Innovative Integration | Joshua Koch | TEDxInnovationDr

Summary

The speaker passionately discusses the rapid pace of technological innovation and its transformative impact on society. Highlighting concepts from futurists like Jason Silva, the talk explores how technology empowers humans to transcend traditional boundaries, enabling the creation of advanced tools, solving complex problems, and shaping a more optimistic future. The convergence of AI, VR, AR, and biotech is emphasized as driving exponential growth, particularly in healthcare and biotechnology. The speaker urges the audience to embrace innovation while focusing on integrating these advancements to maximize human potential and societal benefits.

Takeaways

• 🚀 The rapid pace of technological integration and innovation is transforming society, with new advancements being announced frequently.
• 😲 Experiencing awe has biological benefits, encouraging creativity and expanding our understanding of what's possible.
• 🧠 We now have tools that allow us to transcend previous boundaries and collaborate globally to solve complex problems.
• 🤖 Technology has enabled us to shrink the time between our ideas and their realization, leading to faster innovation.
• 🌌 There are striking visual patterns in the universe, such as the similarities between brain cells and the structure of the universe, highlighting interconnectedness on all levels.
• 🌍 We are living in a convergence of high technology and ancient ways of life, such as indigenous cultures, allowing a unique fusion of ideas.
• 📈 Moore’s Law, which states that technology advances exponentially, is driving progress, particularly in biotechnology.
• 💉 Advancements in healthcare technology, like smartphone diagnostics, are making healthcare more accessible and innovative.
• 🔬 Biotechnology has rapidly advanced in the last 13 years, significantly reducing the cost of genome sequencing and opening new possibilities for human health.
• 💡 The challenge now is integrating these technologies into everyday life in an economically viable way, emphasizing the importance of innovation and integration.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speaker's message?

The main theme revolves around the rapid pace of technological innovation and how these advancements are reshaping our understanding of what is possible, with an emphasis on the convergence of different technologies such as AI, VR, AR, and biotechnology.

What biological benefit does the speaker mention about being 'awestruck'?

The speaker mentions psychologist Nicolas Humphrey's theory that being awestruck has a biological benefit. It awakens us to new possibilities, enhancing our ability to imagine and innovate.

How does the speaker describe the role of imagination in technological progress?

Imagination is portrayed as a powerful tool that allows us to conceive new futures, choosing the most exciting and transformative possibilities. Technology acts as an extension of this imagination, helping to bring ideas into reality more quickly.

Who is Jason Silva, and why does the speaker admire him?

Jason Silva is a futurist admired by the speaker for his ability to articulate complex ideas about the future in an inspiring way. Silva's optimistic view of technology and its potential to reshape the world resonates with the speaker.

What example does the speaker give to show how technology transcends human sensory limits?

The speaker gives examples of how microscopes and telescopes allow humans to perceive things beyond natural sensory limits, such as patterns seen from the micro to the macro level, like the resemblance between a brain cell and the universe.

What role does the 'tricorder' from Star Trek play in the discussion?

The speaker references the tricorder from Star Trek, a device that could scan and diagnose the human body, noting that this once fictional technology has become a reality, showcasing how science fiction is turning into actual technology.

What does the speaker mean by 'Moore's Law,' and how does it relate to biotechnology?

Moore's Law refers to the exponential growth of technology, where it doubles in speed and halves in cost every two years. The speaker highlights that biotechnology is experiencing this kind of exponential growth, as seen in the significant decrease in the cost of genome sequencing over the past decade.

What is the speaker’s view on the future of genetic mutations and human longevity?

The speaker believes that advancements in biotechnology could eventually allow us to eliminate genetic mutations and 'upgrade' our biological hardware, potentially extending human longevity and making death a choice in the future.

What does the speaker identify as the current bottleneck in technology?

The speaker identifies integration as the bottleneck. While corporations and governments are adopting new technologies, the challenge is finding economically viable ways to integrate these technologies into everyday life for individuals.

What advice does the speaker give to young innovators?

The speaker advises young innovators to focus on both innovation and integration. It’s not enough to come up with new ideas; it’s equally important to find ways to integrate and improve upon existing technologies to create impactful solutions.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Awe of Technological Advancements

The speaker expresses amazement at the rapid pace of technological innovation and the power it grants humanity to transcend boundaries. Referencing both personal awe and insights from futurist Jason Silva, they discuss the idea that technology allows us to imagine and create new realities. They highlight how the tools at our disposal enable a free exchange of ideas, building upon each other to solve complex problems and push humanity towards a future where the impossible becomes possible.

05:02

🔬 Patterns from Micro to Macro

The speaker delves into how technological advancements have enabled us to observe patterns that span from the microscopic to the cosmic level. They draw parallels between brain cells and the structure of the universe, emphasizing that technology like microscopes and telescopes allow us to see beyond the limits of human perception. These insights help us recognize and use these patterns to shape a better future. The speaker also reflects on how Star Trek's fictional technologies, like the tricorder, are now becoming a reality, blurring the line between science fiction and actual science.

10:03

🚀 Exponential Growth in Technology

The speaker explains Moore's Law and its implications for the exponential growth of technology, especially in fields like biotechnology. They highlight the decreasing cost of genome sequencing as a prime example of this exponential advancement. The convergence of AI, VR, AR, and biotech is discussed, with predictions that industries like smartphone healthcare will skyrocket. They foresee humanity mastering its biological software, potentially eliminating genetic mutations and extending life, with profound implications for the future of human existence.

Keywords

💡Disruptive Technology

Disruptive technology refers to innovations that significantly alter or replace existing technologies or industries. In the video, the speaker mentions hearing about disruptive technology frequently, emphasizing the rapid pace of technological evolution. It relates to the theme of constant change and innovation, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in society.

💡Exponential Growth

Exponential growth describes a process where the rate of change increases more rapidly over time. The speaker uses this concept in relation to Moore's Law, highlighting how technological advancements, particularly in biotech, are accelerating far beyond linear predictions. This underscores the video's message that humanity is experiencing unprecedented rates of progress.

💡Moore's Law

Moore's Law is the observation that the number of transistors on a microchip doubles approximately every two years, leading to an exponential increase in computing power while reducing costs. The speaker references Moore's Law to illustrate how technological innovations are accelerating, framing it as a foundation for future advancements like artificial intelligence and biotechnology.

💡Integration

Integration refers to the process of incorporating new technologies into everyday life and society. The speaker identifies integration as a current bottleneck, suggesting that while technological innovations are happening rapidly, finding ways to economically and efficiently apply these advancements is the next challenge. This concept is central to the video's theme of creating meaningful change through technology.

💡Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the development of computer systems capable of performing tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as problem-solving, learning, and decision-making. In the video, AI is discussed as a tool that can process and analyze data faster than the human brain, representing one of the key areas of technological convergence alongside biotech and virtual reality.

💡Biotechnology

Biotechnology involves using living organisms or biological systems to develop products and technologies. The speaker mentions biotech as the field experiencing one of the fastest growth rates, outpacing even Moore's Law. This highlights the potential for biotech to revolutionize healthcare, genetic engineering, and even human longevity, aligning with the video's focus on future possibilities.

💡Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented reality (AR) enhances the real-world environment with digital overlays, allowing users to interact with virtual elements in real-time. The video discusses AR in the context of problem-solving, emphasizing how it is converging with other technologies like AI and biotech to create powerful solutions in fields such as healthcare and education.

💡Compound Solutions

Compound solutions refer to the idea of combining multiple technologies or ideas to create more effective outcomes. The speaker stresses the importance of standing on the shoulders of others by building on existing innovations. This idea is key to the video's message about using shared knowledge and integrated technologies to transcend boundaries and solve complex global challenges.

💡Transcendence

Transcendence in this context refers to surpassing the limits of human ability or understanding, particularly through technology. The speaker talks about humanity's ability to 'transcend our boundaries' through advancements like telescopes and microscopes, which allow us to see beyond the natural limits of human perception. This concept reflects the overarching theme of pushing beyond current limitations to create new possibilities.

💡Imagination

Imagination is the ability to envision possibilities beyond the current reality. The video underscores its importance in innovation, quoting futurist Jason Silva, who says that ideas allow us to see the world as it could be. Imagination is framed as the driving force behind technological advancements and societal progress, encouraging the audience to dream of and create better futures.

Highlights

Disruptive and game-changing technologies are appearing frequently, shaping the future rapidly.

The biological benefit of being awestruck, as stated by psychologist Nicolas Humphrey, is tied to human innovation and creativity.

We now have the tools and technology to transcend boundaries and create solutions beyond our previous limitations.

Jason Silva, a futurist, emphasizes the power of ideas to shape the world as it could be, rather than what it is.

The convergence of mind and matter through technology allows us to turn abstract concepts into reality.

Human perception has been expanded through technology, enabling us to observe patterns from the micro to the macro level.

Patterns in nature, such as brain cells resembling the universe, demonstrate how the same principles apply at different scales.

Technological convergence, such as biotech, AI, VR, and AR, is compounding to solve complex problems more efficiently.

Moore's Law explains the exponential growth in technology, which is accelerating faster than our linear brains can grasp.

Biotechnology has seen rapid advancements, from sequencing genomes costing billions to less than $10,000 in 13 years.

Smartphone healthcare is predicted to become a $100 billion industry by 2022, showing how accessible technology is revolutionizing health.

We may be on the brink of mastering our bio-software, which could lead to eliminating genetic mutations and extending human longevity.

Technological progress is limited by the challenge of integrating these advancements into society in economically viable ways.

Innovation requires not only creativity but also integration, ensuring that technologies improve human lives and free time.

In 1899, the US Patent Office commissioner famously believed everything that could be invented had already been invented, showing how innovation always pushes beyond expectations.

Transcripts

so what a time to be alive huh I mean my

goodness there it seems like at least

three times a week I hear about

disruptive technology and game-changing

technology and it's just amazing I think

I need a clicker here yes so you know

again I am in all of the rapid pace of

integration an innovation that we're

seeing in today's society psychologist

Nicolas Humphrey says that there's a

biological benefit to being awestruck

right the two of be awakened to what is

or what could be we have the ability and

the tools to change the world in the

palm of our hands this free exchange of

ideas and information that allow us to

stand on the shoulders of one another to

create a better solution a compound

solution so we can truly transcend our

boundaries so we're at a time again

where the impossible seems to be

possible I mean we're pretty much

transcending these boundaries on a daily

basis and one of my favorite futurist

Jason Silva says ideas are powerful

because they allow us to see the world

as it could be rather than what it is so

I'm gonna share a short video with you

of Jason Silva and you'll find out why

he's one of my favorite futurists

[Music]

I am very much an optimist I provided a

rich Doyles live of Darwin's armas and

he says dreams do not lack reality real

patterns of information when the

imaginary foundation says that the role

of imaginations to conceive of all these

delightful futures will choose the most

amazing and exciting and ecstatic

possibility and then pull the present

forward to mediate that is read we do we

would bring our imaginings into

existence but I think that it's

technology as ways to outsource our

mental capacities to our tools so much

more our ability to manipulate the

physical world has increased in

exponential fashion so we've been able

to shrink a lag time between our

imaginings in their instantiation the

real world David Deutsch speaks in his

new book beginning of infinity says if

you look at the topography of the island

in which the forces of economics and

culture

he says gravitation antimatter is the

least interesting stages but eventually

will be subject me to thank you thank

you wait stop it so so that's why I

think Jason Silva is a incredible

futurist because he has such a beautiful

way of articulating the potential to

contemplate the complexities of the

universe and then spin them in a way

that excites people that gets people to

think of the future in a positive way

and so I'm somewhat of a philosopher and

I love technology and so when you

combine those two things together you

know it's it's poet it's poetry so again

we're at a stage right now where we're

seeing a dance with mind and matter and

it's amazing I mean we have the ability

to to contet to create a concept and

turn it into reality and we can now

perceive patterns from the micro to the

macro so basically the the human being

has the ability to transcend the

boundaries of the human eye which can

only see 5% of what's truly makes up our

universe the actual matter so what we've

done is transcend that boundary with

technology that gives us the ability to

use microscopes and telescopes to

mainline through the optic nerve

and really see what's going on and when

we sweep peel back the layers what we

see of these patterns that that that

again show themselves from the micro to

the macro so what you see is a brain

cell looks like the universe right the

death of a star looks like the birth of

a cell the cornea of the eye looks like

a nebula cloud so these are the type of

patterns that we see that won't once we

can perceive these patterns we can use

them to our own ends to create a more

beautiful future soon star Trak and most

of you guys know Star Trek and some of

the younger generations have heard of it

which is funny but you know I used to

love Star Trek and I used to think wow

this is really this is amazing I think

that they haven't figured out I thought

Star Trek was in the past not the future

but we are in a convergence where where

we're seeing you still have the

indigenous tribes hunter-gatherers and

you have now high technology and we're

able to travel back and forth from the

moon and we're working on Mars and we

have space stations and all that is

converging into a time right now so we

are an amazing we're just in an amazing

time again with the Star Trek you're

looking at Star Trek going from a sci-fi

to a documentary and this is a perfect

example Peter Diamandis did something

called the XPrize and I believe the

prize maybe was 5 or 10 million dollars

but the goal was is to create the the

tricorder is everybody anybody remember

the tricorder where they they were able

to take the statistics of the body and

able to see what's going on and

ultimately heal it they've created the

tricorder that's how close we are ok

you know we're you know we talk about

the ability to contemplate space and

time but we are at the point where we

can contemplate space and time just shy

of the infinite so it's again I'm

extremely excited about where we're at

and these advancements are giving us the

ability the possibility soon enough to

where man will have the choice of either

being born

or made and that's who that's a subject

that we could probably have a few beers

over so we're breaking through these

barriers of progress like a mirage in

the desert I mean they're disappearing

when I was coming up I felt like there

were a lot of things that a lot of

barriers that I couldn't get around I

felt society wasn't ready for this

technology infrastructure you know

wasn't ready to accelerate into the next

generation and these barriers were you

know it's hard to point a finger at

where they came from but I see these

barriers falling every day and at a

rapid pace and that excites me so

everybody's heard of Moore's law and if

you haven't it's basically technology

accelerates twice the speed and half the

costs every two years so Moore's Law is

an incredible concept of exponential

growth and our brains are kind of

hardwired to think linear I take one

step I take two steps I take three steps

I've gone three feet exponential is

doubling every number so I can take 30

steps and I will be at a billion feet

and our brains aren't really hired

hardwired to understand that exponential

curve but we're getting there we're

evolving

we're basically outgrowing our linear

brain so with this convergence of

technology no technology is seeing a

more revolutionising curve than biotech

so Moore's Law is incredible it's the

exponential but biotechnology started

off 13 years ago we could sequence

genomes 13 billion genomes would cost us

about 100 million dollars today it's

less than ten thousand that is Moore's

law times three that is significant

advancements 13 years so again there's a

convergence of AI v AR AR and biotech as

you can see on the slide here you've got

the virtual reality and augmented

reality actually working to help solve

problems they can you know of course

artificial intelligence can can

calculate and solve problems based off

the data a lot faster than the human

brain so so so this convergence is

really starting to compound it's it's

impact we're able to compound these

technologies to create a better solution

smartphones healthcare the smartphone

healthcare is predicted to exceed over a

hundred billion by 2022 so you know a

doctor and a cell phone you're able to

you know take pictures as you can see on

the slide there looks like they're

looking at a melanoma possibly to be

able to visually download or you know

with the cellphone or with sensors and

and so on and so forth we're able to get

the information that we need in the palm

of our hands to be able to do things

that we weren't able we weren't able to

do five ten years ago so it's amazing to

see these advancements and a hundred

billion dollar industry by the year 2022

is is is astounding

so again you know we're at this point

where we're on a course to master our

bio software or what's that mean that

means that we may be able to eliminate

genetic mutations and write our own

hardware upgrades that would mean that

we would be able to extend longevity who

knows death may be a choice in the

future it's hard to say but when you're

talking about Moore's law times three

anything is possible

so where is the bottleneck happening

right now I think the bottleneck is

happening in integration okay so we need

to find economically viable ways to take

this technology and integrate it into

our lives so corporations and

governments are using this technology

but how does it translate to us we have

to find the ways to compound this

technology and integrate it into our

lives to where it can improve we can

create more free time for our

we can compound our thoughts solutions

and and efforts and and really maximize

our potential so what we need to do

before I get to that this slide is

really important because this just goes

to show you the mentality of of

innovation and how wrong we are how

wrong we were in the past so the

Commissioner of the US Patent Office in

1899 said that is one of most favorite

famous quotes was that everything that

can be invented has been invented as you

can see he was extremely wrong this is

an opportunity for us to take a look at

what has been innovated and find new

ways to integrate that technology find

new ways to compound that technology

don't be discouraged because somebody

came up with an idea that you had two

years ago that you didn't act on find a

way to make that technology better find

something that complements and if it

doesn't pencil out find something that

does combine it create platform

technologies that solve big problems and

I think that that's where we're going

today and if my message if I had one

message for our youth it would be

innovate but do not forget to integrate

thank you so much