Shiona McCallum tried on wearable tech at one of Europe's biggest technology events – VivaTech in Paris – as she explored the latest innovations heading for homes and workplaces.
The BBC presenter visited the sprawling show, where she encountered new gadgets and spoke to the head of a major global data centre company about the industry's mounting challenges. Data centres, she reported, are central to modern online life, but not everyone thinks they are great.
“BBC's Shiona McCallum visits VivaTech in Paris, tries wearable tech and interviews data centre head about industry challenges.”
McCallum's report, produced by Tom Quinn for the BBC's Tech Life programme, comes as the demand for data storage and processing power explodes – and as scrutiny over the environmental and social impact of these facilities intensifies.
The episode, recorded at the Paris expo, offers a rare glimpse into the tensions surrounding the infrastructure that powers everything from streaming to artificial intelligence. While data centres enable instant communication and cloud services, critics raise concerns about their energy consumption and land use.
McCallum's findings suggest that the industry is grappling with how to balance growth with public acceptance – a theme likely to resonate far beyond the exhibition halls of VivaTech.