INIT
Conversations with the inventors of our shared future
About the show
Technology is shifting from engaging just your eyes and ears to engaging your entire body. Immersive technology and next-generation wireless networks, sometimes collectively called the Tactile Internet, will shift the fundamental relationship between humans and the technologies we invent. The transition of cyberspace from being virtual to being a physical place you can visit with all your senses is the biggest deal since... maybe since ever. Let's talk about it!
INIT is a different type of tech podcast. We get geeky, but we keep track of the human story. More than anything, INIT is about people – the people behind the tech, why they do what they do, and their vision of the future. We've all heard the adage, "the best way to predict the future is to invent it." INIT brings you conversations with the inventors of our shared future.
Episodes
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Moving Upstream
3 January 2022 | 16 mins 29 secs
haptics bitcoin
In the final episode of INIT, Dave talks about his transition to a new field.
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The Logic of the Tactile Internet
20 December 2021 | 1 hr 6 mins
Dave Birnbaum plays the role of guest in this one, and is interviewed about the possibilities for fundamental change brought about by advanced haptic technology. This episode is rebroadcast from episode 14 of the podcast entitled Haptics Club.
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A Hug for Your Mind
18 October 2021 | 49 mins 1 sec
futurism, haptics, hci, tech, technology, wearables
Francois Kress is co-founder & CEO of Feelmore Labs, which makes Cove, a new type of wearable device. Discussion topics include leadership in design-driven fields, how luxury products become valuable, running health tech startups, how people perceive emotional touch, and how to make wearable technology that is humane and intuitive.
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A Peek Inside Your Brain
18 September 2021 | 1 hr 3 mins
entrepreneurship, neurable
Adam Molnar is co-Founder of Neurable, a leading brain-computer interface (BCI) company. Adam is a serial enterpreneur and an inductee of Forbes 30 under 30 for Consumer Technology. Topics include the story of Neurable's founding, a new headphone product that uses brain sensing to help you stay focused, BCI and privacy, and the future of brain interface technology.
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Teach the World to Listen
16 August 2021 | 42 mins 11 secs
olympics, percussion, subpac, touch the sound
Dame Evelyn Glennie is a world-leading solo percussionist, double Grammy award winner, and BAFTA nominee. Topics include the use of haptic devices to support musicians and athletes with physical and sensory impediments, the Tokyo Olympics, and the experience of performing musicians through the pandemic.
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Transforming Mental Health with VR
10 July 2021 | 1 hr 50 secs
Lima Jevremovic is founder and CEO of AURA, a data-driven technology platform for healing mental health disorders. She is a mixed reality experience designer specializing in clinical VR systems with a focus on digital treatment tools for substance use disorders. Topics include the use of VR and biofeedback for mental health assessment, video games designed as therapeutic exercises, and how mental health professionals are increasingly using data to better inform insurance companies and healthcare providers about the needs of their patients.
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Workshop – Touch Tools
30 June 2021 | 12 mins 52 secs
workshop, world haptics
Touch Tools: Bringing Social-Sensorial Tools Into Digital Touch Design is a workshop taking place on July 5th 2021 at World Haptics conference.
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Blending Brand Experiences
26 June 2021 | 42 mins 16 secs
Daina Middleton is CEO of Britelite Immersive, a creative technology company. Prior to joining Britelite she served as CEO of Performics, and before that she ran B2B marketing at Twitter. Daina is the author of Marketing in the Participation Age: A Guide to Motivating People to Join, Share, Take Part, Connect, and Engage, and Grace Meets Grit: How to Bring Out the Remarkable Courageous Leader Within. Topics include the shift to online commerce, company culture in the age of remote work, seamless integration of virtual and physical brand elements, and the use of consumer data to create value-added experiences.
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Pattern Recognition
12 June 2021 | 39 mins 40 secs
Suzan Oslin is a pioneer of computer animation, web design, UX, and XR. She is also a principal at a volunteer research organization called VEIL. Topics include the intersection of creativity and technology, career transitions, and the VEIL project. More information available at [veilab.org](veilab.org).
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Designing Curiosity
23 April 2021 | 1 hr 44 secs
curiosity, design, ia, information architecture
Cassini Nazir is a Clinical Associate Professor at The University of Texas at Dallas where he teaches classes in interaction design. He is area head for the Design and Production pathway in the School of Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication. He is also Director of Design for the ArtSciLab, a transdisciplinary research lab carrying out national and international collaborations of work that focuses on the hybridization of art and science.
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The Incredible Machine
25 November 2020 | 49 mins 47 secs
communication, haptics, interfaces, technology
A. Michael Noll is a pioneer of interactive technologies and computer graphics. He is credited with being one of the earliest digital artists, and is named on the first patent for an immersive interface device that combines virtual reality, 3D input, and haptics. Topics include Bell Labs, the origins of VR, texting, and video calls, and how to create an organization that cultivates creative collaboration.
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Textiles and Tech
10 November 2020 | 47 mins 22 secs
fabric, fiber, knitting, smart materials, textiles, wearables, weaving
Virginia Postrel is an author, columnist, and speaker who focuses on the intersection of culture, commerce, and technology. In this episode, we talk about her new book, The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World. Topics discussed include Neanderthal string, ancient spinning machines, the link between the abundance of thread and the Great Enrichment, the digital nature of weaving, the dye industry and the rise of modern chemistry, and the advent of 3D knitting and smart fabrics.
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Panel – Multisensory Design
15 September 2020 | 50 mins 18 secs
automotive, haptics, hci, hmi, spatial web, tech, technology, voice agents
This episode features the audio from a webinar called Design for Multisensory Experiences that was co-created by companies Immersion and Punchcut. Topics include 5G, voice agent design, spatial computing, haptics, automotive interfaces, and more. You can view the entire webinar here: https://punchcut.com/multisensory-experience-design-webinar/
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Spatial Awareness
1 September 2020 | 31 mins 2 secs
ar, productivity, remote work, spatial, spatial computing, vr, xr
Bri Scully is the Customer Experience Manager at Spatial, a startup that creates AR collaboration tools and software. Discussion topics include XR for productivity and remote work, the cognitive effects of body movement and spatial computing, how to get a job in the tech industry, the first generation of "XR natives," AR as enabling analog-like user experience, and the social consequences of the convergence of AR and 5G.
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The Brain Gym
17 August 2020 | 41 mins 58 secs
digiceuticals, health and wellness, tech, technology, vr
Amir Bozorgzadeh is the cofounder and CEO of Virtuleap, which uses neuroscience to create VR games that aim to improve cognitive performance.
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Keeping In Touch in the Digital Age
16 July 2020 | 39 mins 56 secs
aging, child development, covid-19, fashion design, industrial design, kinesis, wearables
Carey Jewitt is Professor of Technology and Learning at University College London, UK. As Director of the IN-TOUCH project, her work explores how digital technologies shape communication, design, and the arts.