Much of the personal data that's harvested by all the connected devices that make up the IoT is hoarded, and often exploited, by a relatively small number of commercial organisations. As the quantity and quality of the data we share about ourselves increases, so will concern about how that data is being stored, shared and used. Making sense of all this data, while also protecting the personal privacy of end-users, is going to become a huge challenge. Add machine-to-machine interaction into the mix (there are already far more machines than people connected to the Internet), and it looks like the Internet is going to need a bigger boat!
That being the case, what would an entirely new kind of Web actually look like? Web 1.0 was entirely made up of static web pages connected by hyperlinks. Web 2.0 aka the "Social Web" emphasised user-generated content, usability, and interoperability. What is needed now is a third Web that enables both people and machines to interact seamlessly via a decentralised, democratic web. By using the blockchain to remove the need for servers, innovations such as Ethereum and IPFS could define Web 3.0 in the same way that HTTP/IP defined Web 1.0 - hence the importance of the blockchain.
18:15 - 18:20 REGISTRATION & WELCOME
18:20 - 18:30 Simon Montford (WEB3//IOT)
Open Forum; members are invited to make announcements, share news, seek project collaborators, promote their IoT events, and request topics for future Meetups.
18.30 - 18.50 James Littlejohn (Dsensor)
James will start by explaining how smart contracts work. He will then provide a brief history of this game-changing technology, followed by an overview of how it is being used today. He will then demonstrate how smart contracts can be used to securely interact with health data via the private Ethereum blockchain.
18:50 - 19:10 Dave Murray-Rust (University of Edinburgh)
Dave will talk about some participatory design work carried out at the Design and The City conference in Amsterdam, to help people understand the blockchain. This includes a workshop based around lego and values, and an "unfinished software" session, where halfbaked prototypes are given over to the public to play with. We'll see some of the applications they came up with, discuss which aspects of the blockchain were important, and think about where this could take us.
The #GlobalGoalsJam is a two day event consisting of short design sprints. Creative teams, with designers, developers and Jammers from the local community will work together using a tailored toolkit. The main goal of the Jam is to create interventions aimed at short term targets in support of the long term goals. Design 2030 Now!
Intrigued by the media hype of Bitcoin and Silkroad? Delve beyond the headlines to get a first hand experience of some of the underlying principles of cryptocurrencies. Explore the blockchain through interactive group discussions and hands on activities punctuated by short insights from leading Scottish expert, Dug Campbell, Digital Strategy Consultant, founder of Bitcoin Meetup and Organiser of Scottish Bitcoin Conference.
No prior knowledge or understanding about cryptocurrencies is required! Our plan is that this is a good, friendly place to begin your understanding of how they work and why they are important. And there will be Lego,
The event is just £8; wine and nibbles will be provided.
As always, this event is open to all. You do not have to be a member of the BCS, nor of BCSWomen, and, indeed, you don't need to be female either.
We look forward to seeing you then,
BCSWomen Scotland
Over a decade on, Lutz Dammbeck's documentary DAS NETZ (2003) still stands as a unique inquiry into the conflicting agendas that characterised the early development of the internet.
Part-travelogue, part-conspiracy thriller, the film reveals a prismatic tale that explores the core anxieties of the post-war information society, weaving together Cold War-era CIA psycho-warfare experiments, cybernetics, tech-utopianism, the 1960s counterculture and the unabomber.
The screening will be followed by an open discussion about radical perspectives on anti-technology, the internet, and the control society.
With thanks to Lutz Dammbeck, Goethe Institut Glasgow, and New Media Scotland.
ABOUT LUTZ DAMMBECK
Born in 1948, Lutz Dammbeck was first a student at the College for Graphic Design and Typography in Leipzig before turning his attention to the realization of experimental films in the mid-1970s. However, his films ultimately violated the canon of socialist cultural bureaucracy to such an extent that he left the GDR in 1986. He is now professor of new media in Dresden and also works in Hamburg.
The rise of drones in both commercial and hobby use has increased exponentially over the last few years providing GI professionals and non-professionals with a bewildering range of solutions to choose from, both in terms of hardware and software and importantly, ethically and legally. The presentations at the event will showcase case studies of real world drone use in commercial and academic sectors highlighting the opportunities, issues and future directions that the use of drones in the GI sector may raise. The seminar will be followed by informal drinks ('geobeers') to encourage further networking and discussion.
This event is being hosted by AGI Scotland and supported by Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh.
Free for AGI members, only £12 for non-members (supports the work of the AGI).
Programme
1530: Registration & 'Meet the drones' – a chance to see a selection of UAVs up close and personal
1600: Clearing the Air - UAVS: a legal and compliance perspective - Craig Jump, Sky View Video
1620: The world ain't round, it's a 3D geoid: how drones are revolutionising earth observation - Paul Georgie, GeoGeo
1640: Near-ground Earth observations: new platforms and approaches for quantitative remote sensing - Alasdair Mac Arthur, University of Edinburgh, Geosciences
1700: Working with Drones - Experiences, Developments and Opportunities - Paddy Davies, Horizon AP
1720: Current and emerging trends in UAV platforms and sensors for Geomatics applications - Pauline Miller, James Hutton Institute
1740: Meet the drones and flyers, chance to look at 3D printers setup at ECA 'Maker Lab'
1800: Geobeers
The AGI seeks to promote diversity and inclusivity in the UK’s geospatial industry. It is committed to providing a member experience free from discrimination of sex, gender reassignment, disability, age, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation. Harassment or offensive behaviour of any nature will not be tolerated by the AGI.
Inappropriate conduct at an AGI Event could result in exclusion from the event, without refund, at the discretion of the organising committee.
Inappropriate conduct while participating in activities related to membership of the AGI could result in the withdrawal of membership, without refund at the discretion of the AGI Executive Group.
If you have any concerns, queries or suggestions regarding the code of conduct please do not hesitate to contact a member of the AGI Council. Alternatively please email us at: info@agi.org.uk.
Come along to our mixer event on Wednesday 29th July to find out more about the Innovate UK Digital Media Launchpad competition. This is a great opportunity to find out more and meet developers, creatives and producers looking for people to collaborate with.
Have you invented the next Spotify or Pinterest? Do you have an innovative way to link technology with the arts? Our competition Launchpad is based in Edinburgh and will invest up to £1million in digital media innovations. If you have an idea for a mobile app that distributes creative content, a platform that allows you to monetise it, or a new approach to a digital media issue then we want to hear from you.
This month, we're taking advantage of the distinctly un-Scottish weather, kicking back in the sun and watching a film.
'Ulterior States' is an 'argumentative documentary project' produced by Tomer Kantor (@TomerKantor), the guy behind the fascinating IamSatoshi project. If you have an interest in the scene and haven't subscribed to his YouTube channel then you really should given some of the great and incisive interviews that he's run with leading figures in the scene. And depending on the timings, we're hoping to run a Q&A on Skype afterwards with Tomer.
In his own words:-
"The participatory development, production and post ‘guerilla film-making methods’, kept bouncing between (non-academic), literature research, video interviews and studio sessions. This investigative process allowed me to have real-life conversations with some thought leaders within the Bitcoin ecosystem. Being a one-man team allowed for easier access to the subjects, in an attempt to portray the community behind the message to adopt a network. The enthusiasm and commitment that saturate through the lens in many parts of the film, expose how the adopters of Bitcoin want to explore, to probe and, to show the world, something important, otherwise overlooked."
"The film took three years to complete and it is becoming easier to admit that Ulterior States is an expression of my perceptions. A way to think about coming to terms with a few completions. The story explores code as activism and discovers a melting pot through the neutralness of a decentralised consensus. It looks to the future from different quasi-humanist perspectives and argues that crypto currencies could lead towards micro-states smartphone applications. The conclusion makes a clear statement that humans must always come before software, in any equation and at any given moment."
As ever, the event's free and open to all. It's a chance for newcomers and experienced folk alike who have any kind of interest in the Bitcoin (and associated blockchain technology) scene to get together, chat about local goings-on, global developments and generally catch-up.
Please try to arrive before 6:25 if possible (as we need to make sure that you can get through the downstairs swipe entrance before the film kicks off at 6:30pm). If you're late, just text the number on the door for entrance. And as ever, the conversation will continue afterwards in a nearby pub (to be confirmed but likely the Traverse Bar).
Any questions, get in touch either via Meetup or Twitter (@BitcoinScot, @dugcampbell).
Robert Ross (FoldingCoin): Edinburgh Bitcoin Meetup #24
Description changed:
One of the incredible things about Bitcoin is the variety of different ways in which blockchain technology is currently being used to address a wide range of problems across a variety of fields. Arguably one of the most intriguing of these use cases involves harnessing the immense power within the network to push ahead medical research.
For this month's Edinburgh meetup, I'm delighted to announce that we'll have Robert Ross of FoldingCoin calling in to the meetup. Put simply, FoldingCoin is a token that you earn by helping scientists cure diseases!
Background
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sJx9z1uB9k
Folding@home is a long running project that began in Oct of 2000 from the folks Stanford University that lets your spare CPU or GPU simulate complex protein folding. The results of all this distributed computation is tabulated and analyzed to help new find new medicines and cures to be derived to some of the worst diseases faced by man.
The problem with the existing system however is that there's no reward for sharing your computer cycles in this way. You can join a team and you can earn points, but there is no profit motive to help with research.
Distributed on a schedule, FoldingCoin was developed and distributed is given to those that donate cycles to Folding@home based on their individual contributions. This new currency can be transferred from person to person using the Bitcoin blockchain and the Counterparty protocol.
Join Us
The night's free and open to anyone who's intrigued by Bitcoin and blockchain technology, whether you're hugely experienced or a total beginner who just wants to learn more about what's going on in Scotland and beyond. We tend to have a mix of folk from all backgrounds at the event and inevitably we'll end up continuing the discussion in the pub for those who are able to stick around.
Any questions, as ever please get in touch (@BitcoinScot or @dugcampbell). Look forward to seeing you there - it's going to be a good one!
Cheers
Dug
Venue Information
Please try to arrive fairly sharp in time for the start of the talk if at all possible. If you have any issues getting in for whatever reason, text the mobile number that should be displayed on the door and someone will pop down to get you.
PS. First heads up: there will be a Bitcoin event as part of this year's Turing Festival in Edinburgh (http://www.turingfestival.com/). More details to follow!
PPS. There are all sorts of discussions taking place currently on the Bitcoin Scotland Slack channel about building local Bitcoin businesses. If you'd like an invite, just let me know.
Biography - Robert Ross, Founder & Director
Indianapolis, Indiana USA
Robert Ross has spent 8 years as a structured cabling specialist also specializing in building out data centers for multi million dollar pharmaceutical companies and office buildings. During his 8 years at the same company, Robert gained experience in dealing with employee scheduling, field management, project management, and IT administration. Ross also spent 1 year as an IT administrator for a Red Cross chapter in Michigan during[masked] and has experience in non profit activities.
Since discovering Bitcoin in March of 2013, Ross became heavily involved in the mining community all of 2013 but started getting more involved with all things crypto beginning in 2014. Looking to find a way to utilize all the legacy mining equipment many original BTC miners have, Ross started FoldingCoin that does something more productive with all the energy that GPUs and CPUs put off. Robert also has his own personal website and blog.
Let's get physical! This event will be focused on the preparation and creation of physical maps based on OpenStreetMap data in a variety of materials such as paper maps, textiles, 3D printing, wood, origami, cross-stitch...
This is a follow-on event from the main conference which must be booked separately.
For this month's meetup, we'll be hosting a hangout with Jerry Brito and Peter Van Valkenburgh of Coin Center, the newly-launched US-based research and advocacy group for cryptocurrency technologies (see here and here for more info). Check out the meetup link to the right for more detailed biographies and video.
We'll be discussing the current state of Bitcoin and the wider crypto-currency environment in general.
As ever, the event is free and open to all newcomers who are just interested in learn more about the Bitcoin scene. And no doubt we'll continue the conversation in a nearby pub after the talk for those that are interested.
The purpose of the Meetup is to educate, inform and to introduce people to others who share an interest in finding out about and discussing the implications of this fast-developing technology.
We welcome everyone, no matter your background - from hardcore coders to those who are simply curious to find out how this revolutionary technology is likely to affect the future of business, society, government, the internet of things, entrepreneurship, the music industry, law, accountancy, investment, financial services.....and so much more.
There's no such thing as a daft question.
Whether you're looking for a beginner's explanation, looking to understand the nuts-and-bolts (how to buy bitcoins and get a wallet) or wanting to explore some of the more far-reaching consequences that the technology provides us all with, please come along and join in the conversation.
Jerry Brito & Peter Van Valkenburgh of Coin Center: Edinburgh Bitcoin Meetup #21
Description changed:
Please note: the talk will start at 6:30pm prompt
For this month's meetup, we'll be hosting a hangout with Jerry Brito and Peter Van Valkenburgh of Coin Center, the newly-launched US-based research and advocacy group for cryptocurrency technologies (see here and here for more info).
We'll be discussing the current state of Bitcoin and the wider crypto-currency environment in general.
As ever, the event is free and open to all newcomers who are just interested in learn more about the Bitcoin scene. And no doubt we'll continue the conversation in a nearby pub after the talk for those that are interested.
The purpose of the Meetup is to educate, inform and to introduce people to others who share an interest in finding out about and discussing the implications of this fast-developing technology.
We welcome everyone, no matter your background - from hardcore coders to those who are simply curious to find out how this revolutionary technology is likely to affect the future of business, society, government, the internet of things, entrepreneurship, the music industry, law, accountancy, investment, financial services.....and so much more.
There's no such thing as a daft question.
Whether you're looking for a beginner's explanation, looking to understand the nuts-and-bolts (how to buy bitcoins and get a wallet) or wanting to explore some of the more far-reaching consequences that the technology provides us all with, please come along and join in the conversation.
The purpose of the Meetup is to educate, inform and to introduce people to others who share an interest in finding out about and discussing the implications of this fast-developing technology.
We welcome everyone, no matter your background - from hardcore coders to those who are simply curious to find out how this revolutionary technology is likely to affect the future of business, society, government, the internet of things, entrepreneurship, the music industry, law, accountancy, investment, financial services.....and so much more.
There's no such thing as a daft question.
Whether you're looking for a beginner's explanation, looking to understand the nuts-and-bolts (how to buy bitcoins and get a wallet) or wanting to explore some of the more far-reaching consequences that the technology provides us all with, please come along and join in the conversation.
There's no formal speaker at this month's event. Instead, we're having another informal meetup to chat about all things Bitcoin and blockchain-related. Free and open to all.
What's the plan?
The purpose of the Meetup is to educate, inform and to introduce people to others who share an interest in finding out about and discussing the implications of this fast-developing technology.
We welcome everyone, no matter your background - from hardcore coders to those who are simply curious to find out how this revolutionary technology is likely to affect the future of business, society, government, the internet of things, entrepreneurship, the music industry, law, accountancy, investment, financial services.....and so much more.
There's no such thing as a daft question.
Whether you're looking for a beginner's explanation, looking to understand the nuts-and-bolts (how to buy bitcoins and get a wallet) or wanting to explore some of the more far-reaching consequences that the technology provides us all with, please come along and join in the conversation.
We'll be joined at the first @BitcoinScot meetup of 2015 on Skype by Marc Warne, founder of Bittylicious (https://bittylicious.com).
Marc will give a quick intro to Bittylicious for anyone who hasn't come across it before and run through how to buy bitcoins (and other altcoins) on the platform. Then we'll open it up to a wide-ranging Q&A session on crypto, altcoins and the future of the wider Bitcoin ecosystem.
As always, the event is open to beginners and experts alike. If you've got the slightest interest in Bitcoin and don't know where to start, this should be a great intro session and a great opportunity to speak to someone who is working hard to make things easier for everyone to get onto that tricky on-ramp. Look forward to seeing you all there!
Title changed:Evolution House, Edinburgh College of Art (aka Evo House. Houses Design Informatics)Edited at by jarofgreen