Tech Life

Latest Episodes:

Hearing my voice again totally blew my mind Feb 24, 2026

Show notes

AI tech is giving people their lost voices back. We chat to Yvonne Johnson, who has motor neurone disease. She's lost much of her ability to speak. But artificial intelligence is helping Yvonne to be heard again, with her own voice.

Also this week: we discuss AI and the price of memory chips with a big computer manufacturer. And video gaming is booming in Africa.

Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn

(Image: A photo of Yvonne Johnson. She is smiling directly at the camera. Credit: Portrait Of A Voice.)

Engaging chatbots Feb 17, 2026

Show notes

We chat to NVIDIA about AI chat and how to make it sound more human. Explore making and breaking an emotional connection with AI. And new tech is helping stroke survivors.

Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn

(Photo: A digital screen shows an icon of a chatbot with text inviting users to ask it anything and a finger pressing on the screen. Credit: Getty Images)

Would you wear smart glasses? Feb 10, 2026

Show notes

Is this the year when smart glasses become mainstream? Whether you need spectacles for your vision, or wear sunglasses, tech firms are hoping you'll buy their latest devices. Tech Life's Alasdair Keane has road tested some of the latest wearables on the market.

From smart glasses to smart bricks! It's been a childhood favourite for decades, and now Lego is packing its colourful plastic with lights, sensors and sound synthesisers. Shiona McCallum plays with the new tech.

And we hear from a Hong Kong tech company that's developing AI for neglected languages, starting with Cantonese.

Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn

(Image: A photo of Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta. He is wearing dark-rimmed smart glasses. Credit: Reuters.)

Driverless cars in the fast lane Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

Autonomous taxis are already part of everyday life in some cities. What will it be like when self-driving car tech gets up to full speed ? And we find out how scientists are using quantum sensing technology to peer inside soldiers' brains on the firing range.

Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn

(Image: A Zoox robotaxi containing passengers is stationary on a road. The skyscrapers of San Francisco are in the background. Credit: Zoox, Inc.)

China's AI progress Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

The launch of China's DeepSeek AI tool a year ago sent shockwaves through US markets and Silicon Valley. But now Chinese AI tech is being used by more and more US companies. Our North America Technology Correspondent, Lily Jamali, tells us about it.

Also this week: shoppers in Denmark are using mobile phone apps to boycott some goods from overseas. And we road-test an exoskeleton taking the physical effort out of long outdoor walks.

Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn

(Image: An image of a mobile phone displaying the DeepSeek name and logo on the screen. In the background are flags of China and the United States of America. Credit: Reuters.)

What's new in health tech? Jan 20, 2026

Show notes

We all want to stay fit and healthy. But how can technology help ? Shiona McCallum discusses new health tech on display at the world's biggest consumer electronics trade show. And if you own cryptocurrency - beware. Thieves could be targeting you. The BBC's Cyber Correspondent, Joe Tidy, joins us to explain more.

Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn

(Image: A photo of Shiona McCallum wearing an LED face mask. The room is dark and the transparent face mask covers Shiona's face. The light emitting from the mask gives Shiona's face a red glow. Credit: BBC.)

When will a robot do my laundry? Jan 13, 2026

Show notes

How close are we to humanoid robots in the home? A flurry of new robots, designed to look like us, have been revealed recently, with many in Silicon Valley excited that this is the next big leap in AI. But many humanoid robots still struggle with the basics, such as picking up a glass or watering a plant. The BBC’s cyber correspondent Joe Tidy meets some of these robots and asks: Will we really let them into our homes in the next few years?

Presenter: Chris Vallance and Joe Tidy Producers: Tom Quinn and Imran Rahman-Jones

(Photo: Joe Tidy looks at a white humanoid robot wearing a red baseball cap, looking back at him, inside a domestic kitchen setting)

What to expect from tech in 2026 Jan 06, 2026

Show notes

For our first episode of 2026, Tech Life looks forward to the rest of the year, and beyond. What are the latest consumer gadgets on display at a huge electronics trade show in Las Vegas? How will assistive technology, designed to help people with disabilities, change this year? What should we be looking out for in the world of gaming? And we ask a futurologist to predict how tech will help us buy things from retailers over the next decade.

Presenter: Chris Vallance Producers: Tom Quinn & Imran Rahman-Jones

(Image: A computer-generated image of a circuit board, with “2026” shown in neon numbers in the centre. Credit: Getty Images)

Tech Life's look back at 2025 Dec 30, 2025

Show notes

A selection of our favourite stories in 2025. From bringing back extinct species to AI at a royal palace. And you tell us about the tech that's made a difference to your life.

Presenter: Chris Vallance Producers: Tom Quinn and Imran Rahman-Jones

(Image: A young woman sits at a desk. A laptop computer is open on the desk. The number 2025 is projected in front of her, and she points to it with her index finger. Credit: Getty Images)

Launching a commercial space station Dec 23, 2025

Show notes

A company called Vast hopes to put Haven-1 into orbit in 2026. If successful, it'll be the world's first commercial space station. We speak to the company's CEO, Max Haot.

Also on Tech Life this week: find out about robots in Japan that will help people cope with dementia. And the local language avatar providing growing tips to farmers in Africa.

Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn

(Image: A future illustration of the commercial space station Haven-1 in orbit above Planet Earth. It is docked with a Dragon spacecraft. Credit: Vast.)

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