VAR
VAR – Very Accurate Referee or Very Annoying Referee.
Technological changes and advances are happening in all areas of life but perhaps one of the most controversial and talked about at the moment is happening in football. For the first time this season Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology has been introduced for all Premier League games. Relying previously on just goal-line technology, VAR goes even further with decisions such as offsides, handballs and off the ball fouls being assessed for an accurate decision. Whilst the decision to introduce the technology has been deemed controversial – the decisions it generates is actually anything but, as it is making sure the games and results are more accurate and taking away some of the controversy surrounding previous decisions.
As a lifelong football fan, my personal feeling at the moment is that it’s taking away the spontaneity of the game. However, it’s here to stay so I’m just going to have to get used to cheering passionately when my team score only to sink back in my seat a few minutes later when the goal is ruled out due to hand-ball (just ask any Man City fan for their thoughts on this particular scenario!)
Changes to the status quo in any industry can take a while to get used to, however updates to technology soon become the norm and we wonder how we ever lived without them. As I pondered my feelings surrounding VAR it got me thinking about some of the speakers we work with that have invented something that has changed the industry or field that they work in, and how in some cases, the changes they have made have now become accepted industry norms.
Chris Boardman – Chris Boardman is a gold medal-winning cyclist and co-founder of Boardman Bikes and a respected speaker on building a high-performance team and developing an innovation culture. Chris won gold at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 astride the infamous Lotus bike. Part of Chris’ success was the time he invested in cutting edge technology that would give him the most significant advantage over his competitors. The iconic image of the Lotus machine and pointy helmet became the benchmark for all cycling teams moving forward.
Marc Koska – Marc is an entrepreneur and keynote speaker who developed the revolutionary disposable syringe, the iconic K-1 syringe, the world’s first ‘auto-disable’ syringe for the curative market. It is believed his invention has helped to save more than 9 million lives and he has been awarded an OBE for his ‘Contribution to Global Healthcare.’ All injections given with a K1 syringe are sterile and safe. They protect the patient because the K1 syringe cannot be reused – it locks and breaks after one use. While the design of his ground-breaking syringe took three minutes, the actual process to get it produced and used took 17 years.
Laurence Kemball Cook – Laurence is the award-winning founder and CEO of Pavegen Systems, an innovative clean technology company, and keynote speaker on renewable energies and disruptive technologies. Pavegen is a flooring technology that instantly converts kinetic energy from footsteps into renewable off-grid energy. This technology has been used across the world and installed in over 150 projects in more than 30 countries. The Daily Telegraph has described him as a ‘boy genius’ while The Guardian says Pavegen is ‘shifting our perceptions of renewable energy.’
Similar speakers could include Dave Fishwick, who challenged the norm in the banking sector, Sir Tim Smit, who through the Eden Project has changed people’s views on sustainability and Martin McCourt, who was the former Chief Executive of Dyson.
For more information on these speakers or any questions please email us at enquiries@scampspeakers.co.uk