DEC 2020: Our top tech trends of the year

DEC 2020: Our top tech trends of the year From biotech to facial recognition, these tech trends top our list View this email in your browser

Every month, we sit down to write a newsletter to our community. 16,000 strong, an extraordinary group of technologists, media professionals, students, faculty, and industry leaders. We’re so proud of you all, the hard work you’ve put in during these past 12 months. Forging ahead with innovation, even as our work, and our lives, and the health and safety of those around us is facing uncertain times ahead.

So, thank you — for all you do.

And, if you believe as we do that next year has the potential to be the start of something important and new — we’d appreciate if you can support our mission with a financial gift. It can be small, and — of course — if you’re so inclined. But know that whatever you can do, we’ll promise you that we’ll put it to good use.

Here’s the link.

We’d love to hear from you if you have ideas about how we can expand the impact of the NYC Media Lab in the year ahead: Steve@nycmedialab.org

Steven Rosenbaum
Executive Director
NYC Media Lab NEW & NOTEWORTHY OPEN CALL: NYCML x ASCAP Immersive Music Studio Challenge

We’re excited to work with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) to launch the NYC Media Lab & ASCAP Immersive Music Studio Challenge.

We’re seeking startups and university teams eager to explore new ways artists can create music, connect with their fans, and interact with sound. How can we reimagine the experience of music using AR, VR, spatial audio, GANs, LiDAR, and avatars? What’s possible now that wasn’t before? More info at-a-glance:

• 12-week challenge is open to startup & university teams (current grad students & faculty)
• Each selected team will receive a grant of up to $5,000
• Application deadline: Fri, Jan 29 by 11:59pm ET
• Sign up for a virtual info session on Jan 14 or 20 to learn more from the NYC Media Lab & ASCAP Lab team

Ready to apply? Submit your application online. Questions? Email us at info@nycmedialab.org. DEMO DAY: Consumer Reports x NYCML Data & Privacy Prototyping Challenge

Throughout the fall 2020 semester, 6 consumer data and privacy prototyping teams from NYU, Columbia, University of Waterloo, and The New School worked alongside the Consumer Reports Digital Labs team and NYC Media Lab’s Director of Partnerships, Erica Matsumoto. The goal? Explore real solutions on how to make privacy policies and terms of service more useful to average consumers.

These 6 brilliant teams presented their prototypes during our virtual Demo Day on December 3. From a smartphone app that tells you if your IoT is spying on you (hint: it is), to an interactive game that teaches 8–12 year olds healthy internet practices, we were blown away by these creative and well-timed demos. Head on over to our YouTube playlist and check them out for yourself.

Open Data Week 2021 Is Coming — Submit a Proposal Today!

Every year, New Yorkers come together across the 5 boroughs to celebrate the City’s Open Data Law, which was signed into law on March 7, 2012. Coincidentally, the first weekend of March 2021 is also International Open Data Day. Together, both dates will anchor NYC’s Open Data Week as we aim to increase civic engagement with our municipal open data.

The NYC Mayor’s Office of Data Analytics and BetaNYC are looking for virtual event ideas, and where appropriate, socially-distanced outdoor experiences. They’re seeking ideas that are engaging, filled with learnings, or help build a stronger community around open municipal data. Submit your ideas for interactive workshops, panels, talks, trainings, or hackathons. There’s no need to have a fully fleshed out proposal in order to submit, and you’re invited to submit more than one idea!

The call for submissions is open now until Jan 7 at 10pm ET. Learn more and submit. The Verizon x NYCML 5G EdTech Challenge Reaches Implementation Phase

The Verizon x NYC Media Lab 5G EdTech Challenge has officially reached implementation phase! We’re currently bringing these 5G EdTech projects to life, piloting AR/VR solutions in Verizon Innovative Learning Labs in schools across the country.

Above, a student at Propel Northside in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania travels through time by accelerating the lifespan of a star via Visceral Science, an immersive VR space exploration learning solution. Very cool. Learn more about our 5G EdTech Challenge here. Make a Tax-Deductible Donation to the NYC Media Lab

Our core mission here at NYC Media Lab is to connect media and tech companies with NYC’s universities to drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and talent development. Friends of NYC Media Lab, we invite you to help support our programs and initiatives with a tax-deductible donation on a one-time or recurring basis. Donations can easily be made online here.

However you choose to support us — through a monetary donation, event attendance, or newsletter subscription — we sincerely thank you for helping us to continue to connect, collaborate, and innovate through 2021 and beyond. VIRTUAL EVENTS DEC 16: TEDxClimateActionTech

The tech industry can be both a cause of climate change and a solution. How do we transition our sector to be more sustainable, and at the same time, help transition the world to be more sustainable?

On Dec 16 from 9–11am ET, various speakers from the climate tech sector (Drawdown Labs, Earth Hacks, The Conscious Advertising Network, etc.) will share actionable ideas about solutions to the climate crisis with a special focus on the tech industry. Register for free.

DEC 16 & 17: NYU ITP/IMA Winter Show 2020

Join our friends at NYU ITP and IMA online for their 2020 Winter Show. What can you expect? A 2-day exhibition of creative, interactive projects by the remarkable students of ITP, IMA, and IMA Low-Res.

Dec 16 from 8–10pm ET and Dec 17 from 8–10pm ET. Free and open to the public — please help spread the word. No RSVP required!

WE’RE TALKING TECH TRENDS…

It’s that time of year. Here at NYC Media Lab, we’re looking back, and thinking ahead. What grabbed our attention most in 2020? Where will these innovations lead us in 2021? We conducted an informal poll amongst NYCML team members, and narrowed our musings down to the following top tech trends of 2020 and predictions for 2021.

NYC Media Lab’s top tech trends of 2020:

1. Rise of remote work & increased connectivity
2. Biotech & breakthroughs in vaccine development
3. A trend in reverse: inequity & disparity in access to the foundations of remote learning
4. Expanding applications of gaming platforms (concerts, professional conferences, etc.)
5. Dangers of facial recognition technology (monitoring protestors)

And here are our predictions for top tech trends in 2021:

1. Increased use of bespoke social media platforms (e.g., Parlor)
2. Immersive, spatial, 360 audio
3. Hightened consumer awareness around privacy & control of our own data
4. Big tech regulation
5. Rise of 5G & edge computing: enabling tech that will allow other tech to leapfrog

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NYC Media Lab connects media and technology companies with NYC’s universities to drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and talent development. Visit our website or contact us at info@nycmedialab.org with any questions, comments, or tips.

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