From the first pacemakers of the 1950s to cutting-edge brain and spinal cord stimulation, implantable medical devices have come a long way – but the real breakthroughs might still be ahead. In this episode of Off The Page, E&T’s Tim Fryer and Jack Loughran speak with Professor Nick Donaldson of University College London about the science, engineering, and ethics behind modern implants.

We explore how bioelectronic medicine could transform treatment for spinal injuries, chronic pain, mental illness, and inflammatory diseases – and why regulation, cost, and complexity still stand in the way. From restoring lost movement to the possibility of “programmable” implants for a range of conditions, we discuss what’s real, what’s next, and what it will take to bring these innovations to patients.

The pace of gaming innovation between the years 1990 and 2010 saw a drastic shift from 2d sprites moving linearly across flat landscapes to fully-realised 3D worlds presenting an almost limitless array of gameplay options.

But as development costs skyrocket and physical hardware reaches its limits, the question becomes: where does gaming go from here? Have we now entered an era of diminishing returns where AAA games cost more than your average Hollywood film only to deliver a set of experiences that are long familiar to seasoned gamers? Or do promising technologies like AI, virtual reality, 5G and ray tracing offer a glimpse into a future of possibilities that gamers can only imagine?

These are the topics discussed in this podcast with our special guest, Dr Mariza Dima. If you want to hear more from Mariza, she has her own podcast, Mixed Reality in Culture, that can be found here:

https://open.spotify.com/show/7m4PtmI26UaeabUUMLh8ph

The Smart City movement began when the enabling digital technology allowed a level of communication that made lives better for those living in the urban environment. But some of the impetus was lost as the technology was taken for granted. However, recent developments appear to be allowing more tangible progress now - our cities could be getting smarter again!