Almost two years ago, I purchased the domain name 'yourfutureisnow.com'. My intention was whilst keep focussing on the future, I could also serve professionals (either in teams or self-employed) preparing themselves for the future in many aspects: to regain their vitality, to feel (actually to become) younger, tap into their inner creativity they have lost many years ago, and guide them to use their inborn, natural drive to innovate! We have so much potential!!! My new brand 'Your Future Is Now!' doesn't just allow me to inspire organisations through speeches, it also helps me to empower teams with transition programs and to support individuals in their personal growth to create a better future!
Before I could introduce a brand new website based on the existing content, I first had to archive the previous one. Today, it's done! After almost two months of hard work, I have created a well-working archived version of ErwinVanLun.com and prepared the content for the future, making me ready for the future, ready for 'Your Future Is Now!'.
Trend observations, analysis and future predictions since 2005
Brands recognizing emotions in passants
Brands can soon start to use technology to read emotions and moods of people passing by their shops or outlets in the street.
Future vision by Erwin van Lun
In the future, (retail) brands will continuously register and cluster every aspect of behavior and identity of anonymous passants. Have you been here before? Have you looked for more than 1 seconds in the window, where did you look at and how did you respond? Have you been interacting with the brand before? Do we have a history together? As long as you haven’t identified yourself, you’ll stay anonymous. Naturally, brands could technically exchange personal details with each other, with the government or social media, but privacy laws will stop that. Nevertheless, they can build profile (unless you press or says: don’t remember me, forget my ‘personal cookie’ ).
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Replaced Flash header with animated CSS and Javascript
After another month of hard work, I’ve managed to replace the deprecated Shockwave Flash Header with animated CSS and some javascript support!
This is just another step in revitalising my website. I only started in 2017 with java script and CSS, so I’m pretty happy with the skills I obtained demonstrated in this header.
I will now first fix the latest glitches, then archive the website, and from there upgrading the content management system ExpressionEngine to its latest 2.x edition. From there, I’ll introduce a continuous integration/deployment flow (CI/CD) for myself. Once the website is stable, I first move back to Chatbots.org to do the same and introduce a responsive design.
Live Again in The Cloud with Docker, Git and DigitalOcean
After being away for a while, I've managed to understand every technical bit of this website which eventually has allowed me to bring it UP again! I'm very pleased with that. Hello world, I'm back! . But even more important is that the gained skills allow me to make this website ubercool once more! Below you'll find some explanation on the technology I'm using.
Come and join me in London, Oct 3th!
On Tue, Oct 3th, I'll be moderating a panel on the AI and #chatbot conference in London. Why don't you join me? You'll get a 50 GBP discount with this link: yes, I want 50 GBP discount. Hope you see you there!
Don’t even TRY to relevant in Facebook Messenger!
As you know, I've been working with chatbots since 2005. It has been silent for years but with the introduction of the Facebook #Chatbot platform we've entered another hype. It seems that every innovative company now wants to be in the friend list of a consumers. Well, let me tell you what to take care for.
So, I've added quite a few Facebook messenger chatbots in order to test them (they want to be added to the Chatbots.org directory). The first thing these bots do is to start sending. After a few days I can't find the messages of my friends anymore. The first thing I did is to remove them again.
What chatbots are really about is to answer questions, to be relevant in time. How can you possibly know when you're relevant as a single brand? You've possible attended many workshops with that theme but the true answer is: you can't. That what we see right now. You can't, you simply can't. Let me explain.
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Front-End developers meetup is promising for the Future of the World to me.
Yesterday eve I attended a so-called 'Front End Developers' meetup. It was such a positive event of young people, it really made me happy that this new generation is shaping to world of tomorrow. Here is a bit more detail:
ING (Bank) hosted 300 Front-End developers in their Head Quarters near Amsterdam Bijlmer Arena. This sentence needs some explanation. A front-end developer designs and constructs that part of a complex website (think about Booking.com, Wehkamp.com or ING.com) that you can see. Is typically a male between 25-35 with a beard, but we had about 10% woman and some older guys as well, with or without beard.
Why was hosting ING this event? Well, all information dense companies, such as banks, are actually becoming IT-companies. More and more, a large part of their employees are actually IT people making the business more efficient and effective at the very same time. So ING needs people on one hand (so this a good way of getting in touch with them), and want their current employees to be proud at their company at the same time. For me, they succeeded in this event. They really took the opportunity to show the best of their selves. They registration proces was smooth, the security (hey, it's still a bank), was really good organised so we could enter the building with all of us without delay. Beers, good food and an ice cream during the break. A borrel after the talks with the opportunity to play around in the bar and play zone. How cool is that? Lots of employees guiding and helping us through the building. Compliments ING!!!
Why did I attend this event? Well, remember I spent a fortune on www.chatbots.org between 2008 and 2012? It now appears I was way to early. Chatbots are HOT these days. So... I've made a decision. I've made a decision to go back in the field. And in order to go back in the field, the website needs to be modernized. As I wrote before I totally dived in Angular 4, a modern front-end technology, and I'm gathering people who would like to help me. This was a certainly a good setting you learn their language, their behaviour, their interest. Soooo much has changed since I left IT back in 2003!.
Have you never been to such events? Do you still think most people speak Dutch in the Netherlands, and few excepted? Well, it is actually the other way around. These people come from all over Europe, have studied and worked in other countries. They speak English, that is their language. These Germans, Italians and Greek speak very good English. English is the de-factor new language in Europe. Why learn Dutch? You might go to Spain in a few years from now. Should you learn all languages? I totally understand this new generation!
And what really made me happy? Well, the atmosphere was so calm, so open, so co-operative. Speakers shared their creations from their heart, even working for competing companies. Some where speaking just wearing a shirt and a short. How cool is that? They were really one of us. Everyone could be standing there! And for this generation, this is the way to go. There is no other way to co-operate. And now they are developers, but they will unfold themselves as leaders, showing the way to the future for their generation and next generations.
If you watch the news today and you see the struggle of the world, please remember that there is very strong new generation coming up and they WILL do things different. When it would up to me, I would totally trusted this generation. So thankful that I could be in your community these hours last evening and probably in the future as well!
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Future of Health: Your Health
Between 2005 and 2011 I've presented my vision on the future during seminars, conferences and conventions. During these days I got many questions like: 'Erwin, will we be like like CyBorgs? Half human, half robot? Will our organs be printed? Do we learn by knowledge 'beaming' in our brains rather than learning from life, from a teacher or from each other? What we will be the role of teleportation in society? What do you think about personalised medicine?.
The assumption beyond this questions was that the trend of us getting older combined with the trend that we would be get ill earlier in life. That the horrifying health numbers of today would even get worse. That 1 out of 2 would get cancer. That the costs of diabetes in 2050 will be higher than all other diseases together. That autism will be the new standard for our children. They assumed that we won't learn from what goes wrong in our society. That our smartest scientists won't be able to put their fingers on the essence of human health.
During answering those questions I noticed that it is actually quite difficult for me to explain my vision in just a few minutes, that I think the selfhealing ability of humans is so strong that I expect that we'll find a universal accepted methodology for people that keep themselves vital and that we'll create a society that stimulates people to do so. That combination is absolutely essential for a 100% healthy world.
In 2017 I will release my new book on the future of health which will be focussed primary on the individual reader. In the upcoming period, people will take back responsibility for their health, and will integrate recovery and maintenance of their mental, emotional and physical health in their lives. We'll use the next decennia to integrate our own insight and experiences in a new health system, supported by the latest universal and yet scientific insight.
Over the past months I have been working on the outline of the book, researching by interviews, by sharing and by reading a lot from different angles, and obviously by writing the first chapters. Although I love it, I won't be finished the coming months. To be continued! . Life has just begun.
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Amazon introduces Amazon Echo ‘chatbot named Alexa’
Those who've followed this website during the past years, will acknowledge this is a great break through in the advancement of AI conversation technology in our homes: Amazon introduces Echo, a home devices with a build in chatbot named Alexa, responding to your voice and taking all kinds of commands. User can ask for weather reports, set alarms, create to-do lists, and have it play music all via voice command. Alexa can also be used to shop at Amazon. And Alexa is funny!
Future vision by Erwin van Lun
Gradually we’re getting used to an environment that responses to our voices. A next step is that the global brands will be included in Alexa. ‘Could you please pass me through to Billy (where Billy is the name of agent of Bol.com), allowing you to ask questions about your specific order at this brand. We’re getting there, step by step…
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More Teens Listen to Spotify and Pandora Than FM Radio…
It’s official: according to data just released by Edison Research, more American teenagers listen to Spotify, Pandora, and other streaming music services than traditional, FM broadcast radio. The finding comes from Edison’s ‘Share of Ear’ report, which measures all forms of music listening, including downloads, streaming services, online radio, and traditional AM/FM broadcast channels.
Future vision by Erwin van Lun
This is again another step. A future unfolds where central distributed media such as TV and radio are hardly used anymore. Only live events where everyone is tuned in interactively (a massive game actually) will have a future. All music and visual entertainment will be purely personal. And we’ll be prepared to pay for these services.
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Nixie: a wearable, flying selfie camera
Team Nixie is developing the first wearable drone camera, which can be worn around your wrist. The team will be presenting their prototype for the Intel Make It Wearable Challenge Finale on November 3, 2014 in San Francisco.
Future vision by Erwin van Lun
How cool is this! This is a cool new idea integrating media technology with robot technology. As from 2020, we’ll be surrounded by thousands of flying mini camera’s build into mini mini (size of a musquito) to medium (like this) to enormous (Zeppelin like) flying robots. They will be everywhere. Assisting us in (personal) transport, urgent deliveries in case of disasters, or as an extension of the fire department in case of bush fires. All step by step. This is just one step forward…
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New Camera Makes the Invisible Visible
Found on 'The Futurist': We can’t see something behind a wall unless there is a mirror nearby that can capture the object’s reflection. But a new camera developed by researchers from the universities of British Columbia and Bonn has no such limitations. The camera reconstructs scattered rays of light to accurately depict images of objects that are completely outside its immediate field of view.
Future vision by Erwin van Lun
In the new world we’re currently building not only the rules of the ‘current - casting- media’ will be cracked, also the laws of human nature, not allowing us to view behind walls.
What would it mean when these kind of camera are operational in security? You can’t hide anymore! And robots will make decisions on what they see.
We will have to get used we can’t hide anything anymore, everything will be seen, and privacy is a concept of the past. This might sound awkard, but we won;t care. At all. We simply won’t have anything to hide left in the peaceful world of pamper planet.
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Free energy will soon change the world forever!
Professional video on free energy: energy that is tapped directly from the air, with contributors from MIT, Princeton University and NASA.
The video demonstrates free energy and floatation of objects (free energy).
Future vision by Erwin van Lun
As soon as western society starts to believe this is real stuff, the #transition of our world will accelerate. Imagine the day where everyone on earth has access to free energy? All developing countries could lighten houses at night allowing them to read books and learn. Using the energy to travel, to meet other cultures, learn new languages.
And what water, one of the main problems on earth. We obviously have enough water on our planet. The main problem with extract drinkable water from salt water. Did you know the main problem is that is takes to much energy?
How would life look like with enough energy, enough water and enough food?
Wouldn’t it be much more peaceful? Wouldn’t is be more beautiful?
So where are we waiting for?
We are all stuck in our believe system saying that this technology is not possible, and our believe system is supported by huge traditional industries with millions of employees who fear their jobs when these technologies would make it to mass production.
What are we gonna do? Wait until the next generation? Or participate in the largest crowd funding project ever? I believe that will be the next step.
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Excited staff shows new iPhone 5s en iPhone 5c Amsterdam Apple Store
Excited staff shows new iPhone 5s en iPhone 5c Amsterdam Apple Store. This is theater!! Personally, I love it. But many Dutchies perceive this as overdone, to much, to American, not Dutch. Dutch love 'doing normal'. I love: 'live life to the max'. Thanks Apple for energizing my day!
Future vision by Erwin van Lun
Over time, cultures are about to integrate. We are all human beings, and cultures are a product of their natural environment. Cultures with lots of predators are different from cultures living near the sea, different from cultures very high of the mountains. However, the virtual world is everywhere. This technology makes people aware that we are all humans. Lots of our behaviour is programmed during our youth. Interestingly, the more we are aware of the differences while approaching these differences without fear, the more likely that we are prepared to let go of our past and search for what we have in common: the biology of the newborn child we all still carry. That is a good foundation for building future society, worldwide.
In 2013 we are living in a era were we still feel a bit uncomfortable with other cultures, even subtle differences between western cultures. Over time, with even stronger social media available across the world, and youth visiting every country, cultures will slowly (very slowly) integrate.
I love this example of how cultures merge!!!! Just a thought for your life: The more open you are to other cultures, the more you can enjoy them, and the more you can enjoy life! You’re only here once. It is not a rehearsal. Get everything out of it!
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My very first Crowd Funding Campagn
As many of you know, I am a strong believer of Crowd Funding, the new, non-anonymous way, to back entrepreneurs, ideas and concepts.
First checkout the campaign for laughter yoga teacher on crowd funding platform Wayv:. (It's in Dutch btw although the navigation is in English).
Future vision by Erwin van Lun
Crowd Funding will replace the anonymous stock-exchange listings. Nowadays, we still have anonymous share-holders for historical reasons. Did you know that listed corporations don’t have access to their actual shareholders?? They simply don’t know who are actually owning the company ... they even can’t send them an email .. It is because shares where issued on paper centuries ago.
As a result, companies can do whatever they want, only focused on profit, because this old lack of the technology in the past to track down shareholders.
Due to historical decisions, the influence of corporations is far larger than many countries in the world, while at the same time being owned by anonymous shareholders who are primarily interested in money without really knowing what’s going on in the daily practice of their (!) company.
This should change, and will change, now the Internet allows us to publish all the names of share holders in real time. It will be mandatory for all legal persons. You should be able to contact every share holder personally. Even when they invested only 100 euros. They are still responsible and they should know where they invest in.
This will imply that people of the world will held (private) share holders of corporations, (i.e. the owners) responsible, instead of those actually working in the organization, just being part of a system. The system will change!!! The result will be that we are able to organize the world in a total different way.
Crowd funding is not just a new internet application. It will really change the world. Our World. Our better world.
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Hewlett-Packard Labs Prototype Glasses-Free 3-D Display Shows Objects Floating Above Screen
The display beams 3-D objects a centimeter above or below,
Handheld holograms aren't here yet, but these little prototypes offer glimpse of what that future might look like. Researchers at Hewlett-Packard Labs have made prototypes of screens that could display 3D images and videos in smartphones, smart watches, tablets and other mobile devices, they say.
In a conference call with reporters, Hewlett-Packard physicist David Fattal described what the tech looked like. "You actually see the object extruded one centimeter either in front of or underneath the display," he said. You can even tilt the display to any degree you like and see the displayed object from different angles.
Labs all around the world are working to make screens that can show 3D, so there's no guarantee that the first holographic smartphone will come from Hewlett-Packard, anyway. But we're excited to see this tech progress.
Future vision by Erwin van Lun
Although the virtual world is still ‘flat’, projected on flat ipad, flat smartphones and flat tv screens, it will be 3d soon. Just because our mind is programmed in this way.