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

  • Onsite at ScareLA™ 2018
    An Over Coffee® special-edition podcast
    ScareLA 2018,  Los Angeles' first Halloween convention,  celebrated its sixth anniversary during the weekend of August 25th.

    And we had the opportunity to speak with three iconic creators about their work on the Disney Haunted Mansion and Universal Studios' "Halloween Horror Nights".



    Iconic Disney Imagineer Bob Gurr was onsite at the "Haunted Orange County" booth.

    Walt Disney himself hired Bob, who is one of the two remaining original Imagineers.   Working with Walt to design Disneyland, Bob created the vehicles--and of course, besides his designs for the miniature cars in Autopia and the Monorail, he designed the Doom Buggies for the Haunted Mansion.

    Bob, who was named a Disney Legend in 2004, also developed the first realistic humanoid animatronic in the 1960s, for the New York World's Fair: Abraham Lincoln, for "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln".

    After taking early retirement, he would go on to create animatronics for Steven Spielberg, as well as designing effects for Michael Jackson's Victory tour, among innumerable other projects.

    Named a Disney Legend in 2004, Bob still does consulting work for Disney today.  In addition, his website says he's in the middle of another exciting independent project!
    A ScareLA favorite
    Meanwhile, a capacity-crowd-popular event at every ScareLA is Universal Studios' "Halloween Horror Nights" reveal.

    Every year, Universal Art Director Chris Williams and Creative Director John Murdy share a preview of Universal's new Halloween mazes, as they talk about their experiences creating them.

    For 2018,  Chris and John will scare the daylights out of you with a maze they've wanted to create for a long time.



    The "Universal Monsters" maze features classic monsters from some of Universal's scariest horror films, over the decades.  And now, they've all been brought together to terrify Halloween 2018 maze attendees.  In addition, there's an original soundtrack, created by Slash, former lead guitarist of Guns and Roses. (And it's going to be a screamingly good time!)

    Bob, Chris and John talked about their experiences, behind the scenes, creating the attractions that will draw you in, show you a good time and very possibly (in Chris and John's case) evoke some "monstrous" Halloween chills.
    9 min
  • Onsite at ScareLA™ 2018
    An Over Coffee® special-edition podcast
    ScareLA 2018,  Los Angeles' first Halloween convention,  celebrated its sixth anniversary during the weekend of August 25th.

    And we had the opportunity to speak with three iconic creators about their work on the Disney Haunted Mansion and Universal Studios' "Halloween Horror Nights".



    Iconic Disney Imagineer Bob Gurr was onsite at the "Haunted Orange County" booth.

    Walt Disney himself hired Bob, who is one of the two remaining original Imagineers.   Working with Walt to design Disneyland, Bob created the vehicles--and of course, besides his designs for the miniature cars in Autopia and the Monorail, he designed the Doom Buggies for the Haunted Mansion.

    Bob, who was named a Disney Legend in 2004, also developed the first realistic humanoid animatronic in the 1960s, for the New York World's Fair: Abraham Lincoln, for "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln".

    After taking early retirement, he would go on to create animatronics for Steven Spielberg, as well as designing effects for Michael Jackson's Victory tour, among innumerable other projects.

    Named a Disney Legend in 2004, Bob still does consulting work for Disney today.  In addition, his website says he's in the middle of another exciting independent project!
    A ScareLA favorite
    Meanwhile, a capacity-crowd-popular event at every ScareLA is Universal Studios' "Halloween Horror Nights" reveal.

    Every year, Universal Art Director Chris Williams and Creative Director John Murdy share a preview of Universal's new Halloween mazes, as they talk about their experiences creating them.

    For 2018,  Chris and John will scare the daylights out of you with a maze they've wanted to create for a long time.



    The "Universal Monsters" maze features classic monsters from some of Universal's scariest horror films, over the decades.  And now, they've all been brought together to terrify Halloween 2018 maze attendees.  In addition, there's an original soundtrack, created by Slash, former lead guitarist of Guns and Roses. (And it's going to be a screamingly good time!)

    Bob, Chris and John talked about their experiences, behind the scenes, creating the attractions that will draw you in, show you a good time and very possibly (in Chris and John's case) evoke some "monstrous" Halloween chills.
    9 min
  • Mynt Sdeno Robot: Cute, Cool, Functional
    (Photo courtesy of Dr. Leo Pang, and used with permission.)

    The Mynt Sdeno robot is very cute.  But it's also seriously "smart".

    Dr. Leo Pang, founder of Santa Clara-based artificial intelligence technology company Slightech, designed Mynt Sdeno to interact with its surroundings, and with multiple users.

    Through AI, Leo and his team have created the robot to "learn" as it performs tasks, and to store information.



    At Sensors Expo and Conference 2018, in San Jose in June, the robot was a standout favorite on the show floor.

    Mynt Sdeno, which debuted at CES 2016, operates on Slightech's proprietary software, which allows it to "see" where it's going.   Meanwhile, the robot is interacting with humans, distinguishing faces and performing tasks in real time.

    Facial recognition software allows the robot to verify identities.  Meanwhile, Mynt Sdeno's deep learning engine allows it to adapt to specific applications, such as working in a store, museum or office.

    Leo shared the story of Mynt Sdeno (including a cautionary tale that's enough to scare any innovator who's ever had to transport a special product to a show!), explained how the robot works and offered a preview of what's next.
    On this edition of Over Coffee® you will hear:

    *
    How Leo first became interested in robotics;

    *
    His journey, from there to the creation of the Mynt Sdeno robot;

    *
    How the process worked, as he and his team designed the robot in 2014;

    *
    A travel story that just might have you holding your breath!;

    *
    How the Mynt Sdeno robot works in a customer-service setting, such as a small business;

    *
    Some of the biggest challenges Leo and his team discovered, in creating Mynt Sdeno to operate with artificial intelligence in a new environment;

    *
    What's next, for the Mynt Sdeno robot;

    *
    And, a fantastic resource (on which you can design your own robot or robot application) available through Slightech!

    *
    Plus--Leo's favorite experience, when he brought the robot into his home (hint: he may now have a future roboticist-in-training!).


     
    30 min
  • Mynt Sdeno Robot: Cute, Cool, Functional
    (Photo courtesy of Dr. Leo Pang, and used with permission.)

    The Mynt Sdeno robot is very cute.  But it's also seriously "smart".

    Dr. Leo Pang, founder of Santa Clara-based artificial intelligence technology company Slightech, designed Mynt Sdeno to interact with its surroundings, and with multiple users.

    Through AI, Leo and his team have created the robot to "learn" as it performs tasks, and to store information.



    At Sensors Expo and Conference 2018, in San Jose in June, the robot was a standout favorite on the show floor.

    Mynt Sdeno, which debuted at CES 2016, operates on Slightech's proprietary software, which allows it to "see" where it's going.   Meanwhile, the robot is interacting with humans, distinguishing faces and performing tasks in real time.

    Facial recognition software allows the robot to verify identities.  Meanwhile, Mynt Sdeno's deep learning engine allows it to adapt to specific applications, such as working in a store, museum or office.

    Leo shared the story of Mynt Sdeno (including a cautionary tale that's enough to scare any innovator who's ever had to transport a special product to a show!), explained how the robot works and offered a preview of what's next.
    On this edition of Over Coffee® you will hear:

    *
    How Leo first became interested in robotics;

    *
    His journey, from there to the creation of the Mynt Sdeno robot;

    *
    How the process worked, as he and his team designed the robot in 2014;

    *
    A travel story that just might have you holding your breath!;

    *
    How the Mynt Sdeno robot works in a customer-service setting, such as a small business;

    *
    Some of the biggest challenges Leo and his team discovered, in creating Mynt Sdeno to operate with artificial intelligence in a new environment;

    *
    What's next, for the Mynt Sdeno robot;

    *
    And, a fantastic resource (on which you can design your own robot or robot application) available through Slightech!

    *
    Plus--Leo's favorite experience, when he brought the robot into his home (hint: he may now have a future roboticist-in-training!).


     
    30 min
  • Alchemy, Art and Knowledge
    (Photograph courtesy of Dr. Elisabeth Berry Drago, and used with permission.)

    Say the word "alchemy".  What comes to mind?

    If you thought of a bearded recluse trying to transmute lead into gold--well, that's not really accurate, says Dr. Elisabeth Berry Drago.



    Lisa, as she prefers to be called, is an artist, art historian and Public History Fellow at Philadelphia's Science History Institute.    One of her specialties is creating content that puts visitors into the stories her research uncovers.  Often, those stories are about the ways art and technology have worked together in society.

    Recently, Lisa curated the Institute's  exhibition, "Age of Alchemy", which is just one of a series of alchemy-inspired projects.   She's also creating content for a new digital game which puts players in the middle of a seventeenth-century alchemy lab.  "Age of Alchemy: The Goldsmith's Daughter" is based on some of the paintings of that era.  Lisa says the game is currently in prototype stage, with a projected release date of 2019.

    Alchemy, Lisa explains, was the foundation for today's studies in chemistry.  Far from being reclusive, alchemists worked in communities--that were much more diverse than the European paintings might have us believe.  At the heart of these communities were artists, for whom alchemy resulted in some innovations of color, technique and materials.

    And you won't believe some of the stories of the colorful characters in the seventeenth-century labs.

    Lisa talked about her background, some of the ways science and art historically intersected through alchemy, and the parallels with today's artists for whom science and technology are a means of creating new work.
    On this edition of Over Coffee® you will hear:

    *
    How her early experiences first sparked Lisa's creativity as an artist;

    *
    What first led her to realize the connection between science and art;

    *
    The work experiences that underscored her interest in combining art and technology;

    *
    How alchemy served as a precursor to modern science--and its parallel with artists' work

    *
    Some little-known stories of artists who used alchemy as a springboard to come up with some surprising innovations;

    *
    How some current STEAM initiatives parallel the art-science intersection of the seventeenth century;

    *
    Some of the myths debunked by "Age of Alchemy"--and the facts behind commonly-held beliefs

    *
    Profiles of some of the alchemists of the time (including a story of one who might surprise you!)

    *
    Several of the STEAM resources that could result in more women and girls "entering the room" to work in science and technology;

    *
    How one of the programs at the Science History Institute engaged and inspired a young girl, possibly enabling her to envision a future career;

    *
    A preview of some scheduled new programs coming up in September at the Science History Institute, which are geared to include everyone;

    *
    The story of "Age of Alchemy: The Goldsmith's Daughter", a new immersive digital game currently in development at the Science History Institute.

    37 min
  • Alchemy, Art and Knowledge
    (Photograph courtesy of Dr. Elisabeth Berry Drago, and used with permission.)

    Say the word "alchemy".  What comes to mind?

    If you thought of a bearded recluse trying to transmute lead into gold--well, that's not really accurate, says Dr. Elisabeth Berry Drago.



    Lisa, as she prefers to be called, is an artist, art historian and Public History Fellow at Philadelphia's Science History Institute.    One of her specialties is creating content that puts visitors into the stories her research uncovers.  Often, those stories are about the ways art and technology have worked together in society.

    Recently, Lisa curated the Institute's  exhibition, "Age of Alchemy", which is just one of a series of alchemy-inspired projects.   She's also creating content for a new digital game which puts players in the middle of a seventeenth-century alchemy lab.  "Age of Alchemy: The Goldsmith's Daughter" is based on some of the paintings of that era.  Lisa says the game is currently in prototype stage, with a projected release date of 2019.

    Alchemy, Lisa explains, was the foundation for today's studies in chemistry.  Far from being reclusive, alchemists worked in communities--that were much more diverse than the European paintings might have us believe.  At the heart of these communities were artists, for whom alchemy resulted in some innovations of color, technique and materials.

    And you won't believe some of the stories of the colorful characters in the seventeenth-century labs.

    Lisa talked about her background, some of the ways science and art historically intersected through alchemy, and the parallels with today's artists for whom science and technology are a means of creating new work.
    On this edition of Over Coffee® you will hear:

    *
    How her early experiences first sparked Lisa's creativity as an artist;

    *
    What first led her to realize the connection between science and art;

    *
    The work experiences that underscored her interest in combining art and technology;

    *
    How alchemy served as a precursor to modern science--and its parallel with artists' work

    *
    Some little-known stories of artists who used alchemy as a springboard to come up with some surprising innovations;

    *
    How some current STEAM initiatives parallel the art-science intersection of the seventeenth century;

    *
    Some of the myths debunked by "Age of Alchemy"--and the facts behind commonly-held beliefs

    *
    Profiles of some of the alchemists of the time (including a story of one who might surprise you!)

    *
    Several of the STEAM resources that could result in more women and girls "entering the room" to work in science and technology;

    *
    How one of the programs at the Science History Institute engaged and inspired a young girl, possibly enabling her to envision a future career;

    *
    A preview of some scheduled new programs coming up in September at the Science History Institute, which are geared to include everyone;

    *
    The story of "Age of Alchemy: The Goldsmith's Daughter", a new immersive digital game currently in development at the Science History Institute.

    37 min
  • Robots in Our Future


    Robots.  We seem to view their role in our future with equal parts fascination and fear.

    A lot of that fear is unfounded, says Robotics Business Review senior editor Eugene Demaitre.



    When we look at robots, Eugene explains, one thing to remember is that we tend to overestimate them.  Even with artificial intelligence, there are some areas where a robot just can't do what a human can.

    But he completely appreciates the fascination.   Robots' capabilities, he says, could lead the way to a future that's a whole lot easier for humans.



    A frequent speaker on the topic of robotics, Eugene gave a presentation on the "State of the Robotics Industry" at the 2018 Sensors Conference, in San Jose in June.   He also presented at the 2018 LiveWorx Technology Conference, shortly thereafter.

    And if you missed these talks, he'll host a panel entitled, "The Robotics Market Has Arrived!" at the upcoming "RoboBusiness" conference, which runs September 25th through 27th in Santa Clara.

    Eugene talked about his technical background, some of the current trends he's seeing, and the ways he foresees robots changing our daily lives for the better.
    On this edition of Over Coffee®, you'll hear:

    *
    How Eugene first became interested in robotics;

    *
    Some of the current barriers to robots becoming a common part of daily life;

    *
    How recent artificial-intelligence advances could facilitate the robots' learning process;

    *
    Why a "robot apocalypse" isn't on its way in the immediate future;

    *
    What needs to happen, with robotic design, to overcome consumers' current resistance;

    *
    The skills current workers need to develop, to stay relevant as AI and automation continue to make advances;

    *
    Where the "human element" comes in, in the workplace;

    *
    How Eugene has seen the robotics industry evolving, during his participation in recent conferences;

    *
    Where virtual reality fits into robotics;

    *
    Two of Eugene's favorite experiences, interactive with some of the newer robots within the last six months;

    *
    A firsthand account of the  experience of taking the wheel of a self-driving car;

    *
    Which robots may become the top ones of 2018

    27 min
  • Robots in Our Future


    Robots.  We seem to view their role in our future with equal parts fascination and fear.

    A lot of that fear is unfounded, says Robotics Business Review senior editor Eugene Demaitre.



    When we look at robots, Eugene explains, one thing to remember is that we tend to overestimate them.  Even with artificial intelligence, there are some areas where a robot just can't do what a human can.

    But he completely appreciates the fascination.   Robots' capabilities, he says, could lead the way to a future that's a whole lot easier for humans.



    A frequent speaker on the topic of robotics, Eugene gave a presentation on the "State of the Robotics Industry" at the 2018 Sensors Conference, in San Jose in June.   He also presented at the 2018 LiveWorx Technology Conference, shortly thereafter.

    And if you missed these talks, he'll host a panel entitled, "The Robotics Market Has Arrived!" at the upcoming "RoboBusiness" conference, which runs September 25th through 27th in Santa Clara.

    Eugene talked about his technical background, some of the current trends he's seeing, and the ways he foresees robots changing our daily lives for the better.
    On this edition of Over Coffee®, you'll hear:

    *
    How Eugene first became interested in robotics;

    *
    Some of the current barriers to robots becoming a common part of daily life;

    *
    How recent artificial-intelligence advances could facilitate the robots' learning process;

    *
    Why a "robot apocalypse" isn't on its way in the immediate future;

    *
    What needs to happen, with robotic design, to overcome consumers' current resistance;

    *
    The skills current workers need to develop, to stay relevant as AI and automation continue to make advances;

    *
    Where the "human element" comes in, in the workplace;

    *
    How Eugene has seen the robotics industry evolving, during his participation in recent conferences;

    *
    Where virtual reality fits into robotics;

    *
    Two of Eugene's favorite experiences, interactive with some of the newer robots within the last six months;

    *
    A firsthand account of the  experience of taking the wheel of a self-driving car;

    *
    Which robots may become the top ones of 2018

    27 min
  • NextFab: A Network of Creativity


    NextFab is an incredible makers' resource.  But they're not a makerspace.

    Instead, they are a network of makerspaces, in the Delaware Valley.  Specifically, their locations are in Philadelphia, North Philadelphia and--as of 2017--Wilmington, Delaware.

    During Podcast Movement 2018, in Philadelphia, we had the privilege of recording, live-on-tape from the Talkshoe booth, with two special guests.



    Anna Solomon is NextFab's Assistant Sales Manager.  She is also the first woman to graduate the University of Delaware's Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies program.  Her background, as a maker, includes both engineering and economics, and she's been with NextFab since 2016, according to her LinkedIn page.



    Jezabel Careaga is a chef, designer, and the proprietor, both of Jezabel's Cafe and of sister business Jezabel's Studio in Philadelphia.   A talented maker, she is a NextFab member who designed and built many of her cafe's furnishings at the makerspaces!  As a chef, meanwhile, she fuses traditional Argentine flavor with new ingredients and techniques.  (And she caters events and offers cooking classes, as well!)



    During Day Three of Podcast Movement, Anna and Jezabel talked about NextFab, their individual maker experiences and what's next for the soon-to-be-expanded maker facilities.
    On this edition of Over Coffee®, you'll hear:

    *
    How Anna and Jezabel first became interested in making and entrepreneurship;

    *
    What NextFab is currently doing;

    *
    How Jezabel's needs for her small business led her to become a NextFab member/maker;

    *
    What makers can expect to see, when they enter the space;

    *
    The story of NextFab;

    *
    How Jezabel's small business, Jezabel's Cafe, came into being;

    *
    What an "average day" is like for each of them, as maker/entrepreneurs;

    *
    What a maker might experience, when coming into one of the maker spaces with a concept but no idea how to work through the process;

    *
    How an exciting pilot program is making a difference to the maker community in Wilmington;

    *
    The ways in which the community may be changing, as a result of the makers and small businesses;

    *
    The crucial factors involved in empowering more women to become makers and engineers.

    36 min
  • NextFab: A Network of Creativity


    NextFab is an incredible makers' resource.  But they're not a makerspace.

    Instead, they are a network of makerspaces, in the Delaware Valley.  Specifically, their locations are in Philadelphia, North Philadelphia and--as of 2017--Wilmington, Delaware.

    During Podcast Movement 2018, in Philadelphia, we had the privilege of recording, live-on-tape from the Talkshoe booth, with two special guests.



    Anna Solomon is NextFab's Assistant Sales Manager.  She is also the first woman to graduate the University of Delaware's Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies program.  Her background, as a maker, includes both engineering and economics, and she's been with NextFab since 2016, according to her LinkedIn page.



    Jezabel Careaga is a chef, designer, and the proprietor, both of Jezabel's Cafe and of sister business Jezabel's Studio in Philadelphia.   A talented maker, she is a NextFab member who designed and built many of her cafe's furnishings at the makerspaces!  As a chef, meanwhile, she fuses traditional Argentine flavor with new ingredients and techniques.  (And she caters events and offers cooking classes, as well!)



    During Day Three of Podcast Movement, Anna and Jezabel talked about NextFab, their individual maker experiences and what's next for the soon-to-be-expanded maker facilities.
    On this edition of Over Coffee®, you'll hear:

    *
    How Anna and Jezabel first became interested in making and entrepreneurship;

    *
    What NextFab is currently doing;

    *
    How Jezabel's needs for her small business led her to become a NextFab member/maker;

    *
    What makers can expect to see, when they enter the space;

    *
    The story of NextFab;

    *
    How Jezabel's small business, Jezabel's Cafe, came into being;

    *
    What an "average day" is like for each of them, as maker/entrepreneurs;

    *
    What a maker might experience, when coming into one of the maker spaces with a concept but no idea how to work through the process;

    *
    How an exciting pilot program is making a difference to the maker community in Wilmington;

    *
    The ways in which the community may be changing, as a result of the makers and small businesses;

    *
    The crucial factors involved in empowering more women to become makers and engineers.

    36 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…