Health and the impact of technology, the revolution in the audiovisual media and the digital transformation of work were the topics of the three main days of Mobile Week held in Vilanova i la Geltrú, on the 15th. June 16 and 21, within the programming of the Mobile World Congress.
Mobile Week proposes to move the screen
Mobile Week (mweek) was born with the aim of offering citizens a space in which to actively participate in the changes brought about by technological innovations. This is an event linked to the Mobile World Congress that is promoted by Mobile World Capital Barcelona, and has the support of CaixaBank and Estrella Damm. This year, eighteen towns from all over Catalonia have been involved, including Vilanova i la Geltrú.
Technology has become an essential part of our lives as we see it everywhere. The algorithms of social networks, the software that is automating our professions or the Artificial Intelligence that has been used to manage the crisis of COVID-19, are examples of current technologies that directly affect us. In this edition, Mobile Week invites us to learn, debate and reflect on these technologies so that they are better known and, above all, to take into account their impact on society.
The mayor of VNG, Olga Arnau, claimed during the presentation of the program held on June 7, the role of cities like Vilanova i la Geltrú in the construction of the future. For the mayor, “it is an unbeatable opportunity to vindicate the role and participation of the cities of Catalonia in projects related to the country, technology, innovation and social welfare.” For her part, the Councilor for Innovation, Conxi Martínez, emphasized the will of the activities to bring “technology closer to the citizens, to everyday use, how we give it this value, this utility” . Martínez also explained that the theme of the three days held at VNG coincides with “The strategic lines we have as a city: one is a clear commitment in the field of health, the other is in the media and, the last, linked to the promotion of new job and business opportunities from the deployment of disruptive technologies ”.
Ethics, technology and the future of social and health care
The day of June 15, ‘Your caregiver will be a robot. Ethics, technology and the future of social and health care‘, focused on the future of the field of health and the impact of technology on health care. The keynote speech was given by Josuè Sallent, director of the Fundació TIC Salut Social, who highlighted “The importance of identifying challenges, defining principles of action, which allows the deployment of a shared vision, through transformative tools such as technology, and all this with the active participation of social agents.” After the opening presentation, a round table was held on ethics, digital technology and health, which mainly focused on the importance of involving social agents as well as keeping in mind the social impact of the deployment of technology. . The debate was moderated by Jordi Romero-Lengua, from Neàpolis, and included, in addition to Josuè Sallent, Marta Díaz (professor and researcher specializing in human-robot interaction at the UPC – BarcelonaTech), Oriol Huguet (doctor family and community, director of the CAPI Baix a Mar), Antònia Tamayo (head of the Garraf Delegation at the Friends of the Elderly Private Foundation) and Núria Vallès-Peris (sociologist with a doctorate in ethics and robotics and professor at the UB and UOC).
This first day was complemented by a workshop with the two start-ups that are participating in the acceleration bootcamp organized by Neàpolis within the entrepreneurial support program in the framework of the PECT Garraf of Active and Healthy Aging, and Dependence , and which has the dynamism of Tandenn . In this workshop, two technological solutions were presented that respond to the socio-sanitary challenges identified in the Living lab of health and well-being in Neàpolis through the participation of professionals in the social and health field. One of the solutions focuses on the optimization through artificial intelligence of waiting lists to access health care and the other on the creation of an educational platform to promote comprehensive health.
The audiovisual media revolution
The session was organized on June 16 ‘Beyond the screen. The audiovisual media revolution‘, where Eva Domínguez, the expert in immersive narratives, gave a presentation on the future of the media and how disruptive technologies are revolutionizing the audiovisual media, highlighting ” the role of immersive narratives as a disruptive element “.
After the presentation, a round table was organized moderated by David Vilella, joined by Sergi Fernández (Director of the Internet and Media Area of the i2Cat Foundation), Patricia M. Val (partner & executive producer at Futura Space) and Marc Sansa (director of the CCMA). The debate focused on the challenges facing the media and the opportunities that open up with the incorporation of immersive technologies.
Innovation, digital transformation of work and new opportunities for the city
The third day was held on June 21 and was titled ‘ And now, what do I work on? ‘. Marc Navarro, Coworking Consultant, began with a reflection on the future of work, where it affects the type of work (Work), the way of establishing labor relations (Workforce) and, above all, the transformation of jobs Workplace).
The subsequent roundtable dealt with the digital transformation of work and opened the debate on new economic opportunities for the city of technological innovation. Miquel Àngel Mora (entrepreneur co-founder of several startups and member of Tandenn), Rosa Paradell (director of innovation business development at i2Cat), Artur Serra (deputy director and director of the Foundation’s Digital Social Innovation research group) took part. i2Cat) and Olivia Paton (Head of the Office of Europe and International Strategy of the Barcelona Provincial Council). The moderation was given by Jordi Romero-Lengua, from Neàpolis.
Activities to bring technology closer to the public
In addition to the days, the Mweek at VNG also offered other activities. The Opendays , they allowed test the virtual and analog reality games that are being designed within the Medgaims project , and the Family days offered three workshops: a first of repair of toys with 3D printers with Funlab; another envelope robotics and breastfeeding with Tecnolab; and one last workshop to build a CO2 meter with Tecnotrack and Aireamos.
