Watch this case study presented by Hannah Rudman: the Screen Machine analyses its Carbon Emissions and talks about how digital tools have helped this process and how they will support a lower carbon future for the UK’s only mobile cinema which takes movie night to 34 of Scotland’s more remote communities. Funded by Sustainable AmbITion, a strand of Rudman Consulting’s national digital development programme AmbITion Scotland.

I’m very excited to be speaking at 2013 Shift Happens V – I’ve spoken at 2 previous Shifts, and this year’s line up seems to embody the very notion of Shift: asking thought leaders from a wide range of spheres to show and provoke thinking and action in how shift can happen in the arts, culture and heritage sector.

Shift Happens V – Where V is for Visioning… will be held at York Theatre Royal on Mon 8 July 2013. The conference will play host to international speakers who will present ideas and give provocations in a format inspired by the world renowned TED conferences.

Now in its 5th year, Shift Happens will be focusing on the challenges and opportunities for The Arts / Technology / Education / Museums and Heritage sectors.

I’ll be focussing on how digital technologies and the arts can be blended to help achieve better environmental sustainability. Book here!

Sir Tim Berners Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web thinks that there is a third iteration of the web emerging: (web 3.0?!) big data, wearable computing, the internet of things, and 3D printing are all a part of the wave of emerging technologies that once again will disrupt where we’re at now and make a step change in our world (think of the impact on our lives of the social two-way technologies of web 2.0).

The new wearable computing screens, such as Google Glass, may well help the established technology of augmented reality (or AR) take off. Although currently limited to about 1000 sets of prototype spectacle-like head mounted sets, they’re likely to go on mass sale next year. I for one will be wanting a pair of smart glasses! The official trailer for Glass has so far been viewed over 20m times, so I guess I’m not alone!

It’s easy to see from the trailer how augmented reality will enhance our lives. Admittedly, I don’t ice sculpt or trapeze as much as the people in the ad, so having extra functionality around those activities isn’t of that much interest. But I could receive live directions, take and receive photos and video, have real-time information overlaid on things I’m looking at, chat, translate foreign languages – all instantaneously and effortlessly – this could get AR into the hands of everyone.

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