Plenary Speaker 7
David Wortley
Vice President
International Society of Digital Medicine
Topic: Global challenges and impact of disruptive digital technologies on HFE.

Abstract
In a world which has been described as an attention economy, creative and innovative consumer technologies have played a vital role in getting maximum attention/engagement and influencing the behaviors of target audiences. Influencing behavioral change is a critical factor in the adoption of /adaptation to disruptive new technologies and the future sustainability of socio-technological systems built around them. Today’s most serious global challenges in healthcare, environment, education, and warfare are examples of how digital technologies have disrupted traditional practices, leading to their breakdown or collapse as they are threatened by new processes, perceptions, tasks, devices, and environmental situations. These problems are inextricably linked to human factors and a failure to recognize, respond to and/or harness the power of human/computer collaboration.
Public healthcare systems are an example of how the enabling technologies of IR4.0 have challenged existing clinical practices by empowering citizens with the technologies to manage their own health. Public health ecosystems are no longer fit for purpose, using bespoke technologies and outdated systems which fail both citizens and healthcare professionals and act as a drain on public finances. Similar examples exist in education and industry.
HF/E disciplines and practices applied to socio-technological systems have been a driving force in the development and consumerization of disruptive technologies which are attractive, affordable, accessible, and aligned to the needs of the users, tasks, devices, and scenarios.
The key disruptive technologies driven by consumer demand are AI, cloud computing, sensors (IOT), machine learning, 5G, nanotechnologies and audio-visual technologies and applications. These disruptive technologies impact knowledge professionals, careers and consumers across every sector manifested by:
- Consumer/user empowerment
- Multidisciplinary collaboration
- Changes in roles, tasks, and employee profiles
- Barriers to innovation where the status quo is threatened
This presentation examines the impact of these disruptive technologies on healthcare, education and industrial systems using examples of wearable technologies, artificial intelligence, drones, virtual reality, smartphones and cloud computing. It compares the failures and problems in these sectors with examples of successful human/computer collaboration based on a holistic HFE approach to the challenges/opportunities of IR4.0
David Wortley (BSc, University of Birmingham, UK) is a VP of the International Society of Digital Medicine (ISDM). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Commerce and a global thought leader and innovator on enabling technologies for health, education, and the environment.
He is on the editorial board of the Digital Medicine Journal and the Founder of 360in360 Immersive Experiences. He is an Associate Member of the Royal Society of Medicine and a Visiting Fellow at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences at Bournemouth University.
As the Founding Director of the Serious Games Institute (SGI) at Coventry University, his team established an International Centre of Excellence for Applied Research and Innovation in the field of serious games and immersive technologies for a wide range of applications. His areas of special interest are technologies for preventative healthcare, collaboration, virtual reality, and interactive rich media knowledge sharing. He a professional virtual event facilitator, webinar host and publisher.
"HF/E disciplines and practices applied to socio-technological systems have been a driving force in the development and consumerization of disruptive technologies which are attractive, affordable, accessible, and aligned to the needs of the users, tasks, devices, and scenarios."
Conference speakers

Dr. Thiaga Rajan Palanivel
Minister for Finance and Human Resources
Tamil Nadu, India

Professor Sidney W.A. Dekker
Griffith University
Brisbane, Australia

Professor David C. Caple
La Trobe University
Melbourne, Australia

Dr. Sarita Dara
Civil Aviation Authority
New Zealand

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Professor Andrew Thatcher
University of the Witwatersrand
South Africa

David Wortley
ISDM
United Kingdom

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