How can technology serve humans better?
Calm Tech Café
Dates
«Calm technology» was a term coined by Mark Weiser at Xerox PARC more than 30 years ago. He was referring to common frustration with technology, which at the time was complex and unintuitive. Today, calm technology is becoming a label for technologies that are less obtrusive and takes a lower toll on our attention, our relationships and our bodies.
The problems that face Western societies today are heavily influenced by problematic technologies owned by large corporations, and by business incentives that don’t align well with democratic values. Immediate challenges to tackle include threats to privacy, agency, freedom of expression, healthy relationships, ownership of our own attention, and to healthy bodies.
The ad-based “free” business model, combined with data tracking and persuasive features like infinite scroll, has resulted in business incentives that create many downstream problems for the users. The status quo is an unsustainable design and development practice. There is now an immediate need for solutions that increase a beneficial fit between technology and its users. “Technology should serve humans, not the other way around,” said the EU’s Competition Commissioner, Margrethe Vestager in 2018.
One successful business example and indicator of an ongoing shift is the Norwegian company reMarkable, which sells an e-Ink tablet designed to maintain focus and concentration. More thinking, discussion and research is needed to figure out what made them and other “calm-tech” (or “humane-tech”) startups like Tonnie and Light Phone succeed.
In this meetup series, we will gather insight and experiences from industry, including startups, and researchers to try to figure out how technology can serve humans in better ways.
No sign-up necessary, just meet us in Parken Bakeri in Forskningsparken, one tuesday of every month. Free coffee and cinnamon buns are served.
Event organizers: Forskningsparken, SINTEF, Startuplab
Speakers
In this first lecture, we provide a broad overview of the calm technology space. Our focus will be on the typical calm tech players, their focus areas, size and maturity as well as their strategies for funding new technology platforms. We also address the regulatory efforts that will need to go alongside innovation, including the role of the EU in existing and forthcoming regulations. Finally, we ask what would be required, beyond the ongoing efforts, to create a healthier and more sustainable human-technology relationships.
TBA
JunoMobil is a startup mobile company that will go live in Norway in 2026. Our main mission is to help individuals and families make better tech choices and reduce screen time and data usage. We aim to do this through communicating up to date research and information, as well as providing services and products that help foster better tech habits.
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