Prof. Peter-Paul Verbeek, chair of the conference, is professor of philosophy of technology and chair of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Twente. Prof. Verbeek’s research focuses on the social and cultural roles of technology and the ethical and anthropological aspects of human-technology relations. Twitter @ppverbeek

Dr André Kuipers is a physician and ESA astronaut. He has flown two space missions, the first in 2004 and the second in 2009. Dr Kuipers is skilled in capturing the audience’s attention by drawing from his unique experience and know-how.  He is well known for advocating the use of technologies to preserve our planet. Twitter @astro_andre 

Prof. Kent Larson heads the Media Lab's Changing Places group. Since 1998, he has also directed the MIT House and Research Consortium in the School of Architecture and Planning. His research currently focuses on four interrelated fields: responsive urban housing, new urban vehicles, ubiquitous technologies, and living lab experiments. Twitter @Larson_MIT

Green, lean and smart: a bright future for city life (pdf, 15Mb)

Prof. Jaap Seidell is a professor of nutrition and health and Director of the Department of Health Sciences at the University of Amsterdam.  He is an eminent researcher whose expertise spans diet, healthy nutrition and the causes and effects of overweight and obesity. Twitter @JaapSeidell 

How technology will help us with choices and preparation of healthy food (pdf, 14Mb)

Prof. Bryant Walker Smith is assistant professor at the University of South Carolina. He is an internationally recognised expert on the law of self-driving vehicles. Mr Smith gave the first-ever course on this subject and is regularly consulted by government, industry, and media. Twitter @bwalkersmith

Autonomous driving: a leering dot on the horizon with a challenging pathway ahead (pdf, 10Mb)

Prof. Carlota Perez is a researcher, lecturer and international consultant, specialising in the social and economic impact of technological change and in the historically changing conditions for growth, development and competitiveness. She is well-known for her critical analyses and perspectives on future developments, using history as a guiding instrument.

Technological revolutions and the impact on society  (PDF, 0.5Mb)