Future tech, virtual reality, social robots coming to Brooklyn at Worlds Fair Nano

August 24, 2017 By Mary Frost Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Omni’s virtual reality treadmill is one of the high tech toys visitors will be able to try out at the upcoming Worlds Fair Nano, taking place at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint. Photo courtesy of Virtuix Omni

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Want to fly a drone, create art with movable sound cubes or try on a haptic suit?

A weekend of bleeding edge technology, futurist talks, interactive art and immersive experiences will be taking place at Worlds Fair Nano, at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint on Sept. 16 – 17.

Visitors will be able to touch and play with future tech at a “Technology Playground,” immerse themselves into virtual reality, see bionic boots that allow a person to run at 25 mph, eat future food (hint: crickets are going to be big) or race around a mega track on an electric skateboard, to name just a few options.

The event’s speaker series includes more than 45 recognized experts, talking on such topics as the future of work, artificially intelligent people, the ethics of bioengineering, the future of dating and the future of location data.

One of the more intriguing expert speakers in the lineup is Bina48, one of the worlds most advanced social robots. Commissioned by Dr. Martine Rothblatt and created by Hanson Robotics Inc., Bina48’s design was based on information collected about a real person, Bina Aspen, co-founder of the Terasem Movement. Bina48 is designed to be a social being that represents a mix of memories, values and beliefs from the original Bina along with new experiences gained through interaction with others. She first came to life in 2010 and has become famous since then.

A number of Brooklyn-based artists will be showcasing their work at the event as well. Some of them will be creating art live on the spot from a series of futuristic cues the curators will provide. Other art will be created by visitors, such as Aqueous, a giant “canvas” where participants can paint and splash light collaboratively. Sound Sculpture is a room-scale installation piece where people can conduct their own symphony.

Food options include food trucks, “future food,” live music, a beer garden and outdoor lounge.

For more details visit www.wfnano.com.