In recent months, an Alaska Airlines jet lost a door plug mid-flight, and a Japan Airlines plane collided with another aircraft at an airport in Tokyo. Accidents like these are uncommon, but they could help engineers design safer airplanes. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University associate professor Anthony Brickhouse tells WSJ’s Danny Lewis how advanced materials and computer systems could  bring flight into a safer future, while making sure human pilots are still part of the equation.



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Further reading: 

How Safe Is Flying Today? Answering Your Questions 

Boeing 737 MAX Missing Critical Bolts in Alaska Airlines Blowout, NTSB Says 

Boeing Finds New Problem With 737 MAX Fuselages 

Inside a Flaming Jet, 367 Passengers Had Minutes to Flee. Here’s How They Did It. 





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How Today’s Aircraft Accidents Could Make Future Planes Safer

What will the future look like? The Future of Everything offers a view of the nascent trends that will shape our world. In every episode, join our award-winning team on a new journey of discovery. We’ll take you beyond what’s already out there, and make you smarter about the scientific and technological breakthroughs on the horizon that could transform our lives for the better.

Technology

Tech News

Podcasting

Gadgets

Software How-To

A day when people can interact directly with computers using their thoughts could be on the horizon. Several companies, including Elon Musk’s Neuralink, have begun preliminary human trials of brain-computer interfaces - devices that decode the electrical signals in their brain and translate them into digital bits. Neurosurgeon Benjamin Rapoport is a co-founder and chief science officer of Precision Neuroscience, a company working on brain-computer interfaces. He spoke with WSJ’s Danny Lewis about how the technology works and how these implants could improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who could gain the ability to independently engage with the digital world.



Correction: Dr. Benjamin Rapoport is the co-founder of Precision Neuroscience. An earlier version misspelled his name Rapaport. (Corrected on May 3)



What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com 



Further reading: 

Inside the Operating Room: Doctors Test a Revolutionary Brain-Computer Implant 

Elon Musk’s Neuralink Wants to Make ‘The Matrix’ a Reality. It Has a Lot to Prove First. 

She Didn’t Speak for 18 Years. A Computer Helped Find Her Voice. 

The Devices That Will Read Your Brain—and Enhance It 



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Chip in the Brain? How Brain-Computer Interfaces Could Change Medicine

What does the brick and mortar bookstore of the future look like? For Barnes & Noble, it looks more like the indie bookstores they once threatened to put out of business 20 years ago. The company recently redesigned their national chain of over 500 bookstores, shedding the big box personality in favor of a look reminiscent of local bookshops. On this week’s Science of Success, WSJ columnist Ben Cohen speaks to Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt about the look, feel and idea behind Barnes & Noble’s new indie design.



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Further reading:

That Cool New Bookstore? It’s a Barnes & Noble.

New CEO Wants to Make Barnes & Noble Your Local Bookstore

Barnes & Noble’s New Boss Tries to Save the Chain—and Traditional Bookselling 

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Science of Success: How Barnes & Noble Is Redesigning the Bookstore Chain

Can technology help us design the perfect running shoe that’s stronger, faster and better for the environment? David Allemann, co-founder of On, thinks technology can get us part of the way there, but it’s not the whole story. The performance running shoe and sportswear company is experimenting with computer simulation and bio-based materials to design sneakers to advance both runners and sustainability goals. WSJ men’s fashion columnist Jacob Gallagher speaks with Allemann about the future of running shoe tech and how sneakers might redefine the design cannon. 



What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com 



Further reading: 

How On’s Running Sneakers Won Over Tech Bros and High Fashion Alike 

Where Did All the Crazy Sneakers Go? 

This Designer Knows What Sneakers You’ll Be Wearing Next Year 

These Grandpa Sneakers Are Made in America. They’re a Hit Overseas. 

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Designing the Sneaker of the Future

3D printing isn’t just for hobbyists – it could be central to the future of manufacturing. Companies are turning to this technology to make everything from car and airplane parts to houses faster and cheaper than with traditional techniques. Now, as 3D printing – also known as additive manufacturing – is getting quicker, researchers are testing its limits. WSJ’s Alex Ossola and Danny Lewis take a look at how this tech is building the factory of the future.



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Further reading: 

This 3-D Printed Icelandic Fish-Gutting Machine Contains the Secret of a Future, Less-Globalized Economy 

Venture Investors Are Pumping Capital Into 3-D Printing Startups. Here’s Why. 

Energy Companies Turn to 3-D Printing to Bypass Snarled Supply Chains 

3-D Printed Houses Are Sprouting Near Austin as Demand for Homes Grows 



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How 3D Printing Could Drive the Factory of the Future

When Tesla started developing the Cybertruck, CEO Elon Musk tasked the company's chief designer with creating a car that "feels like the future." But did it break the mold on what a pickup truck is? And how will it change truck design in the future? WSJ auto columnist Dan Neil test drove the Cybertruck. He spoke with WSJ’s Charlotte Gartenberg about his take on Tesla’s polarizing vehicle, and what it means for the future of EV design.



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Further reading: 

I Gave Tesla’s Cybertruck a 48-Hour Thrashing. It (Mostly) Survived. 

Tesla Hopes the Cybertruck Design Gives It an Edge 

Tesla Designer: Cybertruck’s Funky Design Gives It an Edge 

How Tesla’s Cybertruck Compares with Other Pickups 

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How Today’s Aircraft Accidents Could Make Future Planes Safer

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