Not all tech breeds loneliness. A fluffy, hamster-esque animal robot that could be mistaken for a plush toy grabbed attention at the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show. It’s designed to provide comfort and care, with the ability to differentiate between people and understand their emotions.

The impacts of social inequality became abundantly clear in 2020 amid the pandemic and BLM protests – but this issue doesn’t just affect the physical world. Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Francesca Sobande about how social inequalities manifest online and how brands can foster inclusive digital spaces.

KFC has opened up a fully automated takeaway outlet in Moscow, which it claims is the first in the world of its kind. As fast food fans grapple with hygiene concerns, the brand is using this space to experiment with new ways to serve food as countries move on to later stages of the pandemic.

The pandemic has exposed how the visually-impaired community is being failed by poor web and app design. This report examines the implications of the growing ‘senior surfer’ cohort and opportunities for brands to increase revenue and build a stronger society through user-centric design.