Ep. 35 - AI for Good with Anna Bethke

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast, host Ryan O’Shea speaks with Anna Bethke, the head of AI for Social Good at Intel. In this role she is responsible for establishing partnerships with social impact organizations, and for using Intel’s technologies and artificial intelligence to help them achieve their goals. She is also actively involved in the AI ethics discussion and collaborates on research surrounding the design of fair, transparent, ethical, and accessible AI systems. In her previous role she developed deep learning natural language processing algorithms as a deep learning data scientist at the Intel AI Lab. Anna received an M.S and B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from MIT and previously worked as a data scientist at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and more.

They discuss what AI and AI for Good even means, bias and AI ethics, available resources, and more. Say hello to Anna on Twitter at @data_beth

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Show Notes

• Anna’s path to AI for Good [2:07]

• Previous work with the Department of Defense [4:25]

• What does AI even mean? [6:56]

• The start of AI for Good at Intel [8:03]

• How Anna spends her days [9:46]

• AI for Good or AI for Social Good? [10:38]

• What Intel’s AI for Good is working on [12:20]

• How AI for Good projects are identified [14:49]

• Keeping the focus on impact [23:33]

• Biggest concerns in AI Ethics [26:16]

• Autonomous vehicles and racial bias [32:02]

• Thoughts on superintelligence and AGI [34:29]

• Other players in the AI for Good space [35:03]

• Books and resources on AI ethics and AI for Good [39:34]

• How to follow along with Anna [41:56]
  
  Mentioned
  Missy Cummings
  Data Science for Social Good, University of Chicago
  DataKind
  Data for Democracy
  Delta Analytics
  MIT Lincoln Laboratory
  Argonne National Laboratory
  In-Q-Tel
  TrailGuard AI, RESOLVE, National Geographic Labs
  NeurIPS AI for Social Good Workshop 2018
  UN Sustainable Development Goals
  Man is to Computer Programmer as Woman is to Homemaker? Debiasing Word Embeddings
  Partnership on AI
  IEEE
  Georgia Tech autonomous vehicles study
  Trolley Problem
  Element AI, Yoshua Bengio
  Code for America
  DrivenData
     - DEON AI Ethics Checklist
  USC Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society
  Carnegie Mellon Machine Learning for Social Good
  AI for All
  Iridescent
  Data & Society
  
  Book Recommendations:
  Weapons of Math Destruction, Cathy O’Neil
  Alogorithms of Oppression, Safiya Umoja Noble
  Uberland, Alex Rosenblat
  The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, Shoshana Zuboff
  

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Ep. 34 - Bio and the FBI with Supervisory Special Agent Edward You

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast, host Ryan O’Shea speaks with Supervisory Special Agent Edward You of the FBI’s Biological Countermeasures Unit. This unit falls within the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate, and is focused on identifying existing and emerging biological threats, and ultimately on preventing acts of bio-terrorism. Because of this focus, SSA You spends much of his time examining the possible risks posed by synthetic biology, gene editing, and other fast-growing fields of development. He has a special interest in establishing partnerships with with community DIYbio labs, and has previously spoken at DEF CON’s Biohacking Village.

They discuss the mission and operation of the Biological Countermeasures Unit, the perceived differences between intentional and accidental harm, the FBI’s interest in community labs and citizen science, resources available for members of the biohacking and DIYbio communities, and much more.

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Show Notes

• What is the FBI’s Biological Countermeasures Unit [2:01]

• The focus on prevention of crime [3:09]

• A day in the life of SSA You [4:10]

• Identifying threats by listening to the community [5:35]

• Risks posed by Biohacking, DIYbio, and citizen science [8:44]

• Different risks of academics, private sector, and citizen scientists [10:53]

• Difference between intent and accident [12:52]

• Risks posed by health and personal data [17:43]

• CRISPR and gene editing [22:37]

• Where do implants fit into the conversation? [25:19]

• Legality of implanting devices [26:52]

• Interdepartmental communication on policy suggestions [30:26]

• FBI outreach and engagement [31:35]

• How biohackers and citizen scientists can stay on law enforcement’s good side [33:56]

• Establishing contact with a WMD field coordinator [36:55]

• International agencies focused on bio [40:36]

• Domestic agencies focused on bio [41:34]

• Resources available for the biohacking & DIYbio community [42:53]

• Pushback against the FBI in these spaces [45:33]

• How to join the FBI [47:33]

• SSA You’s background and path to the FBI [49:33]

• What the future holds for the Biological Countermeasures Unit [51:03]

  
  Mentioned
  2001 anthrax attacks
  Biological Weapons Convention
  Dr. Evil - UK Body Modification charges
  18 U.S. Code § 175. Prohibitions with respect to biological weapons
  National Biodefense Strategy
  WMD Coordinators
  DIYbio, Code of Ethics
  FBI.gov
  United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI)
  

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If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Ep. 33 - Sustainable Superabundance with David Wood

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast host Ryan O’Shea speaks with entrepreneur and author David Wood. David was one of the early pioneers of the smartphone industry, and in 1998 he co-founded Symbian and worked to launch their mobile operating system, which was used by Samsung, Motorola, Nokia, and more. Today David serves as Chair of the London Futurists, which hosts educational events dedicated to exploring the potential upsides, and the potential downsides of accelerating technologies. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Humanity Plus, a nonprofit dedicated to elevating the human condition. David has been included in T3 magazine’s list of the ”100 most influential people in technology”, and has authored or edited 8 books including his latest, the newly released Sustainable Superabundance: A Universal Transhumanist Invitation.

They discuss David’s background as a pioneer in the smartphone industry, the future of politics and how tribalism and vitriol can be overcome, and the path towards superabundance.

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Show Notes

• How David became a smartphone pioneer [2:03]

• David’s background in mathematics and physics [4:31]

• The story & purpose of London Futurists [8:00]

• A focus on AGI, transhumanism, & the future of politics [10:18]

• The need for transhumanism [12:56]

• Transpolitica & the future of politics [19:38]

• Updates on the UK Transhumanist Party [23:40]

• Why Technoprogessive? [26:46]

• The story of Sustainable Superabundance [31:40]

• What would superabundance look like? [33:49]

• Overcoming transhumanist tropes [36:56]

• The Invitation [39:34]

• Overcoming political team sports [42:35]

• Superdemocracy [45:20]

• Criticisms: Too Anti-Capitalist [50:31]

• Threats to Superabundance [52:44]

• A call to action [55:13]

• What’s Next: Focus on mental health [57:12]

• Follow along with David [59:51]

  
  Mentioned
  Bill Gates, Microsoft
  John Sculley, Apple
  Psion, Symbian
  Eric Drexler
  Aubrey de Grey
  Nick Bostrom
  Ray Kurzweil
  Eliezer Yudkowski
  J.B.S. Haldane
  Wayne Gretzky
  David Wood’s The Abolition of Aging
  Zoltan Istvan, The Transhumanist Wager
  U.S. Transhumanist Party
  UK Transhumanist Party
  Transpolitca
  - Anticipating Tomorrow’s Politics
  - Envisioning Politics 2.0
  Gennady Stolyarov II
  James Hughes, IEET
  Transvision
  

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Ep. 32 - Designing the Future with Natasha Vita-More

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast host Ryan O’Shea sits down with Natasha Vita-More, Ph.D. Natasha has done a lot - she’s an artist, designer, author, and speaker. She is co-editor of The Transhumanist Reader: Classical and Contemporary Essays on the Science, Technology and Philosophy of the Human Future, and is the author of the brand new book TRANSHUMANISM: What is it?. In 2015 she served as the lead scientist on published research into the memory retention of C. elegans nematodes after cryopreservation, which could have important implications for cryonics. Natasha currently serves as a professor at the University of Advancing Technology, as well as the Executive Director of Humanity Plus, a nonprofit organization which advocates for the ethical use of emerging technologies to improve human capabilities, and one which Ryan is also involved with (to join Humanity Plus, click here).

They discuss Natasha’s background and her path to transhumanist philosophy, her concept for a whole body prosthetic, the future of Humanity Plus, and more.

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We're posting in two forms, an audio podcast and a video podcast. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, DTube channel, and iTunes feed as we have some exclusive content that is not posted on both channels. You can also find us on Facebook.

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Show Notes

• What is Transhumanism? [1:57]

• Natasha’s Background [4:24]

• The Primo Posthuman Whole Body Prosthetic [13:36]

• Overcoming A Reluctance to Change [22:59]

• The Transhumanist Reader [26:15]

• Life Expansion: Beyond the Biological [30:27]

• The Future of Humanity Plus [31:40]

• How to Get Involved with Humanity Plus [37:36]

• What is Cryonics? [38:34]

• Natasha’s C. Elegan’s Memory Research [41:49]

• Natasha’s Longevity Strategies [44:49 ]

• Where to Find Out More [46:44]

  
  Mentioned
  Stan Brakhage (filmmaker)
  Bikram Yoga
  FM-2030, Woman in the Year 2000
  Extropy Institute
  Eric Drexler
  Hans Moravec
  Ralph Merkle
  Ben Goertzel
  Peter Voss
  ”DON'T DIE, STAY PRETTY.” Wired Magazine, 2000
  The Transhumanist Reader
  - Nick Bostrom
  - Anders Sandberg
  - Martine Rothblatt
  - Marvin Minsky
  - Aubrey de Grey
  - Vernor Vinge
  - Ray Kurzweil
  N Katherine Hayles
  Metanexus
  - Transhumanism and Its Critics
  Max More
  Future of Humanity Institute
  Christine Peterson - Foresight Institute
  Sophia the Robot
  Alcor Life Extension Foundation
  Rejuvenation Research journal
  Life Extension
  
  

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Ep. 31 - The Chemistry of Self-Driving Cars with Covestro

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast, host Ryan O’Shea sits down with Paul Platte, Senior Marketing Manager at Covestro. Covestro is a Bayer spinout and one of the leading producers of high-performance polymers. Their products can be found almost everywhere, and they are a major supplier to the automotive, electronics, and healthcare industries. Now, however, self-driving cars are taking up much of Covestro’s attention.

Ryan and Paul discuss many of the crucial design and engineering challenges that most people overlook when discussing self-driving cars, as well as the ramifications of electric vehicles, changing ownership models, and drones. They also discuss RoadTrip 2030, a day-long conference featuring many of the innovators that are working to build the autonomous vehicles of tomorrow, including Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group (now Aurora), Carnegie Mellon University, and more.

We're posting in two forms, an audio podcast and a video podcast. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, DTube channel, and iTunes feed as we have some exclusive content that is not posted on both channels. You can also find us on Facebook.

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Show Notes

• What is Covestro? [1:55]

• Paul’s Background [3:36]

• RoadTrip 2030 [4:39]

• Pittsburgh: A Self-Driving Hub [7:12]

• The Future Automobile in Virtual Reality [8:31]

• Design Challenge: Thermal Management in AVs [11:26]

• Self-Driving Cars - An Extension of Your Phone [17:17]

• Design Challenge: Hidden Cameras and Sensors [21:05]

• Cars for Entertainment, Work, & Sleep [29:04]

• Design Challenge: Self-Driving Safety [35:20]

• Design Challenge: Large & Dangerous Batteries [42:02]

• The End of Vehicle Ownership & Increased Workload [46:44]

• Space Flight & “New Mobility” [52:33]

• Current Materials Roadblocks [57:13]

• Importance of Sustainability [1:02:42]

• Where to find more about Covestro and RoadTrip 2030 [1:06:24]
  
  Mentioned
  Polyurethane
  Polycarbonate
  Uber ATG (now Aurora)
  Carnegie Mellon University
  Bridgestone
  Kettering University (formerly General Motors Institute of Technology)
  General Motors
  Argo AI
  OnStar
  Solar Impulse plane

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Ep. 30 - Ethics and Emerging Technologies with Dr. James Hughes

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast host Ryan O’Shea sits down with Dr. James Hughes. Dr. Hughes is a bioethicist and serves as the Executive Director of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, which he founded alongside Nick Bostrom in 2004. He is the author of Citizen Cyborg: Why Democratic Societies Must Respond to the Redesigned Human of the Future, and has previously served as the Executive Director of the World Transhumanist Association, which is now known as Humanity Plus. James is well known for his contributions to the technoprogressive movement, and was previously a Buddhist monk.

They discuss the potential of a technoprogressive future, ideas for the regulation of transformative technologies, the controversies around brain augmentation and animal uplift, and more!

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Show Notes

• What is the IEET? [1:54]

• The differences between IEET and the WTA (Humanity+) [5:42]

• A Technoprogressive path forward? [9:17]

• Democratized Access with Universal Healthcare [12:43]

• Where to elective, aesthetics mods fit in? [14:28]

• How can you regulate tech when bodily autonomy exists? [18:14]

• CRISPR, self-experimentation, and the bifurcation of the human species [23:16]

• Next-level brain augmentation [26:18]

• The dangers of non-augmented humans [30:39]

• Into the weeds of animal uplift [33:11]

• Anthropocentric concerns of animal uplift [39:03]

• Benefits of Buddhism [42:52]

• Mindfullness & meditation [46:45]

• James’ thoughts on transhumanist politics [49:32]

• What is transhumanism, anyway? [52:13]

• The Enlightenment root of transhumanism [54:11]

• What’s for James & the IEET? [56:24]
  
  Mentioned
  Journal of Evolution and Technology
  Future of Humanity Institute
  George Dvorsky, io9
  Singularitatian
  Peter Thiel
  Technoprogressive Declaration
  Dallas Buyers Club
  The 4400, Promicin
  Peter Singer
  Sam Harris
  Zoltan Istvan
  Condorcet
  Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Frankenstein
  JBS Haldane
  Julian Huxley
  HG Wells
  

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Ep. 29 - Biosafety and Biosecurity in DIYbio with Todd Kuiken

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast host Ryan O’Shea speaks with Todd Kuiken, Senior Research Scholar at the Genetic Engineering & Society Center at North Carolina State University. In this role Todd travels the world to study biosafety and biosecurity within the do-it-yourself biology community. Todd previously spent time in Washington D.C., leading both the Wilson Center’s Synthetic Biology Project, and their the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies. They discuss his collaboration with DIYbio.org, safety within citizen science, the handling of public perception, what is holding DIYbio back, and more!

We're posting in two forms, an audio podcast and a video podcast. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, DTube channel, and iTunes feed as we have some exclusive content that is not posted on both channels. You can also find us on Facebook.

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Show Notes

• Who is Todd & what does he do? [1:47]

• What is DIYbio? [2:21]

• Defining synthetic biology [3:21]

• The birth of diybio.org [4:05]

• The beginning of DIYbio [5:01]

• Todd’s interesting background [6:15]

• The Wilson Center [8:47]

• Genetic Engineering & Society [9:42]

• A Code of Ethics [11:16]

• “Ask a Biosafety Expert [15:13]

• The Open Philanthropy Project and $700,000 for DIYbio safety [18:39]

• “Responsible Oversight” [24:58]

• The licensing controversy [26:56]

• NSA & UN & others, oh my [30:02]

• Real concerns surrounding DIYbio [31:46]

• A place for Bioethics [34:26]

• How DIYbio can stay on the good side [36:06]

• Josiah Zayner, ethics, and self-experimentation [37:18]

• Challenges facing DIYbio [40:11]

• Where funding can come from [41:56]

• Possible policy fixes [42:34]

• How to get involved with DIYbio [44:06]
  
  Mentioned
  Mackenzie Cowell & Jason Bobe
  Oultlaw Biology at UCLA
  Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
  American Biological Safety Association
  ”Myths & Realities of the DIYbio Movement”
  Open Philanthropy Project
  Genspace, Dan Grushkin
  Angela Armendariz
  iGEM
  Do-It-Yourself Biology: Reality and the Path Toward Innovation
  George Church, New York Times article
  Eleonore Pauwels
  Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
  Nature article - Governance: Learn from DIY biologists
  Last Week Tonight - Gene Editing
  Josiah Zayner - The ODIN
  

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Ep. 28 - The State of Transhumanist Politics with Gennady Stolyarov II

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast host Ryan O’Shea sits down with Gennady Stolyarov II, Chairman of the US Transhumanist Party. Gennady took the reins of the Transhumanist Party when the organization’s founder, Zoltan Istvan, stepped down after his campaign for President in 2016. In addition to his work work with the Party, Gennady is a published author and composer, and he has contributed articles to the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, the Brighter Brains Institute, the Ludwig von Mises Institute, and many more. They discuss the current state of transhumanist politics, why Gennady believes that they are important in the first place, and how he feels that transhumanism can transcend socialism, libertarianism, and all other conventional ideologies.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, your purchase will help to financially support the efforts of this podcast!

We're posting in two forms, an audio podcast and a video podcast. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, DTube channel, and iTunes feed as we have some exclusive content that is not posted on both channels. You can also find us on Facebook.

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Show Notes

• What is the Transhumanist Party? [1:48]

• Zoltan’s relationship with the Party [4:49]

• “Politics” are controversial & divisive [15:03]

• Trashumanism & “team sport” politics [19:07]

• Is this actually a legitimate political party? [27:04]

• Involvement of foreign nationals [33:44]

• The Transhuman National Committee (TNC) [39:28]

• The Transhuman Party & Andrew Yang [43:42]

• Tribalism, Objectivism, & Gennady’s place on the political spectrum [50:30]

• Gennady’s campaign for public office [57:39]

• Mortality & how Gennady found transhumanism [1:03:16]

• The Death Is Wrong Book [1:06:03]

• The Rational Argumentator [1:10:26]

• The Future of the Transhumanist Party [1:14:38]
  
  Mentioned
  Zoltan Istvan
  The Transhumanist Wager
  Futurist Party
  Transhuman National Committee
  Andrew Yang
  Hank Pellissier
  Ayn Rand
  Death is Wrong
  FM-2030
  Max More
  Ray Kurzweil
  Aubrey de Grey, SENS
  The Rational Argumentator

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Ep. 27 - Rejuvenation Roundup Podcast Launch

We're excited to announce that we have partnered with the Life Extension Advocacy Foundation to produce the Rejuvenation Roundup Podcast, hosted by Ryan O'Shea! To celebrate, this special installment of Future Grind features the full first episode of the Rejuvenation Roundup Podcast. Explore the latest in life extension and anti-aging science with a dive into a month's worth of scientific insights and new breakthroughs. More at lifespan.io/roundup!

If you’d like to support this podcast with a donation or find out more about sponsorship opportunities, you can visit the Support page.

We're posting in two forms, an audio podcast and a video podcast. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, DTube channel, and iTunes feed as we have some exclusive content that is not posted on both channels. You can also find us on Facebook.

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Show Notes

• Rejuvenation Roundup Podcast announcement [0:20]

• Rejuvenation Roundup Podcast! [0:53]

• Lifespan.io Conference recap [2:14]

• Oisin Biotechnologies' work with Senescent Cells [3:03]

• Juvenescense & Antoxerene announce partnership [7:34]

• Methuselah Foundation & the story of Mr. Howie [12:52]

• WHO's new aging-related disease code [15:49]

• Interviews & articles on the LEAF website [17:56]

Mentioned
Keith Comito
Matthew Scholz & Oisin Biotechnologies
Juvenescense Limited
Kelsey Moody
Danielle Ruiz & Methuselah Foundation
Alex Zhavoronkov & Insilico Medicine
Daria Khaltourina & the International Longevity Alliance
World Health Organization
Aubrey de Grey

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Ep. 26 - The Future of eSports with Rob Lee

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast host Ryan O’Shea sits down with Rob Lee, the CEO & owner of the Pittsburgh Knights. The Knights participate in the growing world of eSports, where competitors battle in virtual environments with very real stakes. These may be video games, but according to some metrics, eSports leagues already have audience numbers that surpass those of some major sports, and it’s popularity continues to grow. Investors and sponsors are clamoring to get in on the action, but this new industry is not without it’s share of controversy. They discuss making a living in virtual worlds, the impact of IP laws, the future of entertainment, virtual reality, & more. If you’d like to support this podcast with a donation or find out more about sponsorship opportunities, you can visit the Support page.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, your purchase will help to financially support the efforts of this podcast!

Follow the Knights on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. #KnightLife

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Show Notes

• What are eSports? [1:41]

• The Pittsburgh Knights [2:38]

• More popular than traditional sports? [3:30]

• Global eSports popularity [4:53]

• Why Pittsburgh? [8:54]

• The purpose of eSports teams [10:41]

• Specialization and transient games [14:08]

• eSports leagues and tournaments [16:38]

• The next big games [19:42]

• Streaming, sponsorships, & eyeballs [21:33]

• The impact of IP & copyright [23:50]

• Rob’s story [27:11]

• Unions in professional gaming [30:21]

• The career of a professional gamer [33:10]

• Ninja, Twitch, and growth [35:36]

• Link with Entrepreneurship [38:12]

• Virtual worlds becoming real [40:46]

• Immersive VR and the future [44:13]

• What’s next for eSports and the Knights? [46:11]

• Where to find more [47:00]

Mentioned
Teams
Team Liquid
SK Gaming
Renegades
Immortals
Misfits
Luminosity

Games
Halo
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Fortnite
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Overwatch
League of Legends
H1Z1

Ninja (Duals with Drake)
Mango
Jacob Wolf
Robert Kraft
Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
South Fayette Township School District
Shaun White
Kevin Pereira
G4
E3
Carnegie Mellon Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship
Ready Player One

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Ep. 25 - Robots Saving Lives with Jorgen Pedersen

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast host Ryan O’Shea speaks with Jorgen Pedersen, the Founder and CEO of RE2 Robotics. RE2 has developed what are perhaps the most advanced humanlike robotic arms in the world, which can be automated or tele-operated, and are currently used by the United States military to diffuse bombs. They also have applications in healthcare, agriculture, energy, and much more. Before starting RE2, Jorgen was a part of the founding team of Carnegie Mellon’s prestigious National Robotics Engineering Center. We discuss how robots can save lives, the controversy around robots on the battlefield, the future of automation, and more. If you’d like to support this podcast with a donation or find out more about sponsorship opportunities, you can visit the Support page.

Follow Jorgen and RE2 on Twitter.

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Show Notes

• What is RE2? [1:34]

• Getting humans out of danger [3:17]

• Improving quality of life with robots [4:01]

• Working as an R&D contractor [7:34]

• Economies of Scale in the world of Robots [9:25]

• The focus on robot arms [10:45]

• The game-changing imitative controller [12:26]

• RE2 tackles land, sea, & sky [18:16]

• The lack of standard protocols & connections [23:27]

• On working with the Department of Defense [25:06]

• The importance of AI [27:08]

• XPRIZE & the future of avatar technology [28:53]

• Thoughts on automation & technological employment [32:39]

• How space led Jorgen to CMU [34:59]

• RE2 arms in space? [37:39]

• The founding of NREC [38:50]

• Why be an entrepreneur? [40:45]

• Pittsburgh [41:44]

• The future of robots [43:29]

• What’s next for RE2? [45:38]

• How to keep up to date [47:26]

Mentioned
Dr. Rory Cooper, Human Engineering Research Laboratories
Imitative Controllers
Robotics: Science and Systems
XPRIZE
ANA Avatar XPRIZE
Pitt Brain Implant Studies
CMU Robotics Institute
National Robotics Engineering Center
Astrobotic
Uber Advanced Technologies Group

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Ep. 24 - De-Extinction: Tomorrow's World of Yesterday with Britt Wray

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast host Ryan O’Shea speaks with Britt Wray, a host of the BBC podcast Tomorrow’s World and the author of the book Rise of the Necrofauna: The Science, Ethics, and Risks of De-Extinction. Her book focuses on the idea of resurrecting extinct animals, such as the woolly mammoth and the passenger pigeon, and whether or not this is possible, ethical, and safe. It also includes a foreword written by famed Harvard geneticist George Church. Throughout her work, Britt focuses on the ethical issues of emerging science and technology, creating stories which she tells through radio, tv, print, and public speaking.

Follow Britt on Twitter, or visit her website at brittwray.com.

We're posting in two forms, an audio podcast and a video podcast. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, DTube channel, and iTunes feed as we have some exclusive content that is not posted on both channels. You can also find us on Facebook.

If you’d like to support this podcast with a donation or find out more about sponsorship opportunities, you can visit the Support page.

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Show Notes

• What is de-extinction? [1:54]
• Why a book on de-extinction? [3:09]
• Concerns about de-extinction [5:48]
• The conservation benefits of de-extinction [13:10]
• Relationship with George Church [19:39]
• Neanderthal de-extinction, ethics, & bodily autonomy [20:41]
• The Frankenstein Complex [24:52]
• Facsimiles and artificial wombs [29:50]
• De-extinction is a misnomer [33:48]
• Updates on de-extinction projects [36:13]
• Britt’s background [39:13]
• Insights from an interdisciplinary approache [42:21]
• Exploring synthetic biology [45:10]
• The BBC & Tomorrow’s World podcast [47:41]
• Hosting CBC’s The Nature of Things, Quirks & Quarks [49:18]
• The future for Britt [50:53]
• How to keep up to date with Britt [52:38]
   

Mentioned

Arden Wray
Revive & Restore - Passenger Pigeon project (Ben Novak)
Bucardo De-Extinction
Jurassic Park
Northern White Rhino
George Church
Woolly Mammoth Project
Pleistocene Park
Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus
Frankenstein Complex
Bruno Latuor
Norman Carlin
David Attenborough
The Nature of Things, David Suzuki
Quirks & Quarks, Bob McDonald
Aurator

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, your purchase will help to financially support the efforts of this podcast.

Ep. 23 - Implanted Identity with Amal Graafstra

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast host Ryan O’Shea speaks with Amal Graafstra, an early pioneer of RFID implants and the author of the book RFID Toys. Amal created the first implantable NFC tag, the xNT, in 2013. He sells these implants through his website, Dangerous Things, and his new company, VivoKey Technologies, promises to implant a cryptographically secure digital identify authentication and payment solution. Amal recently caused a stir when he created an implant-activated smart gun, which would only fire when held by an approved user. We discuss concerns of security and privacy, the FDA and other regulations, safety, and more.

Once again we remind you that the thoughts of the guests on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Future Grind or of Ryan O'Shea. Biohacking is dangerous and things can go wrong. We strongly advise against self-surgery of any kind, and you should consult with a trained medical doctor before moving forward with any type of human augmentation.

--
This episode is being sponsored by our friends at Kunstwerk Multimedia. Kunstwerk is an immersive science fiction project from R. Nicholas Starr that explores a cyberpunk future through music, visual, and industrial arts. The project features distinct soundtracks telling the story of four different characters, featuring everything from the sounds of medieval-Europe to science fiction-inspired electronic dance music. Want to hear more? You can sample or purchase Tobias Keller - Tranzhuman, Esgal - 1349, Esgal - Strasbourg Concerto, and Borgasm on Amazon now!
--

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If you’d like to support this podcast with a donation or find out more about sponsorship opportunities, you can visit the Support page.

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Show Notes

• Amal’s desire to eliminate keys [2:30]
• Kevin Warwick & previous human experiments [5:38]
• The story of Dangerous Things [8:03]
• The creation of the xNT & manufacturing implants [10:55]
• The FDA, the VeriChip, and the xNT [16:22]
• RFID chips & MRI compatibility [18:32]
• Viruses, hacking, & security [20:56]
• Solving the identify problem with VivoKey [26:21]
• Moving from glass to flexible biopolymers [30:32]
• FDA approval for VivoKey [35:17]
• Startup accelerators, investors, & finding a market [38:16]
• Balancing open source & viable business models [41:18]
• Amal’s background; inspiration & influence [43:18]
• Problems & promise of “biohacker” [45:08]
• Doctors, body mod artist, or DIY - how to get implants [47:02]
• Liabilities & risks of performing implants [50:05]
• The future of magnet implants [54:13]
• Powered implants that problem with batteries [59:17]
• Where to find Amal [1:03:48]

Mentioned

VivaTech
Kevin Warwick
VeriChip
xNT IndieGoGo
Dr. Mark Gasson 
RebelBio
Tim Cannon
Rich Lee
Lepht Anonym

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.


Help support Kunstwerk Multimedia by purchasing their music today!

1349 Buy on Amazon

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, your purchase will help to financially support the efforts of this podcast.

Ep. 22 - The Science of Life Extension with Oliver Medvedik

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast, host Ryan O’Shea speaks with Oliver Medvedik, co-founder of both the Genspace citizen science laboratory in Brooklyn and the Life Extension Advocacy Foundation, a non-profit that seeks to promote the advancement of biomedical technologies to increase healthy human lifespan. Oliver is a molecular biologist with a Ph.D. at Harvard Medical School, and in addition to his work on life extension, Oliver is the Director of the Biomedical Engineering Center at The Cooper Union.

Once again we remind you that the thoughts of the guests on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Future Grind or Ryan O'Shea. You should consult with trained experts before moving forward with anything mentioned in this episode.

We're posting in two forms, an audio podcast and a video podcast. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, DTube channel, and iTunes feed as we have some exclusive content that is not posted on both channels. You can also find us on Facebook.

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• Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “download as"

• Watch this episode on YouTube (subscribe, like, comment)

Show Notes

• How Oliver got into life extension science [1:32]

• The story behind LEAF & lifespan.io [4:37]

• Why life extension? [10:27]

• Results from lifespan.io funded research [15:22]

• Kurzgeszagt videos & outreach [19:40]

• The Genspace Story [21:01]

• DNA privacy concerns [22:55]

• What is Biohacking? [27:27]

• (Perceived) Risks of DIYbio labs [28:19]

• The FDA & aging as a disease [34:11]

• Lifestyle changes Oliver has made [39:22]

• The promise of CRISPR [46:22]

• Technological vs Biological Augmentation [51:10]

• Senolytics & the future of longevity science [53:11]

Mentioned

Dr. David Sinclair, Harvard Medical School
Genspace
Keith Comito
Apneet Jolly
SENS Research Foundation
Aubrey de Grey
Kevin Kelly, The Underpopulation Bomb
Judith Campisi
Kurzgesagt collaborations
- Why Age? Should We End Aging Forever?
 - How to Cure Aging – During Your Lifetime?
Heather Dewey-Hagborg - Stranger Visions
Chelsea Manning
Ellen Jorgensen - TED talk
Dr. Nir Barzilai, TAME Trial
Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) - Amazon link
MitoQ Antioxidant Supplement - Amazon link
Turmeric Anti-Inflammatory - Amazon link
Jennifer Doudna/CRISPR

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, your purchase will help to financially support the efforts of this podcast.

Ep. 21 - Experiments in Human Augmentation with Rich Lee

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast, host Ryan O’Shea speaks with well known biohacker and transhumanist Rich Lee. Rich first came to the public eye in 2013, when he had magnets that served as headphones implanted into his ears - meaning that he could listen to music or receive data wirelessly directly to his head. Rich has also experimented with implanted armor, and is known for his work on the aptly named Lovetron9000. Recently Rich has begun using CRISPR in an effort to modify his genes to promote muscle growth. We discuss sensory substitution, the importance of safety, some potentially horrifying uses of virtual reality and image recognition, and more. This conversation does contain some adult themes - they are nothing too graphic, but we will provide another warning when we’re moving on to those topics.

Once again we remind you that the thoughts of the guests on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Future Grind or Ryan O'Shea. Biohacking is dangerous and things can go wrong. We strongly advise against self-surgery of any kind, and you should consult with a trained medical doctor before moving forward with any type of human augmentation.

We're posting in two forms, an audio podcast and a video podcast. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, DTube channel, and iTunes feed as we have some exclusive content that is not posted on both channels. You can also find us on Facebook.

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• Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “download as"

• Watch this episode on YouTube (subscribe, like, comment)

Show Notes

• Rich’s implanted headphones [1:55]

• Experiments with sensory substitution [7:22]

• Failures & working with a Harvard researcher [8:55]

• The future of headphone implants [10:03]

• How Rich Lee found biohacking & transhumanism [10:37]

• Serial entrepreneur & life in Hong Kong [13:08]

• Experiments with implanted armor [15:40]

• (content warning) Ethics & legalities of sex dolls & VR implications [18:48]

• (content warning) The Lovetron9000 [24:01]

• The FDA, materials, & safety [27:39]

• Rich’s experiments with CRISPR & gene editing [31:41]

• Democratized access to human enhancement [38:20]

• Rich’s vision for the future [40:48]

Mentioned

Steve Haworth
Kevin Warwick
Lepht Anonym
Tim Cannon
Mark Doerkson
BDYHAX
James Young, BBC Three's Sex Robots & Us
Paul Bloom/Sam Harris Article
- It's Westworld. What's Wrong With Cruelty to Robots?
Westworld
DEF CON
Josiah Zayner, The ODIN
Cronenbergs (Rick & Morty)

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Ep. 20 - Conversations with the Future with Nikola Danaylov

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast, host Ryan O’Shea is joined by bestselling author and futurist speaker Nikola Danalov. Nikola writes about the future at his website Singularity Weblog and hosts the Singularity.FM podcast. His 2017 book Conversations with the Future (available on Amazon here) features highlights from his interviews with some of this field’s most noteworthy individuals, including Ray Kurzweil, Kevin Kelly, Verner Vinge, and more. They discuss the importance of ethics and the influence of Socrates in Nikola’s work, as well as his path from serving in the armed forces of Bulgaria to studying drone warfare in North America, and how that ultimately lead to his fascination with the technological singularity.

It’s time once again for your frequent disclaimer that the thoughts of the guests on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Future Grind or Ryan O'Shea.

We're posting in two forms, an audio podcast and a video podcast. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, DTube channel, and iTunes feed as we have some exclusive content that is not posted on both channels. You can also find us on Facebook.

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• Watch this episode on YouTube (subscribe, like, comment)

Show Notes

• What Nikola does [1:38]
• Where to start? Ethics. [2:28]
• How drone warfare introduced Nik to the Singularity [5:00]
• Governments jobs & the benefit of rejection [9:17]
• Beginnings in communist Bulgaria [10:27]
• The growth of Singularity Weblog [13:45]
• What is the Singularity? [22:09]
• How Nikola became Socrates [25:24]
• Singularity Weblog as a modern Greek Symposium [28:05]
• The Emperor Has No Clothes - critique of Singularity University [31:15]
• The fallout from the Rotterdam talk [40:26]
• How the book came to be [43:14]
• The struggles & rewards of a vegan diet [45:28]
• Is Nikola a Transhumanist? [55:14]
• The risk of nuclear weapons & climate change [56:32]
• Parting messages [1:06:56]

Mentioned

"Technology is Not Enough"
"Technology is the How, not the Why or What"
Start Here on Singularity Weblog
Ray Kurzweil - The Singularity is Near
Charlie Stross - Accelerando
Singularity Hub
NASA Ames Research Center
Singularity University
Socrates
Plato
Stoicism
Marcus Aurelius
Mark Zuckerberg
Cambridge Analytica
Richard Branson - Losing My Virginity
Nikola’s "Transhumanist Manifesto"

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, your purchase will help to financially support the efforts of this podcast.

Ep. 19 - The Science of Orphan Black with Cosima Herter

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast, host Ryan O’Shea speaks with Cosima Herter, the science consultant for the critically acclaimed television series Orphan Black. Cosima has an advanced degree in the history and philosophy of science, and has pursued a PhD in the history of biology. She uses her academic background to bring a level of authenticity to science fiction, and she was instrumental to the creation and production of Orphan Black. If you haven’t seen Orphan Black (well, first of all, you’re missing out) there are spoilers in this episode. However, you don’t necessarily need to know the show to enjoy this conversation. The show is simply a lens through which we discuss topics of emerging science and technology.

In oversimplified terms, Orphan Black is a science fiction series which tells the story of group of human clones, portrayed by Tatiana Maslany, that discover one another, find out that they were essentially made to be science experiments, and attempt to break free from the control of their creators. Through the series we discover that the clones are being controlled by a group of transhumanist scientists who refer to themselves as Neolutionists. The Neolutionists advocate self-directed evolution, cybernetic enhancements, gene therapy, and life extension, but they also engage in vivisection, murder, kidnapping, and more. The show deals heavily with themes such as identity, ethics, bodily autonomy, faith, and more.

Find Cosima on Twitter @RealCosima.

We're posting in two forms, an audio podcast and a video podcast. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, DTube channel, and iTunes feed as we have some exclusive content that is not posted on both channels. You can also find us on Facebook.

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Show Notes

• Why study the history & philosophy of science? [2:19]
• The beginning of Orphan Black? [4:02]
• “What do you know about clones?” [5:05]
• Identity, Determinism, & Nature vs. Nurture [6:56]
• The Orphan Black clone that Cosima inspired [9:09]
• On The Science of Neolutionism (Transhumanism) [11:56]
• The possibility & ethics of human cloning [16:11]
• Darwin, Bacon, Eisenhower, & amazing episode titles [19:06]
• Influence of Donna Haraway & A Cyborg Manifesto [23:24]
• Chimeras - Two genotypes, one body [25:32]
• Patents, biohackers, & topics not fully explored [28:52]
• The inspirations for Orphan Black [32:45]
• The science of life extension [34:48]
• Cosima’s thoughts on the science & tech on the horizon [38:32]
• Snowpiercer, a biohacking documentary, & Cosima’s next projects [42:04]
• How to stay updated with Cosima [44:54]

Mentioned

Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species
Graeme Manson & John Fawcett
Francis Bacon
Dwight Eisenhower’s Farewell Address
Donna Haraway, A Cyborg Manifesto
The Island of Dr. Moreau
David Hume, Bernard Mandeville
Snowpiercer
Mackenzie Donaldson

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Ep. 18 - Homebrew Healthcare with Michael Laufer

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast, host Ryan O’Shea is joined by Michael Laufer. Michael is a mathematician and university professor who has turned his attention to do-it-yourself pharmaceuticals, creating and disseminating open-source plans for low-cost alternatives to expensive medical treatment. He is the chief spokesperson for the Four Thieves Vinegar Collective, and he received a lot of media attention in 2016 after creating a $30 DIY alternative to the EpiPen, which is 10x cheaper than they could be purchased for. His work has been featured by Scientific American, IEEE, Vice, CNN, and more. We discuss the future of healthcare, information as power, and subversion.

It’s time once again for your frequent disclaimer that the thoughts of the guests on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Future Grind or Ryan O'Shea. Also, a word of warning. In this episode, we discuss the production and potential use of home-made pharmaceuticals. Ingesting any of these compounds should be considered extremely dangerous, and things can go wrong. I advise consulting with a trained medical doctor and seeking expert opinions before taking your healthcare into your own hands.

We're posting in two forms, an audio podcast and a video podcast. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, DTube channel, and iTunes feed as we have some exclusive content that is not posted on both channels. You can also find us on Facebook.

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• Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “download as"

• Watch this episode on YouTube (subscribe, like, comment)

Show Notes

• Open-source pharmaceuticals from the Four Thieves Vinegar Collective [2:13]

• The bubonic origins of Four Thieves Vinegar [2:47]

• The secretive members of the collective [4:27]

• Math, high energy physics, & birth control [6:29]

• Dr. Michael Laufer, self-teaching, & scientific papers [9:19]

• A $30 alternative to the $300+ EpiPen [10:21]

• NurdRage, YouTube, liability, & disclaimers [13:12]

• Should we assume everyone is/can be rational? [15:00]

• Psychology, manipulation, & the issue of free will [17:17]

• An open-source lab reactor for $100 [18:00]

• Shkreli’s cell phone number, atomic secrets, & theatrics [20:22]

• Handing out homemade drugs on stage [21:37]

• Breaking laws & run ins with regulators & law enforcement [23:57]

• Nuclear weapons & stewardship of information [26:24]

• Difference between do-it-yourself and recklessness [34:18]

• Human enhancement [39:00]

• The beauty of math [41:22]

• The future of, & elimination of, “citizen” science [43:53]

• The importance of trying stuff [45:39]

• How to get involved [48:36]

Mentioned

Four thieves vinegar
Semaphor
Mylan's EpiPen
NurdRage's EpiPencil video
Martin Shkreli
HOPE conference
- Michael's HOPE talk
Stelarc

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Ep. 17 - William Gillis on Anarcho-Transhumanism

In this installment of the Future Grind podcast, host Ryan O’Shea is joined by anarcho-transhumanist William Gillis. William currently serves as Coordinating Director of the Center for a Stateless Society and an editor of “Anarcho-Transhuman - A Journal of Radical Possibility & Striving”. His writing can also be found on his personal page, Human Iterations. We discuss the concept of anarcho-transhumanism, William’s past as a primitivist, existential risk, AI, and more.

It’s time for your frequent disclaimer that the thoughts of the guests on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Future Grind or myself. I disagreed with quite a bit of what William said, but I think that he’s addressing some very important topics, makes some great points, and is definitely worth learning from.

We're posting in two forms, an audio podcast and a video podcast. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, DTube channel, and iTunes feed as we have some exclusive content that is not posted on both channels. You can also find us on Facebook.

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• Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “download as"

• Watch this episode on YouTube (subscribe, like, comment)

Show Notes

• What is anarcho-transhumanism? [2:00]

• How William discovered transhumanism [3:03]

• How William shifted from primitivism to transhumanism [5:05]

• Anarcho-Transhuman: A Journal of Radical Possibility & Striving [7:50]

• Anarcho-Transhuman Issue #4: Space? [9:04]

• Ubiquitous nukes & printing AR-15s [10:50]

• Choices: Primitivism, Authoritarianism, Extinction, or Anarchism [15:00]

• Ryan's Opinion: the utopian anarchist future is unlikely and flawed [20:00]

• Complexity & the Social Singularity [22:04]

• Humans as predictable machines [26:26]

• An anarchist’s thoughts on transhumanist politics [27:27]

• Thoughts on an AI government [29:00]

• The potential of blockchain, cryptocurrency, & DAOs [32:22]

• Resources to learn more about anarchism & anarcho-transhumanism [34:55]

• Where to find William and his work [37:23]

Mentioned

Fermi Paradox
Zoltan Istvan, The Transhumanist Party
Peter Gelderloos
- Worshiping Power: An Anarchist View of Early State Formation
- Anarchy Works: Examples of Anarchist Ideas in Practice
Kevin Carson
- Organization Theory: A Libertarian Perspective
- The Desktop Regulatory State
- Studies in Mutualist Political Economy
Elinor Ostrom
Voltairine de Cleyre
Errico Malatesta
Blueshifted.net
"An Anarcho-Transhumanist Manifesto"

Please like, comment, rate, and share this podcast to spread the word. Ryan O'Shea is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and we'd love to hear what you thought and what you want to see going forward.

If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or advertising with Future Grind, you can reach us at hello@futuregrind.org.

Ep. 16 - Ben Cooper on IoClothes & Smart Apparel

Explore the future of wearable tech, smart apparel, & internet of things technology as Ryan O'Shea sits down with Ben Cooper. Ben was the co-founder and CEO of Sensible Baby, a startup focused on incorporating potentially life-saving sensors into infant clothing. Ben is an veteran smart-apparel entrepreneur that has also served as the Lead Footwear Project Engineer for the US Army and has led innovation research & testing for brands such as The North Face, Timberland and Vans. Learn how you can get involved, and how this tech might ultimately lead to electronics getting under the skin as well!

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Show Notes

• What is IoClothes? [1:51]

• The death of “wearable tech” & the birth of smart apparel [3:20]

• Where are all of the connected clothes? [6:28]

• State of the Technology Address [11:46]

• New & more natural interfaces, less screens [14:59]

• Big data, privacy, & better user experiences [16:20]

• Sensible Baby & Ben’s journey to smart apparel [19:09]

• Making smart apparel look good [24:20]

• The inevitability if implantables [27:26]

• Technological barriers to overcome [30:21]

• The Future of Connected Footwear [32:46]

• What to expect from smart apparel [35:49]

• How to follow along with Ben & IoClothes [38:39]

Mentioned

Nike Connected Jersey
Ralph Lauren Heated Olympic Jacket
Ministry of Supply Smart Thermal Jacket
SKIIN, Myant
Google/Levi's Jacquard Jacket
Startup Weekend
Ben O’Brien, StretchSense
Gartner Hype Cycle

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