Prototype Online: Inventive Voices
By The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
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Podcast Description
Prototype Online is a podcast from the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, which is part of the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. This podcast series is based on lectures and interviews of renowned inventors and innovators, conducted by the Lemelson Center since 1995. It reveals the stories behind their inventions and highlights the persevering spirit shared by all who call themselves "inventor." For more information about the Lemelson Center and this podcast, please visit http://invention.smithsonian.org
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 1-31-12 | Has the government�s role in the space program influenced innovation? In this month�s podcast we hear from Howard McCurdy, a professor of public administration and policy at American University and an authority on space history and policy. Dr. McCurdy examines four factors that are commonly associated with innovation and places stories from the first fifty years of United States space flight into his framework in order to help clarify the government�s role in the space program. | 1/30/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 11-14-11 | Matthew Hersch, a lecturer in the Department of History and Sociology of Science at the University of Pennsylvania, discusses the history behind the development of the space suit. From early high altitude suits, to women�s foundation garments and depictions in popular culture, Hersch covers the amazing story behind one of space exploration�s most important inventions. | 11/14/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 3 | VideoPrototype Online: Inventive Voices, 9-23-11 | Jason Bannister, founder and CEO of Mechanimal, a robotics company in Pittsburgh, designs, sketches and builds robots. In this episode he shows how inventors can start with a basic pencil on paper sketch and eventually wind up with a truly amazing creation. | 9/23/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 7-5-11 | Warren Belasco, professor of American Studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and a pioneer of the academic food-studies movement, explores a history of the future of food, showing how futuristic visions appear in invention, economic theory, science fiction, policy debates, and more. | 7/6/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 5-2-11 | What can Julia Child�s kitchen teach us about accessible design? Bess Williamson, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Delaware, explains this and more as she traces innovative design approaches to kitchens and cooking, exploring how industrial and interior design have evolved along with social attitudes toward disability, aging, and access. | 5/2/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 3-2-11 | Vickie Kloeris, manager of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Space Food Systems Laboratory, develops food for shuttle and International Space Station astronauts. (The most popular space food may surprise you.) Kloeris addresses the complex challenges of creating tasty, nutritious, long-lasting, easy-to-prepare meals that support the dietary and psychological needs of astronauts. She also discusses possibilities for gardens in space. | 3/2/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 1-27-11 | Truck Farm began with Ian Cheney�s desire to grow food, without any land of his own, in a big city. The film (and the farm) became a powerful way of exploring inventive agricultural efforts throughout New York City, and showing how farming speaks to young people�s imaginations. Cheney expresses the need for more creativity in agriculture, in terms of sizes and types of farms; methods of farming; and what food we grow. | 1/26/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 11-2-10 | Invention affects our food and drink in countless ways. This podcast features John Andrade, owner of Meridian Pint, a bar focused on environmental stewardship in Washington, DC, and Jennifer Orgolini, Sustainability Director for the New Belgium Brewing Company in Colorado. Andrade and Orgolini describe what �sustainability� means for beer production, business practices, and relationships with employees, customers, and fellow innovators. | 11/1/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 9-20-10 | The U.S. Economic Development Administration is charged with building more globally competitive communities. As U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, John Fernandez sees his agency as a �convener,� uniting interests of business and civic leaders to foster economic growth from the bottom up. Hear him explore the role of collaboration in today�s global economy, and lessons learned from thriving regions. | 7/20/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 7-16-10 | David Rhees begins the �Medical Alley� hot spot story in 1949, when Earl Bakken co-founded Medtronic as a repair shop for medical electronics, before the company became a world-leading medical device manufacturer. In 1957, with Dr. C. Walton Lillehei, a cardiac surgeon at the University of Minnesota, Bakken developed the first wearable, external, battery-powered, transistorized pacemaker. Rhees describes Minnesota�s evolving health care industry and culture of innovation. | 7/16/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 6-17-10 | SRI International began as Stanford Research Institute in 1946 and became a problem-solving pioneer in communications, robotics, personal computing, and more. The leader of SRI�s Ventures, Licensing, and Strategic Programs, Norman Winarsky describes the ingredients of a great venture, and the Valley�s embrace of risk-taking and failure. Winarsky walks us through Siri, the �virtual personal assistant� smart-phone application that enhances human ability. | 6/17/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 5-20-10 | Based in Maryland, the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange works with scientists, historians, and artists to develop dances around cross-disciplinary topics. Liz Lerman compares the invention process with her own creative process, driven by improvisation, testing, collaboration, and questioning. This multi-generational company debuts its newest piece, �The Matter of Origins,� on September 10th and 12th, 2010, at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland. | 5/20/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 4-20-10 | How does an abandoned Colorado power plant become a world-class facility for energy solutions, with diverse initiatives ranging from industrial engines to clean cookstoves? Dr. Bryan Willson, Director of Colorado State University�s Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory, describes the building�s history, rebirth, and role in making Fort Collins a hot spot for clean energy, and in driving innovation on a global scale. | 4/20/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 3-22-10 | Industrial engineering pioneers and Cheaper by the Dozen parents Frank and Lillian Gilbreth often used their home as a laboratory for experimentation. Lillian evolved in her own right as an inventor, author, industrial engineer and psychologist. Hear about her motivations, networks, and places of�and for�invention, from biographer Jane Lancaster. | 3/22/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 2-25-10 | Hollywood wasn�t always the glitzy heart of America�s film industry. It was born in the 1880s in West Orange, New Jersey, at Thomas Edison�s state-of-the-art labs. Ryan Lintelman, Research Specialist in Photographic History at the National Museum of American History, sets the stage in this podcast, describing revolutionary developments in filming, projecting, and producing motion pictures made by Edison and his remarkable assistant, W. K. L. Dickson. Lintelman traces the early growth and movement of an industry, from Edison�s first motion picture studio, the Black Maria in West Orange, to sunny (and then-sleepy) Southern California. | 2/26/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 1-15-10 | What do the Beatles, DuPont, and Mickey Rooney have in common? Remo Belli. After World War II, Belli moved to Los Angeles and entered into a thriving community of fellow musicians, entertainers, and entrepreneurs. In the search for improvements over the animal skins used for most drumheads, Belli and his collaborators perfected the first practical, synthetic drumhead, made with Mylar, and set new standards for the music products industry. | 1/15/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 12-18-09 | TV pitchman Ron Popeil is an inventor and entrepreneur best known for his late night infomercials. In this podcast, Popeil describes how he went from selling his father's inventions in Chicago in the 1950s to inventing his own products, and lets us in on the history of television home shopping. | 12/18/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 11-20-09 | Clifton Poodry is a biologist and director of Minority Opportunities in Research at the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. In this podcast, Dr. Poodry discusses growing up on the Tonawanda Seneca Indian Reservation in western New York, and the value of mentorship in helping young people draw on their own creativity to nurture an interest in science. | 11/20/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 10-16-09 | Kurt Beyer is the author of Grace Hopper and the Invention of the Information Age. In this podcast, Beyer goes beyond the myth to find the real Grace Hopper, a US Naval officer, computer scientist, and inventor who was at the forefront of the post-WWII computer revolution. | 10/16/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 08-14-09 | In June 2009, the Lemelson Center featured environmentalist Lester Brown in a "Portrait of Invention" public program. In this podcast of segments from his onstage interview with historian Marc Pachter, Brown talks about growing up on a farm, and about how technology, innovation, and economic forces today will determine the future of our global environment. Lester Brown was interviewed on 18 June 2009 by Marc Pachter. | 8/14/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 07-17-09 | Andy Bozanic talks about his research, supported by a fellowship from the Lemelson Center, on the history of the acoustic guitar. In this podcast, Bozanic explains how the unique qualities of the acoustic guitar--its portability, affordability, and adaptability to different styles of music--brought it into the mainstream of American music in the 20th century. Andy Bozanic was interviewed on 30 April 2009 by Will Eastman. | 7/17/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 06-19-09 | "Invention is innate to humans," asserts author Julie Fenster in her new book, "The Spirit of Invention: The Story of the Thinkers, Creators, and Dreamers Who Formed Our Nation," written in collaboration with the Lemelson Center. Fenster tells the stories of both heralded and unknown inventors from all eras and walks of life, revealing that the true spirit of invention lies not in the quest for fame and fortune, but in the impulse to create something new. Julie Fenster was interviewed on 28 April 2009 by Will Eastman. | 6/19/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 04-17-09 | On March 20, 2009, fifteen teams of student innovators from around the nation presented their award-winning inventions at the National Museum of American History for the annual March Madness for the Mind competition. In this podcast, Peter Lu from MIT and Angel Hall from Washington State University tell us what it is like working in Lesotho and Malawi to design inventions that bring clean energy and water to remote communities in developing nations. Lu and Hall were interviewed on 20 March 2009 by Will Eastman. | 4/17/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 03-24-09 | On December 23, 1867, Madam C.J. Walker (nee Sarah Breedlove) was born on a plantation in Louisiana. This daughter of former slaves went on to become one of the twentieth century's most successful, self-made women entrepreneurs. A'Lelia Bundles, Walker's great-great-granddaughter, describes Walker's social activism in her later years and reflects on her own journey to document her family legacy. Bundles is the author of "On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker" (2001). This is part two of a two-part podcast. A'Lelia Bundles was interviewed on 29 January 2009 by Will Eastman. | 3/24/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 02-13-09 | Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919), the daughter of former slaves, started life as a farm laborer and laundress but finished it as a pioneer of the modern African American hair care and cosmetics industry. A'Lelia Bundles, Walker's great-great-granddaughter, offers highlights of Walker's early life and her career as an innovator, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Bundles is the author of "On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker" (2001). This is part one of a two-part podcast. A'Lelia Bundles was interviewed on 29 January 2009 by Will Eastman. | 2/13/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 01-15-09 | Go behind-the-scenes with Tricia Edwards and Steve Madewell at Spark!Lab, the Lemelson Center's new hands-on invention education center where you can conduct science experiments, explore inventors' notebooks, and even invent! Spark!Lab explores the stories behind inventors' work with fun activities to help visitors learn about the history and process of invention. Tricia Edwards and Steve Madewell were interviewed on 10 December 2008 by Will Eastman. | 1/15/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 10-14-08 | Get a behind-the-scenes look at the study of invention and innovation. Join the Lemelson Center's director, Art Molella, and staff as they discuss the inventive aspects of techno-cities, eco-cities, and the inner workings of urban planning. Art Mollella and the Lemelson Center staff were interviewed on 11 and 18 September 2008 by Paul Rosenthal. | 10/14/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 09-10-08 | Imagine creating sound out of thin air. Imagine a speaker that can send sound great distances. Imagine that sound beam is so tight that you can hear it loud and clear but the person next to you can't. Hypersonic Sound is real and it came from the imagination of inventor Woody Norris. Woody Norris was interviewed on 9 March 2007 by Paul Rosenthal. | 9/10/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 08-15-08 | Knowledge is power and in this edition of Prototype Online we look at two technologies helping residents of "fenceline communities" monitor their air quality for pollutants. It's part of a study by Gwen Ottinger at the intersection of invention, public health and environmental justice. Gwen Ottinger was interviewed on 16 July 2008 by Paul Rosenthal. | 8/15/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 07-11-08 | Nearly everyone is familiar with the innovation Julia Child brought to cooking in the American home. In fact, her kitchen now makes its home in the National Museum of American History. In this month's podcast, author Steven Gdula tells us how invention and adaptation shaped American kitchens in the 20th century. Steven Gdula was interviewed on 10 June 2008 by Paul Rosenthal. | 7/11/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 06-13-08 | Many say "I could have thought of that!" about the popular Post-it Note and in this edition, we speak with Art Fry, the man who actually did think of it. Fry tells us how his invention came to be when he was working for 3M. He also talks about how playing golf helps stimulate creative thought. And yes, like many of us, he's a fan of that commercial with the squirrel using Post-it Notes to keep track of the hidden acorns. Art Fry was interviewed on 20 May 2008 by Paul Rosenthal. | 6/13/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 05-13-08 | There are myriad types of puzzles out there and one thing they have in common is that they all have inventors. Who invents puzzles and what kinds of puzzles are there? It's more than just jigsaw puzzles and Rubik's Cube, as we hear from Dartmouth mathematics professor Peter Winkler. Peter Winkler was interviewed on 16 February 2008 by Paul Rosenthal. | 5/13/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 04-08-08 | Where would the world of visual art be without the work of inventors? What kinds of artistic creativity inspires an inventor's ideas? Attorney Jessica Darraby practices in the field of art law, and tells us that art movements like Impressionism might never have been possible without a background of invention and technology to support it. Jessica Darraby was interviewed on 16 February 2008 by Paul Rosenthal. | 4/8/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 03-13-08 | Anthony Levandowski invented a completely autonomous motorcycle called "Ghostrider" for the Pentagon's DARPA Grand Challenge, the only two-wheeled vehicle in that robot car race. Ghostrider didn't win the $2 million prize, but the lure of big cash prizes draws Levandowski to invention competitions. And it put Ghostrider in the Smithsonian collections. Anthony Levandowski was interviewed on 18 January 2008 by Paul Rosenthal. | 3/13/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 02-15-08 | Lee Lynd, an inventor in the field of alternative energy. Not since the 1970s has alternative energy been so hot, and inventors see we're at the tipping point for investment in the field. In the past, uncertainties such as weather and oil prices kept investors from funding energy-related innovation. These days it's very different for Lee Lynd and other inventors tackling what they believe is the defining challenge of our time. Lee Lynd was interviewed on 3 May 2007 by Art Molella. | 2/15/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 12-18-07 | Lalith Seneviratne, inventor and social entrepreneur. Just a few years ago, 60% of rural homes in Sri Lanka had no electricity and no chance of being connected to the national grid. Thanks to innovations from Lalith Seneviratne, rural communities are now finding economic growth by producing affordable, environmentally-friendly electricity using a crop they can cultivate throughout the year. In the second of several podcasts examining the concept of social entrepreneurship, we speak with Lalith Seneviratne and with Scott Rechler of the Ashoka Foundation, a leader in supporting the world's social entrepreneurs. Both Seneviratne and Rechler were interviewed on 10 April 2007 by Paul Rosenthal. | 12/18/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 11-15-07 | Michael Callahan, inventor and social entrepreneur. His most recent invention is a mind-controlled wheelchair to help the disabled move. Now Michael Callahan has joined a movement for positive social change. While the profit motive behind invention and innovation has always been there, it's not just big sales of consumer products that inspire inventors. Many want to use their creativity to promote social equality and invent for "a greater good." In the first of several podcasts examining this concept of social entrepreneurship, we speak with Michael Callahan who even at the beginning of his career knows this is the field for him. Michael Callahan was interviewed on 3 May 2007 by Paul Rosenthal. | 11/15/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 10-12-07 | Saul Griffith, independent inventor and a 2007 MacArthur Fellow. If you could pick the perfect creative place to build on your innovative ideas, could it match where inventor Saul Griffith and his colleagues work? At the home base of Squid Labs in an old air traffic control tower, Griffith is tackling a variety of projects that the world is taking notice of--from alternative energy to low-cost eyeglasses to inspiring young engineers--but still finds time to mix invention with kite-surfing. Saul Griffith was interviewed on 17 August 2007 by Paul Rosenthal. | 10/11/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 9-14-07 | Paul MacCready, a pioneer in human and solar powered transportation. In the 1970s, Paul MacCready developed the first truly successful human powered airplanes. He saw the critical need to find innovative solutions to growing environmental and energy-related concerns. In this address at the Lemelson Center in November of 1995, he speaks of inventive creativity and warns of future conflicts if inventors can't move our world beyond fossil fuels. Paul MacCready passed away on 28 August 2007, at the age of 81. | 9/14/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 8-29-07 | Ralph Baer, inventor who pioneered home video games in the late 1960s and early 1970s. If the Wii, Playstation and Xbox traced their ancestry, the family tree would lead to Ralph Baer. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, he designed some of the first home video games, pioneering systems that enabled video games to be played on your television. He also invented Simon, another popular electronic game in the early 1980s. Ralph Baer was originally interviewed on April 3, 2007 by Paul Rosenthal. | 8/29/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 8-15-07 | Dr. Robert Jarvik, artificial heart pioneer, keeps his inventions pumping. Dr. Jarvik recently donated some of his inventions to the Smithsonian. In this interview, he tells us why people find his life's work so fascinating. We also pay a visit to the Liotta-Cooley artificial heart currently on display at the Smithsonian. The Liotta-Cooley was first implanted in a human in 1969, thirteen years before the Jarvik-7 made history when it kept Barney Clark alive for 112 days in 1982. Robert Jarvik was originally interviewed on January 30, 2007 by Paul Rosenthal. | 8/15/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 7-26-07 | The killer app that killed the typewriter - we reminisce about 1980s computer technology. Personal computers that calculated numbers were nice, but the world really changed when they could manipulate words. We examine that moment in time with Smithsonian curator David Allison and with Clint and Barb Johnson, who represent a class of early mainstream users of the personal computer. Their first PC, one of the first made by Dell, was recently donated to the Museum. David Allison, and Clint and Barb Johnson were originally interviewed on June 5, 2007. | 7/26/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 6-20-07 | Brad Brewer, puppeteer and director of The Brewery Troupe, an African-American puppet company known for its innovative ways of bringing American history to life. In 1998, The Brewery Troupe and the Lemelson Center created a puppet play about African-American inventor Lewis Latimer. In this podcast episode, Brewer will tell us what it's like to create a biographical performance using puppets. He was originally interviewed on March 30, 2007 by Paul Rosenthal. | 6/20/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 6-05-07 | Deanne Bell, engineer and co-host of PBS's "Design Squad." Inspired at a young age, Deanne Bell knew she wanted to be creative and to invent. She studied architecture and mechanical engineering, and then worked as an aerospace engineer. As a co-host of PBS's "Design Squad," she shares her expertise and enthusiasm for invention, and hopes to inspire others, particularly girls, in the field of engineering. Deanne Bell was originally interviewed on May 3 2007, by Paul Rosenthal. | 6/5/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 5-18-07 | Nate Ball, inventor and co-host of PBS's "Design Squad." In his young career, Nate Ball has become an accomplished engineer and inventor, earning the 2007 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize for invention. He is also co-host of PBS's "Design Squad," a television program designed to build engineering skills and encourage creativity in young people. In "Design Squad" Nate Ball shares his enthusiasm and inventive spirit, making engineering fun and inspiring the next generation. He was originally interviewed on May 3 2007, by Paul Rosenthal. | 5/18/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 4-25-07 | Norma Miller, swing dance pioneer and a Lindy-hop original. Known by many as the "Queen of Swing" Norma Miller holds an important place in jazz history. She is among the originators of the Lindy-hop, an energetic swing dance that began in Harlem in the late 1920s. The Lindy-hop was based in Harlem's Savoy Ballroom and became a dance craze in the 1930s. Norma Miller was originally interviewed on September 7 and 8, 1992 by historian Ernie Smith as part of the Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program. | 4/25/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 4-05-07 | Sharon Rogone (Part 2 of 2), inventor of devices that help care for preemies. As a neonatal nurse, Sharon Rogone saw the need for basic, well-designed devices to help care for premature babies. Her first invention was the "Bili-Bonnet," a simple mask that shields a baby's eyes from the bright lights used in phototherapy. The Bili-Bonnet launched her company, Small Beginnings, which specializes in products for preemies. In this podcast, Sharon discusses some of her other inventions, including the "Bebeonkers" which is an oral suction device, and diapers specially designed for preemies. This episode also features Phil Rogone, her husband and business partner, and Ken Croteau, her other business partner at Small Beginnings. Sharon Rogone, Phil Rogone, and Ken Croteau were originally interviewed on January 17 and 18, 2007, by Lemelson Center historian Maggie Dennis and National Museum of American History curator Judy Chelnik. | 4/5/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 3-28-07 | Sharon Rogone (Part 1 of 2), inventor of devices that help care for preemies. As a neonatal nurse, Sharon Rogone saw the need for basic, well-designed devices to help care for premature babies. In this podcast, she discusses her first invention, the "Bili Bonnet," a simple mask that shields a baby's eyes from the bright lights used in phototherapy. The Bili Bonnet launched her company, Small Beginnings, which specializes in products for preemies. This episode also features Phil Rogone, her husband and business partner, and Ken Croteau, her other business partner at Small Beginnings. Sharon Rogone, Phil Rogone, and Ken Croteau were originally interviewed on January 17 and 18, 2007, by Lemelson Center historian Maggie Dennis and National Museum of American History curator Judy Chelnik. | 3/26/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 2-27-07 | Jules Olitski, innovative abstract artist and prominent figure of the Color Field art movement. Jules Olitski was an influential painter and a prominent figure of the Color Field art movement of the 1950s and 1960s. His work is characterized by exuberant and dominant use of color. Olitski spoke at the Lemelson Center's "Colors of Invention" symposium on November 15, 1997. He passed away on February 4, 2007 at the age of 84. | 2/27/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 1-25-07 | Author Walter Isaacson (Part 2 of 2) discusses Benjamin Franklin's legacy and the interplay between technology and democracy. Walter Isaacson, author of "Benjamin Franklin: An American Life" and president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, opened the Lemelson Center's fall symposium by examining the history of communications technology in democracy. The November 2, 2006 program took place at the National Archives and featured Isaacson and Professor Allen Weinstein, Archivist of the United States. In part 2, Isaacson discusses communications technology such as radio, television, and the Web, and also takes questions from the audience. | 1/25/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 1-18-07 | Author Walter Isaacson (Part 1 of 2) discusses Benjamin Franklin's legacy and the interplay between technology and democracy. Walter Isaacson, author of "Benjamin Franklin: An American Life" and president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, opened the Lemelson Center's fall symposium by examining the history of communications technology in democracy. The November 2, 2006 program took place at the National Archives and featured Isaacson and Professor Allen Weinstein, Archivist of the United States. The discussion will continue in part 2, later this month. | 1/18/07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 12-21-06 | Stan Winston (Part 2 of 2), groundbreaking special effects artist behind Jurassic Park, Terminator, Aliens, Edward Scissorhands, and many other films. Stan Winston has amazed, puzzled, and piqued our sense of wonder in over fifty television movies and feature films. He has won two Emmys and has been nominated for aten Academy Awards, winning the Oscar four times. In addition, Winston is working with the Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to create "sociable robots." These are robots with artificial intelligence and the ability to learn and get smarter through human interaction. In part 2, Winston focuses on this project with MIT. Stan Winston spoke on November 15, 2003 at the National Museum of American History. | 12/21/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 12-08-06 | Stan Winston (Part 1 of 2), groundbreaking special effects artist behind Jurassic Park, Terminator, Aliens, Edward Scissorhands, and many other films. Stan Winston has amazed, puzzled, and piqued our sense of wonder in over fifty television movies and feature films. He has won two Emmys and has been nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning the Oscar four times. In addition, Winston is working with the Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to create "sociable robots." These are robots with artificial intelligence and the ability to learn and get smarter through human interaction. Winston will talk more about his work with MIT in part 2, later this month. Winston spoke on November 15, 2003 at the National Museum of American History. | 12/8/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 11-22-06 | Ann Moore, inventor of the Snugli baby carrier. An early Peace Corps volunteer, Ann Moore was intrigued by the way African mothers carried their babies in fabric tied to their backs. She re-created the concept in a manner that fit the American lifestyle and called her invention the "Snugli" baby carrier. Patented in 1969, it changed the way parents carried their "precious cargo." Ann Moore was originally interviewed in October 1999 by video producer Al Hillmann. | 11/22/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 10-27-06 | Author Walter Isaacson and Art Molella, Director of the Lemelson Center, explore the interplay between technology and democracy. Walter Isaacson, author of "Benjamin Franklin: An American Life" and President and CEO of the Aspen Institute, previews his upcoming talk at the Lemelson Center's fall symposium. The November 2, 2006 program will feature Isaacson and Allen Weinstein, Archivist of the United States, in a free program at the National Archives. The symposium continues November 3-4 in Charlottesville, Virginia. For more information, please visit the Lemelson Center's events page at http://invention.smithsonian.org/events | 10/26/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 10-05-06 | Chuck Hoberman (Part 2 of 2), designer and engineer of unfolding structures. Combining art with mathematics and engineering, Chuck Hoberman has designed unfolding structures--objects that can expand from very small to very large. His work, including a five-story moving sculpture at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, is featured at a number of museums. In part 2, Hoberman is interviewed by middle school students on May 8, 1996. | 10/5/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 9-21-06 | Chuck Hoberman (Part 1 of 2), designer and engineer of unfolding structures. Combining art with mathematics and engineering, Chuck Hoberman has designed unfolding structures--objects that can expand from very small to very large. His work, including a five-story moving sculpture at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, is featured at a number of museums. Chuck Hoberman was originally interviewed on May 8, 1996 by Michael Judd and Helen Weiss. | 9/21/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 8-31-06 | Tom Newby, animatronics innovator who brought the Muppets to life. An inventor, designer, and entrepreneur, Tom Newby worked with Jim Henson and the Jim Henson Company from 1980 to 2001, developing the animatronics featured in many films and television programs starring the Muppets and other characters. He has won two Emmys for his work. Tom Newby was originally interviewed on August 5, 2006 by Dwight Bowers of the National Museum of American History. | 8/31/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 6-16-06 | Dr. Robert Jarvik, artificial heart pioneer. Dr. Jarvik's name is synonymous with artificial hearts. His work made headlines in the early 1980s and he continues today to invent medical devices to help those with heart disease. He spoke on October 23, 2004 at the Smithsonian about his career and answered questions from National Public Radio's Michele Norris. | 6/16/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 6-06-06 | James McLurkin, designer and builder of microrobots that interact like ants. James McLurkin is a young researcher at MIT's Artificial Intelligence Lab, where he is helping push the frontiers of robotics by combining ideas from engineering with biology. His robotic ants can work together to accomplish tasks. Hear what he had to say in 1995 and again in 2006. James McLurkin was originally interviewed in October 1995 by Helen Weiss. His updated interview with Paul Rosenthal was in March 2006. | 6/6/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 5-22-06 | Dr. Ashok Gadgil (Part 2 of 2), inventor of UV Waterworks, a water purification device designed for the developing world. Not everyone in the world has access to clean water. Ashok Gadgil's UV Waterworks can purify water quickly and cheaply using ultraviolet light. His invention has helped prevent disease in his native India and throughout the developing world, where clean water is a luxury. In part 2, Ashok Gadgil is interviewed by middle school students on August 28, 1998. He also tells us about his latest projects to improve health in the developing world. | 5/22/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 5-10-06 | Dr. Ashok Gadgil (Part 1 of 2), inventor of UV Waterworks, a water purification device designed for the developing world. Not everyone in the world has access to clean water. Ashok Gadgil's UV Waterworks can purify water quickly and cheaply using ultraviolet light. His invention has helped prevent disease in his native India and throughout the developing world, where clean water is a luxury. Ashok Gadgil was originally interviewed on August 28, 1998 by Michael Judd, former Lemelson Center educator. | 5/10/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 4-25-06 | Jon Hendricks, a jazz innovator and the "Father of Vocalese." In our second podcast celebrating Jazz Appreciation Month, we hear from one of the originators of "Vocalese." Using multi-track recording methods pioneered by Les Paul, Jon Hendricks developed this musical style that replaces the sounds of instruments with a vocal chorus. Hendricks, with his group, Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross, launched vocalese to the forefront of jazz with their innovative debut album "Sing a Song of Basie" in 1957. Jon Hendricks was originally interviewed on August 17 and 18, 1995 by James Zimmerman of the National Museum of American History. | 4/25/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 4-07-06 | Color mirrors our moods and probably has more influence on our lives than we realize. We take for granted the ever-changing palette of our surroundings, seldom stopping to consider how those colors came to be. Creating color, like creating music, is a form of invention. David Baker, music director of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, describes how color is reflected in music, particularly in jazz and the compositions of Duke Ellington. He is interviewed by Reuben Jackson of the NMAH Archives Center. | 4/7/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 3-15-06 | Part 2 of an interview with Dr. Gertrude Elion (1918 - 1999), whose goal to cure cancer led her to pioneer many drugs used to fight the disease. She broke down barriers to women in medical research and her discoveries earned her the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1988. One of only 33 women to win a Nobel Prize, she is interviewed by the Lemelson Center's Michael Judd. | 3/15/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 3-10-06 | Listen to an interview with Dr. Gertrude Elion (1918 - 1999), whose goal to cure cancer led her to pioneer many drugs used to fight the disease. She broke down barriers to women in medical research and her discoveries earned her the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1988. One of only 33 women to win a Nobel Prize, she is interviewed by the Lemelson Center's Michael Judd. Part 1 of 2. | 3/10/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Prototype Online: Inventive Voices, 2-17-06 | In this edition of Prototype Online hear Dr. Wilson Greatbatch, inventor of the implantable cardiac pacemaker | 2/17/06 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 67 Episodes |
Customer Reviews
Gems and juicy tidbits here
This podcast is like a little breath of fresh air for when your brain is feeling suffocated. For my first listen, I went with number 4, and while the main lecturer-guy did ramble a bit, it made the little "ah-ha" light go off at least a couple of times (kind of fitting, I suppose, since this podcast is focused on invention and innovation). It was a good listen. Next on my list are the episodes about the inventor of the Snuggli baby carrier and this woman who is considered a Lindy hop pioneer. I recommend this for anyone. It seems like a really well-edited and unique series.
Great podcast
I truly enjoyed the interview with Ron Popeil. I look forward to future podcasts and I am telling all my friends.
Great stories
I found this site after I recently got my iPhone as something to listen to that was much more stimulating than the radio. I have listened to about 25 in the past two weeks. The stories are very interesting and inspiring. Unfortunately I will catch up to the latest podcast in two weeks.
