How anyone can use computer science principles to solve everyday problems | Rameez Virji | TEDxYYC

Summary

The speaker shares a personal story of using computer science to address a common fear of needles, particularly in the context of vaccinations. By applying computer science principles such as determining scope, considering use cases, and separating physical and logical factors, the speaker devised an innovative solution—a pill for vaccine delivery. This approach demonstrates the power of computer science in solving diverse problems beyond the tech field, inspiring a more efficient and creative problem-solving mindset.

Takeaways

• 😁 The speaker aims to demonstrate how computer science can be applied to solve everyday problems, including a specific medical issue.
• 👴 The story is inspired by the speaker's late grandfather, who had a fear of needles, impacting his willingness to get vaccinations.
• 🧪 Commonality of the problem: The fear of needles, or enetophobia, is widespread among people of all ages.
• 💡 The challenge: To design an alternative to hypodermic needles for delivering medicine, especially for Canada's aging population.
• 💻 The speaker's background: Passionate about computer science but not medicine, yet uses computer science to approach the medical problem.
• 🤖 Definition of computer science: The study of automatic, algorithmic processes that scale and manipulate large amounts of data efficiently.
• 🔍 Problem-solving in computer science: Focusing on simplifying complex problems by determining scope and ignoring irrelevant data.
• 📋 Use cases in problem-solving: Considering different perspectives of those who will benefit from the solution.
• 🔑 Identifying key factors: Concentrating on the most relevant aspects of the problem to devise a tailored solution.
• 🧠 Abstracting the problem: Dividing it into physical limitations and areas open to creative solutions, akin to functional abstraction in computer science.
• 🛫 Result of the approach: The development of a pill for vaccine delivery that is safer, cheaper, and less intimidating than needles.
• 🌟 Broad applicability: The speaker believes that computer science principles can be applied to solve problems across various fields.

Q & A

What is the main challenge the speaker is addressing in the script?

The main challenge the speaker is addressing is the fear of needles, or enetophobia, and its impact on people's willingness to get regular vaccinations.

How did the speaker's late grandfather's fear of needles inspire the speaker's project?

The speaker's late grandfather's fear of needles, despite his concern for his health, inspired the speaker to find an alternative to hypodermic needles for delivering medicine.

What is the speaker's educational background and how does it relate to the problem at hand?

The speaker's background and passion lie in computer science, which they sought to use innovatively to solve a medical problem related to needle fear.

What is computer science and how does it differ from other scientific fields?

Computer science is the study of automatic, algorithmic processes that scale. It focuses on manipulating large amounts of data effectively and efficiently through algorithms.

What problem-solving paradigm does computer science teach its practitioners?

Computer science teaches its practitioners to look at complicated problems in a less complicated light, focusing on determining scope and ignoring irrelevant data.

What is the concept of 'use cases' in computer science and how does it apply to the speaker's project?

Use cases in computer science involve considering the problem from the perspective of different people who will benefit from the solution. The speaker applied this by considering various scenarios such as the needs of their needle-fearing grandfather, people in developing countries, and individuals with diabetes.

How did the speaker simplify the problem of needle fear by using computer science strategies?

The speaker simplified the problem by boiling it down into its base variables, considering only relevant factors, and ignoring out-of-scope elements, which is a strategy known as determining scope in computer science.

What are the physical and logical factors the speaker abstracted the problem into?

The speaker abstracted the problem into physical factors, such as the need for an oral vaccine that a human can swallow, and logical factors, which involve the creative process of how the system delivers the payload to the bloodstream.

What is functional abstraction in computer science and how does it relate to the speaker's approach?

Functional abstraction in computer science is a concept that helps to understand which limitations are actual limits and which might be self-imposed. The speaker used this concept to identify which parts of the problem were limiting and which were flexible.

What was the outcome of the speaker's application of computer science principles to the non-technological problem?

The outcome was the development of a pill for vaccines and other medicines that is safer, cheaper, easier to transport and deliver, and less intimidating than a hypodermic needle.

How does the speaker believe computer science principles can be applied to solve problems in various fields?

The speaker believes that computer science principles can be applied to solve problems in medicine, arts, business, and even at home, by encouraging people to use these principles to tackle everyday challenges.

Outlines

00:00

💉 Overcoming Needle Phobia with Computer Science

The speaker introduces the concept of using computer science to address everyday challenges, specifically the fear of needles, which is a common barrier to vaccinations. The story is personal, beginning with the speaker's late grandfather who suffered from enetophobia. The speaker then broadens the issue to a global scale, noting the widespread fear of needles and the need for an alternative to hypodermic needles for medicine delivery. The background of the speaker is in computer science, not medicine, yet they explore the possibility of applying computer science principles to solve this medical problem. The essence of computer science is explained as the study of processes that can be automated and scaled through algorithms, and the speaker emphasizes the problem-solving skills inherent in this field, such as breaking down complex issues into manageable components and focusing on relevant data.

05:01

🛠️ Applying Computer Science Strategies to Medical Innovation

This paragraph delves into the strategies the speaker used to approach the needle fear problem from a computer science perspective. The speaker discusses the importance of determining the scope of the problem to eliminate irrelevant data and simplify the issue. They also introduce the concept of 'use cases' to understand the problem from the perspective of different beneficiaries, such as the grandfather afraid of needles, people in developing countries needing cost-effective solutions, and diabetics seeking convenient methods. The speaker then talks about separating the problem into physical and logical components to identify limitations and areas open to creative solutions. This approach, akin to 'functional abstraction' in computer science, helps in focusing on adaptable aspects of the problem. The result of applying these principles is the conceptualization of a pill for vaccine delivery that is safer, cheaper, and less intimidating than traditional injections, highlighting the potential of computer science to innovate in various fields.

Keywords

💡Computer Science

Computer Science is the study of algorithms and computational systems that process information and solve problems efficiently. In the context of the video, it is presented as a versatile field that can be applied to non-computational problems, such as medical challenges. The speaker uses computer science principles to approach the problem of needle fear and develop an alternative to hypodermic needles for vaccine delivery.

💡Algorithmic Processes

Algorithmic processes refer to a set of rules or steps used to perform a computation or solve a problem. In the video, the speaker mentions that computer scientists manipulate large amounts of data through algorithms, which are patterns of instructions. This concept is crucial in understanding how the speaker applies computer science to medical issues, breaking down complex problems into manageable steps.

💡Enetophobia

Enetophobia is the fear of needles, a condition that the speaker's late grandfather suffered from. This term is central to the video's narrative as it is the specific problem the speaker aims to address using computer science. The fear of needles is a common issue that prevents many people from getting regular vaccinations, highlighting the need for an alternative solution.

💡Problem-Solving Paradigm

The problem-solving paradigm in computer science involves a systematic approach to identifying, understanding, and solving problems. The video emphasizes this paradigm as a key advantage of computer science, teaching individuals to simplify complex problems and find effective solutions. The speaker applies this paradigm to the challenge of needle-based vaccinations, seeking a more accessible method.

💡Determining Scope

Determining scope in computer science involves identifying the relevant factors of a problem and ignoring irrelevant data. The speaker uses this strategy to focus on the specific issue of needle fear rather than broader vaccination concerns. By narrowing the scope, the speaker is able to concentrate on developing an alternative delivery method for vaccines.

💡Use Cases

Use cases in computer science are scenarios that describe how different users will interact with a system or solution. The speaker considers various use cases, such as the needs of her grandfather with enetophobia, people in developing countries seeking cost-effective solutions, and diabetics looking for a more convenient method of medication delivery. This approach helps tailor the solution to meet diverse needs.

💡Physical Perspective

The physical perspective refers to the tangible, real-world constraints of a problem. In the script, the speaker mentions the physical limitation of developing an oral vaccine delivery technique that a human can swallow. This perspective helps in understanding the practical limitations of the solution and guides the innovation process.

💡Logical Perspective

The logical perspective involves considering the theoretical or conceptual aspects of a problem, separate from its physical constraints. The speaker abstracts the problem into logical factors, such as how the system delivers the payload to the bloodstream, allowing for creative solutions that are not limited by physical realities.

💡Functional Abstraction

Functional abstraction is a concept in computer science where the implementation details of a system are hidden, focusing on its functionality. The speaker uses this concept to differentiate between actual physical limitations and self-imposed constraints in the problem-solving process, enabling a more flexible approach to finding a solution.

💡Vaccine Delivery

Vaccine delivery is the process of administering vaccines to individuals. The video's theme revolves around improving this process by addressing the fear of needles and developing an alternative method. The speaker's goal is to create a pill for vaccines that is safer, cheaper, and less intimidating than traditional hypodermic needles.

💡Innovation

Innovation in the context of the video refers to the creation of new solutions or methods to existing problems. The speaker's application of computer science principles to the challenge of needle-based vaccine delivery exemplifies innovation, leading to the development of a pill that could revolutionize the way vaccines are administered.

Highlights

The speaker aims to show how computer science can solve everyday problems and was applied to a medical problem.

The speaker's late grandfather had a fear of needles, impacting his willingness to get vaccinations.

Many people share the fear of needles, indicating a widespread problem.

The speaker was challenged to design a solution for Canada's aging population at a summer program.

The need for an alternative to hypodermic needles for medicine delivery was identified.

The speaker's background in computer science was leveraged to approach a medical problem.

Computer science is defined as the study of automatic, algorithmic processes that scale.

Computer scientists manipulate data effectively through algorithms.

The problem-solving paradigm of computer science involves looking at complex problems in a simpler light.

Determining the scope in computer science helps focus on relevant factors and ignore irrelevant data.

Use cases in computer science consider the problem from the perspective of different beneficiaries.

Identifying the most important factors to the people facing the problem leads to a more tailored solution.

The problem was divided into physical and logical parts to focus on creative solutions.

Functional abstraction in computer science helps understand which limitations are actual and which are self-imposed.

By using computer science principles, the speaker developed a pill for vaccines and medicines as an alternative to needles.

The developed pill is safer, cheaper, easier to transport, and less intimidating than traditional injections.

The speaker believes computer science principles can be applied to solve problems in various fields.

Encouraging the use of computer science to tackle everyday challenges for a better future.

Transcripts

Translator: lisa thompson Reviewer: Peter van de Ven

Today, I'm going to show you how anyone -

and yes, I mean anyone -

can use computer science to solve everyday problems

and how I used it to solve a problem in medicine.

My story begins with my late grandfather.

Anyone who knew him knew that he was a very happy and very jolly man,

always ready to go out and try something.

Despite his excitement about most people and most things, however,

he was terrified of needles.

Even though he was very particular about his health,

his enetophobia, or fear of needles,

made him refuse to get regular vaccinations.

Now, my grandfather is hardly alone in this regard.

Many people, young and old,

(Laughter)

are terrified of needles.

You guys know what I'm talking about.

(Laughter)

Clearly, this is a problem that needed to be solved,

and that's exactly what I was thinking

when I was challenged to design something for Canada's aging population

at a summer program I attended when I was 17.

The world needed something better than a hypodermic needle

to deliver medicine.

The problem was that I didn't know how to develop medicine.

My background and passion lay in computers.

But what if there was a way

that I could use computer science to solve this problem?

Now, using computer science to solve a medical problem

might seem far-fetched at first,

but computer science is actually a great way

to approach a problem that may seem difficult to solve.

So, what exactly is computer science?

Well, computer science

is the study of automatic, algorithmic processes that scale.

Now, that might sound like something out of a science fiction novel,

but it's really quite simple.

Computer scientists study how to manipulate large amounts of data

effectively and efficiently through algorithms,

or more simply, through patterns of instructions on that data.

So, how can we use this field

to solve problems outside of the field of computing?

Well, one of the best, biggest advantages of computer science

is the problem-solving paradigm that it teaches.

Computer scientists are taught

how to look at complicated problems in a less complicated light.

One of the strategies that I used

in trying to solve this problem of vaccinating people who hate needles

was to boil the problem down into its base variables and ignore all irrelevant data.

In computer science, this is called determining scope.

If something is out of scope,

then it often adds unnecessary confusion and irrelevant data to the problem,

making it harder to understand how the problem can actually be solved.

So, what were the specific factors

that were stopping us from using something other than a needle?

I noticed that a lot of the people that approached this problem

tended to get really bogged down

in trying to solve every, every question to do with vaccinations,

rather than the specific question of, "How can we deliver this medicine better?"

And that would be like trying to study for an exam

by rereading the entire textbook

instead of just your highlighted and summarized notes.

So, by considering factors that were relevant to the problem,

I was able to understand the problem in a much simpler light.

Another strategy which I used was the concept of "use cases."

In computer science, use cases are used to consider the problem

from the perspective of different people who will be benefiting from the solution.

So, for example, in my case, I considered the case of my grandfather,

who was terrified of needles and needed an alternate solution for immunization.

However, I also considered the case of people in developing countries,

who might not be so much in need of a comfortable solution

as they are a solution that is convenient and cost-effective

and easy to transport and deliver.

Alternatively, I considered the case of people with diabetes,

who have to use needles every day, with every meal,

who might be in need of a more convenient method.

So by identifying the factors that matter the most

to the people that face the problem,

you can come up with a more tailored solution

and perhaps even understand issues

that you may not have considered initially.

One more strategy I used was to boil the problem down into two parts:

the physical perspective and the logical one.

Some parts of a problem might be unlimited in how you can tackle them,

and some may have some physical limitations.

For example, in my case, developing an oral vaccine delivery technique

would have to be something that a human can swallow,

so that's a physical limitation.

But how this system is to deliver the payload to the bloodstream

is something that is more susceptible to creativity and imagination.

So by identifying which parts of the problem are limiting

and which are limitless,

I was able to understand

which parts of the problem were more flexible and able to be changed.

And in computer science,

this is similar to a concept called functional abstraction,

and it's a great way to understand which limitations are actual limits

and which might be more self-imposed.

So, by determining the scope of the problem,

or by understanding the factors that were actually relevant to the problem,

I was able to understand what the problem I was solving actually was.

By considering different use cases,

I was able to understand that, not only would my solution have to be convenient,

but it would also have to be cost-effective

and easy to transport and deliver.

And by abstracting the problem into logical and physical factors,

I was able to focus my creativity onto the parts of the problem

that were more susceptible to out-of-the-box thinking.

So, by using these computer science principles

on this non-technological problem,

I was able to come up with a pill for vaccines and other medicines

which was safer, cheaper, easier to transport and deliver,

and much less scary than a hypodermic needle.

I believe that this model can be used to solve problems big and small.

Like, wouldn't it be great if, using computer science,

we could solve problems in medicine,

in arts, in business, or even just at home?

If we are all courageous enough to use these computer science principles

to tackle our everyday challenges,

we can solve problems faster and reach ahead to a better future.

Thank you.

(Applause)