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Hello, and welcome to the HORIZON weekly newsletter. Particularly warm greetings to our many new subscribers - please do forward this on to colleagues and connections in your network who would also enjoy the insights.
Below you will find some hand-picked fresh thought-leadership content, giving you an overview of recent developments, topical innovations, and what we're seeing and hearing out there towards the digital frontier.
Wishing you a very Happy New Year - all the best for 2025 and, of course, beyond! Thank you for reading and being a part of the HORIZON community.
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Recent articles
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Do you have the skills to anticipate what comes next for the future of your business?
Beyond question, much will change in 2025: what comes next is not the same as what becomes before.
Uncertain times call for unconventional strategies; if there is chaos then you naturally crave clarity.
Act now to shift your thinking.
"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." (Andy Warhol).
Having a budget and set of projects for the year is NOT applying resources focused on the future.
Foresight about the future is a mixture of inspiration and insight - specifically tailored to your organisation.
We work with global brands to build pragmatic, robust, and sustainable strategy - actionable for success....whatever the future may hold.
Bring Future Horizon in to speak at your 2025 kick-off for staff, customers, or prospects - to energetically tell compelling stories of tomorrow, bringing optimistic fresh perspective on what might come next.
For brave firms there is also the option of having a more provocative outside-in alternative hypothesis at your event.
We have some slots available for Q1 engagement - drop us a line now by replying directly to this Email.
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What does where you live sound like - what would be the first three audio descriptions of your locale?
Example: construction noise, native birds, and kids playing in the swimming pool are soundscape elements which allow you to visualise vividly.
People experience the world through multiple senses simultaneously, contributing to our sense of place.
Human sense of place is informed by dimensions such as tactile sensations, or smell - but the key drivers are visual cues and the accompanying auditory environment.
Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI), a team of researchers at The University of Texas at Austin has converted sounds from audio recordings into street-view images.
The uncanny visual accuracy of these generated images demonstrates that algorithms can replicate human connection between audio and visual perception of environments.
Though there are already Gen AI systems that generate sound effects to match silent images of places, this experimental new technology does just the opposite.
The "Soundscape-to-Image Diffusion Model" was trained on a dataset of 10-second audio-visual clips from a variety of urban and rural streetscapes in North America, Asia, and Europe.
The team then compared AI sound-to-image creations made from 100 audio clips to their respective real-world photos, using both human and computer evaluations.
Computer evaluations compared the relative proportions of greenery, building and sky between source and generated images.
The results showed strong correlations in the proportions of sky and greenery between generated and real-world images and a slightly lesser correlation in building proportions (see pic).
Human judges were asked to correctly match one of three generated images to an audio sample - they averaged 80% accuracy.
As well as approximating the proportions of sky, greenery and buildings, the generated images often maintained the architectural styles and distances between objects of their real-world image counterparts.
In addition there was accurate reflections of whether soundscapes were recorded during sunny, cloudy or nighttime lighting conditions.
Though perhaps subtle, the auditory dimension may significantly influence our emotional responses, evoking a wide range of feelings from serenity to dissonance.
We perhaps don't consciously consider how, for example, the chirping of nocturnal insects could reveal time of day.
Although the technology could have future applications such as getting an approximate forensic idea of where an audio recording was made, the study is aimed more at exploring how sound contributes to our sense of place.
"The results may enhance our knowledge of the impacts of visual and auditory perceptions on human mental health, may guide urban design practices for place-making, and may improve the overall quality of life in communities" the scientists state.
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With much of the Northern Hemisphere being in the depths of winter, what's surely needed in the future is electric...wallpaper.
The NexGen Carbon Zero paper contains thin strips of copper and graphene that, when powered, release far infrared radiation (just like the sun).
This radiation can potentially begin to warm the room within three minutes of being powered on.
The system has 3 layers, combining insulated backing, the heating element plus a top layer of water resistant and fireproof Class A and B paper.
The "wallpaper" is technically installed on the ceiling - but "electric ceiling paper" simply isn't as snappy.
Applied to large ceiling surfaces, it ensures uniformed warmth throughout the room, eliminating heat spots common in traditional heating systems.
The system operates on ultra-low voltage power and has a low surface temperature, making it extremely safe to use (reducing the risk of accidental burns or overheating).
Additionally, the low voltage contributes to its energy efficiency, helping to lower energy costs and reduce environmental impact - it plugs into standard electricity and requires no piping.
It's not strictly true that heat rises; hot air rises (it becomes lighter when heated).
With its infrared nanotechnology NexGen warms mass, not air, directly heating objects around your home (1/3 more energy is required to heat a room using conventional convection heat).
Fixtures and fittings hold on to that heat, becoming 360 degree radiators themselves - continuing to radiate heat into the room even when the electric wallpaper is off.
This infrared approach to heating a room is thus less prone to losing heat from draughts and gaps in insulation.
It may also create less mildew or mould than traditional heating systems, and improve air quality in homes.
NexGen is being piloted in 12 tenement properties in Glasgow to assess its effectiveness as a clean heat source.
Scotland’s homes are among the oldest in the world and the worst insulated in Europe, which contributes to their high carbon footprint.
Heating buildings is a major contributor to carbon emissions in Scotland and across the UK, accounting for more than 36% of total emissions.
The average Scottish home loses heat 3x faster than homes in many European countries, and gas central heating – which relies on fossil fuels – is the most common heating system.
Should the eco-friendly heat source prove to be popular and affordable at scale, it could form part of the solution towards a greener way of warming buildings when cold arrives.
Whilst it may reduce bills and does not rely on fossil fuels directly, two key challenges remain: what is the source of the electricity that powers it, and it also does not address the key issue of poor insulation letting heat escape.
Nevertheless, a safe, comfortable, sustainable, affordable and green heating experience could be future hot stuff.
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Thank-you for reading and being part of our community - we trust you find these original pieces on emerging technology and digital innovation useful, valuable, and thought-provoking as we bridge the gap between today and what future tech might bring tomorrow in Plain English.
When you're ready, contact us to discuss how we can deliver independent, objective, and unbiased strategic foresight around the implications of emerging technologies for your organisation -
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Think broad.
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As ever, we welcome all forms of feedback: compliments as well as constructive criticism! If there are particular topics you want to see more - or less - of, please let us know. You can reach us at horizon-weekly@futurehorizon.digital
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