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Thinking Digital: The future possibilities are endless

ONE of the world’s leading authorities in 2D & 3D design gave Thinking Digital delegates a mind-blowing look at the future possibilities of technology.

Tom Wujec is a Fellow at Autodesk and an award-winning innovator who works with the Fortune 500 to foster innovation practices at all stages.

He took to the stage at The Sage Gateshead to explain which technologies could shape our future.

Among the world-changing technological advances which he said are firmly within the realms of possibility are printers that can reproduce shoes, buildings and even organs.

There currently exists the technology to scan a foot and within minutes produce a training shoe using four components such as rubber and metal.

Wujec concedes that at the moment the shoe has a very short life before it falls apart – but it is a technology that is certain to be improved upon.

Meanwhile robotic technology means it is possible to produce a concrete printer which could essentially ‘print’ a building.

Scientists are also moving towards the development of biological printers that could in theory produce organs.

Mr Wujec said: “There are a range of biological printers that are possible now. The progression from impossible to impractical to possible to expected to required, is getting faster and faster and wide range of technologies are [emerging].”

Mr Wujec brought several software applications to market including Autodesk SketchBook Pro, PortfolioWall, and is a pioneer of business visualization - the emerging practice of using images, sketches and data-driven infographics to help teams make better sense of their work.

He has written three books on creative thinking and was part of a team which won an Academy Award for its software contribution to the film industry.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .