Our 6th annual innovation showcase event, Merged Futures 6, returns to the Learning Hub at the University of Northampton’s Waterside Campus on Friday 14th June 2024.
Last year’s event was our biggest and best yet, with packed-out sessions throughout the day and a range of exhibitors bringing tech to try.
This year we’re aiming to go even bigger and better…
Keynote (10:10 – 10:45), Main Space
Virtual Reality for good!
Our keynote speakers will be talking about how technology is being used to support independent travel for children with special educational needs and to improve people’s wellbeing in care homes.
VR Therapies founder Rebecca Gill will introduce two of her pilot projects with West Northamptonshire Council and talk about the power of VR to improve and transform people's lives.
Nicola Holland, assistant head teacher of Billing Brook School, will talk about their use of VR to support students with independent travel. She will also share how VR can help reduce anxiety in different settings as well as her ambitions to turn Billing Brook into an innovation hub, trialling new technologies to help inspire the whole county to start using XR technology.
West Northamptonshire Council's assistive technology lead Pedro Santos will then present how VR is being used in a care home to help improve people's wellbeing and general health.
Room 1: Digital Northants Stories
-
Jaisant Patel from West Northamptonshire Council's library service will introduce RiVR and build on their contributions at our Library VR Experience Day.
RiVR is a leading VR solutions provider that has revolutionised training with tailored VR scenarios for blue light services and other various industries.
RiVR’s immersive products include RiVR Link (VR Classroom in a Box), RiVR CSI Crime Scene Investigation, RiVR Investigate for fire and arson investigators, and RiVR Capture Kit for creating custom content.
RiVR Link has been used at Compton Verney Art Gallery and Museum where a VR experience offers guests the chance to learn about the landscape and gardens of the estate from the point of view of an owl flying around their estate.
-
Streets of Change aims to raise awareness of homelessness by following people’s journey's from sleeping on the streets to recovery and signposting to the support available for those who find themselves in a housing crisis.
Film makers from One to One Development Trust have been working closely with West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) Outreach Team to document their work supporting people who are homeless, sleeping rough or struggling with addiction.
Judi Alston and Andy Campbell will be talking about the process of creating the documentary film and making an immersive virtual reality experience about being homeless.
One to One Development Trust are a creative charity working nationally using film and immersive technology to tell socially relevant stories affecting positive change
-
The Women's Rugby World Cup is coming to Northampton in 2025, and a group of students at The Beehive have worked with the Northampton Film Festival on a magnificent film trailer for the occasion.
Becky Carrier from Northampton Film Festival will talk about how the film was devised and created, and the impact of this project on the students' confidence, employability and future aspirations.
-
Humanity collectively creates approximately 403 thousand terabytes of data each day - and all of that data needs to live somewhere.
Often thought as intangible, the Internet is a vast digital expanse where every click, swipe, or download feels weightless, yet conceals a significant environmental impact as each action we take contributes to carbon emissions, despite the absence of physical waste.
Given the continuing and irreversible global trend toward digitisation and continued use of AI, we all have a responsibility to ensure the Internet evolves in a sustainable way.
During her talk, Natalie de Weerd will share some tips for monitoring your digital CO2 output, as well as some actions you can immediately put in place to improve both you and your website’s digital sustainability. She’ll also dive into the impact of AI and how this affects your digital carbon footprint.
As the self-proclaimed “Queen Nerd” of Altavia, Natalie heads up a team of talented digital designers and developers, serving a client list which boasts iconic retail brands.
Her role encompasses overseeing a wide spectrum of digital projects that flow through the organization, from conceptualization to execution, all while keeping abreast of the latest industry tech and trends.
Room 2: Health
-
Find out about the RoboPets project that is having a positive impact on the emotional and social wellbeing of patients suffering with dementia.
This impact includes enhanced mood, attention span, improved communication between patients and caregivers and a reduction in agitation.
RoboPets are bringing comfort and joy to patients and their carers. Rachael Byrne from West Northamptonshire Council will be sharing feedback and case studies from the project.
-
Mavis Technology is a new health tech start-up based in the Vulcan Works in Northampton.
Its founder David Sikharulidze will talk about their product - glasses for visually impaired people that will have camera and AI technology to translate visual pictures to text to talk someone through their surroundings.
West Northamptonshire Council is committed to developing the Vulcan Works into a genuine tech and innovation hub, and David's story is a great example of the opportunities presented.
-
Anxiety and depression are affecting a large part of the UK population.
Dr Mu Mu will share how a team of game developers, VR designers and psychologists from the University of Northampton, St Andrews Healthcare and Cardinal Clinic came together to address this issue.
Their aim is to make mental health therapies more accessible and engaging to all patients and ultimately improve their treatment options and quality of life. They developed a new digital solution that automates psychotherapies using VR and game design.
This novel approach allows the patient to undertake the therapy in the comfort of their own surroundings, in the confidence that their therapist is readily available if required to discuss their therapeutic progress.
The VR game-based approach will be particularly beneficial for a wide range of population groups, including those who may struggle to attend healthcare services and the younger generation who find it hard to engage in a conventional clinical setting.
-
West Northamptonshire Council is collaborating with Jadu to address critical service challenges within council services.
Suraj Kika will talk about how one priority programme exploring the Education, Health and Care Plan assessment request process is exploring how AI can support officers.
The target is to process applications more efficiently and help to reduce the backlog.
Room 3: Education
-
Following their extremely popular talk on creativity in education at last year's Merged Futures event, we're delighted to welcome back Steph Lee-Vae.
This year, Steph’s talk will cover open source for education, teachers’ hacks for AI solutions, creative opportunities and a student showcase from Westminster Kingsway College.
Steph was previously an Art and Design Lecturer at Tresham College and is now Curriculum Manager of Visual Arts at Capital City College Group in London.
-
In this talk, Jane Mills will share how teaming up with AI has changed not only the way she sees creativity, but also the profound impact that the breakthroughs in the technology has had on her work.
She will provide an in-depth insight into how working with the technology has influenced both her creative outlook and output.
Jane will also talk about how it has revealed the realistic promise of a future where humans and super-smart technology work in creative partnership to achieve hitherto unimaginable outcomes.
Jane Mills is the Deputy Head of Subject for Fashion, Textiles, Footwear and Accessories, and Fashion Marketing and Promotion at the University of Northampton.
She is a member of the University’s Study Smart research project studying the adoption of AI and its implications for both staff and students.
-
In this talk, David Meechan will share key points from a chapter in a study skills book that he is currently writing for students: ‘Getting started with generative AI’.
He has been working with both academics and students to support their use of AI based tools across their work and study. He believes in promoting an AI-assisted approach over a wholly AI-generated approach to increase AI literacy.
David will explore some key questions around accessing AI tools and introduce several categories of AI tool, exploring cases for their use.
David Meechan is a Senior Lecturer in Education within the Faculty of Health, Education and Society at the University of Northampton. He has a background in Early Childhood and Primary Education but a keen interest in innovative and technological based approaches to teaching, learning and research.
David’s approach to the use of AI acknowledges the evolving ethical concerns but is also pragmatic. He is part of the University of Northampton’s Steering group on AI and a co-principal investigator on the Study Smart research project at the university.
-
This project explores the challenges and benefits associated with the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence (AI) within teaching and learning at the University of Northampton.
Staff and students from FHES, FAST, FBL and LLS collaborated to evaluate and embed AI tools in their teaching and learning through a co-creation approach involving a series of staff workshops across 5 key themes.
Other outputs include an AI toolkit linked to examples from practice. This workshop presents mini case studies on the themes of Learning and Teaching, Assessment and Feedback, Creativity and Employability and Diversity and Inclusion.
Room 4: Digital Marketing
Hosted by The Marketing Meetup: Penni Pickering, Jo Pickering and Elisha Dignam
-
Join Elisha Dignam, Lecturer at the University of Northampton and Marketing Consultant at CULT Marketing.
Delve into the intriguing paradox between consumers’ craving for personalised experiences and their apprehensions surrounding data privacy and manipulation.
Drawing from recent research findings, we'll uncover the multifaceted landscape of consumer perceptions and attitudes towards personalised advertising, shedding light on their implications for the future landscape of digital marketing.
-
Join Sukhjinder Singh as he defines the latest challenges (and opportunities!) with SGE (Search Generative Experience), Google’s E.E.A.T. (Experience, Expertise, Authority and Trust) guidelines and Helpful Content system, and the use of AI in workflows to effectively adapt and thrive in SEO.
Sukhjinder has worked in SEO since 2010 on the agency side as a senior SEO then Head of SEO.
He then switched to freelancing in 2022, where he collaborates with other marketing agencies offering white label SEO, and works directly with his own clients on projects such as website launches and migrations, technical SEO, and national and international SEO campaigns.
-
Step into the fantastical world of Willy Wonka and discover how email marketing is undergoing a golden ticket transformation!
Together with Nick Crawford, owner and principal consultant at Twist Consultancy, explore the enduring value of email and unveil the magical future functions that will tantalise your subscribers.
Prepare to be dazzled by the future of email marketing, where interactive content, dynamic data, and AI-powered automation will transport you to a whole new level of customer engagement.
Imagine emails that come to life with videos, interactive hotspots, and carousels that adapt to your audience's every whim.
-
If more effective marketing is on your agenda this year but you don't know where to start, this talk is for you.
Hannah Brady, co-founder of The Brady Creative, will take it back to basics and get clear on what you need to build a realistic marketing strategy.
From establishing your target audiences to deciding which channels will work best for your business.
You'll leave with a clear idea of how to build a plan of action and get your marketing where it needs to be without over complicating it.
Exhibitors
Dr Mu Mu
Emotional support dogs
Hublot
Iris IoT
Mavis Technologies
Metaverse Learning
Northampton Film Festival
Performing Room
RiVR
RoboPets (Local Area Partnerships)
S-SA Digital
Toru
University of Northampton - AI in Fashion
University of Northampton Games Design
University of Northampton Marketing - VR
VR Therapies
West Northamptonshire Council - Business
West Northamptonshire Council - Digital
West Northamptonshire Council - Library Service