Across the pond, the Dutch have succeeded in merging the traditional three-wheeler with a small gyrocopter. The result is the PAL-V. This vehicle gets you quickly from point A to point B in the air, but also from point B to point C via the smart wheels. This could fix the transit last mile problem.

As expected, 2014 is the year of the wearable. Was there a clear killer wearable among all the devices on display? No. It seems that virtually every company has, or is about to release, a ring, armband, headband, or tracking device. Even T-shirts can now be programed and controlled via a phone app to feature a customized message via LEDs (I immediately thought that Intel could take advantage of this, as they have recently entered a sponsorship deal to be featured inside FC Barcelona’s football jerseys.)

Wearables have to be fashionable. This seems to be true for both women and men, as no one wants to wear a clunky/ugly device. I got to hold one of the most jewelry-like devices, a ring from Ringly. But Ring, which I discovered on the massive convention floor, packed in even more—primarily, customizable gestures to control and interact with other devices. It all seemed a bit like magic. And fittingly, that’s when renowned techno illusionist Marco Tempest joined the conversation. Seeing the Swiss-born magician in action was a real privilege for me (you may have seen him perform on the TED stage). He, too, used a type of wearable headset during his presentation that seemed to blur the lines between reality and augmented reality. Marco was hopeful that wearables would not just become an extension of our phones, but perhaps also add something unexpected to our lives—a bit of magic. 

Gesture-based controls are key to interacting with our future devices and environments. Intel RealSense, Leap Motion and the Kinect (and more) are all ready to take our orders. What’s missing? A common, universal language, such as sign language. What should those gestures look like? That’s what the smart people at UXFellows.com have studied (download the results). It would be great if all the companies in this space could agree to use the same gestures—we, the users, would greatly benefit. 

Adding sensors and tracking in unexpected places can enhance existing experiences, quantified coaching: One of my favorite sessions was led by Robert Tuttle, exec tech director @frog. A classically trained clarinet player, he has created a new way to experience the symphony. In short, take Microsoft’s latest Kinect sensor, a vest that tracks your biofeedback (heart rate, respiratory system, etc.), a microphone setup (for pitch accuracy), and custom code—all controlled by a tablet—and you have an awesome new musical performance. Believe me, no one will fall asleep while seeing all of a musician’s actions being quantified in real time. It’s one of coolest things I saw this year.

So what about serendipity? Embrace it. The official SXSW app was a great tool for scheduling and finding the sessions in downtown Austin, but what happens when your favorite session is full? You attend the one next door, and without any preconceived expectations, you may discover a topic and speakers that you always wanted to know more about. For me, that was data visualizations/infographics. And on the last day, I found myself at the Visually Turning Complexity into Clarity session. One hour and four speakers with a common theme. Brilliant. 

How has SXSW changed me?  Looking back, attending SXSW might be the closest possible real-life version of taking the metaphorical red pill in The Matrix. Once you have seen what it is like, you cannot continue to live your life the same way.

The energy at the conference, the entrepreneurial spirit of the attendees, the life-changing encounters and constant information exchange with the other ambassadors, and the non-stop flow of information (to the point of overload) were simply infectious.

Almost every day, I thought, what am I doing with my life? Have I been living my life too safely, not risking enough to follow my dreams? After all, SXSW is a place for dreamers who have put in the hard work to make their dreams come true, and talk about it. A willingness to fail, to refine, and push forward. Putting it all on the line. That’s what SXSW celebrates.