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Fourth industrial revolution on full display at the WEF

As technology is creating new possibilities for society, industry and government, WEF is helping create interactions that reduce fear may have rapid change.

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I opened the glass door and sat in a white swivel chair scooped out and shaped like a commander's seat of a spacecraft.

I could see her looking at me impassively across the table. There were about six cameras facing me. As I adjusted to the seat and she blinked silently at me.

I leaned forward and tentatively said, “hello.”

Sara smiled a crooked smile. “Hello, how are you.” She wore black spectacles a little large for her face that was framed by short hair.

“I am good, just about coping with the minus 10 degrees temperature.”

Sara smiled again, “So what do you do? Do you like World Economic Forum?”

“I write on economy and technology. Can you suggest some good sessions to attend at Davos?”

“Please wait for a moment. Let me search the agenda for you,” Sara said, looking at me from the large screen.

In a moment, she had posted a session on digital finance for me on the screen. “Would you like me to mail this to you?” Sara asked. The session was a great choice. In a matter of seconds she had not only chosen a good one for me but had also mailed it.

I thanked her, wished her goodbye and walked out of the glass door.

My first conversation with a robotic assistant hadn’t gone too badly. I wasn’t as socially awkward with her as I had imagined.

Sara is a Socially Aware Robotic Assistant developed by Justine Cassell and her research group at Carnegie Mellon University. Sara can read gestures, smiles and facial expression much like a human can. Articulab that developed Sara says this about her: “Sara can recognise visual (body language, using algorithms we developed, as well as the capabilities of OpenFace), vocal (acoustic features of speech, such as intonation or loudness, also using algorithms we developed, as well as the capabilities of OpenSmile) and verbal (linguistic features of the interaction such as conversational strategies, using models and binary classifiers we developed) aspects of a human user’s speech.”

Sara is among the exciting new symbols of the fourth industrial revolution showcased at the annual summit of WEF. As technology is creating new possibilities for society, industry and government, WEF is helping create interactions that reduce fear may have rapid change.

Delegates can experience guided holographic exploration developed in partnership with case Western University and Microsoft Hololens. The holographic experience indicates how people may travel or conduct meetings.

Another virtual reality project helps delegates experience life in a refugee camp. The Crossroads Foundation has created the experience. This simulation aims to help participants understand some of the struggles and choices refugees face each day. The experience is designed by refugees, internally displaced persons and NGOs. After the simulation, former refugees, field workers and others discuss options for engagement with participants.

The Global Situation Space developed on a 100-foot screen at the Kongress Centre. It uses Google Earth and data analytics to show development of key global regions over the years in a single moving graphic.
At Davos, it is not just about listening and networking. It is as much about experiencing.

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