Professor Michael comments regularly on the social implications of emerging technologies with an emphasis on privacy and national security.
The topics she’s best-versed on are cybersecurity, privacy, technology, ethics, social media, wearables and biotechnology.
She researches the social and ethical implications of emerging technologies.
She has engaged in debates on hot issues; smartphone addiction; Facebook’s privacy breaches; whether humans are being enslaved or empowered by technology; when citizen rights are violated by tech companies or governments and the possibilities and limitations of mechanical upgrades to the human body.
She has also researched on the regulatory environment surrounding the tracking and monitoring of people using commercial global positioning systems (GPS) applications, focusing on people with dementia, mental illnesses, parolees, and minors.
Since 1996 Dr Michael has been studying the impact of microcircuitry and nanotechnology devices in humans.
Her research on location intelligence and resulting behaviours was a precursor to wearable devices like the FitBit.
She delivered a TEDx talk on the future prospects of microchipping people and more recently on the future prospects of brain pacemakers.
She understands the history of computers, and key innovations in design since they were first developed.
She is deeply involved in the Public Interest Technology movement, and technology for good with respect to Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr Michael can talk in depth about automatic identification technologies including bar codes, magnetic stripe cards, smart cards, biometrics, radio-frequency identification tags and transponders.
She can provide an informed opinion on location-based services including Global Positioning Systems, UHF and A-GPS, Wireless Local Area Networks, Cellular and 3G Mobile and IP Location Services.
On computing her knowledge covers context aware applications, mobile media, wearable computing, chip implants and nanotechnology.
She has a strong interest in national security including homeland defence, national identification schemes, counter-terrorism strategies, natural disaster prevention and response, pandemics and government readiness.
On privacy and surveillance, she can discuss dataveillance, sousveillance and uberveillance.
On public policy her expertise covers the Telecommunication Interception Access Act, anti-terrorism laws, standards and guidelines.
Dr Michael works between Australia and the US. While she's in the US, media can reach her via +14804941149.