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Our community is an integral part of Singularity; without it, we cannot achieve our vision of a world of abundance created by futuremakers working together to solve the world's greatest challenges.
Around the globe, and sometimes in space, you can find our futuremakers - alumni, experts, Chapter members, startups, and anyone else who has contributed to our mission since 2008. However, one of the challenges of having a truly global community is the difficulty of getting together face-to-face. There is something special about physically connecting with others who share the same vision and believe in the power of unconventional ideas and technology.
We knew an event celebrating the convergence of technology, film, music, education, and culture would be a homing beacon for many in our community. To help strengthen and renew the magic, we launched the first of many free community events at this year's SXSW event in Austin, Texas. These events, named Basecamps, are Singularity-hosted events held at prominent industry conferences and other events worldwide.
"We were thrilled by the level of interest and excitement from leaders from across the Singularity network who came together to celebrate our first large-scale public event since the pandemic" - Sonya Hausafus, Head of Branding and Communications at Singularity
For our 2023 SXSW event, we brought together 243 alums, experts, thought leaders, Chapter members, and their guests to commune and explore the future hands-on at The Contemporary.
From 9 am-5 pm, anyone from the community was welcome to drop into our decompression lounge to grab a bite to eat and get some "Future Fuel" from Austin's own Creature Coffee.
We took over the rooftop at night and invited guests to touch the future with various activations featuring emerging technologies. Besides the open bar - featuring a Moonshot and dance floor, participants could explore the four following experiences:
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During our basecamp event, we introduced "Letters from the Future," an activity allowing attendees to explore the unknown by writing a letter to humanity as if they were sending it back in time to 2023 through a portal. The installation was made possible thanks to the advancement of a holographic fans. This experience encouraged participants to contemplate the potential futures we can create and consider the direction we want to steer our world towards. Visualization is a powerful tool for manifesting our reality, and each letter will serve as a testament to the limitless potential of human achievement in what was once thought to be impossible.
We now invite you to participate in this experience and envision the myriad of possible futures through our Singularity portal. Share your own "letter from the future" and contribute your thoughts on what lies ahead for humanity.
At our event, it was no surprise that our two robot dogs, Astro and Rex Machina, were a fan favorite, greeted guests as they arrived. Astro delighted attendees by posing for pictures while Rex Machina joined Singularity Chief Marketing Officer, Nuri Djavit onstage and demonstrated his newly acquired voice, made possible through his integration with ChatGPT, thanks to our partnership with Co-founder and CEO ofFellow AI, Marco Mascorro. The first of its kind, the intelligent bionic quadruped robot, the Unitree Go1, was made for robot enthusiasts, educators, and scientific researchers alike and enamored attendees with their almost lifelike movements.
"I loved Astro and Rex Machina! It was fun to learn over the course of the day how to control the dog (which was surprisingly simple). But it was more interesting to see people's joy when interacting with the dogs. Everyone basically treated the dogs as if they were sentient, praising their tricks and petting them in photos. I think it was a fun way to interact with robots and have fun with the tech that we promote on a regular basis." - Terry Brown, Social Media Manager at Singularity
Another highlight of our event was the presence of our partner Itemfarm, a leading innovator in 3D printing technology. Attendees were impressed and enjoyed Itemfarm's Orchard platform, which enables multiple simultaneous manufacturing processes. Thanks to this, visitors had the opportunity to request customized prints, such as keychains, robots, or any other object their imagination can conjure, and watch as their creations came to life right before their very eyes. This groundbreaking technology is revolutionizing the way we think about manufacturing and production.
What really happens inside your brain? We teamed with Emotiv, the leader in wireless electroencephalography (EEG), to showcase the future of brain power. Emotiv develops cutting-edge solutions for a wide range of applications, including scientific and consumer research, product innovation and workplace wellness. With Emotiv's state-of-the-art headsets, each attendee was able to scan their own brain and tap into their cognitive potential. Individuals were even given the opportunity to play actual mind games powered by their own brainwaves. It was truly an immersive, unforgettable and mind-melding experience that pushed the boundaries of what's possible.
Our first public event since the pandemic was a resounding success, demonstrating a clear appetite for groundbreaking innovation. And the immersive experience we offered attendees was only a small taste of what our world could achieve. By showcasing the potential of cutting-edge technology, we hope to inspire individuals to confidently embrace the unknown and use it as a tool to create positive change in the world.
Our basecamps are opportunities to leap into the future with us, and we plan to host even more events. Stay tuned to our social channels for updates on our next Basecamp event!