Event Reports

Digital Skills for Tomorrow’s Workforce

Whilst companies continually look to improve productivity and drive greater efficiency, the use of new technologies continues to play an increasingly important role in shaping tomorrow’s businesses. Whilst much has been made in the media about the “high risk” of millions of jobs effectively being lost to technologies such as… Read More »Digital Skills for Tomorrow’s Workforce

Digital Transformation: a multi-headed monster

At our previous Sphere Network discussion on the topic of the Future of Work, we focused predominantly on the extent to which human redundancy, ‘any time, any place’ working and participation in the gig economy are becoming the norm. We also spent time looking at PwC’s ‘four worlds of work… Read More »Digital Transformation: a multi-headed monster

What’s bubbling in Augmented and Virtual Reality?

There was a full house at Newcastle Arts Centre on a sunny but cold May evening where Sphere Network members were treated to a real insight into the present-day sci fi of augmented and virtual reality. We started with a bit of jargon busting from Hedgehog Lab‘s Shaun Allen, who… Read More »What’s bubbling in Augmented and Virtual Reality?

Travel and transport in a connected world

When a passenger recently tweeted @My_Metro to ask about a service delay, the operator was concerned. “Have there been no announcements?” they asked. “I don’t know,” came the response. “I’ve got my headphones on.” The expectations of consumers increasingly involve spontaneous technical solutions, not simply in communication but in all… Read More »Travel and transport in a connected world

Internet of Things – Opportunity or Threat?

This event was the first in a series of sessions the Sphere Network will be holding to discuss the growth of IoT and IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things). Facilitated by Charles Sellers, and hosted by Northumbria University, the event was a sell-out and we had a full house in… Read More »Internet of Things – Opportunity or Threat?

Exploring the Future of Work

With a very diverse audience with expertise in many different sectors we gathered to look at different perspectives on the future of work and to explore our own vision & preferences for our future work too. The plan was to explore four perspectives: research and evidence being collected now; how… Read More »Exploring the Future of Work

Meeting the challenges of cybersecurity

Cybersecurity was the hot topic on a cold night in Sunderland. Sphere Network was delighted to co-host this event with BCS North East, bringing a group of Masters students together with businesses to examine the challenges and opportunities of the increasingly fraught arena of cybercrime. The cybersecurity landscape is complex,… Read More »Meeting the challenges of cybersecurity

The Opportunity of Ageing

The challenges of population ageing in a digital age were debated by Sphere Network members at the November round table event, hosted by the Northern Design Centre at Baltimore House. Attendees were drawn from multiple sectors, with representatives from the National Innovation Centre for Ageing; the… Read More »The Opportunity of Ageing

Decoding Artificial Intelligence

What is Artificial Intelligence? Attendees at October’s Sphere Network event addressed this question, and pooled their collective knowledge of machine learning, advanced analytics, AI applications, and ethics. This blog is an attempt to distill the broad and fascinating discussion into a few hundred words from many pages of comprehensive notes.… Read More »Decoding Artificial Intelligence

Kickstarting Blockchain Innovation

Sphere Network’s recent event brought a broad spectrum of experience and industry sectors to the table. The discussion was lively, wide-ranging, and could have gone on for hours as we tackled the innovation and the potential surrounding blockchain technology. Attendees represented industries including legal, software development, manufacture, process industry, fintech… Read More »Kickstarting Blockchain Innovation