John Underkoffler, MIT researcher and inventor of the user interface from the movie Minority Report, demonstrates the real technology at TED 2010. Having been working on tangible user interfaces over 15 years ago, his team was consulted to create a 3D gestural interaction language called G-Speak specifically for the movie Minority Report. The research as since been used to further gestural UI by other teams and is now making its way into the real world by industries which process large amounts of information. John predicts it could be as little as 5 years before the technology is integrated into consumer displays, with no special gloves or extra equipment needed. Perhaps it will be even sooner, given the launch of Project Natal for the Xbox this Fall.

Thomas Friedman, New York Times columnist and author of The World is Flat, speaks at MIT. Friedman discusses his experience of being inspired to write the original book, the fundamental ideas mentioned in his later edition The World is Flat 3.0, and how shares how that has lead to his latest book Hot, Flat, and Crowded.

Natalie Kuldell and Reshma Shetty from MIT speak about current efforts to enable everyday hobbyists to experiment and build their own organisms. Whether it is making bacteria smell like bananas, or engineering trees to grow into houses, they would like to enable people to embark on such efforts by mimicking the homebrew computer clubs of the 1980s. Once inspired, check out DIYbio.org to get started and join the growing community.

Ben Fry, a MIT legend in data visualization, shares his latest work in Computational Information Design at FITC 2006.

MIT Professor Neil Gershenfeld shares a convincing view on how personal fabrication labs are the next step after the digital revolution. At the Center for Bits and Atoms, Neil’s team works to build Fab Labs aimed at developing programmable molecular assemblers that will be able to make almost anything.

The killer app of personal fabrication is products for the market of one person.
- Neil Gershenfeld

Lawrence K. Fish, Chairman and former CEO of Citizens Financial Group shares his perspective on what it means to treat both employees and customers with respect. Lawrence grew a small Rhode Island bank into the third most profitabl company in New England. His management techniques are studied and admired by many.

James Dyson, Inventor and CEO, speaks at MIT about the invention process and road that lead him to start the company Dyson.

CEO of IDEO, Tim Brown speaks at MIT about Design Thinking.

Insights are about getting out into the world, connecting with new things. Designers see the world as a source of innovation, not just validation.
-Tim Brown