Techshare Europe 2015:
A Connected World
10-11 September 2015
Glasgow Science Centre, Glasgow
Techshare Europe 2015 returns to the Glasgow Science Centre for the 4th
consecutive year on 10-11 September 2015 in association with our lead
technology partner, Google!
Building on the success of previous years the conference has attracted a wide
range of international speakers and influential experts. Featuring the latest
developments and innovations, the conference will promote discussion and
debate and focus on wearable technology, mainstream meets specialist
provision and digital access and engagement in our increasingly connected
world.
For full details and booking go to www.rnib.org.uk/techshare-europe
Scottish Institute for Enterprise
University Ideas Lab!
We are delighted to announce that this year, in partnership with the Scottish
Institute for Enterprise we will be welcoming teams of student innovators to
take part in an innovation and entrepreneurial learning experience. Students
will attend from Duncan of Jordanstone, Glasgow Caledonian University,
Napier University, Glasgow School of Art, Abertay University and Edinburgh
College. The teams will be presented with a range of challenges facing blind
and partially sighted people and will pitch their solutions at the end of the
event.
www.rnib.org.uk/Techshare-Europe
#Techshare15
Conference Programme – subject to change
Insight Radio, the radio station of RNIB, will record all conference sessions
and make them available to download at www.insightradio.co.uk
Day 1: Thursday 10 September
12.45
Registration and coffee
Fringe activities
Please see the end of the programme for details – open throughout
all conference breaks
14.00
Session 1: Wearable Technology
IMAX Auditorium
Chair: John Legg, Director, RNIB Scotland
14.00
Introduction
John Legg, Director, RNIB Scotland
14.10
Smart Glasses - a users perspective
Dr Stephen Hicks, Research Fellow, Oxford University
Stacy Rowe, Accessibility Development Executive, RNIB Solutions
14.30
Smart Shoes
Krispian C. Lawrence, Co-Founder and CEO, Ducere Technologies
14.45
ABBI: Audio Bracelet
Prof Stephen Brewster, Professor of Human-Computer Interactions
(Computing Science), University of Glasgow
15.00
Smart lens technology
Jonathon Bench, Head of Professional Affairs, Alcon
15.15
Apple Watch accessibility
Sarah Herrlinger, Senior Product Manager, Apple Inc.
15.35
Coffee
The Atrium / Clyde Suite
www.rnib.org.uk/Techshare-Europe
#Techshare15
16.15
Session 2: Mainstreaming accessibility
IMAX Auditorium
Chair: Ellie Southwood, Vice Chair, RNIB Group
16.20
what3words
Tim Williams, Commercial Director, what3words
16.35
Cities Unlocked – Realising the Potential of People and Places
16.45
Developing an accessible Talking TV
Richard Moreton, Manager Business Development and Industrial
Affairs, Samsung Electronics
17.00
Mainstreaming Audio Description
Steve Tyler, Head of Solutions, Strategy and Planning and Robin
Spinks, Senior Manager - Digital Accessibility Consultancy, RNIB
Solutions
17.10
BLITAB
Slavi Slavev, Co-founder, BLITAB Technology Ltd
17.20
Developing community access
Chris Yiu, Director of Digital Participation, Scottish Council for
Voluntary Organisations
17.40
Google Fireside Chat: Mainstream meets Specialist Provision
Convenor: Ellie Southwood, Vice Chair, RNIB Group
Kiran Kaja, Technical Program Manager, Google
Steve Bennett, Sales Director, Dolphin
Neil Heslop, Managing Director, RNIB Solutions
Thibault Péant, Chief Commercial Officer, Claria
Matthew Clark, Haggeye
18.15
Session close
www.rnib.org.uk/Techshare-Europe
#Techshare15
18.30
Civic Reception, hosted by Glasgow City Council
The Atrium
19.15
Networking Dinner
The Atrium
 Lesley-Anne Alexander, Chief Executive, RNIB
 Sandra Wilson, Chair, RNIB Scotland
 Mike May, President & CEO, Sendero Group
Day 2: Friday 11 September
09.30
Registration and coffee
Fringe activities
Please see the end of the programme for details – open
throughout all conference breaks
10.00
Session 3: Accessing a connected world
IMAX Auditorium
Chair: Kevin Carey, Chair RNIB
10.00
Welcome and introduction
Kevin Carey, Chair RNIB
10.10
Keynote Address - Goggle Impact Challenge:
Disabilities
Nick Cain, Program Manager, Google.org
10.30
Accessibility in Europe
Catherine Stihler MEP, Vice Chair of the Internal Market and
Consumer Protection Committee.
10.50
Connecting Global Partnerships for maximum impact
Neil Heslop, Managing Director, RNIB Solutions
11.10
Big Lottery – Getting the UK Online Today
Jackie Killeen, Scotland Director, Big Lottery Fund
11.30
Coffee
The Atrium / Clyde Suite
www.rnib.org.uk/Techshare-Europe
#Techshare15
12.00
Session 4: Connected communities
IMAX Auditorium
Chair: Sandra Wilson, Chair, RNIB Scotland
12.00
Connecting Digital Health Initiatives
Justene Ewing, CEO, DHI Scotland
12.20
Navigating communities
Mike May, President & CEO, Sendero Group
12.40
Traveller Needs
Jamie Chan-Pensley, Principal Technologist, Catapult Transport
13.00
Lunch
The Atrium / Clyde Suite
14.00
Session 5: Living in a Connected World
IMAX Auditorium
Chair: Gary O'Donoghue, BBC Washington Correspondent
14.00
Braille in a digital world
Gary O'Donoghue, BBC Washington Correspondent
14.15
Tomorrow's Connected World
Dan Hubble, Senior Program Manager, Microsoft
14.35
Tools for living in a connected world: showcase
 Gavin Neate, Neatebox
 Paul Warner, VICT Consultancy
 John Worsfold, RNIB Solutions
 Additional contributors TBC
15.15
Scottish Institute for Enterprise Ideas Lab: Feedback session
Ann Davidson, Enterprise Programme Director, Scottish Institute
for Enterprise
Student participants
15.45
Closing Remarks
Gary O'Donoghue, BBC Washington Correspondent
15.50
Session close
www.rnib.org.uk/Techshare-Europe
#Techshare15
Fringe Activities
All Fringe Activities will run throughout all conference breaks, concluding at the
end of lunch on Friday 11 September, unless otherwise specified.
1. Marketplace and Tech Try
Science Walk / the Atrium
 Visit our exhibitors and find out what they have to offer.
 Experience the gadgets featured at the conference for yourself.
2. Online Today
The Boardroom / Tech Try
 Online Today aims to give you the information and knowledge to realise
and enjoy the benefits of being online, understand how it can assist your
everyday living and importantly, how to stay safe online. Through home
visits, events, one-to-one and group sessions you will find how easy it is to
gain the basic skills and confidence to use technology.
 RNIB's Online Today team will be running group sessions alongside the
conference (not suitable for delegates as during plenary sessions) and will
also have an exhibition stand in the Tech Try area where delegates can find
out more about the project, register for future sessions or discuss any
technical issues you may have in getting Online Today!
3. Haggeye’s simulation booth
The Science Walk
 Open to delegates and members of the public throughout the conference.
4. Exhibition: History of Braille machines
The Science Walk
 Open to delegates and members of the public throughout the conference.
5. SIE Ideas Lab - student challenge
The Egg and the Boardroom
 Running from 09.30 on 10 September teams of students will hear from a
programme of assistive technology experts and focus groups of blind and
partially sighted people. The students will circulate during conference
breaks and delegates are welcome to ‘drop in’ and act as a sounding board
for the students’ ideas which will be developed over the course of the
conference. The student teams will pitch to delegates during the final
conference session.
www.rnib.org.uk/Techshare-Europe
#Techshare15