Luminaries - Talking to the Brightest Minds in Tech

The difference between 4G and 5G isn’t just "one G faster”. 5G is a fundamental change in the way devices communicate with each other. It’s faster broadband, yes, but also with much lower latency and much higher capacity for simultaneous connections. In the next decade, 5G will enable everything from telemedicine to self-driving cars to millions of internet-connected devices. On this episode, Sr. Vice President & Sr. Fellow at Dell Technologies, Liam Quinn, explores all the possibilities.

Technology can help humanity achieve sustainable positive social change at scale. According to emergent technology expert Sally Eaves, however, it’s not just the technology: It’s how we choose to use it. On this episode, Sally shares how she is working to bring about the convergence of humanity, technology, creativity and education. Her work with underserved populations around the world is truly inspiring, as is her vision for the future of tech.

There will soon be 1 million open jobs in tech but only 500,000 will be filled with the existing labor pool. At the same time, there is a marked gender and racial disparity. Fixing the latter may very well fix the former, according to Dell Chief Customer Officer Karen Quintos. In this episode, Quintos shares how businesses can work to eliminate bias, scale up their diversity efforts, and fill the pipeline for new tech talent.

Artificial intelligence is coming to the healthcare industry, and with it the promise of more accurate imaging interpretation, earlier detection of disease, and ultimately improved prognoses. This episode focuses on the amazing progress being made in training algorithms to detect vision and neurological disorders. Voxeleron Principal Scientists, Jonathan Oakley and Daniel Russakoff, provide an eye-opening look at how the technology is developing.

Embark on an adventure with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Founder and Chairman of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, as he discusses all the tech that's keeping the crew safe in a race around the world.

How does a dancer become a pioneer of virtual reality technology? On this week's episode, we higlight the extraordinary life of Dr Carolina Neira-Cruz, Interim Chair of the Department of Computer Science and Executive Director of Emerging Analytics Center at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock. As one of the inventors of the CAVE (cave automatic virtual environment) she is able to transport a room of people virtually to any place in the world as part of a collaborative learning environment. Hear more from Dr Cruz-Neira about the exciting applications of this technology.

"What’s the worst accident your laptop has survived? A drop? A spilled cup of coffee? Mike Libecki, National Geographic Explorer, is a little harder on his tech. His laptop has survived -67 degree temperatures and curious polar bears because his job is to travel to the world’s most remote and extreme environments. His passion is to make the world a better place. On this episode, learn how Mike’s non-profit organization is using technology to transform lives around the world."

Putting the first man on the moon in 1969 cemented America's dominance in the space race. And as we have continued exploration into the vast unknown, the purpose of each mission is about collecting data, terabytes of priceless and irreplaceable data. How does our body react to weightlessness? Can plants grow in space? Was there ever life on Mars? On this episode, NASA’s Tom Stein explains how and why he and his team collect, preserve, and distribute terabytes of irreplaceable data generated by the space program.

Sometimes the best way to get ahead in business is to think small. Compared to the multi-billion-dollar titans in their industry, Rio Grande Pacific is more nimble, reactive, and able to communicate more closely with the niche market they serve. On this episode, Rio Grande Pacific CIO Jason Brown shares how his IT department mixes traditional IT, marketing and customer service to drive innovation. Because IT can become a profit center for any business… if you have the right mindset.