payment and purchase tracking crowds crowd. Financing, art. Meaning, using, blocks and again as a. Tool. To either buy. Sell, or register. Ownership. Or register, that, a work. Of art is really original. And number. Three is blockchain, art and blockchain art is art that uses blockchain, as a medium. So. It's the type of art that would did, not exist ten years ago right because it, needed. I use. This blockchain, as sculpture. Users clay or stone. So. This. Is the division. That I have. Seen. In, when, I think of how blockchain. And art interact, with each other these, are the three categories that. To, date we can kind of categorize, things in right commentary. On it. Using, it as a business, kind of sense and then, using, it as the medium for art itself. This. Is an example of. A. Artist, that kind of made. It relatively, big. Name his name is crypto, graffiti and. He. Does both art. About, blockchain and blockchain art but, most of his pieces literally, are art about blockchain so, these are just different examples. Of. His, pieces that let's. Say on the top. Row we have a person, who for, a while. Was. Claiming. Or we thought could be the, Satoshi. Nakamoto, the author of Bitcoin. So, he, used that and to. Create this collage he, used cut up credit cards so. The. Credit cards obviously had to be of particular color, and he would collect, them and cut him up and made, this collage that. Is also commentary. Both on. What. Is. Coming, and what it was the, commentary, of hey these, credit cards are useless you know in tomorrow, we, will not need this anymore this is like an old banking. System, that is, going to be gone soon and we're going to have something completely different and. Then presenting. Satoshi. Or the person who at one, point kind, of became almost like a meme of who. Satoshi can, be. And again without going into. The details of the true identity, of Satoshi Nakamoto, that we do not know there. Are guesses. Out there they're guesses that maybe it's a group of people that he, never existed that, he died. It's. Just kind of depends on where where. Do we stand on that, level. Of arguments, but here's an example of art about, blockchain a comment, commentary. On blockchain, by. An older, medium. This. Is a. The. World's first. Monument. To Bitcoin. It's in Slovenia and crying and it's. About seven, meters wide few. Tonnes and. This, is kind of an aerial view of this, crossroad. That, has a Bitcoin. Logo, put in it so again, this was done a couple of years ago and. It's. A again, artwork, that glorifies. Or. Enshrines. Or archives the. Upcoming. Development. Of Bitcoin, be it one way or another but, again it's art that uses. Blockchain. As a commentary. In many ways. Next. Is a blockchain art or. An. Art market where. There, are at least three, ways in which I can see blockchain. Disrupting. The. Art market. Number, one is driving digital, art sales up to digital scar city because. Right now and this was a big problem with digital art in general where. I'm. A trained as a photographer, let's say and in, the. Late 90s it was the last generation who. Used. Film, where. You have some level of. Original. Photograph. But even then there. Was a big problem right we have painters who would do a painting, and the, painting by its very nature is. Original. And then. We have a photograph, that I have a negative that is kind of. Original. And then I can make endless copies, as prints and then, I have to kind of number. Those prints. To make them limit. Folio or something like that but it's really self-imposed, and I can make more prints and, it. Really kind of creates a challenge. That. Different. Let's say photographers, dealt in a different ways throughout their career one. Of the famous photographers. Here from California. Brett. Weston who, was also a master, printer, what. Did he did and this is mid 20th century. When. He was when, he died he. Willed that all his negatives, need to be burned and destroyed. Which. Is kind of you know he. Was those, negatives were beautiful. And he's an amazing photographer but. He could not, stand. The idea of somebody, else's hands touching his negatives and making prints in a way that he, did not intend them so.
He Printed he was a master printer he printed his work, and they, know how it doesn't have to be numbered anymore right what. He made he made and that's it and even, if there's 30 copies ok those are the 30 copies and there's never gonna be another one because those, negatives do not exist anymore however. If I make something now in digital photography I. Mean. We can just copy-paste, it endlessly if I create something in virtual reality a 3d model it's. Really hard to prove that that is the. Original and this, is where blockchain, comes in now that we can actually tie. Digital. Files, and, register. In a blockchain and check. For, its authenticity, so. For the first time ever we can actually have. Digital. Files that, we can prove that they're originals. It. Doesn't mean that you cannot. Screenshot. It you can but, you cannot sell, it because you do not have a proof of. Ownership. Right and that's, a really huge deal that is going to. Have. A revolutionising. Effect. On digital. Art. And. That and, really we'll look at this, 20. 30 years of having, all analog, art that. Is by nature again original, and then having digital art for 20 30 years that kind, of struggled, but, with, the. Sense of what is original, what is not and having this kind of a hyper, production. Where, you, know up to the end, of the 20th century if you're a photographer you, were kind of a magician you do, this thing and you go to darkroom and you make these special. Things and today. Just. About everybody. Who. Owns the phone has, a, camera and we all become, photographers, and it really changed things, sometimes. For good sometimes, not. So much maybe. Number. Two is democratizing. Fine, art investments, or. Making, actually, art. Investment, available. For. Everybody so let's say I want to own a Picasso, well. I might not have three. Million dollars to buy one but. Maybe I can get together enough. People, that. We can buy it together and we can have self-executing, contracts. On blockchain that. Prove our ownership, and I. Can sell my stake in this, Picasso. Just. As much as I can sell my stock, in a company or, something like that so, it, allows people. Who otherwise, would never be, able to enter the. World. Of fine art. Investment. Because. Of their mouths necessary, to, enter that and to say you know what I think that this painting the value will go up and, I'm gonna invest in it I can invest $1. $100, $10,000. Whatever but. I own, it it's provable, it is on written on a blockchain and I, can do whatever I want with my shares, so it becomes, almost like a stock that. Of. Ownership, of a. Digital art or real. Art right and. Again. Number three is combination, with number one which is improve improving, provenance, and reducing, art forgery.
That, You know proving, the ownership. Of a particular piece. Of art. This. Is a graph that was, revealed that was published. Last year, and. It shows. The. Plans, into. The future and it was divided. By gallery's auction houses and intermediaries, of. I'd be looking into using virtual currency and, it kind of shows that we're. Still far from the. Wider. Acceptance, where. Eighty. Percent of people. In, all three categories says, they have no intention of, including. Cryptocurrency. In the next. Year. Or two right some. Will, say in the future but. Not. In the near future and this makes sense it, makes sense primarily, because, right. Now cryptocurrency, has, a lot of problems that. Are, or. The nature of you, know how, to make it fully legal, do. We understand what does it mean to use cryptocurrency, how, would affect me if I use it how, do I get taxed. Things. Like that you know taxation, is a really really big. Deal right now and it's, kind of folding, in front of our eyes, so until, some. Of those questions, are kind of settled down very. Few larger auction houses would, be wanting to accept. Cryptocurrency, because, now you get payment, let's, say in Bitcoin and the Bitcoin goes up and then. Then what to get dollars, well. They have to pay taxes, on a capital gain from the difference, in value, between what they you know when they got it versus, when they cashed out and that becomes just too scary for a lot of traditional. Conservative, art. Houses, however. One. Thing that changed. A lot is that, at, one point a time we. Started the coupling, the idea of cryptocurrency. And, blockchain. Technology. As. Technology. That supports it, obviously. There's no real decoupling. You know there's, no Bitcoin without blockchain. It's the technology that powers it but. It. Was a really a great actually PR moment. Where. Bitcoin. And other cryptocurrencies had. A really bad name that. We use often for, potentially. Illegal. Activities. And people who did not know much about it really, was care about it so, by moving the, spotlight. Into the blockchain technology. It created this situation, where, many people nowadays when, I talk, to them they will say. You know I I'm. Not really crazy I don't deal with the cryptocurrencies. But, I love blockchain, technology, and. It's like okay, you know it allows this in, for. People to go in and say yes there's, a technology that can be used for other things and this, can be also seen in this next graph that. Shows that, blockchain, technology, as such is, far, more interesting, to all the three categories galleries. Auction, houses and intermediaries. Where as. You can see. Over. Two-thirds of, auction. Houses are. Actively. Planning to. Use. Blockchain, technology, in the future they are looking to engage. Because. They see the, value of it they see the idea of oh wait, a second we can probably get prices. Much higher if we can open up bidding to. The larger pool of people so it's not just somebody. Who can afford three million dollar Picasso, but maybe, this group can get together or you know a few thousand people can get together and, we. Can raise, money to buy that Picasso as our common investment. Right. The. Last but, not the least is the blockchain. Art and this is kind of a the most fun part you know in a way it's. The art that. Uses. Blockchain, technology, as its medium here, I have an example of planetoid an, art piece that was done in 2016. By, an artist Primavera de filippi and here. We have this kind of a robotic. Looking. Flower. That. It, has its own dedicated. Bitcoin. Wallet and, you. Can tip it you can basically give, money and. When it do it, does this, kind of a light. Show and it, moves around so it. Kind, of mimics. Nature where even, in nature flowers, are beautiful to, attract, pollinators, right, so. They kind of put up a show for pollinators, to come in so, they can spread, their seed in, a similar way here, it will do the similar, beautiful. Dance if in, the pollinator, in a way becomes, a human who comes by and. Put, some Bitcoin in that wallet. After. It the. Wallet. Becomes. Accumulates. Enough money it, is, given. To another person, to create another, plan. To it so, the idea here is that it, kind of it's, the, artificial.
Life That, is capable of, reproducing. Itself by, the means of accumulated. Wealth due. To its own performance. So if I get to make the next plan toid I have to make it fun. Enough that, it's capable of raising enough, money that it. Can reproduce itself, so if I don't make a nice one. That people really want to give money to it. Will not reach their point of reproduction. So to say so, an. Interesting way of using, blockchain, again to. Mimic. How biology. Operates. The. Discoverer da Vinci this is a project, that we, are working on right now a digital, world substitute we're. Making. Kind. Of a collecting, card game that, at the same time. This. Cut talks, about the, life of Leonardo da Vinci we, are celebrating, 500 years of his, death. This year and. With. This particular game we. Are using. A gamified, experience. In this particular case we're using steam. Blockchain. Mostly. Because team is very well suited for this type of a social, interactions. Voting. And. Things like that but, it's a card game where somebody. Collects cards, of Leonardo's. Inventions. And. Every. Time you. Collect this. Cards, there are kind of a pop up questions, that you have to answer in, order to unlock, it so, it's. A card collecting, game or you can trade cards but in order to unlock that we have to answer these questions which, ultimately are, the educational, part so, it was built as a. Means, of promoting, Leonardo. Da Vinci's work primarily, among the students on the University, of Florida campus, it's going it's something that's being literally, built as we speak right now. We're looking at a launch date in this fall it, will be it will be open for everybody. But primarily we. Are pushing. It towards our students and. We'll, be on mobile devices, connecting. Blockchain. Technology. With AR because. You'll be able to once you collect and put together innovation. You can kind of click on it and there, will be an AR of that. Piece. In, the space on your mobile device that you can kind of explore turn around play. With it so it combines certain. Technologies. Into one experience, that is primarily again. Educational. But, in, a form of a video game. Probably. Many people have heard of crypto kitties this is one, of the first, big. Names that came about in, blockchain. Space. Crypto, kitties is a car, collecting, game we. Can compare it to the let's, say baseball cards, or something like that however, what, was really unique here is that. With. Most digital art if. I made let's say a crypto, kitty or kitten like this and I. Own one well. How do I really own one I mean somebody. Else can have, the same image and then now we both own one and what does that really mean well.
In This particular case. Owning, a crypto kitty literally. Means having the access cone to, a particular. To. A particular. Number that identifies the, crypto kitty and crypto. Kitty becomes just literally, illustration. Of that number. That, I have unique. Access codes to so. That, gives me the ownership, over. It. Literally gives me ownership, over a blockchain address, that, is represented. By the crypto, key, this. Particular project actually. Was. The first project that crashed a theory on blockchain it runs on aetherium and it's. Literally bra crash. The etherium. Network. For a while because how, popular, has. Become. At the time of its launch and this is 2017. And. When. When, I look at this and think. About it you know just 20 years earlier. I was. Working on other. Type of virtual, pets. These, are virtual pets virtual cats and dogs that. Were developed, by the company called PF magic, in the. 90s, and I, worked, for the PF, magic at the time as a webmaster moving. Virtual. Pets online, and this is online when we didn't really know that was when, Internet was emerging technology, and we literally would, have meetings like so. We. Have this internet thing and, what. Are we going to do with it like we have a video game and, we have and what, do we do with this. So. We would have, brainstorming, sessions talking about things. We can do and surprisingly. Enough it was our users, who were the most creative ones and we learn. Really. Soon after because these pets, had artificial intelligence, engine in them. That. People. Started opening online businesses, and, this is 97, 98 all. My business is being oh I'll, train your pet you upload your file I train and you download it pay me $2 or. In. Cats, to attach the dogs to you were able to, mate. Two dogs, or two cats and if. The mom, and dad were highly. Trained AI is the baby will be easier to train so people started opening online, stud services, so. It's really kind of fascinating you know that where people took this but. Very very much, unexpected. And. Then this kind of brings back this. Idea. Of, emerging. Technologies, that what, is emerging today, in, 20 years we'll look at it differently this, was very much emerging, in 1997. Having. Virtual pets having. Idea. Of AI, interacting. With it well. You know now we're talking about crypto kitties so. With. This slide I would like to. Finish. My part and ask. For any questions or comments, we have, about five to ten minutes to. Discuss. Any questions, that you may have. Anyone. Have any questions. So. When. The patients. Are exiting, the virtual realities, what. Kind of effort, do you put to like. Slowly, help, them back up to. Taking. Off the virtual reality so. There are two. There. Are two steps actually that are very sensitive in in that regard and you, identified the first one, which. Is actually literally, taking. It off and kind of having that jarring, moment, so, one. Of the things that we do work, on is in again. That. Kind of a there's a lead-in to, the. Experience. And then lead out, so it. Actually. Informs. The user that. They, are about to take off the virtual you know so it kind of tells them what's to come and that. Really helps and, that. It was something that. We. Kind of discovered as we. Worked on this you know we went in and it was we. Didn't have it initially. And there, was like oh and, it, was almost kind like a crash she was like I'm back. Here, you, know can I can, I be permanently, there. So. And, that's, part of the research effort, is that oh, how. To help. Out how to make that transition go. Well the. Second part that was really difficult, also was that as, the researchers, we have to conduct a. Questionnaire. And all these tests, so, now we will have a patient who takes off their thing and they're. Kind of like almost, in a semi sleepy, state and where it's, exactly, what I want him to be right and I wanted to be there for a while and instead. It's like all. Right and now we have a questionnaire for you so. One. Through five stars how would you rate your experience one, to five stars and it's like what and it. Was really jarring to the point where the questionnaire, often, would. Like last 20 minutes which, is longer than the, actual experience in the VR so. We, had to cut. Down the questionnaire, to be much shorter. But. In the same time we, not totally eliminated, because the whole purpose of it is to collect. Data so it's. The kind of thing that we as researchers have, to. Kind. Of balance you know and I understand that I'm actually affecting, the very. Outcomes. That I'm looking to do because, in the afternoon I'll come back and ask, again those questions, before, and after, the, experience. So. It's. A it's. A bit of a touchy job there, and that's, also what, led. Us to this idea of. Experimenting. With augmented reality which. Doesn't have that you know it's like oh I'm still here, it's. Just that if I put a special magic glasses it's a really fun room that is colorful rather than a white neon.
Room. But. It. Makes, that runs it's like oh how, to make this, a nicer, place rather, than how to escape, from here to somewhere else so it's two different approaches. And I believe that there. Are opportunities, in healthcare for both. There's. A lot a question. Hi. For. The dreams therapy, Hydra, team explored, I guess, like stimulating, the other senses like maybe like a Roma's or having. A fan that, simulated breathe yeah, so. We. Have evaluated. Different. Options, and. Again. It's a. Interesting. Situation, where you, know when I started working on it's about two years ago I had, all kinds of ideas what I wanted to do and my. Collaborator. Who. Is. The doctorate. Works in ICU she kind. Of listened to me and she listened to me she's like okay I, want, you to go and be 10 days in ICU and, then we can have this conversation again. I was. Like no but it's like I don't want to talk about this anymore, go to ICU so, spend 10 days in ICU. Shadowing. Doing, some of the, shelf you, know projects. With big, people and. There. Were a lot of challenges. That I didn't even know existed before. Such. As oh you. Cannot have velcro in the ICU unit because, it. Collects. Bacteria. So. There were so many limitations. That for. Me - let's say introduced. Smell. I would. Have a whole I mean it's an interesting but it completely, changes the nature of what am i what. Is it I'm actually giving something to the patient that could be dead tomorrow. So it creates a lot of very specific cases. That we have to say alright right. Now we're going to work on this once. That is proven. Useful. We. Can expand, it by, adding very, one. At a time one at a time one at a time otherwise. It's. Hard to measure what. Is, affecting. It and early, on with this kind of work it's it's challenging, so, what we're really looking at you know what I really am excited about now is connect. Nunna Sara Lee, adding. More senses, as, much, as adding interactivity and. Adding, that maybe, one's voice or, breathing. Can. Actually affect what's happening, in the app right because, most of the meditation apps out on the market right now you're. Just kind of watch it and you follow it and if you don't follow it it. Just kind of goes on and you can follow. It or not but. To have a gamified, meditation. Where I'm, measuring the heartbeat I'm measuring the breath and if you're doing good the. Game is opening. Up for you and if you're not it's not you. Know looking, to kind of facilitate. The. Interaction. Through interactivity. Alright. So I saw, in the art slides that, there is an intermediary, and they were considering, using, blockchain, in the future and, I was wondering why they would want to use it when blockchain, takes out any, intermediaries. And the, the. Person providing a service can directly give that service to anyone in the blockchain, yeah. It's a. Moreau. Docks that, currently, a lot of people are trying to figure out you. Know when, we talked about cryptocurrencies. We. Said oh banks, are gonna may be made obsolete yet. What. Happened is banks created you, know their own cryptocurrencies now, and they're going into that so, I think it's, happening, in, two ways on one part is, certain. Types. Of. Business practices, will be made obsolete and we will not need a middle person anymore and it, will also create a different, types of middle. People. Mean a persons who, will do things that do not exist right now and I. Think a certain amount of businesses. Are looking to reinvent themselves and. Say oh well. Nobody's going to be needing these services. Anymore but, what if we are maybe. Aggregator. Of anybody.
Interested, In investing, in an art piece through. Our, you. Know through, our coin. And, they, become again a middle, person that is not necessary, but it really, helps like I can how. If I want to own Picasso, how do I really go about it I understand, that there's you know but, oh there, is a website and they have an offer which ones I can do and they, become kind of a intermediary. That is not, necessary, but it's nice it's almost like a mountain, guide I can make it to the top of my own but. It's kind of nice to have somebody so. I think, that a lot of our. Related. Businesses are looking to figure out how. To stay, relevant and I, think sometimes it feels like wait, a second I'm working on making myself obsolete. And I. As, a professor right now online teaching. Is you know online courses are all the rage and all, of my classes right now I'm recording. For. Online. Audience so I would give. A presentation. At. You know the live audience and then grow, in a studio a talk again the same thing and as, I do it it feels kind of like huh, and when I'm finished with this they. Don't need me anymore, -. Just a literally. Just made myself obsolete, so, it's like just kind of a comparison I feel like oh these. Middlemen, are doing things that they feel like I hope. That there is a future beyond, this because I'm literally right now making myself obsolete, but, if I don't do it I'm gonna, be obsolete for sure so. I'm kind of hoping that I'm, gonna learn things, that going forward. Will. Make me actually far, more relevant than, I, was, before in this new economy. All. Right let's give a round. Of thanks to Marco how's, the great talk. You.
2019-08-18 13:52
@2 subs Great arguments for VR. I agree to all of it. I forgot to focus on ICU and instead aimed for best healing/adjustment potential instead (IMO).
entheogens are often impossible to use in ICU patients due to rapid and extreme changes in medical treatment. the possible interactions preclude introducing such chemicals. it's also important that these patients remain cognizant and able to answer questions at all times to report changes in symptoms to their medical team. for the terminally ill, though, there's lots of opportunity for entheogens. michael pollan has some great stuff on the topic.
Fantastic -- the insights and commentary on art and the sites of interaction currently emerging there, about blockchain+art, provide context and a view into the state of the practice(s). The presenter is clearly knowledgeable and engaging. Great lecture!
Great introduction to these topics - definately provides lots of content for consideration and contemplation!
Having collaborated with both clinicians and administrators in healthcare to discuss the emerging challenges related to pain management, recovery times and readmission rates in critical care, I am so excited and hopeful for the amazing ways that Marko's work with DreamsVR in revolutionizing the patient experience! What an incredibly empathetic application of these technologies, I cannot wait to see how virtual reality will continue to impact patient care.
Fantastic! A thought provoking journey exploring the application of today's technologies as well as a glimpse into the future of the fascinating intersection of the human condition, the economies that drive us, and where that may lead us. A reflection on the trends that are taking us there. Terrific exploration of blockchain and how it touches the creative aspects of our lives through the arts. I found this to be a captivating look at the psychological conditions experienced by patients undergoing traumatic medical procedures. As well as what we can do to try to use modern VR tech to apply consciousness-transposition to help patients experiencing traumatic events. Personally, as a needle-phobic patient who has passed out from having my blood drawn I have often wondered if VR could help alleviate the acute anxiety that I feel at even the sight of a needle. Overall, a great talk! I really enjoyed it!
Concerning medicine, my bet is on entheogens above any kind of VR (which is exciting for sure). IMO, VR is a wrong kind of distraction and escape for sick people. Entheogens change the brain itself and "push" from inside. Applying them properly en masse is surely more complicated/costly than even VR. Though far from impossible, in a humane/compassionate society whose highest aspiration is not profit. It was once and could be again, this time coupled with modern medicine and technology.