The 10 best wearable technology TED talks
TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is a global set of conferences run under the slogan “Ideas Worth Spreading”. The emphasis is on the entertainment aspect. TED was founded in 1984 as a one-off event; the annual conference series began in 1990.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
TED’s early emphasis was technology and design, consistent with its Silicon Valley origins, but it has since broadened its focus to include talks on many scientific, cultural, and academic topics. This is a collection of our favourite TED talks on wearables and technology.
Ray Kurzweil: The accelerating power of technology (Jan 2007)
This one is well over a decade old but its one of our all time favourites. Inventor, entrepreneur and visionary Ray Kurzweil explains in abundant, grounded detail why by the end of the 2020s, we will have reverse-engineered the human brain. Soon after nanobots will be operating your consciousness. You can find many more videos with Ray on Youtube, some posted in just the last few months.
It is interesting how he has not changed his predictions over the years very much. A tweak here and there – that’s it.
Lee Shupp: The future of wearables (Nov 2015)
In this talk, Lee Shupp explores our relationship with wearable technology – the technology that will be on us, and then in us, and then part of us.
Mary Lou Jepsen: How wearable technology will change our lives (Apr 2018)
An interesting video which demos the power of red light and benign near-infrared light. Mary Lou Jepsen speaks on the potential of using red light to see and potentially stimulate what’s inside our bodies and brains. This allows for seeing deep inside the tissue to spot for example tumours. The technology also has the potential to replace expensive MRI machines leading to faster, better and cheaper healthcare for everyone.
Noushin Nasiri: Wearable Technologies – the New Normal in Healthcare (March 2020)
Imagine a wearable device that could save your life. Dr. Noushin Nasiri, a nanotechnologist, explores how wearable tech might revolutionize healthcare. Her vision? A future where we can monitor our health before illness strikes, leading to more proactive and predictive healthcare systems. In this inspiring talk, Dr. Nasiri shares her groundbreaking ideas on the intersection of nanotechnology and health.
Lauren Constantini: Wearable tech expands human potential (Sep 2014)
Is technology usurping our human capacity for connection and understanding, or expanding our ability to know ourselves and those around us – and so helping guide us to our highest selves? In this inspiring talk, Lauren Costantini explores what it means to be human in the age of the quantified self.
David Eagleman: Can we create new senses for humans? (Mar 2015)
As humans, we can perceive less than a ten-trillionth of all light waves. “Our experience of reality,” says neuroscientist David Eagleman, “is constrained by our biology.” He wants to change that. His research into our brain processes has led him to create new interfaces — such as a sensory vest — to take in previously unseen information about the world around us.
Chris Kluwe: How augmented reality will change sports…and build empathy (Mar 2014)
Chris Kluwe wants to look into the future of sports and think about how technology will help not just players and coaches, but fans. Here the former NFL punter envisions a future in which augmented reality will help people experience sports as if they are directly on the field — and maybe even help them see others in a new light, too.
Derek O’Keefe: Digital doctors – the future of medicine (April 2019)
From monitoring aquanauts for NASA to revolutionizing home healthcare, Dr. Derek O’Keeffe is at the forefront of medical technology. In this fascinating TEDx talk, Dr. O’Keeffe explores how technological advancements are bringing medical procedures and checkups into our living rooms. As both a doctor and an engineer, he offers a unique perspective on the future of healthcare delivery.
Daniel Kraft: Next steps in health & medicine — where can technology take us? (April 2015)
Imagine a world where your health is monitored and managed with the ease of checking your smartphone. In this eye-opening TEDx talk, Dr. Daniel Kraft brings that world to life.
With a flair for the dramatic, Dr. Kraft transforms into a modern-day Mary Poppins of medicine, pulling an array of cutting-edge health gadgets from his jacket. These aren’t just props – they’re a glimpse into the future of healthcare.
Steve Jobs: How to live before you die (Jun 2005)
Not a TED talk, but we felt it was worth including in this list. Drawing from some of the most pivotal points in his life, Steve Jobs, chief executive officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, urged graduates to pursue their dreams and see the opportunities in life’s setbacks — including death itself — at the university’s 114th Commencement on June 12, 2005.
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