The controversial copyright battle between GoldieBlox CEO, Debbie Sterling, and the Beastie Boys has brought the subject of women in engineering to the foreground.
In this podcast, David Newhoff speaks with technologist and industrial designer, Carla Diana. In January of 2013, Diana wrote an article for The New York Times about how we interact with robotic machines, and how that interaction is anticipated by designers in the early stages of development. Most recently, Diana published a book called LEO the Maker Prince, a children’s story that works in conjunction with projects kids can do using a consumer-grade 3D printer.
This is Part I of David’s interview with Carla Diana. They discuss design, smart objects, and the responsibility of designers to consider the social implications of their products. Listen to Part II next.