“Digital Currency” and “Virtual Reality”
The future of digital currency and virtual reality was discussed from financial, entertainment, and societal angles. Developers, platform operators, and policy experts spoke on blockchain and Bitcoin implementations. In the VR track, researchers from MIT Media Lab and artists presented use cases spanning UX design, media art, education, and urban planning—offering a vision of the world 5 to 10 years into the future.
Global IT History
- Global smartphone shipments exceed 1.4 billion, making mobile core daily infrastructure
- Fintech investment hits $19.7 billion, fueling mobile payments and P2P transfers in the U.S. and China
- Apple Pay and Google Wallet drive mainstream contactless adoption
Evolution of Blockchain
- Ethereum launches, issuing 72 million ETH
- Smart contracts gain traction, forming the DApp ecosystem
Expansion of Wearables and Digital Health
- Shipments surpass 72.6 million (+172% YoY) as Apple Watch, Fitbit, and Xiaomi grow
Growth of the VR Market
- Consumer versions of Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR were announced
Advances in Biotechnology
- CRISPR papers double to 1,581
- China reports the first human embryo gene-editing study
- Editas raises over $100 million, sparking global ethical debate
Speakers
Brian Forde
Director of Digital Currency, MIT Media Lab
Jeremy Bonney
CEO, CoinDesk
Joyce Kim
Executive Director, The Stellar Development Foundation
Tetsuyuki Oishi
Director, Japan Digital Money Association
Satyen Kothari
Founder / Managing Director, Citrus Pay
Jerry Brito
Executive Director, Coin Center
Martine Niejadlik
Former Chief Compliance Officer, Coinbase
So Saito
Founder, So Law Office
Melanie Shapiro
CEO, Case
Meg Nakamura
Co-Founder, Shift Payments
Mario Gomez
CEO, QUOINE
Yuzo Kano
CEO, bitFlyer
Jonathan Hope
Partner, Fusion Systems
Peter Todd
Bitcoin Core Developer
Vincenzo Iozzo
Entrepreneur in Residence, Rakoku Holdings
Daniel Riedel
CEO, New Context Services
Thaddeus Dryja
CTO, Mirror
Roger Ver
Bitcoin Evangelist
Scott Fisher
Associate Dean of Research, USC School of Cinematic Arts
Chris Schmandt
Director, Living Mobile Group, MIT Media Lab
Michitaka Hirose
Professor, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, University of Tokyo
Daito Manabe
Director, Rhizomatiks
Luis Blackaller
Creative Director, WEVR
Rei Inamoto
Chief Creative Officer, AKQA
David Smith
CEO, Wearality Corporation
Hiroshi Mukawa
General Manager, SIG Business Office, DSBG New Business Division, Sony Corporation
Ian McDowall
Principal Vision Engineer, Intuitive Surgical / Principal, Fakespace Labs
Misha Sra
PhD Researcher, Living Mobile Group, MIT Media Lab
Marshall Long
CTO, FinalHash
Warren Togami
Technical Program Manager, Blockstream
Cory Fields
Bitcoin Core Developer, MIT Media Lab Digital Currency Initiative
Jun Rekimoto
Professor, Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies, University of Tokyo / Deputy Director, Sony Computer Science Laboratories
Kaoru Hayashi
President and Group CEO,
Digital Garage, Inc.
Joichi Ito
Co-Founder of Digital Garage and current Director of the MIT Media Lab
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