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

By Dot Cannon: Public Speaker & New-Media ReporterSociety & Culture Education Arts

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

September 23, 2016 Dreams Within Reach, Great Causes

Omaze co-founder Ryan Cummins is revolutionizing the idea of the charity auction.

And he'd like to know if you'd like an opportunity to go out for pizza with Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Tom Brady, in Boston. Or, possibly, to be a VIP guest at the first Festival of Disruption, in L.A.

The exciting part? Anyone can win, for a ten-dollar donation.

Unlike traditional charity auctions, Omaze contributors don't shell out thousands of dollars, to become the "highest bidder" for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Ryan says that frequently, the top-prize winner has given a ten-dollar donation. Omaze, which is run as a sweepstakes (not a lottery), has raised, literally, millions for charity through their campaigns. The causes they've benefited include Artists for Peace and Justice, the UNICEF Foundation and the Geffen Playhouse.

And if people donate, but don't win the "dream experiences" they've hoped for? "Campaign perks", for donations of twenty-five dollars or more, range from digital thank-you cards to T-shirts and autographed memorabilia.

Ryan talked about his background in filmmaking and entertainment, how he and co-founder Matt Pohlson came to create Omaze in 2011 and some of his favorite stories about their campaigns.
On this edition of Over Coffee® you'll hear:

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How Ryan's growing-up years led to his passion for storytelling and the work he's currently doing;

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Some of the experiences he and Matt had, prior to Omaze, as filmmakers and producers;

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The experience that led to the creation of Omaze;

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The steps Ryan and Matt took, toward making their idea a reality;

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Ryan's recollections from the business's early days;

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What was involved in growing the platform from there;

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How Omaze works;

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How they select the causes they support;

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A hint of new model they'll be premiering next year, to benefit other nonprofits (more information to come!);

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What services Omaze offers, and how donated funds break down between operational costs and amounts given to the charities;

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(While we can't break it early), a hint of some of Omaze's upcoming "dream experience" offerings;

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Some of Ryan's favorite stories about celebrities' (very positive) responses to their winners;

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The resources Ryan found most helpful;

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One of the best lessons he learned, as an entrepreneur.

29 min
September 17, 2016 A Vibrant L.A., A Caring World

Los Angeles is currently welcoming Green Festival® Expo--America's largest and longest-running sustainability event.

On Friday, September 16th, the Los Angeles Green Festival® opened its doors at noon at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Dr. Corinna Basler, President of Green Festivals, was on hand as this three-day special event started. She offered a preview of the presentations, demonstrations and exhibitions attendees will get to see from now through Sunday, September 18th.

Los Angeles has been one of Green Festival®'s five host cities, nationally, since 2010. Dr. Basler says this year's Los Angeles Green Festival® is larger than ever before, as it premieres some new features!
On this special edition of Over Coffee®, you'll hear:

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Some of the new features and panels that will be happening at the 2016 Los Angeles Green Festival;

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Who are some of the new independent "green" entrepreneurs for whom to look, on the exhibit floor;

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What it's like to take a green test drive in a new electric car;

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Some of the animal-related organizations and exhibitors to which animal lovers can look forward (hint: the Gentle Barn has rescue animals again, but there are first-timers this year!);

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What you'll find at the yoga pavilions, making their first appearance this year at the Los Angeles Green Festival®.

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Some of the future plans for Green Festival, as they work to expand their program nationally.

The Los Angeles Green Festival® Expo reopens at 10 am on Saturday, September 17th in the Los Angeles Convention Center’s South Hall K, located at 1201 South Figueroa Street near West Pico Boulevard, and runs through Sunday, September 18th. Hours are 10 am to 6 pm Saturday and 10 am to 5 pm Sunday. Here’s the link for more information.
11 min
September 16, 2016 Ed Roman: Artist, Giver, Messenger

"That's what makes a society healthy, is the ability to look at itself," says award-winning Canadian musician and songwriter Ed Roman.

And on his new album, Red Omen, that's exactly what he challenges his listeners to do.

Crafting original lyrics and an eclectic sound that blends country, pop, rock and folk, Ed reminds his audiences to ask questions and live mindfully--but not to take ourselves too seriously, in the process.

"Dawn is coming quickly, and it's looking kind of sickly," he observes, in his country-flavored "Tough Cookie". On "Time Itself", his ever-increasing tempo and lush-sounding guitar work evoke both the rapidity with which time goes by--and the beauty of getting to live that experience. And on "I Am Love", he issues a call to action with a clear-eyed look at current circumstances.

But Ed, whose professional honors have included two Indie Music Channel Awards, an Akademia Award and nominations for both the 2015 and 2016 Josie Music Awards, doesn't stop at creating socially-conscious music.

He released his single, "Lay One Down," on Veterans' Day, 2015. Royalties from this single go to raise funds for nonprofit Heart Songs for Veterans. Following the release of the single, Ed and other award-winning musicians from around the world donated their time to create the "Lay One Down" video, to benefit the veterans' organization.

While shooting his music video "Jamaica", for his previous album Letters From High Latitudes, Ed delivered humanitarian aid and taught music lessons in the poorest part of Jamaica. His goal is to one day open a mobile music school on the island.

Ed talked about the experience of recording his new album, the ideas behind his music and the creation of the videos from some of the cuts on "Red Omen".
On this edition of Over Coffee® you'll hear:

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What the writing and recording process was like, for the album Red Omen;

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Some of the recurring themes for which to look, among the metaphors in the songs;

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How a creative work "takes over" to take an artist through the process;

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Some of the influences and ideas behind the cut "ETA";

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The autobiographical references and stories behind the title cut;

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The creative process behind "I Am Love", the first single from this album;

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How Ed became involved in Heart Songs for Veterans, to which he contributed "Lay One Down";

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What it was like to produce the video for "Lay One Down" and some of the other songs on the album;

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Ed's plans to further his humanitarian work in Jamaica;

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How Ed grew as an artist while recording Red Omen;

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His advice to fellow musicians on "getting it right the first time" when recording;

41 min
September 09, 2016 Wearable, Sleek…Lifesaving?

The Rufus Cuff lets wearers make voice and video calls, hands-free. It also has a full keyboard for texting and email.

And in industrial workplaces, it's a potential lifesaver.

Gabe Grifoni is the CEO and Co-Founder of Rufus Labs, which developed two versions of this wearable computer. The Rufus Cuff, which straps on like a wristwatch, is a standalone device that comes in consumer and enterprise editions.

Gabe and his team were one of four start-ups who recently graduated from Make in LA's second mentorship session. The program culminated in a "Hardware Demo Day" graduation ceremony, in which program participants presented their projects to potential investors.

After his presentation, Gabe talked about developing the Rufus Cuff, its uses in enterprise and some resources he'd recommend to fellow entrepreneurs.
On this edition of Over Coffee® you'll hear:

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How workers can put the Rufus Cuff to use on the job;

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How Gabe and his team came up with the concept for their wearable tablet;

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How the Rufus Cuff could prevent one of the leading causes of death in a warehouse situation;

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Additional functions that could make a workplace safer and more efficient;

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How this wearable tablet assists in daily operations in a warehouse situation;

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How Gabe and his team created an additional prototype in response to a specific client request in twenty-four hours;

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Gabe's resource recommendations for fellow makers, for design and 3D printing;

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The free resources he used to find files and download them for learning and 3D printing;

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Two important lessons for innovators, drawn from Gabe's experience creating the Rufus Cuff.

Are you a maker or entrepreneur? Check out Make in LA's classes, makerspace and services! They offer free office hours (30-minute sessions) on alternate Fridays, from 10 am to noon, to help you give your business a makeover for success. Here's the link to sign up.

12 min
September 03, 2016 A New Horizon: Brain-Controlled Devices

Drones aren't anything new.

But, controlling them with your brain waves certainly is.

And that's only the beginning of research for Dr. Juan Gilbert, Chair of the University of Florida's Computer and Information Science and Engineering Department.

In April of 2016, Dr. Gilbert and his students conducted the world's first brain-controlled drone race. Using a brain-computer interface, or BCI, students moved their drones along a race course. Through the interface, their brain waves "pushed" their drones in the directions of which they were thinking.

Now, Dr. Gilbert and his team are continuing their research into how this works. They're also working on making their brain-controlled drone race an annual event--and involving other academic institutions.

Beyond all of that, though, they're looking at the implications for future additional brain-controlled devices.

Dr. Gilbert's numerous professional awards include being named one of the "Top Ten Innovators" by the Chronicle of Higher Education in 2013, according to the university's faculty page. He is also an Andrew Banks Family Preeminence Endowed Professor, whose research areas include both machine learning and human-centered computing.

Dr. Gilbert talked about implementing the brain drone race, some of the challenges to making it work and how the system operates.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you'll hear:

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How Dr. Gilbert and his students first came up with the brain drone race;

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Some of the challenges they had to overcome to make this groundbreaking race a reality;

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How the brain-controlled interface works;

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What key factor affects an individual's ability to fly a drone with brain waves, according to research so far;

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What the experience was like, onsite at the race;

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How Dr. Gilbert's team is currently planning to upgrade future brain-drone races;

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The implications of brain-controlled drones and uses for other future devices;

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Another cool brain-controlled "toy" which Dr. Gilbert and his students are researching;

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His vision for future brain-drone races;

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His advice to students who want to work in STEM innovation;

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One of the most important lessons Dr. Gilbert has learned, during his career as a cutting-edge innovator.

17 min
August 26, 2016 A Sense of Presence

Touch is one of the main ways human beings connect.

It's also something Emerge could allow you to do during a video call, in the near future. This is a virtual-reality system that enables users to feel touch, in mid-air!

Mauricio Teran is one of the three co-founders of Emerge, Incorporated.

Mauricio and partners Sly Lee and Isaac Castro showcased Emerge at Make in LA's second Hardware Demo Day, in June. Investors and media had the opportunity to strap on a headset and experience virtual reality with touch.

(We won't ruin it by telling you what you'll see and feel. Let's just say, you're in a welcoming setting. Something interesting happens. And yes, to quote one of the first users on one of their promotional videos, it is "really cool".)

Mauricio talked about his background, how he and Sly and Castro created Emerge, and how the technology might be used in the future.
On this edition of Over Coffee® you'll hear:

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How Mauricio's background led him to become an entrepreneur. (He's the first Ecuadorian to attend Singularity University!);

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How Mauricio, Sly and Isaac first came up with the idea of incorporating touch into communication;

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The insights Mauricio and his colleagues gained, while creating a prototype and testing it with their first users;

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What the system allows video callers to do;

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How Emerge differs from other VR systems;

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The projected goals, for the system's availability to businesses and consumers;

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Some of the applications for which the system could be used;

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The Emerge Inc. team's experiences, at Make in LA;

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One of Mauricio's favorite team experiences, as a member of Make in LA's second entrepreneurs' class;

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His advice to fellow makers and entrepreneurs.

The Emerge team is currently recruiting beta testers, for their new touch-incorporated VR technology! Here's the link to their website, for an application.
Meanwhile, Make in LA, Los Angeles' first hardware accelerator, offers free 30-minute slots to entrepreneurs during their alternate "Retooling Fridays", from 10:00 am to noon, according to their website. Here's the link to sign up.
Additional Make in LA exciting news? They'll soon be accepting applications for their intensive four-month "High Touch" program, which starts in Spring, 2017.
And, they've partnered with HexLab MakerSpace to offer classes! Check out Make in LA's website for more information and upcoming events.

22 min
August 19, 2016 “Virtual” Escape, Real-World Healing

Dr. Brennan Spiegel refers to hospital rooms as "bio-psycho-social jail cells."
Anyone who's ever seen a family member hospitalized, would completely agree.
But Dr. Spiegel, who is Cedars-Sinai's Director of Health Services Research, is exploring ways to use virtual reality, to change that hospital experience.

Currently, he and his team are researching the ways VR could alleviate hospital patients' stress and anxiety. Their findings have some startling implications about our minds and healing.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is one of the first hospitals to study the use of VR by hospital inpatients. Dr. Spiegel's team equips selected patients with a headset, then "transports" them to a more pleasant environment with a short virtual-reality video. Patients can "travel" to Iceland, an art studio or underwater. (Here's a link to Cedars-Sinai's video on the project.)

Patients using virtual reality have had some pretty exciting results in pain reduction, according to findings Dr. Spiegel recently published online.

Dr. Spiegel talked about implementing virtual-reality research at Cedars-Sinai, some of his experiences with introducing the system to patients, and the new, larger study Cedars-Sinai will be starting in the near future.
On this edition of Over Coffee® you'll hear:

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How Dr. Spiegel first became aware of the possibilities of virtual reality in a hospital setting;

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His experiences with introducing the system to patients on the first day of the experiment;

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The reasons some patients may not be eligible for a VR study;

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Positive reactions and responses from some patients who have used therapeutic virtual reality;

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His plans for a larger upcoming trial among Cedars-Sinai patients;

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The projected date for results from the larger study;

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Some of the best experiences Dr. Spiegel has had during the initial study of therapeutic virtual reality;

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What a patient may experience while wearing the virtual-reality headset;

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How the brain is functioning during the patient's use of virtual reality;

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Dr. Spiegel's vision for the future, with medical use of virtual or mixed reality.
(This post is for informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional if you have medical questions.)

16 min
August 12, 2016 Singing, Living and Sharing Country

When award-winning country artist Richard Lynch picks up a guitar, he's honoring his heritage.

He's also giving back--and giving the next generation a taste of traditional country.

Richard and his band share the stories of the rural lifestyle with which he grew up. Their pure-country sound harks back to artists like Waylon Jennings and George Jones. Among the multiple honors Richard has received for his music is his 2015 induction into the Independent Country Music Hall of Fame, according to his website.

Richard's current single, "A Better Place", spent fourteen weeks in the number-one position on the New Music Weekly AM/FM Country chart. His album, by the same name, garnered six 2016 Josie Music Awards nominations.

But he doesn't just sing about a life he recalls. Richard is a barn builder, and he and his family live on an Ohio farm.

As founder of the nonprofit Love Tattoo Foundation, Richard uses his music to give back to veterans. The Foundation raises money for the Wilwin Lodge veterans' facility. (And they have a benefit show coming up in September, if you're in their area!)

In his mission to keep the country lifestyle going, Richard goes beyond storytelling. Visitors to shows at his "Keepin' It Country Farm" get to experience rural life.

Richard talked about his background, some of the cuts on his "A Better Place" album and his plans for the future.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you'll hear:

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How Richard's growing-up years led him to develop the skills and talents to be a working country musician;

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How the "country music bug" first bit him;

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What kept him going for years before the recognition he's currently receiving;

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What an average day's like, on his farm;

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Some of his experiences recording his album "A Better Place";

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An important lesson from his growing-up years, about choosing which songs to record;

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The story of writing his song, "Daddy's Guitar";

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How he's promoting the future of country music (and having fun!);

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A preview of the upcoming show on his Keepin' It Country Farm;

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One of the accolades that meant the most to him;

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The story behind the song "Love Tattoo", which Richard co-wrote in honor of veterans;

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How he and his wife created the "Love Tattoo Foundation", and the ways it supports veterans.

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His plans for his next project;

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His advice to aspiring musicians.

25 min
August 05, 2016 Zipping Far Beyond “Boo”

For Decayed Brigade, scaring people is an art form.

That's why they're a don't-miss favorite at Southern California's Halloween convention, ScareLA.

Their troupe started performing in 2013, according to ScareLA's website. They're an elite team of the best "sliders" from haunted attractions all across Southern California.

And they put on monstrously-entertaining shows, three times daily, during ScareLA.

ScareLA 2016 happens this Saturday and Sunday, August 6th and 7th. Decayed Brigade will be at their best on the slider stage, doing extreme physical stunts including leaps, spins and high-speed sliding.

AND--they're also teaching a new class! This year, for the first time, Decayed Brigade hosts a "slider clinic", on Saturday, August 6th! Aspiring sliders can bring their gear and check in with members of the team, to see if they can test their skills.

Just after one of their shows at ScareLA 2015, Steve Pedersen of Decayed Brigade talked about the troupe and his experiences as a slider.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you'll hear:

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How Steve started his sliding career;

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What's involved in being a slider;

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The types of gear sliders use for safety and effective performance;

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The skill sets involved, and the ones Steve most enjoyed developing;

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A common misconception about sliders;

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The most important element for success in the Decayed Brigade team;

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The "unknown quantity" for sliders in haunt situations;

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The philosophy behind Decayed Brigade;

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What Decayed Brigade did for Halloween 2015.

Decayed Brigade will be performing three "horrific slider shows" daily at ScareLA 2016, which happens Saturday and Sunday, August 6th and 7th, at Pasadena Convention Center. Here's the link for showtimes. Also, check out their brand-new "sliding clinic" at noon on Saturday, August 6th! Please bring your own gear, and be prepared to have it "safety checked" by a team member.
And don't miss "Halloween in the summer" at ScareLA 2016, Los Angeles' Halloween convention! "Witching hours" are 11 am to 7 pm, Saturday and Sunday, August 6th and 7th at the Pasadena Convention Center, 300 East Green Street near South Euclid Avenue. Workshops, mini-haunts, panels, a film festival and an evening costume party are all just a part of the "scary" schedule, which includes more than 100 hours of joyously hair-raising events!

11 min
July 29, 2016 Sharing His Expertise

Author and businessman Ray Zinn knows what makes an entrepreneur successful.

And his principles are every bit as applicable to makers and one-person startups, as to larger companies.

Ray is unique, in both his success and his experience. In 1978, he founded his independent semiconductor company, Micrel, in Silicon Valley. Failure was not an option--for reasons he explains in his new book, Tough Things First: Leadership Lessons from Silicon Valley's Longest-Serving CEO.

He would serve as Micrel's CEO until his retirement in 2015: a total of thirty-seven years.

Today, Ray offers guidance to fellow entrepreneurs, both through his book and with his newest venture, Mentor Capital.

After the Sensors 2016 conference, Ray talked about his experiences, some of the leadership lessons he covers in his book and his new company, which mentors startups.
On this edition of Over Coffee® you'll hear:

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How Ray's growing-up years prepared him to succeed in Silicon Valley;

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The unforgettable lesson his father taught him, during his college years;

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A key success technique for small-business entrepreneurs;

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The routine Ray used, to make his days at Micrel go smoothly;

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A technique for learning from mistakes;

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What entrepreneurs need to know about "frugality" versus "cheapness" in daily operations;

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How a "business culture" applies to smaller entrepreneurs;

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The difference between creating a business that lasts, versus one that's "flashy";

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A business's most important area on which to focus (and it isn't making money!)

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How Ray developed an essential entrepreneurial skill;

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What he's currently doing with his exciting new venture, in which he mentors entrepreneurs (Hint: this is based on his book!)

19 min

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

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