EFAtec 2018 (english) by AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH

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Diversity and Resilience

REVIEW ALPBACH TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM European Forum Alpbach 2018

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CONTENTS /

CONTENTS THE TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM AT THE 2018 ALPBACH FORUM OFFERS A COMPACT RETROSPECTIVE REFERENCE AND A WAY TO STAY INFORMED.

04 / STATEMENTS Preface: Wolfgang Knoll, Monika Eigensperger, Franz Fischler, Hannes Androsch.

08 / PLENARY SESSIONS Resilience factor, innovation

10 / RTI TALK Diversity and resilience as an opportunity and a challenge

10 / PRECISION MEDICINE Medicine’s solution to diversity?

12 / NUTRITION SCIENCE

Ways of feeding the ever increasing global population.

14 / SEATTLE NEVER SLEEPS

Thoughts from a young and booming innovation hub

16 / TU AUSTRIA INNOVATION MARATHON Developing 1,000 ideas in 24 hours.

17 / SOCIAL AND EXHIBITION AIT-Garden party, #ART TEC

18 / OUR DIGITAL FUTURE – HOW HUMAN WILL IT BE? Technology as the basis for trust and optimism about the future.

18 / GLOBAL TALK: #MAKEININDIA India is influencing the world economy.

20 / CYBORGS: WHEN TECHNOLOGY GETS UNDER YOUR SKIN Interactions between human and machines, now and in the future.

23 / FALLING WALLS LAB

And the winner is: Cosima Prahm.

24 / THE RESILIENCE OF DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRATIC MEDIA Digitisation demands new methods and ways for media consumption.

24 / THE PHYSICS OF EVERYDAY THINGS

The similarities between comic book superheroes and physics.

27 / JUNIOR ALPBACH, Ö1 CHILDREN’S UNIVERSITY ALPBACH Open discussions about the future of technology and personal responsibility.

28 / BREAKOUT SESSIONS 13 breakout sessions aimed at delving into current and future topics for R&D, society, politics, science, and economy.

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IMPRINT Publisher, media owner, and contents Alpbach Technology Symposium AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH Mag. Michael Hlava Giefinggasse 4, 1210 Vienna, Austria cmc@ait.ac.at, www.ait.ac.at Place of publication and date Vienna, October 2018 Production Alpbach Technology Symposium AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH Mag. Michael Hlava Claudia Klement Daniel Pepl, MAS Giefinggasse 4, 1210 Vienna, Austria cmc@ait.ac.at, www.ait.ac.at Printing Bösmüller Print Management 2000 Stockerau Publisher Verlag Holzhausen GmbH Leberstraße 122, 1110 Vienna, Austria Editorial staff, design, and typesetting Harald Hornacek, Leo Szemeliker; Layout: Repromedia/Sofia Smolyar Production management: Joachim Mittelstedt

/ INTRODUCTION

FOREWORD /

MISSION FOR THE FUTURE

Photo: Peter Rigaud

Wolfgang Knoll, Managing Director of AIT

his year, the “Alpbach Technology Symposium 2018” took place for the 35th time. As such, we were celebrating our little anniversary under the slogan of “Diversity and Resilience”. The past 35 years of Technology Symposiums have also seen the incredible speed at which technology has advanced. Just 35 years ago, we were seeing the first PCs, and of course there was still a long way to go before smartphones, driverless cars and the internet were in the hands of the general public. Today, these things have become essential parts of our daily life. And new, sometimes ground-breaking discoveries are made by the hour. The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is leading the way in research and development for the future’s big questions in Europe – digitisation, decarbonisation, smart industries and cybersecurity. We collaborate with others to strengthen Austria as a hub for knowledge and innovation and to keep this safe for future generations. Now we are taking yet another huge step forwards in an exciting field of research. Artificial Intelligence is set to change our lives considerably. It will make a difference in practically all areas of life. Just look at precision medicine, personalised treatment methods, the possibilities for feeding the population in the future, completely new systems that are going to fundamentally change and develop our society and economy for the better. Never before has research and development been more exciting than today! We have already seen some of these new ideas in this year’s Technology Symposium but others are still in the making. “Falling Walls Lab Austria”, which is a matter close to my heart, has once again impressively demonstrated the pioneering spirit of young people who want to help change the world. But here at AIT, we are also active each and every day, constantly helping to make the world a better place. The ERC Starting Grant, recently awarded to one of our researchers, is exactly the kind of academic standard we are aiming for.

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FOREWORD /

NEW MULTIMEDIA WORLDS

Monika Eigensperger,

Photo: ORF/Thomas Ramstorfer

ORF Radio Director

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igitisation is presenting humanity with all sorts of new challenges. There is a danger that valuable achievements that took us centuries to complete will be affected by this extremely quick rate of change. Society’s culture of discussion, freedom of opinion and commitment to democracy are being put on trial every day. Media companies have a very important responsibility in this matter. The most important aspects of this include, first and foremost, handling digital media sensibly but also highlighting opportunities that may arise through digitisation. For this reason, the Technology Symposium’s Plenary Session on the topic of “Resilience and democratic media” with Alexander Wrabetz, the Director General of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation ORF, Bieke Zaman, communication scientist, Leonhard Dobusch, business economist, and Hermann Hauser, entrepreneur, presented an exciting debate on the importance of public media companies. These companies are viewed as the media infrastructure of democracy, which provides the general public with independent information, science, culture, entertainment and sport. In the age of fake news and digital monopolies, this function is becoming increasingly important for maintaining a stable, democratic society and for ensuring a strong media hub in Austria. In the first stage of implementing ORF’s digital strategy, Thomas Prantner, acting Director of Technology, Online and New media at ORF, demonstrated ORF’s TV library relaunch, planned for autumn 2018, which focuses on optimising the usability and functionality of video platforms. After all, ORF always ensures quality and reliability in all its content, including in digital media worlds. As part of our children’s programme, every year we invite boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 12 to an entertaining discussion on the “hows?” and “whys?” of science and technology. The chance to experience research up-close and ask questions freely turns scientific topics into a fun, surprising and, above all, understandable event. Based on this, the “Ö1 Children’s University of Alpbach” presented a practical debate on resilience and diversity in collaboration with the “Youth University” of Innsbruck in two workshops this year. The young researchers explored “DNA as the root of all diversity” and went on a journey through the languages of the world. For many years, Ö1 has been a co-host of the Technology Symposium, offering a media platform for debating current questions on the future of science, technology, and society, and broadcasting these events further afield. We see this as part of our media-cultural identity, but also as an aspect of our mission to educate the public. In doing so, we contribute towards ensuring that topics can be heard and discussed.

/ INTRODUCTION

FOREWORD /

EUROPE’S GREATEST TREASURE

President of the European Forum Alpbach

Photo: ORF/Hans Leitner

Franz Fischler,

or a long time, we have known that climate change is on course to change our environment dramatically. Global warming has even been noticeable in the Austrian Alps and across the globe, it is becoming clear that this process is speeding up. The situation that is playing out in nature is also reflected in our social systems: Every day, our freedoms are restricted in the name of security and as a result, the diversity in our society is constrained. Or there is the tendency in economics to only chase after short-term successes. And just think about appreciating our cultural richness; this involves so much more than just preserving cultural artefacts. First and foremost, it is a matter of vivacity and having the courage to discover new things. In 2018, the European Forum Alpbach was committed to the only constant in life: change. Pursuing the ideals of “Diversity and Resilience”, more than 5,300 participants came in search of answers to questions like: Are our systems – from finance to health – suitable for tackling the challenges of the future? How can we ensure peace, prosperity and democracy in the long run? Is diversity an opportunity that we have to make use of? Or is resilience, the power to endure, a better key to success? This year, 845 international and Austrian speakers accepted their invitation to Alpbach and more than 120 partners contributed towards structuring the conference programme. Alexander Van der Bellen, the President of Austria, Joseph E. Stiglitz, a Nobel Prize winner, Julia Ebner, who researches extremism, and the artist Moon Ribas all spoke in Alpbach. There are four key messages to be taken away from the various plenary sessions, workshops and seminars that I would like to share with you. Many of the experts who attended agreed that diversity is the central factor for solving problems. Secondly, diversity is by no means a sure-fire success, quite the opposite in fact. Diversity of opinions, ways of life, values, world views, perspectives and principles can also result in overload. The realities of variety – which are even evident in today’s world – are often misappropriated to stir up fears. As such, diversity can soon take on a bitter aftertaste. Thirdly, interdisciplinary cooperation is the key to success. Committing to an open society is the basic foundation for this. And finally, diversity is Europe’s greatest treasure. This was made very clear during the discussions with 700 of Alpbach’s scholarship holders. Once again, they brought Europe’s richness of ideas and cultural diversity to light. They threw themselves into discussions with the world’s intellectual giants with courage and confidence. In a new culture of debate, they demonstrated that progress can be achieved if we reinforce cohesion in our society. This is what defines the European Forum Alpbach.

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FOREWORD /

DESIRE FOR CHANGE

Hannes Androsch, President of the Supervisory Board of AIT and Chairman of the Council for Research

Photo: ORF/Hans Leitner

and Technological Development

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he Technology Symposium has acted as a guide for 35 years. It offers a certain guidance in times of rapidly changing global markets. The future strength of Europe and its geopolitical significance will be measured by how competitive it is and as such, it will be related to resilience. The most important currency in this matter is innovative potential. Here, it is worth noting that some regions have fundamentally strong cultures of innovation – including Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany – while Austria has lacked the ability to transform ideas into actual innovations for many years, which means these ideas never become products and services that can be found on the market. The Research Funding Law (Forschungsförderungsgesetz), which recently passed in Austria, may well be a commendable concept but its success will only be made clear when it is actually implemented. At the same time, there are some enormous challenges in the education sector, from nurseries all the way through to tertiary education. The decline in education seen in recent years cannot be the aim of any futureoriented education and research policies. And with Austrian universities ranking far below the world’s top 100, we cannot just sit back and wait. However, dealing with the challenges of digitisation will be crucial for the future and for securing wealth and the social state. Artificial Intelligence is the most important factor for making use of opportunities. During the Technology Symposium, AIT, the Austrian Institute of Technology, presented a new volume for the collection “Discussing Technology”, tackling the question of Artificial Intelligence in a very insightful and nuanced manner. India can be taken as a case study to show how strongly digitisation can influence a country’s development. This country, which is set to overtake China as the most populated country in the world in a few years’ time, started numerous research and technology programmes on the foundation of its rapidly expanding economy, in order to become an international centre of production and innovation. We discussed the most recent developments in a Plenary Session with Balan Gurumoorthy of the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and Binod Hampapur of Infosys Limited, Bengaluru. This made it clear that courage is essential for making decisions and carrying them through. Not everything that happens in India can be implemented in Europe. But one impressive aspect of its current development is the unconditional drive to push the country further ahead. And this is definitely something Europe could aspire to.

/ PLENARY SESSIONS

RESILIENCE FACTOR, INNOVATION

Photo: ORF/Hans Leitner

IF WE WANT TO GAIN PROSPERITY AND MAKE SOCIAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WE NEED A STRONGER FOCUS ON TOMORROW’S SOLUTIONS AND ANSWERS TO THE “GRAND CHALLENGES”. DIGITISATION PENETRATES ALL AREAS OF LIFE AND DEMANDS COURAGE AND OPENNESS. DIVERSITY IS AN IMPORTANT LEVER FOR MAKING SOCIETIES MORE RESILIENT. BUT A CLEAR COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION, RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT.

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THE TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM SET OUT TO UNDERSTAND THE INTERACTION BETWEEN INNOVATION, DIVERSITY AND RESILIENCE. DURING THIS, IT ASKED WHAT OUR INCREASINGLY DIGITISED WORLD, IN WHICH BIG DATA, ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE AND VIRTUAL WORLDS ARE FORMING NEW REQUIREMENTS, SOMETIMES FROM SCRATCH, LOOKS LIKE. MORE ABOUT TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM 2018: www.alpbach.org/de/event/tech18

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/ PLENARY SESSIONS

/ PLENARY SESSION

RTI TALK Hannes Androsch, Heinz Faßmann, Norbert Hofer, Georg Kapsch / Chair Rosa Lyon The President of the Forum Alpbach, Franz Fischler, emphasised the many years of tradition of Technology Symposium, which took place for the 35th time this year, organised by AIT and Ö1. Fischler: “Diversity makes societies more resilient.” And Fischler continued: “If Europe wants to catch up with those at the top, there is still a lot of work to do.” The RTI Talk gave us some things to think about on that note. Just like last year, ORF’s science editor Andreas Jäger hosted the Technology Symposium with vigour. And the ORF journalist Rosa Lyon took the role of moderator for the RTI talk once again. To start, she pointed out that technological progress generates fear, with rumours circulating that 50 percent of all jobs will be lost. However, other studies promise a clear increase in jobs. The Federal Minister of Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) Norbert Hofer believes that the government’s RTI strategy (research, technology and innovation) offers many years of predictability for the R&D community. Hofer also said he felt “a high degree of optimism” and noted that environmentally friendly mobility, e-vehicles, renewable energies and developments such as the ability to diagnose diseases via smartphone apps were key fields of research. He argued that tackling bureaucracy, developing the 5G network and researching battery and storage technologies would be crucial in this process. On this topic, Hofer joined up with the Secretary General of BMVIT Andreas Reichhardt to present a new programme in Alpbach, which will be announced by the end of this year. The Federal Minister for Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) Heinz Faßmann highlighted the significance of basic research. “It emphasises things and often sheds new light on them.” The RTI strategy is set to make key changes to general conditions. Excellence in research as well as the new Research Funding Law should be important levers for the future of research in Austria and Europe. At the moment, work is also being done towards evaluating the field of work done by research funding agents as well as ongoing programmes. Faßmann believes that consolidating advice is very sensible, as is developing the research funding database. “Austria has become a country of research,” Faßmann emphasised. President of the Federation of Austrian Industries Georg Kapsch welcomed the new RTI strategy but once again, he criticised the sometimes double or triple funding categories. “This is in need of thorough monitoring,” Kapsch asserted. According to Kapsch, the complex system tended to let strategies “fizzle out”, referring to the start-up strategy. He also noted that the question of topic specific orientation or topic neutrality in research remains unsolved. Kapsch demanded increased auto-

nomy for the agencies, as well as an end to “mirror structures in the ministries”. In reference to Horizon Europe, Kapsch felt that 160 billion euros would be better than the 100 billion euros promised: “Europe has lost a five percent share of international R&D investments in recent years while China – starting, of course, from a lower level – has gained 16-17 percent.” Hannes Androsch, President of AIT’s Supervisory Board and Research Council, did not question the government’s good intentions as such. “I completely agree with that. But the path to hell is paved with good intentions,” Androsch remarked. He noted that Austria had fallen behind in various innovation rankings and that “other countries are able to do it better with lower taxes.” For him, predictability in research is both necessary and desirable. On the topic of Horizon Europe, Androsch felt that the proposed 100 billion euros and the 13 billion euros extra from the Defence Research Program would be an improvement but additional measures would be necessary. There seems to be plenty still to do in Austria in the field of developing 5G networks and cybersecurity. Androsch also demanded an excellence programme, totalling around 300 million euros. In response to the statements made by Hannes Androsch, Heinz Faßmann noted that Europe invests significantly more in R&D in total than China. He stated that Austria is a “net beneficiary country” of Horizon 2020. Faßmann emphasised the need for cultural change at universities and pointed out the performance agreements oriented towards competitiveness. He maintained that the University of Vienna was “among the top one percent of all universities worldwide”. Hannes Androsch responded to this ranking position of between 150 and 160 dryly saying: “That sort of modesty is not something I can openly agree with.”

/ PLENARY SESSION

PRECISION MEDICINE – MEDICINE’S SOLUTION TO DIVERSITY? Christian J. Herold, Michaela Fritz, Peter Nilsson, Giulio Superti-Furga / Chair Patrice Milos When Patrice Milos, President and CEO of Medley Genomics, worked at Pfizer in the 1990s and established a business unit there which handled issues of personalised treatment this >

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Georg Kapsch

Norbert Hofer

Andreas Jäger und Rosa Lyon

Heinz Faßmann

Photos: ORF/Hans Leitner

Guilio Superti-Furga

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Michaela Fritz

/ PLENARY SESSIONS

was new territory: “It was an exciting time which has been followed by extreme growth and astonishing innovative dynamism ever since.” At the same time, more and more stakeholders are becoming involved in medical issues, including politicians, local authorities, and even start-ups. The latter stakeholder would need cooperation with large companies and pharmaceutical companies. After all, the fields of DNA and genetic research are set to gain increasing significance in future: “We are going to see dramatic results in the future.” Professor Peter Nilsson of the SciLifeLab sees research into proteomics as an opportunity to detect conditions early and improve chances of curing them as a result. “This begins with personalised medicine,” Nilsson explained, continuing that this filters out groups of people who have similar protein structures. As a result, factors can be derived from a human protein atlas of sorts which can match up particular clinical pictures or a tendency towards them (early). “Anyone who wants to understand illnesses also has to be able to understand healthy proteins.” He also pointed out that every individual has their own unique “molecular barcode”. Recognising or understanding this code is an important foundation for precision medicine in future, he explained. Christian Herold, Head of the Department for General Radiology and Paediatric Radiology at the Medical University of Vienna, gave some insight into Oncologic Imaging: “The human body is a large data set with a great many facets.” He explained that these facets would have to be identified and analysed. For this purpose, imaging instruments in various subsectors are utilised – from diagnosis and selecting treatment to creating new data sets. Analysing genetic information would, he argued, make it possible to recognise metastases visibly, for example, and then to determine their extent. Appropriate treatment could then be derived from this information (“treatment selection”). The effect of any treatment could be presented as an image. This would bring us one step closer to the ideal of precision medicine. Herold also noted that we should not limit our thinking. He argued that from a genetic perspective, patients would not be alone with “their tumours”. During the panel discussion, the question of where we are today with the “vision of precision medicine” was put to debate. “We still have a lot of work ahead of us,” Peter Nilsson said. He explained that the human body has approximately 25,000 individual proteins. Today, it might be possible to understand and cluster a few hundred better. Christian Herold added that a great deal more genetic information was needed: “In cardiology, we are already making good headway but in other areas, there are still some things missing.” Ultimately, continued success from studies also depends on the environment in which they are conducted. The living environment and medical supply are just as important as financial matters, according to Herold. Molecular biologist Giulio Superti-Furga of the Medical University of Vienna and CeMM in Vienna noted that “we have never before had as many scientists in the world as there are today.” From that, he concluded that there would be significant successes in the coming 10 years in recognising and treating diseases. Collecting

and processing medical data will, however, be a tall task, he continued: “We need a lot more data – from facial recognition to skin analysis as a basis for early recognition.” Michaela Fritz, Vice Rector of the Medical University of Vienna, stated that “the tools are already there”. For her, the question is how quickly this technology can be implemented into treating patients. Fritz sees the preventative aspect as more important than the precision aspect. There is also a need for more reliance on modern technologies within the scope of further data use, she explained. At this point, Superti-Furga responded saying: “The preventative aspect is important but these developments require an appropriate imaging system that also promotes medical dialogue.” Incidentally, this Plenary Session saw the survey tool “Slido” being used for the first time. The response from the audience was excellent.

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NUTRITION SCIENCE Bernd Naaf, Godela Rossner, Ulrich Schurr / Chair Matthias Tschöp “Everyone has their own opinion about nutrition. And everyone should have one too.” Matthias Tschöp opened the Plenary Session with this statement, joined by the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres. But this was about the well-known prediction that by around the year 2050, the global population would be approximately ten billion . “The demand for food is going to double,” the neuroendocrinologist explained. He is also the scientific Managing Director and spokesperson for the management of Helmholtz Zentrum München. He reminded the audience that the invention of artificial manure had already allowed millions of people to live and had in fact saved their lives. The Haber-Bosch process, patented by BASF in 1910, allowed ammoniac to be produced artificially as the base substance for manufacturing manure. This made it possible to produce mineral manure on an industrial scale. “Of course, ammoniac is also used in the manufacture of weapons and that has killed millions.” Nevertheless, he added that only through progress had >

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Our aim is decarbonisation. On the journey towards this, energy storage devices will play an important role in future renewable energy and mobility systems. Hydropower, wind power, solar energy and geothermal energy are all available in Austria and some are very well established. Now we want to take significant steps in energy research. In Austria’s climate and energy strategy #mission2030, presented in June 2018, energy storage technologies constitute a core issue. The technology roadmap “Energy storage systems in Austria and beyond” will be implemented through ten fields of action which are set to accelerate the future development and application of innovative storage systems “made in Austria”. As part of a new programme dealing with innovative energy storage systems in Austria and beyond, the entire value adding chain will be taken into account, from storage systems’ production and activation to dismantling and recycling. In addition to the entire storage systems, this also includes individual components and preliminary products. If we, as Austria’s economic hub, want to make the most of the energy revolution, we must cement our position as an international player in innovative technologies. This includes creating a research infrastructure, building pilot plants, promoting acceptance of the population for innovative storage Norbert Hofer,

technologies and supporting companies entering into the market. Austria’s Federal Ministry for

Federal Minister for Transport, Innovation

Transport, Innovation and Technology is making important contributions to this.

and Technology

Godela Rossner

Photos: Andrei Pungovschi, ORF/Hans Leitner

Bernd Naaf

Matthias Tschöp

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Ulrich Schurr

/ PLENARY SESSIONS

it been possible for the world’s population to grow. As such, progress would also have to overcome the next challenges, essentially solving problems in the fields of “digital agriculture”, “scientific optimisation of plants” and “alternative nutrition”. Bayer AG sent Bernd Naaf to take part in the discussion. Naaf is not a scientist but he is the Head of Business Affairs and Communication. It caused a lot of questions to be directed at the company, based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, when the controversial US company Monsanto was incorporated into the group. Naaf emphasised that his company’s primary aim was to support and advise those who cultivate plants. He sees a clear need for action in the fact that people had to have everything explained better for them. “We are living in a posttruth era. Populism and political polarisation are endangering modern academic pursuits.” This is the case with genetically modified plants, he argued. “It was not explained well enough. But we still have to do it and it needs an appropriate language and appropriate terminology.” When dealing with NGOs, the aim is generally to move “away from confrontation and towards open dialogue”, even if “some NGOs have confrontation as part of their business model.” Godela Rossner from the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), responsible for space administration and earth observation, gave a report on new programmes connected with food production. In particular, the Copernicus satellite programme, in action since 2014, has been delivering valuable data for drafting a modern system of farm management, she explained. Using this system, new profit calculations would be possible – and so would international comparisons, providing basic data for political approaches. Decisions such as those made by the EU Commission as well as aid for developing countries would receive completely new and comprehensive foundations. Ulrich Schurr from the Forschungszentrum Jülich research centre presented his integrated approach on how to deal with the increasing demands of the future: First, he explained the importance of understanding plants and soil. Then, digitisation and automation of agriculture would have to be developed. At the same time, he emphasised the need to pay attention to the harmonisation of environment and economics. He also noted that a recent scientific milestone had been the codification of the wheat genome. Additionally, the genomes of less frequently cultivated plants such as tomatoes have been studied. He also considered magnetic resonance imaging of roots systems and developments in satellites that could analyse photosynthesis from space to be interesting approaches. Schurr also advocated for increased diversity in agriculture. He explained that 50,000 of approximately 300,000 plant species are edible. Only 200 of those are used in agriculture and 60 percent of all calories across the world come from just three plant types (wheat, rice and corn). This gives a lot of room for improvement. Indeed, “technology presents new opportunities. Society has to decide on them.”

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SEATTLE NEVER SLEEPS A YOUNG, BOOMING INNOVATION HUB AS THIS YEAR’S GUEST AT THE TECHN OLOGY SYMPOSIUM Christina Lomasney, Allan Stephan / Chair Buddy D. Ratner Seattle, the metropolis of north-west USA and home to Boeing, Microsoft and Starbucks comes across as a diverse city that has been through a lot and it is exactly these experiences which have given way to so much innovation. “The title of the film ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan is known throughout the world. But that doesn’t really have anything to do with our event here,” Buddy Ratner, Professor at the University of Washington joked at the beginning of the Plenary Session during which successful entrepreneurs discussed the special vibrancy of this north-west USA metropolis under the title of “Seattle never sleeps”. Seattle is a business and innovation hub. Microsoft has its headquarters there, as do Starbucks, Costco, Amazon and the pharmaceutical companies Immunex and Juno. In the “old economy”, the aeroplane manufacturer Boeing shaped this city from 1916 onwards. The crash of the aviation industry at the beginning of the 1970s also had an enormous impact on the city’s development. Initially, it had a negative impact: Boeing sacked 50,000 people on the spot. But the people of Seattle made the most of this twist of fate, some even establishing breweries. Seattle is famous for its craft beers. Today, there are more than half a million small businesses in the city of 3.8 million inhabitants. These businesses provide work for 1.3 million people. “And there’s money there too,” Professor Ratner continued. “People like Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates live in Seattle.” When Microsoft was initially launched on the stock market, lots of people became millionaires. “There is also plenty of space for startups and it’s not as expensive as Silicon Valley yet.” Mentors and CEOs alike flock to Seattle. The centre of entrepreneurial activity is South Lake Union, which is also the location of the University of Washington, still the sixth best university in the world according to recognised rankings. Ratner also teaches there, as well as establishing one company after the next, primarily in the fields of medical equipment and life sciences. He is currently working on dialysis equipment that can be carried around to clean the blood of people with kidney conditions continuously.

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Buddy D. Ratner

Photos: ORF/Hans Leitner

Allan Stephan

Ratner brought two people with him from Seattle to Alpbach. These two people told their story and showed how special and distinctive the entrepreneurial spirit of the USA’s North West is. Take Allan Stephan, for example. He is an engineer and business consultant in the field of innovation, with both Microsoft and Apple among his clients. He presented a great deal about his own personal philosophy. “Money is simply a means of instrumentalising time,” he explained. “The only valuable lessons in life are the painful ones.” “Venture capitalists are not visionaries.” “Businesses are sellers above all else. No one is going to stay with you if they don’t believe you can bring in money.” “You have to tell a story. Start with your family and friends and see whether they believe you.” Christina Lomasney, also from Seattle, was the first female American to have worked in a Russian nuclear team. Back in the US, she founded a nuclear decontamination company. Now, she is the CEO of Modumetal Inc., a company that produces nanolaminate alloys, laminates with very thin layers. Her aim with this company is no less than to change the industry. She aspires to military applications (armour plating) as well as uses in aircraft construction, consumer electronics and the construction sector. It was clear, Lomasney recounted, how long it was going to take to “get there”, when Modumetal “started producing the sexiest product yet: screws.” Galvanised screws that are extremely well protected from rust. It took years before permission was granted for oil rig construction. She also recollected stories of mistakes and setbacks, such as a factory fire and a trial following this for environmental damages. Nevertheless, she simply enjoys being an entrepreneur.

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Christina Lomasney

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STUDENT COMPETITION

TU AUSTRIA INNOVATION MARATHON Eight companies presented various problems based on their own experience to 40 carefully selected Alpbach scholarship holders, who each had 24 hours to develop solutions and prototypes. Together with the TU Austria organisational team, consisting of the three Austrian technical universities TU Graz, TU Vienna, and Montanuniversität Leoben, the partner companies formulated real challenges in the form of specific tasks. This year’s participants included: • • • • • • • •

AVL – Digitisation in the automotive domain Constantia Flexibles – The future packaging of liquids Energie Steiermark – The future of regional caregiving Philips – A business model for health through nutrition Liebherr – A new experience with merchandising coolers LOGICDATA – Micro-living solutions MAGNA – Trigger for the reversal of mobility behaviour voestalpine – Service business model for welding

More than a thousand ideas were conceptualised and from these, eight were streamlined to be presented to the partner companies and guests precisely 24 hours after the go-ahead (9 am on 23 August 2018) was given, on Friday the 24th August, 2018. The commissioners from the industry were impressed, taking with them a fresh impetus from the exhausted students, who were proud of their innovative strength and of having made valuable and interesting new contacts.

Austria has become a country of research. The R&D rankings for Europe put us in second place, only behind Sweden, while globally, we rank seventh. In recent months, we have been able to set the course for emphasising the importance of science and research. As such, university financing is going to redistribute the university budget which has risen to a record breaking 11 billion euros for the next three years. A paradigm shift towards funding university places with a focus on capacity, better management of universities and fairer distribution of financial resources. For me, the “Future Offensive for Research, Technology and Innovation” is a spectacular opportunity for shaping Austria’s R&D landscape in a sustainable and future-oriented manner, making a commitment to excellence in research, through the Readdition, we will also refine and clearly define the tasks of all the agencies in the RTI system along with the fundamental autonomy of the agencies. By consolidating the advice given, we will create a powerful advisory body for the Austrian Federal Government. On a European level, Austria has good starting conditions for “Horizon Europe” – the largest research programme in the world, with around 100 billion euros. In Austria, active researchers at univerHeinz Faßmann,

sities, research institutes and in companies could already attract funding of 1.025 billion

Federal Minister for Education,

euros as part of the current programme “Horizon 2020”. This also emphasises the strength

Science and Research

and excellence of Austria’s R&I hub in Europe.

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Photos: Tauderer/TU Austria, Andrei Pungovschi

search Funding Law and by closing the gap between fundamental and applied research. In

/ SOCIAL

AIT GARDEN PARTY: A VICTIM TO THE RAIN Unfortunately, the AIT garden party fell victim to the rain this year. But that did nothing to curb the high spirits. The communications team rallied around their Head Michael Hlava and did an excellent job of transforming the outdoor party into a cosy get-together on the balcony and inside in no time at all. Anton Plimon, Managing Director of AIT, thanked and praised the team, recalling the difficulties of recent months. Relocation to Giefinggasse, reconstruction in Seibersdorf, a majority stake in PROFACTOR and a distinguished balance in 2017 not only gave Plimon a cause to celebrate, but it also prompted praise from the General Secretary of the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology, Andreas Reichhardt: “Everything carved out by AIT is characterised by technological leadership!” AIT contributes to ensuring and developing the innovation hub of Austria on the global market. “We are on the right path,” according to Reichhardt. The Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology is prepared to contribute everything to “continue to maintain stable framework conditions.” The acting General Secretary of the Federation of Austrian Industries Peter Koren expressed his gratitude on behalf of industrial clients for AIT’s successful course towards expansion and concluded with the words: “Let’s buy AIT!” The President of the Supervisory Board Hannes Androsch was delighted by the participation of lots of young talents in Alpbach, and emphasised the importance of AIT as a leading RTO in Austria and abroad. AIT Managing Director Wolfgang Knoll was especially proud of the ERC Starting Grant awarded to the AIT researcher Bernhard Schrenk. “Essentially, that is an instruction to keep working like that,” Knoll said, emphasising the demand for excellent research at AIT.

/ EXHIBITION

Photos: AIT/Emanuel Kaser, ORF/Hans Leitner

OPEN DOORS:#ART TEC In collaboration with Ars Electronica, Linz, the #ARTTEC 2018 exhibition was headed by the slogan “ERROR –THE ART OF IMPERFECTION”, this year’s focus at the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz. The pieces in the exhibition visualised the ideas discussed and debated as part of the theme of Diversity and Resilience. The following projects could be viewed: “Learning to see: Hello, World!” – Memo Akten “Wikileaks: A Love Story” – Anna Ridler “BitterCoin” – Martin Nadal and Cesar Escudero Andaluz Ars Electronica Animation Festival

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/ PLENARY SESSIONS

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OUR DIGITAL FUTURE – HOW HUMAN WILL IT BE? Mirta Galesic, Martina Mara, J. Stephen Lansing / Chair Helga Nowotny Helga Nowotny, emeritus professor at ETH Zurich, was the chair of this Plenary Session about our “digital future”, discussing the “co-evolution of humanity with its tools which have always been and will continue to be an extension of our physical and cognitive capabilities.” Her discussion partners included Mirta Galesic, professor of Human Social Dynamics at Santa Fe Institute. She is also conducting research into human development at the Max Planck Institute in Berlin, working with decisions in the digital sector “regarding how we handle uncertainties,” primarily: What should the focus be on? Who should we trust? Who influences us? According to Galesic, her research has shown that we are “reacting in an archaic way to the digital world.” Now, no less than ever, we use the same strategies that have been around for centuries, such as the drive towards simplification and the search for linear relationships and clear rules. The desire to be able to rely on others, to group together in case of attacks or for defence or to pool strengths, Galesic explained, are also patterns for explaining human behaviour. Nevertheless, Galesic reiterated, their work has shown “that larger groups are not always wiser.” Collective performance results from the quality of the network and the applicable policies, according to her. She draws a distinction between a dictatorial system (follow a leader) and a democratic system (follow the majority). “From a long term perspective, better decisions are made by smaller groups with democratic systems.” In large groups, she argued, it is more difficult to make a point against large majorities if the majority is in the wrong. Stephen Lansing, emeritus professor of anthropology at the University of Arizona, recently spent time visiting the Punan tribe in the north of Borneo, some groups of which still live as hunter-gatherers. Lansing showed videos of interviews with one Punan family that is familiar with urban life but says: “We are much happier here. We have everything here without the need for money.” Their living space is being threatened by palm oil plantations. Palm oil is the most frequently grown vegetable oil in the world, accounting for almost a third of all vegetable oils. The global production of palm oil has been rising rapidly in recent years. The Borneo rainforest has undergone systematic deforestation since the 1950s. Lansing explained that Borneo once had the richest biodiversity in the world, first sought after for exotic wood and then primarily for planting oil palms. “Forests are falling victim to the consumer,” Lansing argued.

As the Borneo rainforest retreats, it is becoming clear, for instance, that people are getting more and more diseases. For this reason, Lansing is urging people to use new opportunities of working with big data to show “what the consequences of consumerism really are. In the West, we don’t feel the consequences directly. Not yet anyway.” The panel was completed by Martina Mara, professor of robot psychology in Linz Institute of Technology (LIT) at Johannes Kepler University Linz. She was wearing a T-shirt with the slogan “Not a Bot” and criticised the media’s “flippant” way of dealing with the topic of robotisation, using many different examples. Instead of focusing on “real problems”, such as the changing world of work, she argued that there was a “media hype” surrounding robots, which seem to be “set on replicating people.” One example she used was “Sophia, the Superstar, the Rockstar of robots”, built by Hanson Robotics. “If those who produced her say ‘she’s alive’, then that’s simply fake news. Sophia is just as alive as your toaster. The public are being completely deceived at the moment.”

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GLOBAL TALK: #MAKEININDIA – INDIA ON THE FAST TRACK? Hannes Androsch, Balan Gurumoorthy, Binod Hampapur, Renu Pall / Chair Brigitte Öppinger-Walchshofer According to the host Andreas Jäger, this was the “Highlight of this year’s Technology Symposium”, and the panel for “#MakeInIndia – India on the fast track?” really did provide plenty to talk about after the Technology Symposium had ended. Austria’s ambassador to India, Brigitte Öppinger-Walchshofer, drew attention to the good relationships between Austria and India. She also emphasised the importance of direct investment

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J. Stephen Lansing

Helga Nowotny

Photos: ORF/Hans Leitner

Martina Mara

Mirta Galesic

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Renu Pall

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in India. Acting on the principle of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance”, India has achieved a great deal. This was also confirmed by India’s ambassador to Austria, Renu Pall, who caught everyone’s attention with highly positive development data. According to her, innovation, learning from global development and resilience and diversity are the ingredients for India’s successful path into the future, where India will grow into an international innovation hub. For this purpose, the government has selected 25 key sectors (including Smart City, environmentally friendly energies, mobility and IT). “Our government sees its role as one of a facilitator not a regulator,” Pall explained. India is the fastest growing economy in the world and hopes to achieve GDP growth of 7 percent by 2020. The construction of industrial corridors is intended to allow rapid industrialisation, better start-up dynamics and greater foreign investment: “By 2020, we want to have created 100 million new jobs.” At the same time, India is reorganising its tax structures and hopes to increase future tax revenue significantly. Pall reported that India is a global leader in introducing biometric systems to e-government. In future, India is planning to offer more protection for foreign majority investors. On India’s future geopolitical role, she noted that her country maintained “catalytic relations” with its neighbours. She explained that the young workforce in India is attractive to partners of international corporations. More and more women are also becoming entrepreneurs. According to the industrialist Hannes Androsch who has been working with AT&S in India for a long time (“longer than in China”), there has been a lot of improvement in India in recent years, although “there is still room for further improvements.” He noted that global power shifts are taking place, from West to East. Employment market regulations and bureaucracy are tasks that are not only faced by India. The great advantage India has is its young population: India will soon have a population of 1.6 billion people. “The average age in India is 27 years old, in China, it is 37 years old, 44 in Austria and 46 in Germany.” According to Androsch, India is not going to become an industrial nation. “But today, it is already leading the way in digitisation within various sectors.” Silicon India is becoming a reality. This country’s potential is enormous. He explained that there are incredibly good education centres in India, particularly focusing on digitisation. “Europe could really learn a lot from that,” the review industrialist explained. Balan Gurumoorthy, CEO of the Indian Institute of Science, noted that India will no longer just want to manufacture in the future, but rather it will also want to develop: “Industrial cooperation is being encouraged and we can see a strong focus on the market,” the professor confirmed. Alternative energies, medicine and science-based industries are becoming increasingly important. The establishment of new businesses is also gaining momentum. “At our institute alone, we have already had 24 spin-off companies set up which also act as a motivational factor for other students.” Last but not least, there is work being done in schools to introduce a culture of innovation. In the field of IP-code protection and patents, a great deal has already been

accomplished. “Recognition of this is already gaining traction,” the professor believes. “IP is increasingly becoming a trade good and young entrepreneurs recognise this the most.” Binod Hampapur, Executive Vice President of Infosys, Bengaluru, said that India is on a “super fast track” in the infrastructure sector. There have been significant improvements and now the task is to keep this momentum going. Money was digitised overnight with demonetisation (large notes became invalid). According to Hampapur, it is now possible to have a company registered within hours and to establish a new business in days. 100,000 businesses are being established every year. Crucially, this is setting the country on the right path financially: “In India, the world’s largest open source project is currently underway!” At this point, seven million users already complete their income tax returns online. This is astonishing not because of the number itself, but rather because of the enormous momentum. There are also some promising projects in the field of identification via finger prints and iris scans. In addition, 144,000 post offices have been digitised in recent years. In the Smart City sector, an international reference project has come about in the city of Bengaluru, inhabited by 12 million people. “However, it is easier to build from scratch on green areas than to make the many cities already in existence into Smart Cities,” the expert qualified. Digital India is being advanced hugely by the government. There was also talk of India’s future path. In future, international cooperation will be valued even more highly: “India sees itself as a participating partner on the global world market,” the ambassador Pall explained.

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CYBORGS – WHEN TECHNOLOGY GETS UNDER YOUR SKIN Mark Coeckelbergh, Moon Ribas, Gerfried Stocker / Chair Manfred Tscheligi The Cyborg Plenary Session was one of the most highly attended presentations of this years Technology Symposium, following the opening event. And this is really no wonder as >

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Binod Hampapur

Balan Gurumoorthy

Brigitte Oppinger-Walchshofer und Hannes Androsch

Photos: ORF/Hans Leitner

Manfred Tscheligi

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Moon Ribas

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Moon Ribas, a millennial artist, was on the panel, which was hosted by Manfred Tscheligi, Head of Center for Technology Experience at AIT and University Professor of Human-Computer Interaction and Usability in Salzburg. Ribas says of herself: “I am a cyborg.” But before she explained this, Mark Coeckelbergh gave an overview of society’s fascination with cybernetic organisms – composite creatures of man and machine. Coeckelbergh is from Belgium and teaches the philosophy of media and technology at the University of Vienna. First, he showed a picture of the “Terminator”: “The cyborg we fear,” the machines that want to take control. “That’s often entertaining,” Coeckelbergh continued. So is the “cyborg we desire” or even the “cyborg we love”. However, this romanticised approach to machines stands in the way of education, he argues; it presents normal life as too boring, showing that technology can do something to tackle that. This is also reflected by the “cyborgs we want to be” which he brought up, saying they no longer have the flaws we see in ourselves as people: “the image of superheroes” is merged into this. Coeckelbergh sees this as a dangerous state of affairs: “We simply no longer understand the human body, so any interference can be dangerous.” Then he moved on to the cyborgs we already are: “In the morning, we fuel up on caffeine and even before that, we are typing on our smartphones.” Finally, he brought in the cyborgs we have always been: “Using tools actually marked the beginning of humanity.” Gerfried Stocker, media artist and Artistic Director of Ars Electronica in Linz since 1995, advocated for “asking scientists less and instead asking the artists more” in his presentation. As early as 1992 in Ars Electronica, the artist Stelarc was emer-

ging, the man who later had ears grown on his arms. In 1997, Arthur Elsenaar presented a computer in Linz that “spoke” about emotions and at the same time was able to create a “smile” or “sad expression” on the artist’s face using electrodes attached to his face. In 2003, Eduardo Kac merged his DNA with that of a petunia. And in 2013, André and Michel Décosterd put nine singers on platforms in a full room installation and moved them so the singing voices were modulated, creating a “pendulum choir”. Finally, probably the most famous presenter spoke on the panel: Moon Ribas, Catalan, dancer, born 1985. She refers to herself as a cyborg because she has had an extra sense built into her. She has an implant that lets her feel the seismic activity of the earth. All of it. She is connected online to earthquake stations throughout the world. “If there is an earthquake somewhere in the world in the middle of the night, then I wake up.” She also does dance performances and drumming concerts based on these feelings. “Some festival event organisers that book me worry because if there are no earthquakes, there will be no dance,” she says. Alpbach is abuzz. It’s also excited about an art project that she shares with her partner Neil Harbisson, the first person with an antenna implanted in his head. She founded the Cyborg Foundation with him. Both of them have recently had similar tooth implants inserted – “we both have bad teeth.” These implants have Bluetooth sensors built in (Ribas: “It’s a Bluetooth-tooth”) that they can use to communicate nonverbally in the same room. “When I click on the tooth, he can feel it and vice versa. That way, I am closer to him. Just like I am closer to the planet with my extra sense.”

“Graphic Recording” refers to a record drawn live. Or, to put it differently: the visual documentation and accompaniment of discussions, workshops, group processes and events. Live drawing during discussions and group processes is not just a connecting factor; it also provides a visual record that all participants remember and that can serve as a basis for future steps in the process or project. During the Technology Symposium, Dennis de Jonge was in action for the first time and he very much liked what he saw, heard and documented: “Probably the biggest conference in Austria – and I’m right in the middle!” And the topics were brilliant: from medicine to nutrition science, media and India’s and Seattle’s hotspots to fresh ideas from the Innovation Marathon and for the Falling Walls Initiative – and there were even some cyborgs attending!”

Photo: ORF/Hans Leitner

The Graphic Recordings of the Plenary Sessions can be found at the following QR code: Premiere in Alpbach: Graphic Recording Dennis de Jonge at work

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FALLING WALLS LAB

Photos: ORF/Hans Leitner

AND THE WINNER IS: COSIMA PRAHM

“Breaking the Wall of Frustrating Prosthesis Control” was the title of the winning entry in this year’s Falling Walls Lab Austria Plenary Session during the Alpbach Technology Symposium. Cosima Prahm of the Medical University of Vienna was able to win over the audience with her research, securing herself a ticket to the big final in Berlin on 8 November 2018. “The aim of my work is to provide a fully functioning prosthetic hand as a replacement for real hands. Using the app we programmed, patients can learn how to control their prosthetic better,” Prahm explained. “This provides a huge contribution to improving quality of life for people with prosthetic hands. I am delighted to have won the Falling Walls Lab Austria competition. Now heading off to Berlin to compete against 100 other finalists is very exciting.” The participants in the Hermann Hauser Summer School on Entrepreneurship also competed once again during the Falling Walls Lab Plenary Session. In this, Denise Mandt qualified for the Falling Walls Venture in Berlin with her pitch on “upNano”. The aim of the Hauser Summer School is to support scientists, researchers and early-stage startups and to show them how they can prepare their ideas and research to be ready for the market. The first ticket to Berlin went to Nicole Heinzl (Medical University of Vienna) during the Long Night of Research in April for her convincing research project “Breaking the Wall of Therapy Resistance in Cancer”. She gave an impressive

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presentation on how customised cancer treatment could be developed for future patients.

COMPETITION TO GO INTO THE NEXT ROUND IN 2019 Over the course of its activity, Falling Walls Lab Austria has become an institution for promoting young scientists in Austria. Since 2016, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology has been organising this platform as part of the Alpbach Technology Symposium. AIT Managing Director Professor Wolfgang Knoll: “Good research alone is not enough. It is important for our young scientists to talk about their projects, gain experience on stage and compete with others, especially at an international level.” Falling Walls Lab Austria is supported considerably by Dr Hannes Androsch, Chairman of the Council for Research and Technology Development (RFTE): “Austria needs projects like the Falling Walls Lab because this is where young scientists can compete. In order to establish Austria as a leading nation with regard to research and innovation in Europe and throughout the world, we have to put our young scientists in the foreground now more than ever.” Falling Walls Lab Austria is made possible by the kind support of the Austrian Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT), the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV), Austria Economic Service (AWS), the Council for Research and Technological Development (RFTE), accent Gründerservice, tecnet equity, Verlag Holzhausen and TU Austria.

Cosima Prahm won over the panel of judges with her presentation. But in the end, all participants should feel like winners.

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THE RESILIENCE OF DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRATIC MEDIA Leonhard Dobusch, Hermann Hauser, Alexander Wrabetz, Bieke Zaman / Chair Claudia Zettel On the last day of the Technology Symposium, a panel of topclass speakers discussed “The Resilience of Democracy and Democratic Media”. The Director General of ORF, Alexander Wrabetz, spoke about the public media which “is not an actual target of anti-democratic attacks but is certainly in the first line of defence.” This is something that ORF deals with in “close combat every day”. In this area, he explained that “European answers will have to be found for a European model for success of public broadcasting.” He sees demands on competition law, with new cooperation arising between public and private spheres offering a way to increase resilience. Leonhard Dobusch, Professor at the Institute of Organisation and Learning, University of Innsbruck, agreed but added that it “would be fatal to simply wait for this cooperation to happen.” He argued that we cannot yet “surrender the space to agitators.” In this respect, he criticised the ban on ORF becoming active on YouTube as well as other restrictions. “But ORF also doesn’t do things it ought to do,” according to Dobusch. For example, it does not allow a “stronghold against fake news like Wikipedia” to use its reports. He said he understood the licencing problems but still: “I’m calling it out now!” The Belgian media scientist Bieke Zaman, Professor of Human-Computer Interaction and Digital Humanities at the Catholic University of Leuven, recalled that the percentage of fake news remains relatively small in comparison to real news according to recent studies. “People just believe fake news when it reinforces what they believe.” The big fake news factories of Russia and the Balkans built their business model on the basis of this exact realisation. Hermann Hauser, founder of the venture capital firm Amadeus Capital Partners, promoted one of his investments, a tool for detecting lies so “the message was not substantial like with lots of politicians.” Applause throughout the hall. In any case, Hauser hopes to create what he terms an “Evidence Engine”, a piece of software that checks the truthfulness of what is being said on the screen in real time and evaluates it using a traffic light system. “Red, green, brown. Brown is for bullshit.” Wrabetz countered that he did not want to see ORF become a fake news police force but rather a reliable source for Austria. For younger generations too, because: “Ninety percent of people under 30 still use traditional media.” Dobusch suggested that ORF could fulfil a role as “curator”. Zaman added to this discussion that this was touching on the question of whether to “correct or delete” and that this has many different implications. Hauser interjected saying that he could not understand a media provider, supposedly established

for the purpose of objectivity, “giving a nutter the same time to talk as an expert who has spent 20 years researching this topic.” After the panel discussion, ORF’s Online Director Thomas Prantner presented plans for extending the range provided by ORF. The centre for these considerations is the video platform orf.tvthek. Here, a relaunch is in the works for the fourth quarter of 2018. The platform is set to get a selection of new functions, including more restart options, a personalisation function, new structures and an improved search function. At a later stage, he is hoping for changes to ORF legislation, especially enabling longer access times (currently 7 days in most cases). The online radio library, which has been on the agenda for a long time, is now finally coming to fruition, according to Prantner, and the process is currently in the hands of the Federal Administrative Court. He is especially hopeful about possibly relaxing the ban on advertising. Because, he explained, Austria’s media currently loses a great deal of money due to this: “Every year, 274 million euros leave Austria into the hands of Google and Facebook.” He is hoping to be able to work with the private sector on this. One proposal has been to merge together to create an “Austrian Player” on the internet because: “If smaller ones don’t merge together, sooner or later they will be eaten up by the giants.”

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THE PHYSICS OF EVERYDAY THINGS James Kakalios James “Jim” Kakalios, Physics Professor at the University of Minnesota, has published books about a wide variety of >

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Bieke Zaman

Leonhard Dobusch

Leonhard Dobusch, Alexander Wrabetz, Claudia Zettel, Hermann Hauser, Bieke Zaman

Thomas Prantner

Photos: ORF/Hans Leitner

Alexander Wrabetz und Claudia Zettel

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James Kakalios

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physics issues, including amorphous semiconductors, granular materials and electronic noise. Echo? Nothing. But when, as a professor in Minnesota in 2001, he started a seminar which analysed real physical phenomena using descriptions of them from comic books, everything was different. “When one Friday, the first Spiderman film by Sam Raimi came out, I thought to myself: That’s my chance to get physics into the newspaper. My article about Newton’s Laws in Spiderman comics was printed that very Friday. On Monday, I received calls from CNN, Associated Press and the BBC.” In Alpbach, the 60-year-old man spoke about the “physics of everyday things,” a title that his newest book also bears. Nowadays, consumers and voters are expected to have “an opinion on science”. But this requires a certain understanding of the basics. During his presentation, he also pointed out that it is always the same laws of physics, which have been known for so long, that are used for products which change our lives. He explained that touch screens use Faraday’s law of induction, exploiting the “old physics of the 1850s”. This states that an electric field is generated when a magnetic flux density changes. This principle is also applied in electric toothbrushes, hotel key cards and metal detectors. But in his presentation, Kakalios also sought out two Alpbach connections: Erwin Schrödinger’s equation, postulated in 1926, ultimately meant that in the 1950s, lasers could be developed and from the 1980s onwards, coloured

computer screens and then smartphones could be produced. The second connection to Austria was the story of Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler aka Hedy Lamarr. Once named the “most beautiful woman in Hollywood”, she invented frequency hopping for guiding torpedoes, in cooperation with the pianist George Antheil. She used a card template with holes punched in with 88 frequencies, corresponding to the 88 keys of the piano, on both the sender and the receiver’s side, Kakalios explained. However, the US navy never used the patent. “They never understood that it’s all about what was in her head not on her head,” Kakalios explained. “But that’s just how it is in physics; you have to have excellent mathematics. But maths itself just doesn’t give a jot about who gets it.” To him, Lamarr’s invention shows that you have to be able to deal with setbacks if you want to form an opinion about science and physics. Kakalios concluded with a quotation from the enquiry into the explosion of the Challenger space shuttle in 1986, made by the quantum physicist and Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman: “Nature cannot be fooled.”

After the Technology Symposium is just the same as before the Technology Symposium. “Planning, designing and implementing the Technology Symposium is a year-long project,” explains Michael Hlava, Head of Corporate and Marketing Communications at AIT and Project Manager of the Alpbach Technology Symposium, “and it’s barely even over by the time we start the preparations for next year.” The ties between the organisers at AIT and ORF/Ö1 and Forum Alpbach have existed for decades. “Keeping a 35-year-old relationship fresh and exciting is a challenge,” Michael Hlava smiles. “That makes us even happier that we’ve been able to create some wow-moments this year. From the culture programme #ART TEC, to introducing the online survey tool Slido and debuting Graphic Recording. Photo: ORF/Hans Leitner

But of course, the most important aspect is the intensity of the programme and discussion. After all, open debate is the priority for Alpbach.” On this note, Hlava also wants to thank Claudia Klement, who has contributed considerably to the success of the Technology Symposium at AIT. Michael Hlava, AIT and Martin Bernhofer, ORF/Ö1 Partnership dedicated to excellence

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JUNIOR ALPBACH – SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE Julia Himmelsbach, Jaison Puthenkalam, Georg Regal / Welcome Kathryn List / Introduction Heinz Faßmann, Markus Garschall One key factor for success when developing new products and services is incorporating a variety of user requirements and integrating users’ individuality into the design process. The use of Design for Diversity methods allows us to identify user demands resulting from the influence of aspects including gender identity, age, social group, ethnic origin or education. Critical Making Challenge: As part of Junior Alpbach 2018, participants were asked to design a portable piece of technology (wearable) in order to make a positive contribution towards the challenges of our society – for instance encouraging sustainable mobility, reducing stress-related conditions like burnout or encouraging moral courage. The young people were excited by the range of subjects again this year, and were keen to get involved by discussing them and thinking about them.

Young people getting involved: A lively culture of discussion made Junior Alpbach into a real highlight.

Ö1 CHILDREN’S UNIVERSITY ALPBACH – SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR KIDS Elisabeth Gruber, Bettina Larl, Corinna Wallinger / Welcome Monika Eigens perger / Introduction Heinz Faßmann / Coordination Martin Bernhofer

Every human cell has 6.4 billion DNA bases. And every human has hundreds of thousands of cells in their body. How many DNA bases does that actually make? The expert at the front had to pass on that one. “Just tonnes,” came the clear reply from one lively participant in the front row, and that’s absolutely right. Once again this year the children’s programme at the Alpbach Technology Symposium, which invited girls and boys to an entertaining discussion on the “hows?” and “whys?” of science and technology, was a complete success. The chance to experience research up-close and ask questions freely turns scientific topics into a fun, surprising and, above all, understandable event. Activities that encourage further thought and research and which are associated with the series “The Ö1 Children’s University” will also be broadcast to a wider public. DNA as the root of all diversity and a journey through the languages of the world were the highlights of this event.

Clear text: The youngest Alpbach participants didn’t beat

Photos: ORF/Hans Leitner

around the bush.

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/ BREAKOUT SESSIONS

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Photo: ORF/Hans Leitner

THE CONTEST FOR KEY TECHNOLOGIES, DIGITISATION AND DIVERSITY – AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESS LOCATIONS, INEQUALITY AND RESILIENCE IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY, GENE THERAPY – INTERVENTION IN NATURE OR FUTURE HOPE, NEXT-GENERATION BATTERIES OF E-MOBILITY, NIS DIRECTIVE AND NIS ACT, DIGITAL LIFE IN A PHYSICAL WORLD OR RESILIENCE – HOW SOCIETIES CAN COPE WITH CRISES – THESE TOPICS AND MORE FORMED THE FOCUS OF LIVELY DISCUSSIONS IN 13 BREAKOUT SESSIONS.

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THE CONTEST FOR KEY TECHNOLOGIES – EUROPE’S POTENTIALS?

DIGITISATION AND DIVERSITY – AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESS LOCATIONS

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Dieter Althaus, Donya-Florence Amer, Markus Aspelmeyer, Wolfgang Burtscher, Sabine Herlitschka, Thomas Prantner, Bernhard Sagmeister / Chair Peter Koren / Coordination Anna Bohrn The Association for the Promotion of Research and Innovation (VFFI) invited discussions during the session “The contest for key technologies – Europe’s potentials?”. Sabine Herlitschka, CEO of Infineon Technologies Austria, stressed the fact that China has invested substantial amounts in current and future key technologies, including the semi-conductor industry. It is for this particular reason that she argues the structure of the next EU budget must be changed to reflect this. The fact that there needs to be sufficient funding for research and development, as well as accuracy and adequacy for research instruments, was confirmed by Wolfgang Burtscher, the EU’s Deputy Director-General for Research and Innovation. At the same time, he called for democratic and social standards to be protected. Markus Aspelmeyer, Professor of Physics at the University of Vienna, emphasised Europe’s strengths as a society of knowledge. He argued that public figures had to take more risks. Dieter Althaus, Vice President of Governmental Affairs at Magna Europe, is convinced that we are well established with regard to technologies but that products are nevertheless often tested in China and then brought onto the market there. Donya-Florence Amer, Executive Vice President for Corporate Sector Information Systems & Services at Bosch promotes cooperation with start-ups. Europe needs even more creative and curious minds, emphasised Bernhard Sagmeister, Managing Director of aws. The key to this is education. Thomas Prantner, Vice Director of Technology, Online and new Media at ORF, wants to adjust their range accordingly.

Research is the future: Europe must make sure that it stays up to date with technological pioneers.

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Henrietta Egerth-Stadlhuber, Georg Krause, Roland Ledinger, Rainer Leitgeb, Clemens Mantl, Hans Georg Stoisser / Chair Christian Rupp / Coordination Brigitte Egelhofer “Monoculture in digitisation” was the key focus for this. Are there overlaps between European development and the use of digital innovations? Where are there opportunities for diversity? This session, led by Christian Rupp (Austrian Chamber of Commerce) and Ulrich Schuh (Austrian Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs), was dedicated to these questions. There were also contributions from Georg Krause (Plaut AG), Roland Ledinger (Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs), Rainer Leitgeb (Medical University of Vienna), Clemens Mantl (OSTA Washington) and Hans Georg Stoisser (Ecotec). They brought in discussions on artificial intelligence and blockchains as well as the rapid progress being made in health care, thanks to digitisation. In addition, there was some discourse regarding benchmark countries for research quotas, such as South Korea and Israel. On this topic, Henrietta EgerthStadlhuber, Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG, demonstrated that in “digital South Korea”, all that glitters is far from gold right now, clearing up various misconceptions. One thing that everyone could agree on was that investment decisions by large international companies are increasingly dependent on the availability of workforces with strong digital skills. Cooperation: Digitisation demands completely

Photos: ORF/Hans Leitner

new models of multilateral cooperation.

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/ BREAKOUT SESSIONS

INEQUALITY AND RESILIENCE IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY

GENE THERAPY – INTERVENTION IN NATURE OR FUTURE HOPE

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Beñat Bilbao-Osorio, Agnes Kügler, Alistair Nolan / Chair Wolfgang Polt / Coordination Maximilian Unger Digital changes and increasing inequalities in wealth and income are currently taking place at the same time and are increasingly becoming a challenge for science, society and politics. Alistair Nolan (OECD) discussed the idea of meeting political demands such as microeconomic framework conditions by means of the efficient distribution of resources, the development of cloud computing, reinforced digital capabilities or improved access to high performance computing. Beñat Bilbao-Osorio (EU Commission) argued in favour of a renewed innovation agenda. This would have the purpose of ensuring that our economic area supports the creation of ground-breaking innovations as well as allowing new markets to be formed and innovations to be distributed quickly. He argued that all social strata should be given the opportunities they need to be able to adjust to changes in the world of work (keyword: education). Agnes Kügler (Austrian Institute of Economic Research) addressed the topic of why digitisation occurs so heterogeneously, what this heterogeneity is based on with regard to region and sector, and what strategies arise from it.

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Matthias Beck, Patrice Milos, Dieter Pullirsch, Hanspeter Rottensteiner / Introduction Petra Bohuslav / Chair Claus Zeppelzauer / Coordination Karin Herzog This Breakout Session, sponsored by the state of Lower Austria, dealt with the implementation of personalised medicine which is adjusted for the specific clinical picture presented, particularly in relation to rare diseases. Gene therapy has been researched and worked on for 20 years. Patrice Milos, founder of Medley Genomics, is using her company to develop algorithms that analyse the mixture of different cells and to depict unique molecular fingerprints in order to allow tailored treatment of the entire scope of diseases and to improve understanding of clinical studies. Hanspeter Rottensteiner, Shire Innovations, reported on research undertaken in the new Gene Therapy Center Austria, in Orth an der Donau, including treatment of rare forms of haemophilia. Dieter Pullirsch is currently working on behalf of the Austrian Federal Office for Safety in Health Care (BASG) and reported on implementing approval procedures, including an example of the CAR T-cell therapy for cancer. Genome editing processes can also introduce new perspectives. The pharmacologist, doctor and theologist Matthias Beck (member of the Ethics Commission of the Federal Chancellery) emphasised the need to always conduct a risk assessment with rare diseases, because the patients, not the research results, are always central in human medicine.

Personalised medicine: In the future, treatment methods will be adapted to the patient even more individually than today.

Out of step: Digitisation strengthens social and economic

Photos: ORF/Hans Leitner

inequalities in some instances.

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NEXT-GENERATION BATTERIES: EUROPEAN LEADINGEDGE TECHNOLOGY TO LEVERAGE ELECTROMOBILITY

EU NIS DIRECTIVE AND NIS ACT – WHAT NOW?

Christian Chimani, Andreas Dorda, Gero Kempf, Stefan Koller, Helmut List, Jean-Baptiste Pernot, Carl Rosen, Manuel Szapiro, Margret Wohlfahrt-Mehrens / Chair Ingolf Schädler / Coordination Walter Mauritsch

Gerhard Eschelbeck, Pia Hoschek, Tomasz Lawicki, Thomas Pfeiffer, Walter Unger, Edgar Weippl / Introduction Michael Strugl / Chair Robert Kolmhofer / Coordination Tanja Spennlingwimmer

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Developing next-generation batteries is a key factor in successfully introducing electric vehicles to the market. The European Commission has launched an initiative to increase battery cell production in Europe. In this Breakout Session, analyses were presented of existing and future battery technology. Contributions were made by various different groups, including battery producers and engineers such as Helmut List (AVL List), Gero Kempf (Jaguar Land Rover) and Christian Chimani (AIT). The message of this session was that knowledge and technology are well developed in Europe. What’s missing is production, and everyone could agree on that. Currently the market is dominated by Panasonic (Japan), Samsung (Korea) and CATL (China). Austria presented its National Battery Initiative (NBI) in Alpbach, which aims to support work to do with research and innovation. This has two main aims: creating a cluster for battery packages, integration and battery management systems and developing a pre-production centre for tests and verification, battery cell development and production automation. The first call for proposals in battery research and innovation will begin this autumn.

Tomorrow’s energy: Europe would do well to get more involved in developing new battery technology.

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The Network and Information System Safety Act (NIS Act) has been in effect since May 2018, with the aim of helping protect services and organisations that are important for providing for the public, with respect to the economy, public security, national defence and public institutions. Tomasz Lawicki of the Berlin working group “Stand der Technik” (Prior Art – AC Schwerhoff/TeleTrusT) advocated for a methodological approach to enable a unified definition of a security status. Edgar Weippl (SBA Research/TU Wien) drew attention to studies on past cyber attacks. He argued that future attackers would therefore attempt to hack into certain development processes in order to incorporate new weaknesses in the systems. Colonel Walter Unger of General Staff, Austrian Armed Forces, described the approval process which has the purpose of ensuring that only the software that fulfils the highest security standards is used throughout the entire life cycle of critical infrastructure. Thomas Pfeiffer, Linz Strom Netz, explained the protection measures in place for Austria’s e-economy in this matter.

Secure lifelines: Protecting critical infrastructure

Photos: ORF/Hans Leitner

is essential for society.

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INDUSTRIAL ENERGY REVOLUTION: RESILIENCE THROUGH INNOVATION?

DIGITAL LITERACY FOR ALL

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Nicola Cantore, Leonore Gewessler, Georg Günsberg, Markus Mooslechner, Johann Prammer, Horst Steinmüller / Chair Theresia Vogel / Coordination Katja Hoyer Nicola Cantore, UNIDO, discussed a study conducted in collaboration with the World Bank, which suggested that cancelling grants for fossil fuels would not necessarily lead to depleted competitive capacity for businesses, as a result of higher energy costs. Johann Prammer (voestalpine) emphasised that the challenge was not simply a question of R&D, but rather, it would also have to be assessed from a financial perspective. Leonore Gewessler (Global 2000) stressed that there is not enough political drive but many companies are looking for their own solutions. Consultant Georg Günsberg discussed an interconnected system that takes into account the interactions between urbanisation, democratic and geopolitical changes, climate change and the energy sector. Horst Steinmüller (University of Linz) used a heat pump to illustrate which opportunities already work well on an industrial scale. According to Theresia Vogel of the Climate and Energy Fund, clearly formulated environmental aims within industrial development strategies would be highly beneficial for economic success.

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Mark Coeckelbergh, Frank Fischer, Manfred Laubichler, Kathrin Zdarsky / Introduction Heinz Faßmann / Chair Helga Nowotny / Coordination Marie-Louise Skolud To start, Austria’s Minister for Education Heinz Faßmann posed the question: what approach to new media is actually suitable for the education system? He was hoping the Breakout Session could give some suggestions for strategic future development within the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research. The scientific researcher Helga Nowotny (ERA Council Forum Austria) started off by saying that the digital age had triggered two major changes: how we deal with large interconnected volumes of data, and unprecedented networking. This therefore requires an improved ability to differentiate humans from machines: the ability to discriminate. The biologist Manfred Laubichler (Arizona State University and Santa Fe Institute) emphasised that digitisation offers unique opportunities for overcoming traditional barriers. Professor of Education and Educational Psychology Frank Fischer (Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich) presented the framework concept “Key competencies for lessons in a digital world”, developed by the teacher training research group in the Digitaler Campus Bayern. Using concrete examples (e.g. “Christmas tree decoration”), the primary school teacher Kathrin Zdarsky (University College of Teacher Education Styria) showed the way eTwinning works and its applications in a normal school day. Media philosopher Mark Coeckelbergh (University of Vienna) took the view that education in the field of digital technologies should pursue a more comprehensive, humanist educational aim, an aim that includes reflecting upon technology as well as preparing people for living with technology.

Learning digitisation: Digital lessons don’t just pose a challenge for the pupils.

Managing complexity: Energy systems are facing

Photos: ORF/Hans Leitner

drastic changes.

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CONSEQUENCES OF DIGITAL MONOCULTURES ON SOCIETIES

FUTURE DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES: CHALLENGES FOR M ODERN SOCIETIES

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Leonhard Dobusch, Johannes Gungl, Ursula Pachl, Semjon Rens, Maximilian Schubert / Introduction Christa Schlager / Chair Ingrid Brodnig / Coordination Miron Passweg In this session, the topic “Consequences of digital monocultures on societies” was discussed. Christa Schlager (Department of Economic Policy, Chamber of Labour, Vienna) first pointed out the discrepancy between viewing Google, Facebook and Amazon as the drivers of technological development and at the same time as BAAD companies (big, anti-competitive, addictive and destructive to democracy). As such, the mechanism for merger control around strategies for data protection, diversity of media and a public infrastructure concept should be extended. Semjon Rens (Facebook Germany, Austria and Switzerland) noted that technology companies such as Facebook are not operating without competition and that a lot of money has to be spent on innovation (almost 20% of revenue). According to him, consumers benefit from a range of services and apps that are often free of charge. Ursula Pachl (European Consumers’ Organisation BEUC) argued that competitive markets are essential for consumers. She went on to explain that large platforms put both consumers and competitors at a disadvantage by maximising network effects. After a lively discussion, Leonhard Dobusch (University of Innsbruck) took a closer look at the term “net neutrality”. According to him, net neutrality is central to openness in innovation and enabling public spaces online. Johannes Gungl (Austrian Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting and Telecommunications GmbH, RTR) argued in favour of an open internet as the basic requirement for democracy, free expression of opinion, free choice of employment and participation in social life. Maximillian Schubert (Internet Service Providers Austria, ISPA) discussed differences between online service providers and telecommunications companies that provide infrastructure. Through this, he called for support for telecommunications companies.

New markets: How should we deal with the increasing digital power of fewer global corporations?

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Markus Christian, Andreas Lesch, Margit Mischkulnig, Gerald Trost / Chair Friedrich Teichmann / Coordination Reinhard Lochner At the entrance to the gym hall of NMS Alpbach secondary school, there was an armed forces vehicle, covered by a camouflage net and packed full of hightech gadgets from the army’s Institute for Military Geo-Services – certainly something to turn heads! On the topic of safe PNT services – Positioning-Navigation-Timing – we are and always have been reliant primarily on the US GPS. However, the EU’s Galileo System has been gaining importance. How secure are these services, the functions of which are vital for the military sector as well as aviation, shipping, delivery chains, energy distribution, IT, finance and operational control? Andreas Lesch and Philipp Berglez, TeleConsult Austria, discussed technology for “jamming” or “spoofing” GPS signals and the dangers associated with these. Colonel Markus Christian of the Institute for Military Geo-Services gave a comprehensive presentation on the Austrian Armed Forces’ attempts to respond to these challenges.

Signal effect: Malfunctions in satellite-based

Photos: ORF/Hans Leitner

navigation are something no one can afford today.

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DIGITAL LIFE IN A PHYSICAL WORLD: RETHINKING DIGITISATION

THE RENEWABILITY OF SOCIETAL RESOURCES

RESILIENCE – HOW SOCIETIES CAN COPE WITH CRISES

Udo Bachhiesl, Helmut Haberl, HansPeter Kaul, Michael Tost / Chair Peter Moser / Coordination Susanne Feiel

Claudia Arthur-Flatz, Alexander Demandt, Gerald Ganzger, Edeltraud Hanappi-Egger, Martin Schürz, Klement Tockner / Chair Gabriele Ambros / Coordination Robert Lichtner

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Joep Frens, Andrea Klambauer, Robert Praxmarer, Michael Schineis, Teresa Torzicky, Bieke Zaman / Chair Manfred Tscheligi / Coordination Martin Murer

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Chaired by Manfred Tscheligi (Head of AIT Center for Technology Experience and University of Salzburg), this session addressed the interrelation between the expanding digital world and physical realities. According to Salzburg’s member of the provincial government, Andrea Klambauer, interdisciplinarity is absolutely necessary. Robert Praxmarer from the start-up Polycular voiced the opinion that robots may take over our work so we can pursue more meaningful tasks. Teresa Torzicky (Programme Manager, SEED) sparked a lively discussion when she gave her thoughts on educating children from disadvantaged backgrounds in a digitalised world. Joep Frens (TU Eindhoven) presented design and research projects on the interaction between the physical world and the IoT. Michael Schineis (CEO of Amer Sports) argued that our world will remain “a world of physical products” – his example: high-tech skis. Bieke Zaman (KU Leuven) presented a post-human perspective on the design characteristics of interconnected toys.

Peter Moser (University of Leoben) gave an overview of global consumption of resources, which has roughly doubled since 1990. The driving forces behind this have been an increased GDP and population growth. As such, sustainable development goals are absolutely essential, according to Moser. Helmut Haberl (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna) quoted studies that indicate the emergence of global “shelf companies”. He explained that currently, socioeconomic material inventories are on a similar scale to the entire biomass of land. Udo Bachhiesl (Graz University of Technology) emphasised the importance of a stable supply of energy as a prerequisite for sustainable development. Regenerative supply systems are able to generate electrical energy directly. Hans-Peter Kaul (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna) discussed the significantly increased demand for bioresources for energy or material uses. Michael Tost (University of Leoben) drew attention to the limitations of growth, saying that drastic change is needed in the societal structure of demands.

“Hack complexity!”: Reality is so complex

Limitations of growth: Handling economic and

Vulnerable societies: The ability to cope with crises

that we have to re-calibrate our stories.

population growth as a central challenge.

reveals a lot about resilience.

Photos: ORF/Hans Leitner

How good are societies at coping with crisis situations? Claudia Arthur-Flatz, UNODC, voiced the opinion that societies react to exogenic and endogenic shocks by increasing security. Professor Alexander Demandt, Freie Universität Berlin, drew comparisons from the Roman Empire. In the fifth century, pressure from all sides brought about the end of the Roman Empire. Gerald Ganzger, of Lansky, Ganzger and Partner Rechtsanwälte, linked this topic with the topic of data privacy and the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Rector at WU-Vienna University of Economics and Business Edeltraud Hanappi-Egger emphasised the importance of economic education as an anchor for coping with crises and resilience in the event of an economic crisis. President of the Austrian Science Fund Klement Tockner drew attention to the fact that successful research institutes are partly distinguished by their internationality and freedom to experiment. Individual Psychologist Martin Schürz addressed the idea of resilience as the ability to adapt in the face of unfavourable circumstances.

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2019 2017 2016 2016

Freedom and Security 22-24 August 2019

25.–27.08.2016

Congress Centre Alpbach/Tyrol Details: www.alpbach.org/en/event/technology-symposium Detailed claudia.klement@ait.ac.at Congressinformation: Centrum Alpbach/Tirol

Informationen: www.alpbach.org/tec Auskünfte: claudia.klement@ait.ac.at

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