We love the TransTech Conference, held every fall in the San Francisco Bay Area. See our coverage of this pivotal event from last year, which also has a great video which summarizes the experience.
TransTech is essentially short for Transformative Technologies, which are medically and scientifically validated technologies that support mental health, well-being and thriving. They hold a few different gatherings a year and offer a four month immersive course — their initiatives and efforts are all about connecting and inspiring a global community in order to stimulate the development of scalable transformative technologies.
Dr. Jeffery A. Martin & Nichol Bradford on stage on Day 2.
Behind TransTech is Nichol Bradford and Dr. Jeffery A. Martin.
Nichol, who has always been interested in how technology can help individuals expand beyond their perceived limits to develop and transform themselves to the highest level is the CEO of the Willow Group which is focused on employing rigorous scientific research to develop training protocols, hardware and software that can produce a reliable and positive change in the human experience.
Jeffery is a social scientist who researches personal transformation and the states of greatest human well-being. He has been working to catalyze the space by bringing together makers, scientists and other researchers, engineers, entrepreneurs, companies, educational institutions, non-profits and NGO’s, public policy experts, and investors and is a co-founder of the first academic lab dedicated to TransTech.
The nexus point for Transformative Technology for the academic, industry, and public sectors. And, the Lab supports basic research, community and provides resources for entrepreneurs.
Enter TransTech 2018
The event targets executives, entrepreneurs, investors, designers, engineers, scientists and students and serves as a great place to get a global snapshot on the trends, tech, companies, and scientific advances that are the driving force in moving human flourishing forward. They shared the most advanced research from the people who are pioneering it and on-site, there are experiential activities as well as insightful talks on the main stage.
Over the last several years, there have been major advances in science and technology that reveal even more of the human mind, body, and how it can interface to broader society and the world in ways that help all of us to thrive. That said, we have seen examples of where technology can have less desirable consequences on the social fabric and human connection. Here, the dialogue is on building technology that truly supports human flourishing and exponential well-being.
MindBalance offered complimentary NeurOptimal sessions which aim to improve mental clarity, focus, concentration, and sleep. NeurOptimal is a cutting edge neurofeedback system, a safe, natural brain training system that allows your brain to regulate itself more efficiently.
Spire’s Co-Founder and CEO Jonathan Palley talked about RPM and Reimbursement for TransTech Devices on the main stage.
Inspired by the life and work of Patch Adams, Berk Ilhan created and showed Smile Mirror on-site at TransTech this year. His passion is creating products which give joy. Learning from the numerous studies and research on Positive Psychology, and specifically that smiling elevates your mood and reduces stress, this interactive mirror encourages people to connect and engage with their reflections, as they are smiling. Smile Mirror is an emotionally smart mirror that is unlocked with the power of a smile.
TRIPP was on-site doing demos. They see themselves as mood architects’ first and foremost, combining game making with emerging mindfulness research to deliver software capable of affecting you in deeply positive, and highly targeted ways that take you well beyond “fun.”n.”
Dr. Juan Acosta-Urquidi, Ph.D. and Renee Blodgett
People look onto the main stage at the closing ceremony
Some of the speakers included Dr. Bashar Badran, Founder of Bodhi NeuroTech, Chief Scientist of Singularity.net Dr. Ben Goertzel, who is using distributed AI and Blockchain for TransTech, Dr. Deborah Rozman, CEO of HeartMath and Dr. Poppy Crum, Chief Chief Scientist at Dolby Laboratories.
We also heard from co-founder and CEO of High Fidelity’s Philip Rosedale who does AR/VR and the Social Emotional Connection, Dr. Pablo Paredes who is working on Human Computer Interaction with a focus on Behavior Change, Oura Ring’s Harpreet Singh Rai who is working on wearables for sleep and psychological well-being, Joe Hudson, of One Earth Capital and Consciousness Hacking founder Mikey Siegel.
There was also sound 
and music designer Laura Inserra who is working on tech powered acoustic sound installations, Geoff Graber of Evolution, Scott Nelson of Human Data Commons, Maya Zuckerman of IEEE, mindfulness educator Sarah Cruse, Gyatso Rinpoche of Compassionate Love Fundation (Ci’ai Jijin), as well as Motivo’s Rachel McCrickard Amber SoulFie, a Planetary Harmonics Architect & Engineer among many more designers, technologists, investors and creators.
There were also break-out sessions led covering various topics in the main room as well as experiential activities at booths as well.
Break-out sessions above and below.
Observing and experiencing the powerful energy of a fossilized stromatolite from Western Australia, known to provide records and information of the oldest known life on Earth which Dr. Bruce Damer brought to the conference. Lichen stromatolites are billions of years old formed above water, where rock meets air, by repeated colonization of the rock by endolithic lichens.
They even had music with a digital edge. If you want to be at the crossroads and leading edge of where tech meets consciousness and humanity, TransTech is a must attend.
Provocative Composer & Performing Artist Christen Lien, took attendees on a Tech Infused Sound Journey in the main room.
The end of the conference, they did a recap during what they call a closing circle, a tradition they do every year.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
