Artificial Intelligence
Materials
Net zero
Will the UK’s National Materials Innovation Strategy bridge the gap between research and real-world impact?
Reading time: 6 mins
A cosmic leap into the future: 6G demos and innovation at the Connected Futures Festival
From robotic snails and connected stadia to holographic displays and the metaverse – inside a planetarium, no less!
On 26 March, in Bristol, UK, the Connected Futures Festival 2025 will transform the We the Curious planetarium into a portal to the next era of connectivity, showcasing the most cutting-edge 6G technology demonstrations.
Imagine navigating a world where holographic humans interact in real-time, AI-driven cybernetic tortoises reimagine perception, and robotic creatures move at the speed of a wireless signal.
This isn’t science-fiction. It’s happening now.
Attendees will witness the following:
- Luma, the robotic snail: a nine-metre-long soft robot responding to real-time wireless network signals, letting you see and feel the impact of latency first-hand.
- Step inside a volumetric capture system: where you don’t just see holograms – you become one.
- The JOINERmobile: a mobile 6G testbed pushing the boundaries of next-gen network research.
- Inside the arena: a connected stadium model powered by high-speed private networks, offering a glimpse into the future of live entertainment.
- Reality emulators: where digital twins evolve in real-time inside a 360-degree LED immersive space.
- 6G and the metaverse collide: watch as digital environments shift before your eyes on cutting-edge holographic displays.
- Live experiments and talks: with some of the leading minds in AI, quantum computing, and sustainable digital infrastructure.
Set against the cosmic backdrop of a planetarium, this is where technology meets wonder.
Secure your place now: Connected Futures Festival 2025
Marc Ambasna-Jones / Editor-in-chief
Working as a technology journalist and writer since 1989, Marc has written for a wide range of titles on technology, business, education, politics and sustainability, with work appearing in The Guardian, The Register, New Statesman, Computer Weekly and many more.
