With a month to go until Electromagnetic Field 2014 opens, it’s time to announce some speakers! This year we’ll have over 90 speakers across three stages, with workshops happening in parallel all over the site.

Our Call for Participation is still open so if you’d like to get involved with EMF go and submit a talk or workshop. Don’t worry if you’ve not heard back yet - our selection process is ongoing.

We’re pleased to announce six amazing speakers today, with many more to come in the following weeks:

An Operator’s Guide to the Enigma Machine

Simon Singh, bestselling author of Fermat’s Last Theorem & The Code Book, will be demonstrating his German Enigma machine and discussing how it was cracked during the Second World War. He’ll also be covering the history of encryption from Ancient Greece through to the Information Age.

How to be an Effective Terrorist: Fear and Loathing in Cyber Security

Dr Jessica Barker is a security consultant often present in the media helping people to understand the threats they are exposed to. She’ll be talking about how we should be explaining risks rather than hiding them from users, allowing people to effectively manage their online activity and protect themselves.

The three main parties railroaded the Data Retention Act through in a week. Where does the fightback begin?

In 2010, Tom Watson MP was one of the few members of Parliament fighting the Digital Economy Act. Since then he’s published a book on corruption at News International, and in July 2014 he sued the UK government over the recently passed DRIP act. He’ll be talking about how citizens can fight back and protect themselves against ubiquitous surveillance.

Why Fantasy is the Key to Motivation and Creativity

Leila Johnston is a writer, journalist, podcaster, and speaker who also organises events on weird technology and art alongside a companion quarterly magazine. With the aid of unique hand-made 8-bit console slides she’ll be discussing her relationship with technology, motivation, and creativity, and explaining what possessed her to write a branching narrative novel.

Hacking the ZX Spectrum

Ben Heck, famed retro console modder and youtube star, will be talking about how he recently miniaturised a ZX Spectrum to make it portable and playable on-the-go. He’ll also be talking about some of his other mods that have been widely publicised over the years.

Zoë Star: Neurotic IoT Machines from an Alternate Reality

Rachel Rayns is Raspberry Pi’s creative producer. She’ll be introducting her Zoë Star machines - satirical art works poking fun at the Internet of Things, Quantified Self and Digital Natives whilst (hopefully!) creating some charming and inspiring interactive experiences.

If these talks sound good, tickets to EMF are on sale for £105.