Have you ever watched a TED talk or even heard of TED? If not then you should know that TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) is a collection of powerful and inspiring talks that are freely available to watch online.
We’re big fans of TED and for this post we’ve curated our favourite ‘electronics focussed’ TED talks into a single list for you to enjoy. Each of these has some sort or relevance to electrical innovation and will hopefully inspire you to go and do amazing things!
How to ‘Sketch’ with Electronics
Leah Buechley and her team at MIT have come up with a novel way of designing electronic circuits using only a paper and pen. In this fascinating talk at TEDYouth in 2011 Leah demonstrates how to “sketch” with electronics with creative projects such as a paper piano that you can then play. Just like Leah talks about, this pen writes with conductive ink allowing you to sketch electrical circuits.
Hack a Banana, Make a Keyboard!
Jay Silver PhD is an electrical engineer and toy inventor from Florida. He is the Founder/CEO of Makey Makey which creates easy-to-use invention kits. In his passionate and inspiring TED Talk, Jay demonstrates how everyday objects can be used to make innovative electrical projects using his Makey Makey invention kit.
Building Blocks that Blink, Beep and Teach
In this talk founder and CEO of littleBits Ayah Bdeir introduces her innovative product. LittleBits is an award winning collection of electrical modules that are connected together using magnets. It’s a fun and creative way of learning and experimenting with electronics. In the TED talk Ayah demonstrates some of the potential applications including an remote controlled pet feed and automated curtains.
A 30-Year History of the Future
Nicholas Negroponte is the founder of the MIT Media Lab. In this talk he looks back at the last 30 years of technology and highlights the predictions he made in the 1970s and 1980s which were scoffed at the time. He then goes on to give his prediction for the next 30 years.
The Birth of the Computer
The invention of the computer has had a huge impact on our lives but do you know how it all began. In this talk historian George Dyson discusses the birth of the modern computer dating back to its origins in the 17th-century.
Computing a Theory of all Knowledge
Stephen Wolfram created Mathematica, a software program that is used in many computing, engineering, mathematical and scientific fields. In this talk in 2010 he talks about his mission to make all knowledge computational and his search engine Wolfram Alpha.
The First Secret of Design is…noticing
Design is everywhere, so much so that we often don’t notice it. Tony Fadell is a designer and inventor who was heavily involved in the design and development of the iPod, one of the most revolutionary products of our generation. In his TED talk Tony discusses his methodology for identifying opportunities to be innovative through observing the world around him. If you’re looking to drive change in your field then you’ll find his talk very interesting.
How to Live before You Die
Steve Jobs had a huge impact on the world of technology as the CEO and co-founder of Apple and Pixar. In his inspirational and moving commencement speech at Stanford University Steve Jobs advices us to pursue our dreams and to ponder the realities of life and death. This speech has over 8 million views on the TED website and over 22 million views on YouTube. Whilst his talk has no specific relevance to the field of electronics, you will still take away some inspiring ideas for how to achieve success in your field.
Meet the Robots for Humanity
The development of robotics has applications in a wide variety of areas. In this talk, Henry Evans shows how robotics has helped him live his life after he was paralyzed after a stroke. He also demonstrates a quadrotor drone that gives him the ability to navigate space.
Big Data is Better Data
Big data is a hot topic in technology and design and has the potential to enable the development of a range of products. In this talk Kenneth Cukier looks at what is next for big data and machine learning.
Welcome to the Age of the Industrial Internet
Marco Annunziata is the Chief Economist at General Electric. In this talk Marco looks at how technology is changing the industrial sector, creating machines that can be operated a lot more efficiently by sending an alert when they servicing
Philip King
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