State-of-the-art technology will bring the Nobel Laureates’ stories to life. Through a new partnership, Microsoft’s technology will create ways for people to learn more about Alfred Nobel and engage in digital experiences related to the Laureates and their achievements. In recent years, the Nobel Foundation’s outreach activities have been focusing successfully on digital storytelling. This partnership between Microsoft and Nobel Media will add a new dimension to such efforts.
“Our goal is to reach out to a global audience with the inspiring stories of the Nobel Prize and to engage people in conversations about the major challenges of our times. We are very happy and proud of our partnership with Microsoft, which will not only provide state-of-the-art technology and valuable knowledge, but will also help us fulfil our mission to engage people around the world in discussing and addressing the challenges we face together,” says Mattias Fyrenius, CEO of Nobel Media.
In his last will and testament, Alfred Nobel articulated the vision that his prize should be awarded to those who “shall have conferred the greatest benefit to mankind”. For the first time ever, visitors to the 2015 Nobel Prize Series in Singapore will be able to explore this iconic document through a digital experience presenting the life of Alfred Nobel and the history of the Nobel Prize. By using Touch Art Gallery (TAG) technology on Microsoft touch screens, the visitor can translate the document, zoom in on images, get additional facts and stories and take interactive tours. This installation is the result of a collaboration with Brown University.
Microsoft will also help to develop new experiences for the Nobel Center in Stockholm, planned to open in 2019.
“The focus there will be on creativity, courage and conversations,” says Jeff Hansen, Microsoft Brand Studio general manager. “This will be a place that proves ideas can change the world. We’re also working with the global outreach programs of the Nobel Prize to ignite conversations with people around the world about the discoveries, works and achievements of Nobel Prize winners, whose stories can inspire them to seek knowledge, be curious and question what’s around them.”
The Nobel Week Dialogue, a full-day seminar each December 9 – the day before the Nobel Prize Award Ceremonies in Stockholm and Oslo – aims at engaging great minds from both science and society in world-changing conversations. It is an excellent example of the kind of meetings that will take place at the future Nobel Center. In this year’s Dialogue in Gothenburg, Sweden, the topic The Future of Intelligence will be discussed by Nobel Laureates, world-leading scientists, policy makers and opinion leaders, together with the other seminar participants. Big questions such as What is intelligence? And how will Artificial Intelligence change the world? will be explored by Nobel Laureates and other panellists, including Microsoft Research’s Harry Shum.