Speakers
Elsa Wong
Past President
Rotary Club of Hong Kong North Point
(Hong Kong)
NEC Hong Kong
Benjamin dela Peña
(USA)
Shared Use Mobility Center
How Do You Make Technology for Good Happen?
Human-centered design and interventions | Technology and humanity | Accountability
This Fireside Chat gives participants a firsthand look at the complexities of deploying technology for good: from translating intention to impact to determine who benefits from technology and how. In presenting global examples, CEO of the Shared-Use Mobility Center Benjie de la Paz highlights the challenges of even defining ‘good’ and of understanding the effects of tech solutions — including unintended ones. Meanwhile, PP Elsa Wong of Hong Kong shares how NEC Corporation adopted a decisive approach: in leveraging tech for good, we should start with the vulnerable. NEC’s robotic caregiver has helped the elderly suffering from dementia and their caretakers. While the impact is measurable, it is clear that other stakeholders have equally important roles to play in addressing the needs of the aged vulnerable and that tech is not the end-all, be-all. Both speakers emphasize building a nuanced understanding of the human end-user and the problem a particular technology aims to solve, as we go back to the basic question: how do we even begin to deliver technology for good? Who takes on the responsibility and who should benefit? Is technology the solution for everything?
Moderator:
Colin Chau
Past President
Rotary Club of Hong Kong North Point
(Hong Kong)
