TED Talks to Spark Creativity
When looking for creative inspiration there might not be a much better source than TED talks. TED is an organization dedicated to Ideas Worth Spreading. Through conferences and online videos, these events have been inspiring, encouraging and motivating people for years. A recent TEDx event at Chapel Hill University focused on presenting new innovations related to health care, particularly to improving service the neediest amongst us.
Josh Nesbit, CEO of Medic Mobile, shared “10 innovations he’s excited about.” One example is a microscope cell phone attachment that can perform lens free intracellular imaging. Slide a blood sample into back of phone, and an LED captures a holographic image. Things like HIV and STD testing can be done anywhere there is a mobile signal for about $.10 in about 10 seconds. He also presented a Lab in a Backpack, developed by a team of Rice University engineering students. Crammed into the pack is an array of medical equipment including microscopes, gluclometers and malaria RDTs. Using data collected by Bluetooth, the pack turns any community health worker into low-cost mobile clinic, says Nesbit.
Holden Thorp, University of North Carolina Chancelor, presented an inspiring message about how universities are successfully solving global problems such as water pollution not only through innovations but by working through cross functional teams to implement them in needy communities.
And then Jonathan Kuniholm came on stage with a challenge to the crowd. Kuniholm, a former Marine officer who lost his right arm in an explosion in Iraq in 2005, uses a prosthetic arm based on a 1912 patent because he likes it better than newer versions. Most amputees agree, he explains, since what we have available to put on people “is not as good as we think it is.” The challenge is not a lack of ideas but rather a problem of production. And economics; prosthetics must be priced within range of what the average insurance plan will cover. Kuniholm has dedicated himself to finding a solution by using open hardware and design technologies to encourage greater sharing and innovation. Anyone interested in getting involved can visit Openprosthetics.org.
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