Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak

Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak

By Dot Cannon: Public Speaker & New-Media ReporterSociety & CultureEducationArts
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Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak episodes

  • Extended Creativity

    Headshot courtesy of Kevin Merinsky, and used with permission.



    For award-winning AR/VR expert Alan Price, extended reality is an artist's tool.



    It's also a highly practical means of problem solving, in today's society.



    As Director of the Center for Immersive Media at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Alan enjoys watching students' excitement as they discover the ways immersive media can help them explore their creativity while developing applications that have the potential to change the world.



    Among Alan's current projects is his work in partnership with Thomas Jefferson University doctors. Using virtual reality, they're recreating an emergency room environment. The goals: to develop new best practices while reducing physician burnout.



    Alan, who has received an International Muse Award for his work in incorporating technology into museum exhibits, is also currently partnering with Access Now to increase museum accessibility for visitors with disabilities--specifically, visual impairment.



    Alan talked about his background as a filmmaker, offered a closer look at his current immersive-media projects and previewed some upcoming events at the Center for Immersive Media.



    On this edition of Over Coffee®we cover:




    * How Alan first became interested in filmmaking;





    * His recollections of incorporating digital technology into his work;





    * How he began working in extended reality;





    * A closer look at two major virtual-reality simulation projects he's creating;





    * The story of the Center for Immersive Media;





    * What's coming up next, at the CIM;





    * Alan's work with Access Now;





    * A "mini-lesson" on creating an engaging interactive experience with XR;





    * The new technologies which Alan finds especially exciting for creating new visual experiences.





    *





    44 min
  • Revolutionizing Education

    An Over Coffee® special-edition episode



    Howard Robinson's photograph by Treion Films, event videographer, courtesy of Howard Robinson, and used with permission.



    Leadership, imagination, and passion for discovery, are qualities of top educators.



    They're also the factors that are currently evolving education into a 21st-century model to better serve all students.



    Numerous education experts point to the ways interactive curricula--where students collaborate and contribute while solving problems--tend to best prepare them for the workplace of the future. That includes jobs that don't even exist yet!



    In this edition of Over Coffee®, we highlight three exceptional educators.



    Howard Robinson, Deidre Cavazzi and Steve Jones are using their creativity, at the intersection of art and science, to get students excited about learning. Each of these professionals is relating the classroom to today's--and tomorrow's--world.



    VR for the future







    S.T.E.M. Education Consultant Howard Robinson is the founder of We Are VR Leaders which teaches youth through immersive scenarios. Art therapy, leadership training and a mentorship program are among the curricula he's offering to local schools.



    Howard first realized the power of virtual reality to overcome limitations while teaching computer skills to students in South Africa. Today, he's looking forward to bringing his training program to "every community center and every club in the nation". His aspirations for program expansion include future adult education, in addition to the youth programs which We Are VR Leaders currently offers.



    Dance investigates science



    (Royalty-free image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay.)



    Saddleback College Dance Department Chair Deidre Cavazzi finds inspiration for her art in science--and vice versa. A marine scientist, Deidre involves multiple Saddleback departments (including math and psychology) in her dance productions. Students from all disciplines are welcome to participate.



    And just recently, Deidre created a new dance program, "Conduit: Exploring Neuroscience Through Dance Theatre". Developed in collaboration with a neuroscientist and several psychology professors, "Conduit" includes short talks on the brain, along with the dance performance. Deidre and her collaborators have been invited to present "Conduit" at Stanford University on Friday, March 3rd--and you're invited to this free program!



    Exploring space--from the classroom



    (Royalty-free image by Arek Socha from Pixabay.)



    Steve Jones, who teaches science at Innovation Academy in Alpharetta, Georgia, is "the Space Teacher". A member of both NASA-JPL's Ambassador program and of STEM-education organization Magnitude.io, Steve takes an engineer's approach to teaching science by having his students experiment and discover the solutions to problems.



    In 2021, Steve and his students received an exciting honor.
    20 min
  • “Valentine-novation”

    An Over Coffee® Valentine special



    (Photo courtesy of Mitchell Malpartida, and used with permission.)







    Need a Valentine for someone special? And you'd like it to be much more imaginative than the standard flowers, candy and/or a card?



    Technologist, maker and educator Mitchell Malpartida has some great ideas.



    As a regular contributor to the Make: community and the Founder of Masterful Creations STEAM Academy, Mitch teaches workshops on science, technology, engineering, art and math. At the core of his lessons is a sense of fun and creativity, as he visits schools and offers online maker workshops and sessions in his local community.



    And he's also having a lot of fun teaching maker skills to his own children. Not to mention learning with them, as they come up with new ideas! (You'll find a number of his projects on his YouTube channel.)



    During our 2022 interview on Valentine's Day-related maker projects, Mitch offered a creative maker's approach to some of the Valentine standards.



    Happy Valentine's Day to you and all your Valentines!



    On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:




    * Mitch's ideas for Valentine maker projects, based on classic Valentine traditions;









    * His experiences as a maker, learning and exploring with his own children;









    * How to overcome the “intimidation factor” with technology and new hands-on projects;









    * A new resource and a new concept with which Mitchell is working, that are inspiring him to create new maker projects;









    * The story behind a project that took Mitchell out of his comfort zone, as a maker;









    * Where he’d like to expand his skills and work more, in the future.




    Would you like to meet Mitch and find out more about his latest maker projects--and the workshops he teaches, for local schools, the community and online? He'll be exhibiting at the annual Las Vegas Science and Technology Festival on May 6th!



    In addition, Mitch currently has S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, art and math) maker kits available. Find out more at his Masterful Creations STEAM Academy website or by emailing [email protected].
    28 min
  • “Failure” Encouraged

    Due to a technical issue, Over Coffee® is on a one-week hiatus. Please enjoy this reposting of one of our top episodes of 2022!











    "Move fast and break things," says multiple award-winning computer science teacher Mark Suter.



    He's talking about the entrepreneurial approach he takes, as he guides his Elida High School classes through creating virtual-reality experiences.



    Failure, Mark explains, is a key element in real-world problem solving.



    And problem-solving is exactly what Mark and his students are doing, as they create VR training simulations for local businesses. An entrepreneurial approach to learning leads his students to collaborate, interact with others to learn what customers need, and adapt their creations accordingly.



    According to Mark's LinkedIn page, his class is also currently seeking a company that would like them to create some free training prototypes!



    Part of the curriculum is Grit 9, a student-run business. Students can design VR simulations and websites. They also offer photo scanning and video work for local businesses.



    In addition, Mark is an instructor at Bowling Green State University, where he is both a co-creator of their masters' level course.



    And if you're a VR beginner who'd like to learn more, you can start today--free.



    On his website, Mark offers beginner-friendly lessons in creating virtual reality with his "VR Basic Bytes" series! (These are both nonintimidating for beginners, and a lot of fun!)



    Mark talked about his own learning journey with VR and his experiences in the classroom, shared some favorite resources and discussed a hilarious "failure" from which his class learned.



    On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:




    * Mark’s recollections from his own learning journey, as he first started learning to create with VR and teach it to his students;









    * How an artist or educator might put virtual reality to work in these areas;









    * The partnership experience through which Mark took his game-design class with a local business as a client:









    * The creative process involved;









    * What’s involved in his beginner-friendly high school computer science course;









    * Why Mark tells his students that “failure is highly encouraged”;









    * A safeguard, for when students do make errors, so their work isn’t lost;









    * Mark’s favorite resources for creating with VR;









    * What to use, instead of code, to perform some basic functions in VR;









    * How Mark introduces his students to coding;









    * Several ways to share created VR apps;









    * The hilarious "learning experience" mistake one of his students made;







    24 min
  • Robotics for the World

    (Photo courtesy of Vlad Konov, and used with permission.)



    "All Ukrainians are innovating right now," says Nanit Robotics Founder Vladyslav Konov, as we discuss his latest creation.



    Vlad, a Ukraine-based engineer, entrepreneur and educator, introduced his ed-tech robot, Nanit, to the U.S. during CES® 2023. This is a kit, designed for all ages (big kids too!). Users can create, literally, a hundred robots from the components provided. For beginners, it's an easy process, based on snapping blocks together.



    And tutorials and add-ons, available with the kit, allow the user to grow and continue learning.



    They can also create their own applications--because Nanit is open-source!



    For Vlad, Nanit is the latest step in his creative journey.



    He's been creating robots--and teaching others to do so--since 2016, according to his LinkedIn page. Just one of his innovations was the creation of a first-of-its-kind robotics school in Ukraine. (He is also the founder and CEO of RoboHouse, Ukraine's international laboratory of robotics, electronics and programming.)



    Nanit, though, is much more than an educational "toy".



    Vlad is introducing a version for adults who have never worked with robotics. As he demonstrated during our conversation, "building a robot" is a simple snap-together process with his kit.



    And his overall vision is to train students for professions that don't yet exist, but will be a reality in the future. As well as helping adults keep pace with technology and rebuilding a better world.



    Vlad shared the story of Nanit Robotics, explained some of the ways the kit can be used and offered a closer look at a future in which robotics can facilitate bringing ideas to life.



    Here's where you can follow and connect with Vlad and his Nanit Robotics team:



    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nanitrobot2. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/813012573. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nanit_robot/4. Website nanitrobot.com 







    On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:








    * How Vlad first became inspired to pursue robotics as his life's work;









    * The biggest challenge Vlad found in his journey, as a Ukraine-based innovator;









    * The story of the Nanit robot (this is a kit that can make, literally, 100 robots easily!)









    * A "demonstration" of how we create a robot from the Nanit kit;









    * Vlad's vision for Nanit Robotics, beyond the kit's use in schools;









    * A "really funny" use case one user put into effect with open-source Nanit;









    * Why the kit is as easy as connecting blocks, for non-technical users;









    29 min
  • Life, Healing and VR

    Over Coffee® is on post-CES hiatus. Please enjoy this re-posting of one of our top episodes of 2022!



    This post and podcast are for informational purposes only, and are not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional with any health-related questions.







    Clinical neuropsychologist Dr. Albert "Skip" Rizzo is a pioneer in the field of medical virtual reality.



    Since the 1990s, Skip, as he prefers to be called, has been using immersive technology to treat his students. (He doesn't call them "patients".)



    Today Skip is the Director of Medical Virtual Reality at USC's Institute for Creative Technologies. He first began working in research at ICT in 1995, according to his LinkedIn profile. One of his multiple titles is "Ayatollah of VR", listed from 1995 to the present! (We first had the pleasure of hearing him speak at Cedars-Sinai's inaugural Virtual Medicine conference in 2018.)



    Skip's ground-breaking work has garnered multiple awards. He's researched, designed and evaluated VR-based therapy systems for traumatic brain injury, autism and post-stroke rehabilitation. He is also the creator of BraveMind, a VR-based exposure therapy program for the treatment of PTSD.



    As of December, 2022, according to their website, the U.S. FDA has endorsed the use of AR and VR devices in medical care--decades after Skip's discoveries in the field.



    But when he first started talking about using virtual reality applications at psychology conferences, he says, "(My colleagues thought I was crazy.)"



    Today, he's looking at an apparently-limitless future for mental-health VR apps. "There's no wall here," Skip says, when considering future directions in which he'd like to innovate.



    Skip, who will be speaking at Cedars-Sinai's 2023 Virtual Medicine conference in March, shared the story of his creative journey with medical virtual reality in this interview we recorded in February, 2022.







    On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:




    * Skip’s introduction to virtual reality;









    * His process, from there, in implementing VR simulations for brain-injury rehabilitation;









    * What he remembers from the early days of treating his students with VR simulation-based therapy;









    * How he and his team currently use VR simulations with virtual humans to help patients on the high end of the autism spectrum;









    * A closer look at some of the virtual-reality applications that can enhance empathy across various areas of mental health;









    * Some of the results Skip has seen;









    * His vision for the future of therapeutic virtual reality.

    33 min
  • STEMuli Studios: Serving and Inspiring

    Over Coffee® is on post-CES® hiatus. Please enjoy this reposting of one of our top interviews of 2022!







    STEMuli Studios Founder/CEO Taylor Shead is using immersive technology to fulfill her mission.



    That mission, as stated on their website: "to provide a pathway to an intellectually and economically fulfilling career for all."



    In 2016, Taylor created her small business: the first game-based learning metaverse in the United States!



    Ever since then, STEMuli has been navigating students from their current academic capabilities, to the skills and experience needed to secure their dream jobs.



    Taylor says that's just the beginning, for her Dallas-based startup.



    Today, according to their website, STEMuli Studios serve more than 20,000 schools. And Taylor's ultimate vision: to serve learners, worldwide, on AI-driven academic and career-based learning journeys in STEMuli's 3D smart city.



    In our August, 2022, conversation, Taylor shared the story of STEMuli Studios, talked about her vision for the future and explained how students, educators and anyone who'd like to support them, can get involved.



    On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:




    * The epiphany that led Taylor to her mission as an entrepreneur;









    * How she started STEMuli, and saw it evolve;









    * Taylor’s memories of the early days of her startup;









    * A conversation with a student that cemented Taylor’s commitment to her calling;









    * How a surprise discovery led her to seek the involvement of Fortune 500 companies;









    * What students experience, in the virtual world;









    * The tools available in the “STEMuli engine” for educators (and students!) to create content;





    * One of Taylor’s most “fun” experiences in her creative journey with STEMuli;









    * Taylor’s own “GPS” of STEMuli’s current accomplishments and the goals she’d like to reach;









    * Where to connect with Taylor and STEMuli;









    * What the new “learning GPS” could mean for a lifelong learner;









    * How to support the project and get involved!

    32 min
  • Scewo: Lifestyle Technology

    (Photo courtesy of Natalie Rotschi, and used with permission.)



    Switzerland-based startup Scewo is re-imagining wheelchairs.



    That re-imagination process involves designing them as both a lifestyle item--and as some seriously cool technology.



    (Photo courtesy of Natalie Rotschi, and used with permission.)



    Scewo's "Bro" wheelchairs climb stairs! They also balance on two wheels, raise and lower their occupants to reach items or sit at tables of varying heights, and have no problem going up over curbs.



    And you'll get a chance to see these firsthand, this week in the Eureka Park® startup area of CES® 2023! They're exhibiting in the SwissTech pavilion of the Eureka Park® startup area, booth #61433, Level ! Hall G.



    At CES® Scewo (pronounced Skee-voh) is presenting their wheelchair to the U.S. market for the first time.



    Scewo Lead Communication and PR Manager Natalie Rotschi shared the story of Scewo, some of the ways their technology is changing the lives of their road drivers (they don't call them customers) and Scewo's goals exciting vision for the future.



    On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:




    * How Natalie's fascination with language led to her current career;





    * How the first "Bro" wheelchair was created;





    * Why Scewo's unique designs reflect their mission;





    * Some additional ways the technology could be applied, in the future;





    * One of Natalie's favorite success stories from one of Scewo's road drivers, using the Scewo Bro.








    CES®2023 continues through Sunday, January 8th in Las Vegas.
    11 min
  • Virtuosis: AI Guidance

    This post and podcast are for informational purposes only, and are not intended as mental-health advice. Please contact a medical professional with any mental-health-related questions.







    As CES® 2023 continues, Switzerland-based startup Virtuosis is premiering their new innovation.



    As Co-Founder Lara Gervaise explains, Virtuosis analyzes participants' voices.



    By doing so, it can give them feedback on both their soft skills, and their current mood. Then, it can offer tips on improving communication skills or help an individual manage stress or other negative emotions.



    Lara, who just released Virtuosis during Day 1 of CES® 2023 in Las Vegas, is currently exhibiting Virtuosis in the show's Eureka Park® startup area. Look for her in the SwissTech pavilion, Booth #61433 of the Venetian: Level 1, Hall G.



    Lara shared the story of creating Virtuosis, explained how it works and talked about what's next.



    On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:








    * How Lara's course of study, in her area of Expertise, led to the creation of Virtuosis;





    * How the technology works;





    * A walkthrough of the ways the AI can operate in an academic setting;





    * What the algorithm is looking for, as it analyzes the voice;





    * Privacy considerations and how Virtuosis addresses them;





    * A timeline for Virtuosis' availability.




    CES® 2023 continues in Las Vegas through Sunday, January 8th.
    13 min
  • AckTao: “Fun and Strong Engagement”









    "Fun" isn't a word most people would associate with cybersecurity.



    But for AckTao CEO and Co-Founder Cecile Maye, it's a critical factor in empowering others in their digital lives. And she'll be demonstrating how engagement equals retention, as she exhibits AckTao in Booth 61433 of the Swiss Tech pavilion in CES® 2023's Eureka Park® startup area!



    Switzerland-based educational technology startup AckTao has created an advanced cloud-gaming digital education program. Participants "play" in different scenarios which educate them on digital security risks.



    A scenario might take you into an airport store. Or perhaps a restaurant, workshop or office setting. There's even an application for those who work at home. And the system is customized, through AI, to adapt to a user's answers and level of understanding in real time.



    Areas which AckTao's library of scenarios cover include phishing, cyber resilience, password security--and much more.



    From experience, AckTao is engaging. We did the airport scenario and were curious to see our scores. One situation (no spoilers here, but it's a common one at airports, or in public in general!), came as a complete surprise: "Wow, that's a cybersecurity risk, too?" And we were excited to see our scores!



    Cecile shared the story of AckTao, explained some of the "everyday" cybersecurity risks which the general public can face and discussed the areas in which she'd most like to grow, in the future.



    On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:








    * The story of AckTao;









    * How the system works;









    * Some of the everyday cyber threats that don't occur to most of us;









    * What's ahead for AckTao;









    * One of Cecile's best experiences since creating the program;









    * How users experience the system;









    * Some common workplace pitfalls that can leave you vulnerable to hackers;









    * A particularly popular new AckTao scenario.




    CES® 2023 runs from Thursday, January 5th through Sunday, January 8th in Las Vegas. The Eureka Park® startup area is located in The Venetian.
    17 min

About Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak

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Would you like to know more about the art of twenty-first century "cool stuff" that's changing our world? Such as: robots, space exploration, new media, wearable technology and other innovations that…