As we are fast approaching the end of the nominations period for this year’s Tech4Good Awards, it’s time to start introducing our amazing panel of judges. Remember the panel will be looking closely at every nomination, so if you want any of the 16 judges to know about you or your organisation, make sure you nominate yourself!
Shane Richmond is the owner of Shane Richmond Media, and has worked in journalism for over 15 years. His work has appeared in Stuff magazine, T3 and The Independent, and he spent more than 10 years at The Telegraph. He has also written a number of books including Computerised You: How Wearable Technology Will Turn Us Into Computers.
Hi Shane. It’s your first year as a judge on the Tech4Good Awards panel. What are you most looking forward to about judging this year’s Awards?
I’m most looking forward to hearing about all the fascinating ways people have applied their skills to creating technological solutions that make our lives better.
Is there a specific Award that you’re most looking forward to judging?
I’m sure that every category will contain a few surprises but I’m especially looking forward to the Young People’s Award. The under-23s are younger than the World Wide Web. They’ve grown up in a world that is very different to the one that I grew up in and I’m excited about gaining an insight into how they see technology.
What’s the most exciting development in technology that you’ve seen in the past year, that you think will really make a difference in people’s lives?
I’m very interested in the potential for wearable technology but in particular I think that brain/computer interfaces hold enormous promise. They have the potential to transform the lives of people who are paralysed, those who have difficulty communicating and could even help to treat post-traumatic stress disorder or mood disorders. These devices are at a very early stage but the possibilities are thrilling.
Which aspect of Tech4Good really interests you?
Too often technology is presented in terms of how much money it has made for its inventors, how many people are using it or the gimmicky things it can be made to do. When we hear about it outside of those frames of reference, it’s frequently cast as something that can spy on us, control us or steal our data. It’s important to be reminded – and to remind others – that technology is merely a tool and can do enormous good in the right hands.
You can find Shane on Twitter and LinkedIn.
https://twitter.com/shanerichmond
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanerichmond
