The document summarizes several emerging technologies and global trends from the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies' bimonthly Global Scanning Review publication. Some of the topics covered include Mandarin language being introduced in Saudi Arabian schools, Lake Erie being granted legal rights to sue for environmental damage, the development of the world's first gender-neutral voice, Estonia planning to use AI to adjudicate small legal claims, and an underwater drone being developed to allow remote exploration of the oceans. The publication also profiles the institute's global scanning network and provides contact information for the head of the network.

1. INCLUDED INSIDE
Share your music through eye-contact,
Uber for agriculture, Mandarin in Saudi
schools, Vegan seafood and much more…
Issue 3 / June 2019
GLOBAL
SCANNING
REVIEW

2. GLOBAL SCANNING REVIEW
The Global Scanning Review is the exclusive bimonthly
members’ review by the Copenhagen Institute for
Futures Studies (CIFS). The ideas presented here are
inspired by the horizon scanning observations made
by the Global Scanning Network (GSN) at CIFS.
With our GSN, we collect, compare and evaluate a
wide range of signals – including new and emerging
trends, technologies, values, products, concepts,
companies, services and ideas – in order to identify
what’s happening now and what could be emerging
tomorrow. It is a process that seeks to identify
the earliest indications of potentially disruptive
issues, but also tracks transformations of already
established phenomena or trends.
Global scanning is an evidence-based method for
understanding indicators of change and possible
futures. It is the art of systematically scanning the
external environment for evidence of emerging
issues and a practice that seeks to inform decision-
making, by creating a patterned awareness of both
potential opportunities and challenges.
Using a competitive and comparative frame, global
scanning provides members and clients a detailed
review and analysis of some critical raw ingredients
for inspiring innovative and future-oriented business
opportunities. CIFS’ global scanning also offers
tailored solutions in order to generate relevant
industry- and business-specific insights according to
specific member or client interests.
1
EDITORS:
ANNE DENCKER BÆDKEL (HEAD OF GSN)
SOHINI KUMAR
MATHIAS BEHN BJØRHNHOF

3. Mandarin in Saudi schools
Genderless voice
A lake with rights
AI judges in Estonia
We’re running out of sand
Exploring the ocean by drone
Single parents find community
10MinuteMail
Page 5
FUTURE OF SOCIETY & GOVERNANCE
Electricity access reforms in Puerto Rico
Sustainable air travel
Digital double of Singapore
Personalising medicines with 3D printing
When algorithms go rogue
App signs record deal
Uber for agriculture
Bias-free job interviews
Page 7
FUTURE OF BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Vegan seafood
Coffee fresh out of smart lockers
Beauty tech
San Francisco could ban cashless stores
Holographic idols
Disability-friendly makeup
Drone delivery service in Australia
Trash fashion
Page 9
FUTURE OF CONSUMERS & RETAIL
Share your music through eye-contact
A synthetic human brain
Retro browsing
Malaysia’s first autism-friendly mall
Car industry caters to pet owners
Pharmaceutical jewellery
Divorce course
Human-monkey chimera
Page 11
FUTURE OF PEOPLE & WELL-BEING
2

4. 3
GLOBAL SCANNING NETWORK
The GSN is a network comprised of CIFS consultants
and associates, and a team of global ambassadors.
The ambassadors are Master/PhD graduates and
working professionals on a six month rotation,
providingexpertperspectivesintherealmsofscience
and technology, politics, culture, design, innovation,
business management, finance, marketing and
branding. The GSN represents a diverse, global group
of individuals who contribute with unique
observations, profitable ideas, and sharp insights
into specific industry challenges.
GLOBAL AMBASSADORS
SOCIETY & GOVERNANCE:
MARC PETERMANN, GUILLAUME DURAND, ARACELI
DE ANDA GONZÁLEZ, GABRIEL DEL CASTILLO,
JAQUELINE GIL, MARIANA FIÚZA, MARKO PETERLIN,
THOMAS SCHÖNBERGER, TRAVIS BURR KUPP, JUE
YING CHOO.
PEOPLE & WELLBEING:
CERENA CEASER, LEIF A. DEVANEY, CARL HEUNG,
DENIZ YAZICIOGLU, GIOVANNI LUMISCI, KEVIN
JAE, LILLIAN BES PITTMAN BALDWIN, MANALI
BHUTWALA, MARIA MAJ, MIHAELA MINCHEVA,
OLIVER BREAM MCINTOSH, RENATA LIEPYTÉ,
SRIRAM NATARAJAN.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY:
IAN MIELKE, ARKA DEV BISWASS DEEPRA, GUSTAVO
BRIGATTO, JOHN S. STOREY, JOSEPH H. MURPHY,
ANNA GRIGORYEVA-TRIER, DIANA PARFENI STAFIE,
EDGAR M. MARTINEZ NERI, MARK WESTERHUIS,
BUCK SENG, ANNA SZESCHIK.
CONSUMER & RETAIL:
BEATA PECIONAITYTE, MARIIA MAKSIMOVA, JENNY
TZAKOVA, ARIADNA CARRASCOSA HIDALGO,
ELIZEBETH CROESER, EVELINE VAN GAAL,
FRANCISCO LEMOS, SARA BOLLER, HANNAH KIM,
KIIA MARIA JÄRVINEN, METTHEW MANLEY, PERRIN
MARTIN.

5. aved from:
tps://www.amcharts.com/visited_countries/#
4

6. FUTURE OF
SOCIETY & GOVERNANCE
Saudi Arabia and China have formed an agreement
that plans to include Mandarin in all educational
stages in Saudi schools and universities. This is in
hopes of encouraging strategic and cultural ties
between the two countries. The plan also aims to
boostculturaldiversityforstudentsandhelpsachieve
national goals related to education, in line with Saudi
Arabia’s Vision 2030, which outlines the country’s
long-term socio-economic goals. While it may take
many years before we see the potential impact that
Chinese-speaking Saudi Arabian graduates will have
for the country, the language shift can be considered
a significant symbol of China's increasing economic
and cultural impact in a world currently dominated
by the English language.
Source Link
In a February special election, citizens of Toledo, Ohio
voted to grant Lake Erie its own Bill of Rights, which
allow residents the right to sue on behalf of the lake for
environmental issues. If successfully enforced, the bill
could discourage pollution, for instance, by reducing
phosphorus runoff from farms, which contributed
to a contamination in 2014 that rendered the water
unusable for days. Granting the Lake its own rights
is part of a larger "Rights of Nature" movement that
looks to support the environment through community
or commons-based rights and environmental
personhood. Ecuador has included rights of nature
in its constitution, while Bolivia has passed a "Law of
the Rights of Mother Earth" legislation. Legal experts
believe parts of the Lake Erie Bill of Rights clash
with the rights of the state of Ohio and the federal
government. Regardless, the movement’s organisers
have been contacted by other communities hoping to
protect their own local environments.
Source Link
The creative agency Virtue has developed the first
gender-neutral voice in the world, Q, in collaboration
with three technology studios, a linguist and
Copenhagen Pride. The genderless voice was made by
recording five non-binary people and then adjusting
the recordings to fit the range of 145-175 Hz, which
researchers deem gender neutral. The voice was
further developed through feedback from 4,600 survey
participants, who were asked to rate the voice on a
scale of male to female. Q’s developers believe that
technology companies’ use of voice adheres to a binary
perception of gender (as even multiple choices in voice
assistants are usually classified as male or female) and
supports gender stereotypes. Q is targeted towards
tech companies designing products that use voice, with
further potential applications in voiceovers in public
places, games, etc.
Source Link
MANDARIN IN SAUDI SCHOOLS
The decision falls within Saudi Arabia’s Vision
2030 socio-economic plans
A LAKE WITH RIGHTS
Lake Erie now has human rights as part
of the “Rights of Nature”
movement
GENDERLESS VOICE
The world’s first genderless voice spells a new
landmark for gender neutrality
TheEstonianMinistryofJusticeislookingtousea‘robot
judge’ that could adjudicate small claims disputes of
less than EUR 7,000. A pilot designed for contractual
disputes is expected to launch later in 2019. The AI
will make decisions based on documents uploaded by
both parties, and the decision will be passed on to a
human judge. Estonia has previously incorporated AI
into work undertaken by government employees, e.g.
checking up on farmers who use government subsidies
and matching dismissed workers with new employers.
An AI task force within the government will propose
35 more AI-related demonstration projects by 2020.
Within law, an Estonian law firm has a chatbot that
offers free legal advice. While other countries have
also applied AI to the law, this venture may be the first
to accord decision-making authority to an algorithm.
The ministry hopes that use of a robot judge will help
deal with a backlog of cases, giving human officials
time to work on more difficult cases.
Source Link
AI JUDGES IN ESTONIA
The Estonian government is in the early phases
of designing an AI robot judge for small claim
disputes
5

7. A growing number of temporary mail service
providers enable internet users to create fake
accounts (e.g. when participating in online contests
and questionnaires) to avoid being exposed to spam
mails and other commercial newsletter content as
a final consequence. Disposable e-mail addresses
can be used instantly without any complicated pre-
registration process and long-term commitments,
and in many cases the account is self-deleting, for
instance with the 10MinuteMail service an account is
set to expire after 10-minute use with an opportunity
for extension. As opposed to ordinary mail accounts,
a temporary e-mail address can't be applied for
response- and follow up messaging.
Source Link
10MINUTEMAIL
Increasing concerns around personal online
data privacy have generated an interest in the
occasional use of disposable e-mail addresses
WE’RE RUNNING OUT OF SAND
The demand for sand is creating a shortage and
harming the environment
A crew of students and alumni of Aalto University,
Finland, is developing a remotely controllable
underwater drone, which makes it possible for
people to explore the ocean through a collective
network streaming application. The intention of the
Aalto Explorer is to allow people to see and learn
more about the world’s seas. Features of the vehicle
include a camera providing 360-degree live video
and measuring devices collecting data for scientific
research.Theventureoriginallystartedasauniversity
project and will continue through crowdfunding. The
developers aim to send the vehicle into the Baltic
Sea next summer. This project is reminiscent of live
nature streaming webcams, which have become
popular among Finnish viewers in the last few
years. The WWF in Finland hosts an online streaming
service monitoring the lives of Saimaa ringed seals,
forest reindeers, wolverines, and more, and a live
programme on Yle Areena follows the seasonal
wandering routines of elks through Swedish Lapland.
Source Link
EXPLORING THE OCEAN BY DRONE
Remote controlled underwater drone
developed in Finland
Experts are expressing alarm over the growing
shortage of sand suitable for use in construction.
The world has an insatiable appetite for the most-
extracted natural resource after water, with 50
billion tons being used globally every year. Sand is
one of the foundational building blocks for society
– not only is it needed to make concrete, glass and
asphalt, but components are also found in products
ranging from cars and aeroplanes to smartphone
screens and microchips, and even cosmetics
and toothpaste. Desert sand cannot address the
shortage, as the grains are too smooth and small.
Meanwhile, the dredging of sand is wreaking havoc
on ecosystems worldwide — more than two dozen
islands have vanished in Indonesia due to excessive
extraction. Potential solutions include using waste
plastic in concrete production and using technology
to reduce waste of concrete, but these alone cannot
address the huge demand for sand.
Source Link
Daria Krivonos
CEO
+45 2932 5931
PHONE
dka@cifs.dk
MAIL
SINGLE PARENTS FIND COMMUNITY
Frolo is a “Tinder-like” apps that
helps single parents find
community
Frolo - an app in its trial stage is aiming at
connecting single parents who relate to each
other, not only through common hobbies etc., but
by sharing their feeling of isolation, responsibility
or common problems. Another feature of the app
is the location-based search which allows for real
life meetings. What sets Frolo apart from other
apps is the therapeutic potential that allows single
parents to openly share their difficult experiences
and receive help from others who are dealing with
the same issues. Organizing baby-friendly events
is another function of the app which allows for
building a local community. In the long run, the app
could help children find local playmates with similar
interests or shared difficulties. In this way, the app
might help and support local communities of all age
groups.
Source Link
CONTACT INFORMATION
6

8. FUTURE OF
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA)
released an integrated resource plan to reform the
energy provision system on the island, aiming for
more affordable, clean and resilient service. Puerto
Rico, like other Caribbean islands, is endangered
by the effects of climate change. It is developing
strategies to manage these risks and increase
resilience to natural disasters. The country aims
to shift its dependency on imported fossil fuels to
solar-powered energy production, combined with
burning liquefied natural gas to generate electricity.
Dividing the island into microgrids is also a way to
avoid a complete collapse of the system in case of
natural catastrophes such as hurricanes similar to
what happened after Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
This plan may prompt other Caribbean islands
and countries across the world to act to achieve
the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, as deep
decarbonisation is a global common target.
Source Link
A“digitaltwin”isadigitalrepresentationofaphysical
object, and the technology has merged with the
Internet of Things, AI, and Data Analytics to expand to
the production of entities such as buildings and cities.
Virtual Singapore is an example that will help the
government and urban planners make decisions. As it
becomes data rich, it can be a platform to test ideas,
and planners can conduct virtual experiments to fix
issues. For example, the Housing and Development
Board tested a sustainability initiative to illustrate
its benefits. In the long term, the technology could
help mitigate the worst effects of climate change
and urbanisation. It may also create cost-efficient
and sustainable solutions for urban megaprojects.
However, it is unclear who owns the data — the
government, the company managing the digital
twin, the autonomous vehicle that creates the data,
or the citizen who feeds data into the model.
Source Link
The pharmaceutical industry is exploring 3D printing
as a way of producing medication. Possibilities
range from customised shapes and textures that
accommodate patients with different conditions,
to combinations of medicines in doses specific to
each patient’s biochemical profile, available in one
polypill. The latter could particularly benefit patients
with multiple chronic conditions, who may medicate
many times a day. Costs can also be reduced in cases
of rarer illnesses, by printing medicines as needed
rather than relying on mass production. However,
issues may arise where patented medicines are
concerned, which may mean that only generic drugs
can be printed. This technology may also lead to
examinations of the current regulatory frameworks in
the industry — for example, the importance of clinical
trials, the implications of patients potentially being
able to print their own medicines, and who might take
responsibility for negative side effects of printed pills.
Source Link
ELECTRICITY ACCESS REFORMS IN
PUERTO RICO
Plans involve dividing the island into renewable
energy microgrids
DIGITAL DOUBLE OF
SINGAPORE
Singapore is building a virtual counterpart to
tackle impending challenges
PERSONALISING MEDICINES WITH 3D
PRINTING
The technology could transform the way
medicines are manufactured
7
SUSTAINABLE AIR
TRAVEL
Sweden’s largest airport operator plans to
increase the use of biofuel
Swedavia uses biofuel for about 15,000 domestic
business flights annually and is now planning to
increase this number. Biofuel is obtained from
renewable plant and animal material. While
Swedavia currently buys biofuel from California,
technological developments are allowing the
company to sustainably start its own biofuel
production. Customers can choose to fly using
biofuel for an additional price. Swedavia aims
for all its flights to be refuelled with 5% biofuel by
2025, and for all domestic flights to be fossil free
by 2030. These are relatively high targets — for
example, Norway plans for all its flights to contain
a minimum of 0.5% biofuel by 2020. It will be a
challenge to produce large amounts of biofuel at
affordable prices. However, opportunities may lie
in reconfiguring the traditional value chain through
industry-wide collaborations. Other alternatives —
such as electric planes — also remain.
Source Link

9. A recent research paper by four economists showed
how two competing price-setting AI systems
learned how to collude to set prices maximising
profit, and also to trigger cycles of price wars, which
would be disadvantageous to the consumer. Left
unchecked, biases in AI can create unfair market
advantages and manipulate consumers without
their knowledge. In addition to reinforcing existing
social inequalities, AI could create new divisions by
denying services to segments of a population based
on a sample's summarised characteristics. Freedom
of choice in the market may be artificially curtailed,
potentially without public awareness. Regulators
have an opportunity to proactively identify the social
implications of this to define policies for consumer
protection and to raise awareness of how people
may opt out of AI-driven services.
Source Link
Warner Music recently entered into a partnership
with Endel, an AI-powered music generation
service that creates custom ambient soundscapes
based on individual factors like location, weather
and a user’s heart rate. The tracks are reportedly
made “with a click of a button”. The deal stipulates
20 albums’ worth of content be generated by Endel,
and also dictates that the tracks — typically 60
minutes long — be cut into 600 smaller tracks in
order to better disseminate the content for more
plays on streaming services. This deal has largely
been observed by the press as the first algorithm to
be signed to a record deal, including Endel's own PR
lauding the occasion as the first time an "app-as-
the-artist" has occurred. Five albums have already
been released, with 15 more on the way. Endel will
ultimately be able to generate an infinite number of
tracks, with minimal human labour involved.
Source Link
WHEN ALGORITHMS GO ROGUE
Without governance models, there is a lack
of accountability when AI systems make
potentially dangerous decisions
APP SIGNS RECORD DEAL
AI-powered music service Endel becomes
the first algorithm to sign a record deal with
Warner Music
App-based tractor and farming machinery sharing
services are increasingly being used in Africa to
make the costly technology available to smallholder
and rural farmers on the continent. The sharing
economy has expanded from transport, to travel,
to community groups that share and swap services
and objects. Now the agricultural industry is starting
to utilise this idea to make technology available to
farmers who would not otherwise have the means
to access it. Some of the ventures offering this
service include Hello Tractor in Nigeria and Kenya
and Cassava Smartech’s Vaya Tractor, which aims to
make plowing tractors easily available to farmers in
Zimbabwe. Cassava Smartech plans to register more
than10,000tractorstotheserviceandwillkeeptrack
of them through GPS systems. The company’s CEO
believes that this number of tractors could service
1.5 million smallholder farmers if used efficiently.
Source Link
BIAS-FREE JOB INTERVIEWS
A robot will conduct interviews to deal with
unconscious biases in job interviews
One of Sweden’s largest recruitment companies is
collaborating with AI company Furhat Robotics to
test Tengai, a robot for bias-free job interviews. The
goal is to increase objectivity by eliminating human
interviewers’ unconscious biases. These include
assumptions based on gender, ethnicity, education,
appearance, or conversations before or after the
interview. Test interviews have been carried out
with a diverse range of volunteers to prevent Tengai
from picking up anyone recruiter’s inherent biases.
The robot interviewer is programmed to pose all
questions in an identical way; recruiters or managers
then receive a text transcript of each interview
and decide which candidates will move to the next
stage. If the technology develops enough, the robot
will make this decision itself. Tengai is supposed
to address any discrimination in the Swedish job
market, where the share of foreign-born job seekers
is high compared to other countries.
Source Link
UBER FOR AGRICULTURE
Tractor sharing services are democratising
agriculture in Africa
Lasse Jonasson
DIRECTOR
+45 5366 0040
PHONE
lj@cifs.dk
MAIL
CONTACT INFORMATION
8

10. FUTURE OF
CONSUMERS & RETAIL
Several plant-based fish and shellfish alternatives
are using sophisticated methods to achieve taste
and texture parity. New Wave Foods have a brand
of shrimp made from algae, lauded for its realistic
texture; Good Catch is soon to launch tuna and crab
alternatives; and, at the higher end of the market,
Plant Based Foods has several flavours of vegan
caviar. These products are being sold in certain
stores, restaurants and online. Amidst rising fears of
fishing methods causing irreparable damage to the
oceans, food innovations like these offer new gains in
efforts to reduce environmentally destabilising over-
fishing. The Economist has also predicted that 2019
will be the ‘year of the vegan’, with a rise in vegan
diets for 25-34-year-olds in the USA, and the growth
potential of 'the vegan dollar' looks highly promising.
Source Link
For those who don’t want to wait in line, Starbucks
has launched self-service kiosks in select Freshippo
supermarkets in China. Customers can place an order
by scanning a QR code and paying through Alipay.
Drinkswillbefreshlymade,readyinminutes,andstored
in smart lockers for pickup. Meanwhile, customers are
free to shop as they wait and receive a notification
when their coffee is ready. This initiative builds on
Starbucks’ existing partnership with Alibaba who
owns the Freshippo stores. As consumers increasingly
look for both convenience and quality, companies are
attempting to leverage digital capabilities to meet
demand. Starbucks and Alibaba have endeavoured
to bring the ‘Starbucks Experience’ online through
virtual Starbucks stores accessible through various
Alibaba apps.
Source Link
Facial recognition is allowing Japanese cosmetics
brand SK-II to provide personalised beauty products.
In their Future X Smart Store (launched in Tokyo,
Shanghai, Singapore, and the USA), customers get their
faces scanned and receive results measuring radiance,
spot control, firmness, wrinkle resilience, and texture.
This analysis guides them through a personalised
shopping experience. Further facial recognition
technology recognises them as they browse a Smart
Beauty Bar, and a digital countertop interface
provides recommendations. Additionally, new smart
bottle packaging tracks use of the product and works
with an app to deliver a customised skincare routine.
Similarly, L’Oréal and Apple have created a UV sensor
that alerts users if they get too much solar radiation
exposure. The wearable sensor is solar powered and
comes with a companion app. In this way, technology
is increasing opportunities for personalised product
and retail solutions in the beauty industry.
Source Link
The City of San Francisco is reviewing a bill that would
ban cashless stores, including automated stores by
Amazon. A San Francisco district supervisor noted that
cashless retail shops would by default exclude millions
of Americans from services and goods, especially the
50% of Latino and African American households in
San Francisco without a bank account. However, in
countries like Indonesia and Kenya, the question of
financial inclusion has been answered by the rise of
financial technology initiatives with new, more flexible
accounts. Similar inclusion could also be possible
in the US, and the proliferation of cashless retailers
could create an opportunity to find ways to expand
financial services to financially excluded communities
and individuals. While only at a city level, the proposal
suggeststhatthegovernmentcouldtakeanactiverole
in guiding the discussion around cashless retail and,
on a broader scale, around inclusion and technology.
Source Link
VEGAN SEAFOOD
Plant-based ‘fish’ looks and tastes more and
more like the real thing
COFFEE FRESH OUT OF SMART LOCKERS
Starbucks and Alibaba’s self-service kiosks
produce orders in minutes
BEAUTY TECH
Beauty companies team up with tech giants to
embed technology into services
SAN FRANCISCO COULD BAN CASHLESS
STORES
Concerns grow over the loss of privacy and lack
of inclusiveness in e.g. Amazon Go Shops
9

11. Grace Beauty, a UK-based beauty brand, has
introduced a makeup range that caters to people
with physical disabilities. Historically, makeup
products such as mascara, eyeliner and lipstick are
usually made with able-bodied customers in mind.
With this new range, Grace aims to facilitate the
process of makeup application for anyone who might
struggle with conventional products. The brand
has started with mascara wand extensions that
address needs such as increased grip and control.
The fashion and beauty industries are currently
striving to work towards inclusivity. A wider variety
of makeup shades and apparel that caters to, for
example, gender neutral and plus-size preferences
can answer consumer demands for more diverse
options. People with disabilities have so far remained
underrepresented in these efforts, besides some
runway shows that have featured models with
disabilities.
Source Link
DISABILITY-FRIENDLY MAKEUP
A new makeup line takes measures
to improve accessibility for people
with disabilities
Google Wing, owned by Google's parent company
Alphabet, is launching a drone delivery service for
takeaway food, coffee and medicines to about 100
homesinCanberra,Australia.Thedronesdeliversmall
packages which are lowered into the customer's
garden on a length of string. The company has been
testing its drones in Australia since 2014, but many
residents complained about the noise and intrusion.
Australia's aviation authority has given Wing
permission to launch a commercial service after
evaluating its safety record and operational plans,
ultimately deciding that residents or other aircrafts
will not be at risk. The permission comes with
conditions attached, including limited delivery hours
and prohibition from flying over crowds and main
roads. After trials caused protests of noise from the
Bonython Against Drones campaign, Wing developed
a quieter drone, which it has been mandated to use
by the aviation authority.
Source Link
DRONE DELIVERY SERVICE
IN AUSTRALIA
The first home delivery drone service is up and
running
TRASH FASHION
As part of a larger movement towards sustain-
ability, an Italian company is recycling waste
materials to produce nylon
Italian company Aquafil produces nylon made from
recycled material such as carpets, industrial plastic
and abandoned fishing nets. Econyl yarn has be used
toproduceswimsuits,sportswearandcasualclothes.
Adidas, Levi Strauss & Co. and Speedo International are
three clients using the yarn, according to Aquafil. High-
end designer brands are also choosing to go this route
as consumers become more aware sustainability-
conscious. For instance, Stella McCartney plans to
stop using virgin nylon by 2020. European legislation
facilitates these endeavours. The EU has decided
to ban items like plastic plates, cutlery and straws,
starting in 2021. The same initiative includes
proposals to deal with abandoned fishing gear
which, along with single-use plastic products, poses
a severe risk to marine ecosystems, biodiversity and
human health, according to the legislation. Member
states will be required to tighten rules to ensure
proper waste management, hopefully enabling
recycling processes.
Source Link
Carsten Beck
DIRECTOR
+45 3065 1101
PHONE
cab@cifs.dk
MAIL
10
CONTACT INFORMATION
15-year-old virtual singer Luo Tianyi recently
performed with top (human) pianist Lang Lang. Tianyi
is China’s most popular holographic singer, with over
3millionfansonChinesesocialmediaplatformWeibo.
Staging a concert for a digital avatar requires more
resourcesthanforareal-lifeperformer–thetwo-hour
showrequiredsixmonthsofhardworkbyaproduction
team of about 200. While Tianyi’s movements were
produced beforehand using 3D modelling and motion
capture, real-time interactions were made possible
through a motion-capture actress and voice dubber
backstage. Luo Tianyi represents the first generation
of virtual idols, specifically targeted for the millennial
consumer demanding diversified and individualised
content. She shows that the future of entertainment
could involve technologies like 3D-modelling, AR, and
motion capture. A fan says, “She is not a real person
so she can be whatever you want her to be. It’s like a
customised idol that only belongs to you.”
Source Link
HOLOGRAPHIC IDOLS
The first joint concert of a virtual singer and
a real-life musician took place in Shanghai,
attended by thousands

12. FUTURE OF
PEOPLE & WELL-BEING
The Tangible Media Group in MIT’s Media Lab has
invented headphones that let users share their music
with each other “through” eye contact. Under certain
settings, a user can choose to transmit and/or receive
music from strangers wearing the same headphones.
The longer they look at each other, the longer music
is shared. The aim is that the musical interaction will
be a gateway to conversation. A study has found that
use of smartphones can prevent active listening,
encourage lack of eye contact and negatively
impact interpersonal relationships. This gadget takes
technology that can be used to avoid socializing and
employsittoencouragesociability.Ithasthepotential
to alter existing social dynamics in public spaces and
restore the possibility of spontaneous interactions.
Source Link
Researchers at UCLA are working on creating an
artificialhumanbrain.Althoughstillintheearlystages,
this scientific feat has seen significant progress in the
last couple of years. In the latest breakthrough, the
team of chemical engineers has discovered how to
grow circuitry similar to the structure and activity
of parts of the brain. A grid of copper posts treated
with silver nitrate creates nanowires that resemble
how neurons seem to grow in apparently random
directions. The connections between them resemble
synapsesbetweenneurons,andthewaytheyorganize
themselves is reminiscent of structures seen in an
MRI when a human brain is storing memories. When
electrically stimulated, the nanowires seem to have
the ability to organize information by themselves,
just as a brain does. One of the scientists working on
the synthetic brain has proposed that this work could
be one of the steps towards post-humanity.
Source Link
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the World Wide
Web (WWW), CERN in Switzerland has developed an
application enabling the modern-day internet user to
experiencetheoriginalbrowserfromthebeginningof
the 1990s in its authentic form. The recreated version
of the browser can be explored on any contemporary
computer browser through CERN's website. Just
like the actual forerunner of the internet we know
today, the rebuilt retro browser does not contain any
sound, visuals or formatting; everything is based on
the simple duality of links and text. The retro browser
represents a simple and non-user-friendly tech-
world that can make us reflect on the exponential
growth characterizing technological development
in the last few decades.
Source Link
The mall has been renovated to include vibrant
sensory walls, a calm room with sensory toys and
weighted blankets. The mall also has a designated
day of the week during which lights are dimmed and
music turned down to accommodate people with
autism. On these days, children with autism have
privileges — such as discounts and priority lanes —
at some shops, and parents have reserved parking.
About 300 people with autism have registered with
the mall since the project began in January. People
with autism can be sensitive to certain sensory
stimuli, which can even cause pain. The initiative at
Sunway Putra Mall has the potential to bring greater
awareness towards autism and the importance of
creating inclusive spaces.
Source Link
SHARE YOUR MUSIC THROUGH
EYE-CONTACT
People wearing LeakyPhones headphones can
share music at a glance
A SYNTHETIC HUMAN
BRAIN
Chemical engineers have found a way to grow
neuron-like structures
RETRO BROWSING
CERN has created an application that allows
users to revisit the original World Wide
Web of the 1990s
MALAYSIA’S FIRST AUTISM-FRIENDLY MALL
The Sunway Putra Mall in Kuala Lumpur
has become Malaysia’s first
autism-friendly mall
11

13. CAR INDUSTRY CATERS TO PET OWNERS
A shift from "pets for kids" to "pets as kids" is
driving a booming pet economy and
extending traditional pet care
Jewellery with direct skin contact, such as backings
of earrings, wristwatches, rings, and necklaces
could be fitted with transdermal patches with i.e.
contraceptive hormones. The hormones would then
be absorbed through the skin. The technology is
similar to that used on other transdermal patches
(e.g. nicotine patches). The aim of this development
is to aid users in adhering to medical regimens that
require regular doses. So far, tests on pigs and rats
have brought positive results but no tests have been
done on humans yet. The use of pharmaceutical
jewellery could eventually be extended to drugs
beyond contraceptives but would be restricted to
medicines that can be absorbed through the skin,
medicines that are easily administered continuously
through a patch, and are effective in doses small
enough to fit the patches.
Source Link
PHARMACEUTICAL JEWELLERY
Contraceptive hormones could be
delivered via patches attached to
pieces of jewellery
Chinese scientists have published the results of a
gene-editing experiment on macaque monkeys. A
gene that might have had a role in shaping human
intelligence (MCPH1) was introduced into the
monkeys' brains, reportedly causing an increase in
their intelligence. The aim was to investigate how
human cognition evolved. The gene purportedly
caused the monkeys' brains to develop at a pace
similartohumanchildren,andthemonkeysdisplayed
improved short-term memories. This research can
potentially help scientists understand how and
why humans have become so intelligent. Research
using primates is viewed as ethically problematic in
Europe and USA, but in China, genetic modification of
primates is rapidly gaining ground. This experiment
was also first time CRISPR gene editing was used on
monkeys.
Source Link
HUMAN-MONKEY CHIMERA
A human gene was introduced into monkey
brains in a Chinese experiment
The global pet care industry is expected to reach
USD 164 billion by 2023, which is a 31% increase
from 2018. Millennials, in particular, wait longer
to have children and many prefer to have
pets instead, popularising ‘petrenthood’ over
parenthood. This trend has seen pet care extend
into new business areas. Tesla has introduced a
new feature called ‘Dog Mode’, which will set the
car’s cabin temperature to keep pets comfortable
while flashing a message that says "My owner will
be back soon" for concerned passersby. Similarly,
Jaguar is facilitating pet ownership through its
Pet Pack, an assortment of pet accessories for the
car. Fitbit has partnered with FitBark, an activity
and sleep tracker for dogs that attaches onto dog
collars and to allows owners to access their dogs’
information through their Fitbits.
Source Link
DIVORCE COURSE
Danish parents now must pass a mandatory
course to prepare for post-divorce scenarios
A new Danish divorce law is implementing a
mandatory online course for parents who wish
to divorce and who have children under the age
of 18. The course consists of 17 modules — which
were tested on 2,500 volunteers and showed
positive results — covering scenarios that divorcing
families might encounter, including children’s
birthday parties and parent-child communication
tools. Furthermore, there will be a three-month
reflection period before a divorce is finalised. In the
past, divorce was completed by submitting a form
online. The main reasons why such a law came into
force are Denmark’s emphasis on social wellbeing
and the relatively high divorce rate of nearly 47%.
The main goals behind the new legislation are to
improve communication, aid the wellness of all
parties affected, and help them adjust as smoothly
as possible. If the course is not finished within three
months, the couple will stay married. Unmarried
couples splitting up can choose to take this course
voluntarily.
Source Link
Anne
Dencker Bædkel
FUTURIST
+45 3311 7176
PHONE
adb@cifs.dk
MAIL
12
CONTACT INFORMATION

14. 13
CIFS Executive is our international membership
network for decision-makers. The CIFS Executive
meetings are open for members of the Copenhagen
InstituteforFuturesStudiesandarebyinvitationonly.
We wish to create a dialogue between people who
understand the need to use the future proactively.
Our idea is to deliver flashes of inspiration that
highlight potential game changers. We are putting
the future on the agenda, and our members get the
first chance to discuss opportunities and threats
related to the latest developments identified by CIFS.
CIFS EXECUTIVE
Media production and consumption are accelerating,
the media environment is becoming more complex,
and junk news and misinformation run rampant.
Three articles cover our changing media landscape
from different perspectives: the future of public
service media, diverging trajectories in commercial
media, and the new frontiers of hi-tech media.
MEMBERS’ REPORT 2/2019
FUTURE MEDIA
June 5 2019
OSLO
June 13 2019
BRUSSELS
May 23 2019
COPENHAGEN
June 3 2019
WEBINAR

15. Erlend Høyersten: Art and the future, Behaviour,
Fundamental Attribution Error, Democracy: Yes,
please, or no thanks?, Khartoon! Khalid Albaih inter-
viewd, When shamelessness threatens democracy,
Forgetfulness in the future, When art turns data into
feelings, Sciende & Technology, When the computer
becomes an architect, Kevin Faingnaert: Føroyar, Soci-
otech: The Meme War 2020, Futures Past: Rejuvenique
Face Mask.
SCENARIO MAGAZINE 03/2019
14

16. COPENHAGEN INSTITUTE FOR FUTURES STUDIES
is an international, apolitical and not-for-
profit think tank that has advised governments,
multinationals, public and intergovernmental
bodies all over the world about the future since
1970 through a membership network, strategic
consultancy, seminars, workshops, presentations
and publications.
The Institute identifies and analyses the trends and
driving forces that shape the world, and works
with scenario planning that can be used in strategy
development and other change processes. The
Institute is therefore both a think tank and strategic
advisor for public and private enterprises that wish
to know more about the future before they make
important decisions.
The objective of the Copenhagen Institute for Futures
Studies is to strengthen the basis for decision-
making in public and private organisations by
creating awareness of the future and highlighting its
importance to the present.
For more information about CIFS or this publication:
Phone: +45 3311 7176
Web: www.cifs.dk
Email: cifs@cifs.dk