Where is the future today?

This question underlies Distributed Futures’ goal to improve society’s understanding and use of technology over the long-term. Distributed Futures treats William Gibson’s quote earnestly, “The future is already here – it's just not evenly distributed."

Date	Association	Title	Speaker(s)	Affiliation	Details

Distributed Futures is dedicated to exploring new technologies. The programme has ranged widely over smart ledger (aka blockchain) technology, quantum computing, space, machine-learning (AI), materials science, fabrics, psychology, construction, maritime, healthcare, and other places where technology & economics intersect.

Research

Our research is structured around four themes:

Society
Technology
Economics
Politics

Directed at four outcomes:

Expanding frontiers
Changing systems
Delivering services
Building communities

Related Projects

MetroGnomo – an open-source experimental timestamping service based on Z/Yen's ChainZy mutual distributed ledger technology. MetroGnomo’s replicated authoritative immutable ledger improves coordination, cooperation, integration and dispute resolution between firms through the provision of impartial timing information and unique universal identifiers. More Information...
IntereXchainZ: building on the successful InterChainZ project, IntereXchainZ extends mutual distributed ledgers to build a functioning marketplace.
Distributed Futures Forum - a forum for senior people to meet and network with a group of their peers four times a year and share intelligence on mutual distributed ledgers, cyrptocurrencies, blockchains, FinTech, RegTech, and other interesting topics where disruptive technology meets finance.
The Impact and Potential of Blockchain on the Securities Transaction Lifecycle - there is considerable interest in the potential use of ‘blockchain’ in the settlement of securities transactions. Proponents argue that the use of cryptographic security tools to create blockchains (sequential, digitally signed and validated records of ownership) can allow almost instantaneous post-trade delivery against payment (DVP), thus radically simplifying post-trade processing and substantially reducing both costs and operational and liquidity risks. The SWIFT Institute has commissioned Professor Michael Mainelli & Professor Alistair Milne, Loughborough University School of Business and Economics, to examine the impact and potential of blockchains and mutual distributed ledgers on the lifecycle of securities transactions. More information...

Historic Projects

InterChainZ - a new research consortium collaborated between July and October 2015 to look into potential uses for distributed ledgers in a number of financial services.
Chain of A Lifetime: How Blockchain Technology Might Transform Personal Insurance - a research project carried out between August and December 2014 which explored how blockchain technology might transform personal insurance and in particular interactions among individuals and insurance companies over time.