Menu

Search

Shane Saunderson

Shane Saunderson

Ph.D. Candidate, Robotics, University of Toronto
After sneaking away from a prairie farm, Shane spent his early career as an entrepreneur in North America and Europe focused on robotics and connected devices. He spent a decade as an innovation consultant for Fortune 500 clients, combining his technical knowledge with a natural knack for business strategy. Shane is a prolific writer on technology and frequently gives talks on Design Thinking, robotics, AI, and the future of technology in society. He is currently a co-founder of Babbly, an AI-powered infant tech start-up; a lecturer on digital transformation with the Schulich Executive Education Centre at York University; a researcher with the Human Futures Institute, a human-centric think tank; and the Chair of the Microsoft Canada Artificial Intelligence Partner Advisory Board (aiPAB). Shane is a Vanier scholar pursuing a PhD in Robotics at the University of Toronto, holds an MBA in Technology and Innovation from Ryerson University and a B. Eng. from McGill University.

A car called Keith: Why we give objects human characteristics

Mar 27, 2022 14:08 pm UTC| Technology

Why do we yell at our computer when it struggles to work? Why do some cars look like theyre smiling? Why does your guitar seem free-spirited? This is because of our innate human tendency for anthropomorphism: the...

1 

Economy

Asian Markets Hold Steady Ahead of Trump's Iran Deadline as Oil Tops $110

Asian equity markets traded within tight ranges on Tuesday as cautious investors stepped back from risk assets ahead of a critical U.S. deadline tied to the escalating Iran conflict. With President Donald Trump warning...

Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Trump's Iran Deadline Rattles Markets

Most Asian currencies and the U.S. dollar remained largely unchanged on Tuesday as global investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of President Donald Trumps looming deadline for potential military action against Iran....

Global LNG Exports Drop 4% in Q1 2026 as Qatar Shutdown Reshapes Energy Markets

Global liquefied natural gas exports declined 4% quarter-on-quarter in the first three months of 2026, falling to 115 million tonnes, as Qatars sudden terminal shutdown in March sent ripples across international energy...

ECB Warns of Rising Inflation Risks Amid Iran War Energy Shock

The European Central Bank faces mounting pressure to act decisively as inflation risks intensify across the euro zone. ECB Governing Council member Dimitar Radev has cautioned that price expectations could shift more...

Energy Prices and Dollar Climb as U.S.-Iran Conflict Grips Global Markets

The U.S. dollar remained close to recent highs on Tuesday as global markets braced for a critical deadline set by President Donald Trump, demanding Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping or face...

Politics

Russia Secretly Aids Iran With Satellite Intelligence and Cyber Support Across the Middle East

A Ukrainian intelligence assessment has revealed that Russian satellites conducted at least 24 detailed reconnaissance missions over 11 Middle Eastern countries between March 21 and 31, surveying 46 strategic locations to...

Trump May Delay Iran Military Strike If Diplomatic Deal Shows Promise

President Donald Trump is reportedly open to postponing planned military action against Iran should credible signs of a diplomatic breakthrough emerge, according to multiple media outlets citing an Axios report. U.S....

Iran-Israel War Escalates as Trump's Ceasefire Deadline Looms

Tensions in the Middle East reached a critical flashpoint as Iran and Israel continued exchanging strikes, with Tehran firmly rejecting a U.S.-brokered ceasefire proposal just hours before a deadline issued by President...

Vance Visits Hungary to Back Orban Ahead of Pivotal 2025 Elections

U.S. Vice President JD Vance is traveling to Hungary this week in a show of political solidarity with Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who faces his most difficult re-election battle since coming to power in 2010. The two-day...

China's Push to Steal Taiwan's Chip Technology and Talent Raises Security Alarms

Taiwans National Security Bureau has raised serious concerns about Beijings escalating efforts to infiltrate the islands world-class semiconductor industry. According to a report submitted to Taiwanese lawmakers, China is...

Science

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

Technology

Samsung Electronics Posts Eightfold Profit Surge Driven by AI Chip Demand

Samsung Electronics delivered a stunning financial turnaround in the first quarter of 2025, projecting operating profit of approximately 57.2 trillion won (roughly $38 billion) a more than eightfold increase compared to...

Apple's Foldable iPhone Faces Engineering Setbacks, Mass Production Timeline at Risk

Apples highly anticipated foldable iPhone is running into significant engineering hurdles during its test phase, raising concerns about potential delays in both mass production and product shipments, according to a report...

Britain Courts Anthropic Amid US Defense Department Dispute

The United Kingdom is actively working to attract Anthropic, the company behind the popular Claude AI app, to expand its footprint in the country. This diplomatic push comes as Anthropic finds itself in the middle of a...

OpenAI Executive Shake-Up Ahead of Anticipated 2026 IPO

OpenAI is navigating a significant leadership restructuring at one of the most pivotal moments in its history. The AI powerhouse confirmed that Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap is transitioning into a newly created...

Elon Musk Ties SpaceX IPO Access to Mandatory Grok AI Subscriptions

Elon Musk is reportedly making Grok subscriptions a prerequisite for banks and advisers involved in SpaceXs highly anticipated initial public offering. According to the New York Times, citing insiders familiar with the...
  • Market Data
Close

Welcome to EconoTimes

Sign up for daily updates for the most important
stories unfolding in the global economy.