Ian Pearson graduated in 1981 in Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics from Queens University, Belfast. He spent four years in Shorts Missile Systems, in many different disciplines from mechanical engineering to battlefield strategy simulation. He joined BT Laboratories in 1985 for 22 years as a performance analyst and futurologist for the last decade before leaving and setting up Futurizon. As a futurologist he was tracking and predicting new developments throughout information technology, considering both technological and social implications. He now does exactly the same things for Futurizon, a startup futures institute. He now concentrates on mapping the progress of new developments throughout information technology, considering both technological and social implications. In between conferences, current projects include machine consciousness, social trends and advanced computing technology. As a futurologist and consultant, he lectures widely on his futures views. Ian specialises in explaining the impacts of sometimes complex technology to ordinary people and non-techy executives. He has received many awards for his papers, written several books and has made well over 300 TV and radio appearances. He is a fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science, the Royal Society of Arts and the Institute of Nanotechnology.