Tech+ 2011 Brings Together
20 Global Innovative Leaders

Forum takes places at the Kyunghee University Grand Peace Palace with a new format

Tech+ 2011, an opportunity to get a glimpse into the direction of future technology, attracted roughly 7,000 spectators during a two-day run at Kyunghee University on Nov. 9-10.
Twenty foreign and Korean innovative leaders lectured at the forum, held under the theme "Communicate and Me, technology@me." Tech+ has been dubbed the Korean version of TED, a nonprofit conference devoted to "ideas worth spreading." It attracted much attention from spectators and reporters.
The forum took place at the Grand Peace Palace, a place specialized for cultural performances, in an easy and interesting atmosphere catering to the whole family, with a new format for formality and substance, departing from the rigid, dry formats of its previous years. The participants came from a wide spectrum of society, ranging from foreign and Korean experts to the general public, including college students, office workers and families.
At the epilogue of "technology@me" on Nov. 10, Kim Yong-geun, president of Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) spoke on the topic "Creation and Convergence: a New Paradigm Guide." He presented five suggestions for creating technology, emotion, and culture as a guideline for Korea's future industries: reinterpreting analog and establishing a 'five senses lab'; setting up an 'emotion lab,' an encounter of technology and emotion; creating an industrial space for sharing culture and art; letting one company support one arts and culture event; and nurturing big-name brands, combining tradition and advanced technology.
On Nov. 9, Minister of the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE) Choi Joong-kyung delivered a keynote speech titled "R&D 36.5 Degree C Technology Strategy: Technology with Heart." MKE Minister Choi stressed a shift in the government's R&D paradigm calling for the development of technology for the underprivileged and for the convenience of the general public.
W. Brian Arthur, external faculty member of the Santa Fe Institute and a Coopers & Lybrand Fellow, gave a keynote speech titled "Technological Advancement Prophesier." Arthur, the author of "The Nature of Technology," proved that complexity exists in economy through the technology casino theory and increasing returns of scale, and analyzed the effect of technology on economy in the high-tech industry.
The logic of technological development, where the law of speed and range has ruled, has confronted a limit from the aspect of substantiality and care for humanity. Tech+ handled a new policy agenda to build a future based on an understanding of humans and a new technology paradigm. The forum was designed to serve as a catalyst to aggressively pursue convergence by inviting experts in each field and sharing and disseminating new knowledge.
A masterpiece cannot be created in an environment where speed of competition matters. Industrial technology-created masterpieces have been developed as an integrated form of analog and digital as high technology combines with the traditional sensibility of the analog generation.
Brand technologies/industries were addressed at the session themed "Tradition Meets High-Tech." The speakers included Ken Ishiwata, ambassador for Marantz Brand, who gave a lecture titled "Sound Maestro Creating Works of Art through Technology"; Prof. Moon Ssang-hoo of Sungkyungkwan University, who gave a speech titled "Tradition Meets High-Tech: Natural Dye Master"; and Prosper Assouline, chairperson of ASSOULINE Publishing and ASSOULINE Creative, who lectured about "Magical Hands Creating Prestige DNA."
Ishiwata, the most influential personality in today's high-end audio industry as a sound maestro, spoke about technological and emotional aspirations based on enthusiasm for music and brand technology in the course of the development of high-end audio brands. Prof. Moon, who was a researcher at Korea Royal Costume Research Institute, is a natural dye master/pioneer who spreads environmentally-friendly dye technology through a number of exhibitions. Assouline published the best-selling book, "Bright Young Things" and is the recipient of a Fashion Oracle Award.
In the session themed "Technology of Sensibility (Amazement)," Prof. Jean Poulot, of Konkuk University gave a speech titled "Sand Animator Giving Life to Earth"; Kim Jin-song, publishing planner and art critic/curator, spoke about the "Wooden Doll Storyteller"; and Prof. James Powderly of Hongik University gave a lecture titled "New Media Artist from Mars."
Poulot, a cinematographer and sand painter, won the Academy Award for Best Soundtrack and Emmy Award for his TV Special. Kim, a critic/craftsman, is the author of "Imaginary Wood Workshop." Powderly is an artist/engineer whose work has focused on creating tools for graffiti artists and political activists, designing robots, and promoting open source culture. He once served as a NASA collaborator for developing the Mars Exploration Rover's rock abrasion tool.
In the session themed "Technology of Creative Space" on day two, Richard Florida, senior editor of U.S. magazine The Atlantic, spoke on "Theorist Revealing the Secrets of Economy and Metropolis"; and Lee Jung·myon, CEO at BAUM Architects, gave a speech titled "Designer of the Tower of Babel Dream."
In the session themed "Power of Social Network (Social Technology)," Wang Ge, assistant professor at Stanford University, touched on "The Brilliant Connecting the World and Digital Imagination"; Jay Lee, senior vice president at SK Planet, gave a lecture titled "Future Strategist of Social Platform Changing at the Speed of Light"; and Namgoong Yoon, creative director and executive director at Social Media Advertisement Company, spoke about the "High-tech Creator of Social Media."
Wang is the creator of the Princeton Laptop Orchestra, Stanford's Mobile Phone Orchestra, and the iPhone ocarina, as well as co-founder and chief technology officer at Smule. Namgoong served as the director of Korea Night at the 2010 Davos Forum and the Korean-ASEAN Summit meeting.
In the session themed "Advent of Tech+ Leader," Jay Elliot, former senior vice president of Apple, gave a speech titled "The Leader Who Helped Shape the Current Success of Apple." Elliot, the author of the book "The Steve Jobs Way: iLeadership for a New Generation," was one of the Apple executives along with Jobs charged with the American company's overall management, including product development, manpower, corporate culture, and branding. His lecture gave the audience an opportunity to peek into Jobs' management philosophy.
Wang Zhong Qui, the author of "The Power of Detail," lectured about "The Power of Detail, Management Mentor." He is the CEO at Beijing WangZhongQui Detail Consulting Institute.
Yang Woong-chul, vice chairman at Hyundai Motor Group R&D Division, gave a lecture titled "Pioneer of Industrial Convergence: Automobile and IT." He is a pioneer of hybrid technology as chief technology officer (CTO).
Detailed information about Tech+ 2011 speakers' PPT, video, and audio materials were made available via iPhone and Android apps.
KIAT plans to contain in the forthcoming R&D policy recommendation report the knowledge and information those in the domestic R&D, industry and design fields, as well as college students and graduates, exchanged via social network services such as Twitter, Facebook and Naver blogs.
Tech+ 2011 was hosted and organized by the MKE and KIAT under the slogan "Ideas Change the World."
The international forum was designed to raise the general public's awareness toward the exchange and spread of ideas. Innovative leaders from various fields shared their knowledge and presented new development strategies for the industrial ecosystem, organizers said. Since its inception in 2009, it has been a knowledge forum for all those seeking creative inspiration by combining technology with economy, culture and humanistic aspects.
Tech+, a combination of the initials of technology, economy, culture, and human, symbolizes the creation of new ideas going beyond boundaries and transforming the world. nw

Minister of Knowledge Economy Choi Joong-kyung delivers a keynote speech at Tech+ 2011 at Kyunghee University in Seoul on Nov. 9. VIPs on hand at Tech+ 2011 pose for a group photo.; Kim Yong-geun, president of Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) gives a lecture on the topic Creation and Convergence: a New Paradigm Guide. Photos on courtesy of KIAT

(counterclockwise, from right) Jay Elliot, former vice president of Apple, speaks of The Leader who Helped Shape the Current Success of Apple.; W. Brian Arthur, external faculty member of the Santa Fe Institute, gives a keynote speech at the forum,; and Tech+ 2011 attracts a big audience.