Category Archives: the home
What Nietzsche can teach us about embracing risk and failure in an age of technological comforts
Safety through technology is certainly not a bad thing. But the need for safety can become pathological. Friedrich Nietzsche’s basic premise is that failure is an option. It is woven tightly into a life worth living. It is time for a personal inventory: Which of our devices and practices enable a life that experiences the world in ways and places not always engineered for our comfort?
https://bigthink.com/thinking/nietzsche-failure-comfort/
Meet Olaplex’s First AI Employee
The prestige hair care brand is introducing a virtual team member based on an amalgamation of its employees in a bid to double down on its tech-meets-beauty identity and help consumers put a face to the label.
https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/beauty/meet-olaplexs-first-ai-employee/
Data from wearable devices are changing disease surveillance and medical research
The ability to examine lots of human bodies as they go about their daily lives is also changing how clinical studies of new drugs are done. According to iqvia, a research firm, 10% of late-stage clinical trials in 2020 used connected devices to monitor people, up from 3% in 2016. A catalogue by the Digital Medicine Society, an American organisation, lists more than 300 examples of digital biomarkers that are used in trials.
https://www.economist.com/technology-quarterly/2022/05/01/data-from-wearable-devices-are-changing-disease-surveillance-and-medical-research
This bird-shaped monitor drops dead when your indoor air is bad
Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors, where the air can be 5 to 10 times more polluted than the worst outdoor air. Bad indoor air, including high levels of CO2, has been linked with fatigue, headaches, and even respiratory diseases, all of which could be alleviated by airing out your home. That’s why two designers created Canairi: a minimalist monitor that nudges you to open the window without using blinking lights, warning sounds, or phone notifications. And no, there’s no app; just simple, intuitive design.
https://www.fastcompany.com/90747448/this-bird-shaped-monitor-drops-dead-when-your-indoor-air-is-bad
Cities and the Metaverse (National League of Cities)
Cities are the places where people come together, live, love, work and play. Human connection is one of the most critical components of day-to-day life. Much of the world quickly learned how to connect with one another and access services in virtual environments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we lacked the ideal tools for connecting in this way. Zoom meetings, Google Chat and good old fashioned phone calls provide a poor simulation of the physical world. What if a true simulation of our physical world could be recreated in a virtual manner? What value would this bring to people’s lives, what challenges would it present, and would it ultimately prove to be a net positive for cities?
Coca-Cola turns to refillable glass bottles in fight against inflation
To prepare for the expected drop in consumer purchasing power, Coca-Cola said it was expanding the distribution of cheaper returnable or refillable glass bottles in emerging markets in Latin America and Africa.
https://www.reuters.com/business/coca-cola-beats-quarterly-revenue-expectations-2022-04-25/
Homes Past, Present, Future (Deloitte)
There are many paths forward, and overlaps are likely. We map possible futures on a spectrum from those centered closely around the individual, to those encompassing the places and communities around us.
Birch and the future of ‘work near home’
Birch’s founders Chris King and Chris Penn have thought long and hard about how the hotel can cater to travellers while embracing the ‘new normal’ after being forced to postpone their initial launch due to the pandemic. Wellness and events have always been at the heart of the pair’s concept for Birch but they are also embracing remote workers seeking a change of scenery at the hotel’s coworking space, The Hub. Guests can take-part in an expansive range of workshops and experiences – ranging from baking lessons to beekeeping, yoga, foraging and cookery classes. Read more (TheSpaces.com) and https://www.birchcommunity.com/
Also on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/e919701b-665d-4e53-8eb9-54869b2e9b72
As Remote Work Becomes Permanent, Can Manhattan Adapt?
With more companies adopting hybrid work, New York City’s economy, which relies on commuters and full office buildings, faces an uncertain future.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/11/nyregion/remote-work-hybrid-manhattan.html