Made @ The Tech The Tech Museum of Innovation | San Jose, CA
Fall 2017
THIS IS GOING TO BE THE
best experience
OF THE MAGIC AND MYSTERIES
INSIDE THE HUMAN BODY
in the world. — JOHN DOERR
#MadeAtTheTech
Introducing Body Worlds Decoded • Page 20
Hello, world Letter from the President Dear friends, In October, The Tech will welcome the world to Silicon Valley as we host the global conference of the Association of Science-Technology Centers. Some 2,000 ASTC attendees, representing science and technology institutions from 42 countries, will stream to San Jose, eager to learn from each other and to see what The Tech is doing to advance the relevance of science centers. At The Tech, they will see an institution that is moving from creating exhibits that provide answers to ones that inspire visitors to dream up their own; one that is changing from conveying facts to helping people use tools to solve problems themselves; and one that has fewer fixed galleries and more flexible spaces. We move in this direction for two reasons. First, these changes equip us to better prepare the next generation to succeed in a world driven by science and technology. The new economy will reward young people who are bold about solving problems and comfortable using technology to do so. It is less important that they learn science facts and more important that they develop creative confidence as problem-solvers. Our second reason for making these changes is that they enable us to be a better resource for our community. Silicon Valley’s businesses and organizations increasingly count on The Tech to be a place where they can bring their meetings, connect with the community and be inspired. It is the place where they get a vision for how technology can help us live sustainably and ethically on Earth. We are eager to welcome our ASTC colleagues to San Jose. We hope they will experience the optimism that resides in this valley and see that The Tech both embodies and adds to this community’s ability to solve problems and create opportunity.
Tim Ritchie President and CEO
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Made @ The Tech Editor-in-Chief Amy Pizarro Senior Editors Jeff Gire Marika Krause Graphic Designer Krista Thomas Contributors Jennifer Bullock Lauren Cage Chris DiGiorgio Michelle Duncan Mark Emmons Lisa Incatasciato Rebekah Nelson Christina O’Guinn Katie Ozawa Tim Ritchie Dan Streelman Karen Toste Prinda Wanakule Rachel Wilner Mallika Yeleswarapu Photographers Chelsea Bauer Jennifer Bullock Don Feria Matthew Ivan Karen Santos Eloisa Tan Leadership Team Tim Ritchie President and CEO Harvard Sung CFO Bill Bailor Vice President, Operations Maria Pappas Vice President, Development Linda Tsai Vice President, Strategy Gretchen Walker Vice President, Learning Rachel Wilner Vice President, Media and Community Charles Pearson Director, Information Systems Color Information
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contributions 6 Sparking girls’ interest in STEM 8 Tips for supporting your daughter’s learning 9 Planned giving: A lasting legacy inspirations 12 Introducing The Tech for Global Good 14 Bowers Institute shaping future of STEM education 16 Family Math & Engineering 17 Teens dream big at design-a-thon 18 Sensory Friendly Hours INNOVATIONS 20 New exhibit: Body Worlds Decoded 24 In virtual reality, everyone’s an artist 26 Young innovators shine at The Tech Challenge 29 New lab experiences feature VR, health tech
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Tech, Yeah! 31 Under the Dome 32 Scene @ The Tech 34 At-home activity: Inflatables! 36 Geektoberfest 2017 38 Fun + Games Made @ The Tech is a magazine produced twice a year for members, supporters and friends of The Tech Museum of Innovation. If you have questions about this publication, contact Amy Pizarro, Senior Director of Media and Community, at apizarro@thetech.org. 201 S. Market Street #MadeAtTheTech San Jose, CA 95113 #MadeAtTheTech 408-294-8324 thetech.org #MadeAtTheTech
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Letter from the Board Chair
Board of Directors
Dear friends,
Emmanuel Barbara Silicon Valley Education Foundation
The Tech is working on one of its most ambitious years yet. This year, we’ll open three new exhibits, welcome an international conference of our peers, launch a new chapter for our signature program The Tech for Global Good, open the Bowers Institute for educators, and begin the process of revamping one of the world’s few IMAX dome theaters. These would be stunning accomplishments for any company in Silicon Valley, but for a nonprofit science center with limited staff and resources, they pose many challenges. My job as chair of the board is to provide guidance so that The Tech is structured for success. The board plays an oversight role to ensure that The Tech’s staff of experts and educators has thought through the true priorities of our institution and that every staff member has the resources and time to succeed. In my 30 years as a consultant to many Silicon Valley companies, I’ve learned there are some important steps to being structured for success. Organizations may have the best intentions with lofty life-changing goals, but if you’re not properly staffed, with the right priorities and processes in place, you’ve failed before you’ve begun. The sheer scope of what we’re attempting this year has made it necessary for The Tech to ask tough questions, but I believe we’ve got the right pieces in place to accomplish our goals. I’m impressed with the motivation of the The Tech’s 150 staff members. The priorities, processes and people are all in place to excel at serving our community and expanding our ability to inspire innovators. I think this will be a banner year in The Tech’s history, and our visitors will feel the positive impact of our work for many years to come. We hope you agree.
James J. Barrese Ruba Borno Cisco Systems Ann S. Bowers Past Board Chair Chris Boyd Kaiser Permanente
Omkaram (Om) Nalamasu, Ph.D. Applied Materials Stuart Pann HP Inc. Daniel Perez Oncore Manufacturing Services (ret.)
Hon. David D Cortese Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
Frank P. Quattrone Past Board Chair Qatalyst Group
James C. Deichen Suntrust Robinson Humphrey
Roger J. Quinlan Board Secretary SAP America, Inc.
Christopher S. DiGiorgio Board Chair Accenture (ret.)
Tim Ritchie President and CEO The Tech
Mauria Finley John Giubileo Accenture Raquel Gonzalez Bank of America William W. Heil Gerald D. Held, Ph.D. The Held Group Dave House
Randy Krenzin, CFP Wells Fargo Advisors
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Jami Dover Nachtsheim Intel (ret.)
Gloria Chen Adobe Systems, Inc.
Joe Kava Google
Chris DiGiorgio Chairman, Board of Directors
R. L. Smith McKeithen Enconcert, Inc.
Matthew Sapp Board Treasurer EY Chad Seiler KPMG Judy C. Swanson The Swanson Foundation Daniel J. Warmenhoven Board Vice Chair Warmenhoven Holdings, LLC Netapp (ret.) Steve Young HGGC
CONTRIBUTIONS
How do we close the gender gap in the tech industry? The Tech believes one key is to provide equal opportunity from the start, and we’re happy to have supporters who share this vision. Learn more about the ways we support STEM learning for girls, and also how one family’s passion for science and technology was a perfect match for our institution. Fall 2017 | 5
Sparking girls’ interest in STEM New initiatives at The Tech strive to boost interest, confidence
In Silicon Valley we hear so much about the lack of women pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and math. At The Tech, we’re tackling this issue head-on by providing activities for girls that nurture their interest, build their skills and solidify their confidence in STEM. Our ultimate goal is to dramatically increase the participation of girls in STEM activities and women in STEM careers. Over the past year, thousands of girls and their families joined us for Girls Days @ The Tech, where they engaged in hands-on STEM activities. They participated in The Tech Challenge, presented by Dell, and learned that collaboration and perseverance are essential to innovation. And many of their teachers benefitted from our professional development programs, in which educators are equipped with the skills to recognize and address gender bias in the classroom. 6 | Made @ The Tech
In May, the Silicon Valley business community joined the conversation at our inaugural Girls @ The Tech Luncheon, presented by NetApp. Business leaders and high school girls gathered at the Los Altos Golf & Country Club for a panel discussion, led by Rep. Zoe Lofgren, that explored the challenges facing women in STEM careers and provided strategies for navigating these. In the year ahead, we’ll continue to provide experiences that engage, inspire and mentor girls in STEM. For information on how you can get involved, please email Karen Toste, annual fund director, at ktoste@thetech.org.
CONTRIBUTIONS
Fall 2017 | 7
Supporting girls in STEM studies Parents play key role in paving the way for their daughters Mallika Yeleswarapu is a Class of 2017 graduate of Notre Dame High School in San Jose. This fall she began economics and feminist studies at Santa Clara University. My first forays into science, technology, engineering and math started in elementary school, but along the road I sometimes felt like I didn’t fit in. My parents played a big role in helping me learn to thrive in STEM anyway. When I think about their influence, three big things stand out as tools that might be useful for other families:
Help her find a mentor There’s something exciting about seeing a role model in a field that captivates you. Introduce your daughter to a colleague or encourage her to connect with people who inspire her. My dad brought me with him to work where I met women who have amazing careers in STEM. My mom encouraged me to reach out to a college professor whose writing I’d admired. Networking isn’t as scary as it seems!
Fight stereotypes Despite my early interest in STEM, as I got older, messages from friends and the media filled me with doubt. TV, movies and even the all-boys robotics team at my middle school all sent the message that STEM wasn’t for girls. While you can’t shield your daughter from all media, you can avoid saying things like, “Maybe your brother should use the hammer.” Try coding or science projects together so you are actively working against the social norms that can keep girls out of STEM. 8 | Made @ The Tech
Build her “STEM-esteem” My biggest fear growing up was not knowing enough, and I was afraid to raise my hand in class for fear of being wrong. This is called the “Impostor Syndrome,” or an irrational fear of being exposed as a fraud. It especially affects girls. Helping your daughter recognize the fear is the first step to building her “STEM-esteem.” In high school, I applied for an internship at a tech company. I aced my phone interview, but when I learned I’d have a coding interview I panicked. Even though I had coding experience in Python and JavaScript, I withdrew my application because I was scared that wasn’t enough. This regretful experience motivated me to develop my skills so I’d never have that fear again. I found my community in the Girls Who Code club at my school. With the club I felt comfortable asking questions and confident in my abilities. Encourage your daughter to find a place where her STEM-esteem can flourish.
“Try coding or science projects together so you are actively working against the social norms that can keep girls out of STEM.”
CONTRIBUTIONS
Love at first byte Laura and Reynold Lewke treasure science and technology and its importance in education
For Laura it was Buster the Robot. For Reynold, his childhood memories of technology museums in Germany. For both it was an instant connection when, not long after moving to the Silicon Valley, the Lewkes were invited to the grand opening of The Tech Museum of Innovation in 1998. “We came with our two older children; there was a moving robot on the street, and it was such a fun and interesting place,” said Laura. “It was love at first sight.” The Tech was a perfect place for the Lewke family to experience science and technology with their children, who ranged in age from 3 to 13 at the time. Laura and Reynold found activities that engaged their family, from exhibits to The Tech Store, where a book recommendation from a staff member led to a statewinning science project — building an underwater remote-operated vehicle — for their oldest son, Brandon. Laura and Reynold went on to join The Tech’s Leadership Circle of donors, and Reynold served on the board of The Tech at the invitation of Mike Hackworth, the entrepreneur and philanthropist after whom the IMAX theater is named. They also were among the first attendees of The Tech Awards, taking part in a night that from the beginning was “so uplifting, so touching to see technology that benefited humanity,” said Laura. “Over the years, the more we saw, the more we liked what we saw, and the more involved we became with The Tech.” Laura and Reynold are both lawyers with a long history of work with nonprofits, such as their alma maters of Wellesley College and MIT, respectively, so they
were very familiar with the idea of planned giving. The importance of estate planning took on personal meaning for the family when Laura’s father fell terminally ill and they had to quickly put his affairs in order. The experience inspired Laura and Reynold to set aside a portion of their estate for causes that mattered most to them, including The Tech. “Giving back is something we’ve cared about our entire lives,” Laura said. ”We feel whatever we’ve given The Tech, The Tech has given back to us, so it was an easy choice. It was as simple as speaking to our estate attorney about the gift we’d like to make.” Their choice of planned gift is a cash bequest, meaning they have included language in their will that sets aside a portion of their estate for The Tech. “The value and importance of The Tech is accelerating,” Reynold added. “We need a place like The Tech where you can look inside technology and have a tactile, hands-on learning opportunity that doesn’t exist in most schools today.” The bottom line for the Lewkes is that their legacy will help ensure many more families will have the chance to fall head over heels for science and technology.
Planned Giving @ The Tech Planned giving is a flexible way to make a big impact at an organization that matters to you — like The Tech! For more information about giving to The Tech, please contact Karen Toste, annual fund director, at ktoste@thetech.org or 1-408-795-6444. Fall 2017 | 9
Help inspire the innovator in everyone Do you have a few hours during the week to engage and inspire our visitors from around the world?
Become a volunteer! Volunteer benefits • Free museum admission • Free downtown parking
• Free soda and popcorn each shift • Free educational IMAX films • Discounts at The Tech Store and The Tech Cafe • Annual recognition dinner • College scholarships
Learn more and apply: thetech.org/volunteers Questions? Call 1-408-795-6190 or email volunteer@thetech.org 10 | Made @ The Tech
INSPIRATIONS
Two ambitious new programs at The Tech are launching in 2017. The Bowers Institute provides professional development and resources to help educators supercharge STEM education for students in our community. And The Tech for Global Good, the evolution of The Tech Awards, brings into our institution the inspiring real stories of people changing the world with incredible ideas. Fall 2017 | 11
Change for good The Tech launches a new program about technology with global impact Every November since 2001, The Tech has brought to Silicon Valley some of the most inspiring stories in technology and entrepreneurship from around the world. The Tech Awards highlighted the work of people who sought to make the world better, from startups reaching the world’s most vulnerable people with education, clean energy and other life-changing services, to global nonprofits tackling diseases that harm millions.
What can you expect from The Tech for Global Good?
This year’s celebration, on Saturday, Nov. 4, will be unlike any of the past 16 Tech Awards. For the first time, it is being held at The Tech. The private event will also serve as the launch of an ambitious new program —The Tech for Global Good — which will affect everything The Tech does.
• Youth summits and other special events that explore, support and educate about technology that benefits humanity.
“When past Tech Awards laureates shared what emboldened them to tackle a global problem, many said they were inspired while traveling abroad, meeting people and seeing their challenges,” said Leslie Zane, director of the new initiative. “The Tech for Global Good is bringing these stories into our community to inspire our visitors in a similar fashion.” 12 | Made @ The Tech
• An enhanced focus on global problem-solving in The Tech’s exhibits and programs. • A new exhibit updated every year to showcase social innovators who are solving problems around the world, with the first exhibit focused on five leading innovations in technology and health.
• New social entrepreneurship and innovation materials in our professional development programs for educators, which reach hundreds of teachers, and our lab programs that serve tens of thousands of students.
INSPIRATIONS
Our supporters We’d like to thank the partners who are making possible the launch of The Tech for Global Good. If you’d like to learn how to support this new program visit thetechforglobalgood.org. Our partners include the Swanson Family; Mozilla; Qatalyst; Applied Materials, Inc.; PayPal; Adobe; eBay; Nasdaq; Accenture; Delta Air Lines; EY; GoDaddy; KPMG; Charmaine and Daniel Warmenhoven; Xilinx; Deedee and Burton McMurtry; Hyatt Place, the preferred hospitality partner of The Tech; and J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, the preferred wine partner of The Tech.
A student surveys a virtual playground of her own creation during a pilot session of The Tech for Global Good innovation lab. Participants designed an inclusive playground and then used VR to improve their work.
Upcoming events Saturday, Nov. 4: The Tech for Global Good Celebration and program launch Monday, Nov. 6: The Tech for Global Good Innovation Lab Launch (Read more on page 29) Tuesday, Nov. 7: The Tech for Global Good Youth Summit featuring Moore Inventor Fellows Fall 2017 | 13
Putting the “tech” in teacher The future of STEM education is taking shape at The Tech’s Bowers Institute
Imagine you’re an educator seeking the latest engineering and science teaching strategies. You know that new tools could provide a crucial edge for the future of your students. Where would you begin? You may be able to find lesson plans online. Perhaps there’s a workshop in the area that offers this type of training. What if you could connect and share strategies with a like-minded network of educators? At The Tech’s new Bowers Institute, you can find all of these resources — online tools, workshops and a local STEM network. “For anyone seeking to improve STEM education, we are your partner,” said Erica Barrueto, director of the Bowers Institute. Barrueto brings more than 15 years of experience in science and engineering education at museums. In her work with educators from pre-K through high school, she has seen how competencies in STEM subjects and 21st-century skills can affect student confidence and success in academics and careers. She imagines the Bowers Institute as a natural extension of what happens at The Tech when a young person visits on a field trip or with family. “A special experience at The Tech can inspire a child,” Barrueto said. “And this inspiration makes the most impact when it is linked to ongoing support from parents and educators.” 14 | Made @ The Tech
Hands-on workshops for educators Presented by experienced educational leaders from The Tech and partner organizations, Bowers Institute workshops cover a variety of topics and provide tools that meaningfully connect with an educator’s curriculum and learning goals. Bowers Institute workshops fall into three pathways:
Design Challenge Learning Combine design thinking, engineering and project-based learning to create meaningful experiences in your classroom.
Design, Make, Code Learn how to use new technological tools in your curriculum and link up with a network of STEM educators.
Only @ The Tech See how exhibits and programs at The Tech support classroom learning and student engagement.
INSPIRATIONS
Giving teachers a boost in engineering A new kind of educator is emerging in Title I schools across the South Bay, trained in a multi-year STEM education program called The Tech Academies of Innovation. Earlier this year, the first cohort of educatorleaders completed three years of training in how to bring engineering lessons to their classrooms. We also welcomed a new group of teachers from underserved schools into the program, which is developing a network of model STEM programs that nurture the next generation of Silicon Valley innovators. These educators completed more than 100 hours of professional development and learned how to share their knowledge with colleagues at other schools and after-school programs.
Meet the founder The Bowers Institute is named for founding sponsor Ann S. Bowers. As a longtime board member and supporter of The Tech, Bowers has championed math and science education in public schools and is a visionary about the role science centers can play as special resources and integral partners to educators. “I love the idea of hands-on problem solving, because when we try to solve a problem we surprise ourselves,” Bowers said. “We make things and figure things out in ways we didn’t know we were capable of.” Learn more: thetech.org/bowersinstitute
The Tech congratulates the 2014- 2017 cohort on their graduation: • Lairon College Preparatory Academy with Catholic Charities (Franklin-McKinley School District) • Meadows Elementary (Franklin-McKinley School District) • Monroe Middle School with The Crew (Campbell Union School District) • Ocala Middle School with City Year (Alum Rock Union School District) And we welcome our 2017-2020 cohort: • Burnett Academy Middle School with THINK Together (San Jose Unified School District) • El Roble Elementary School with YMCA (Gilroy Unified School District) • El Toro Elementary School with The Stampede (Morgan Hill Unified School District) Learn more: thetech.org/techacademies “Every time they hear the word engineer, or innovators, they applaud, thinking they are about to work on a project in class. This is just one tiny way my students have been impacted by bringing STEM into my classroom. “ –Rosa Valdez, fourth-grade teacher, Washington Elementary
Weekend fun: STEM with mom and dad In Family Math & Engineering, learning is a family affair
On a sunny summer morning, 10-year-old Jasmin and her mother huddled in a library over a piece of paper, drawing geometric shapes. They’re among the families who ignored any temptation to play outside, opting instead to tinker with tangrams at Family Math & Engineering, a free bilingual program offered by The Tech.
The program uses Design Challenge Learning, with participants working with geometry, shapes and structures to build creatures and structures. Other sessions explore distance measurement with rubberband races, physics by building roller coasters and patterns and logic by creating kaleidoscopes.
“It’s a good opportunity to explore activities that activate her brain,” said Jasmin’s mother, Maria Gurquiza.
“Many parents are intimidated by STEM learning, but this program helps eliminate that fear with fun, approachable activities,” said Kristen Martin, The Tech’s director of facilitated experiences. “By building together, parents and their kids help each other grow more confident.”
Family Math & Engineering invites families to have fun while developing logical thinking, spatial reasoning and creative problem-solving together. The classes are taught in English and Spanish, and they rotate throughout libraries and community centers in underserved communities. “Around here, kids aren’t always exposed to careers like scientist, engineer or doctor,” said Gurquiza, who attended a session in East San Jose arranged in partnership with the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley. “We came to the class so she could have more options for her future.” 16 | Made @ The Tech
Gurquiza quickly finished the toughest tangram challenge — the only one in the class to figure it out. Jasmin proudly told the facilitator that her mother completed the task, then continued to work on her own puzzle. She says she wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. Thanks to Microsoft for its generous support of the Family Math & Engineering program. Learn more: thetech.org/FME.
INSPIRATIONS
Teens who can save the world Design-a-thon empowers local youths to tackle big problems If you had a day to dream, could you save the world? A group of local teens faced such a challenge this summer during a daylong design-a-thon called DesignDaze @ The Tech. The program was part of The Tech for Global Good Social Innovation Workshop Series. For this unique event The Tech partnered with DFarm, a nonprofit that cultivates entrepreneurship in teens through the lens of design thinking. Participants in Grades 7-12 selected an area of interest related to world peace — think inequality, poverty, disaster relief. Then they brainstormed solutions and made prototypes with guidance from design ninjas and expert mentors. While soaking up lessons in engineering design thinking, teens tackled issues ranging from refugee access to shelter and water to the availability of healthy food for college students. The teens even spoke with former refugees to get a sense of the issues they faced. “We live in an area that is technology- and solutiondriven, and we sometimes lose sight of the end user,” said Donald Olgado, DFarm co-founder. “It’s their problem we are trying to fix as opposed to having a solution for the solution’s sake.” Many students created prototypes for their designs, which included a backpack emergency kit with a tent and jacket sleeping bag, and a zipline solution to transport water in a refugee camp. “I was surprised how many creative ideas we were able to generate,” said one participant, a 16-year-old girl. “I want to find an environment where I can continue learning about design thinking and try to help the people around me.” Thanks to Principal Sponsors Nasdaq Inc. and Ebay and Supporting Sponsors Delta Air Lines and Accenture for their generous support of The Tech for Global Good Social Innovation Workshop Series. Fall 2017 | 17
Sensory Friendly Hours @ The Tech When you have a child who is easily overwhelmed by loud noises and crowds of people, a bustling place like The Tech may be the last place you want to spend the day. In an effort to make our environment more welcoming to such families, this year The Tech started Sensory Friendly Hours, an event that allows guests to enjoy a quieter, less-crowded visit at a discounted rate. “This came out of a need that we weren’t actively serving,” said Kristen Martin, director of facilitated experiences at The Tech, who recognized that The Tech is committed to supporting underrepresented groups in STEM, and the special needs community is certainly one of them. The response has been inspiring. One member said noise and crowds make it hard for her child to focus. But at Sensory Friendly Hours, he was able to fully explore exhibits, including Social Robots, where he learned to design a robot and code its behavior. “He was there for easily 30 minutes, completely absorbed,” she said. Another mom explained that at Sensory Friendly Hours, it felt like the first time she and her husband were able to have truly meaningful engagement in public with their son. “It was very touching that this family had such a positive experience,” Martin said. “And that we were able to bring them closer together by just offering a few accommodations and acknowledging that they deserved a proper experience in the museum, too.”
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Sensory Friendly Hours feature: • Smaller crowd capacity. • Lower volume on exhibits. • Well-lit galleries. • Quiet rooms. • An IMAX movie shown with lowered volume. Guests are encouraged to stand up, move around and verbally express themselves during the film as needed. Learn more: thetech.org/sensoryfriendly
INNOVATIONS
Even if you’ve seen the world-famous Body Worlds exhibits, you’ve never seen it like this. Body Worlds Decoded is a display of real human bodies and anatomical specimens along with augmented reality and other interactive components, bringing a new level of “wow” to an already unbelievable experience.
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Silicon Valley visionaries bring mesmerizing exhibit to life with technology
Real bodies. Unreal technology. New exhibit opens Sunday, Oct. 15 thetech.org/bodyworldsdecoded About Body Worlds • The Body Worlds exhibit series is made possible through a program in which donors request that their bodies be used in a public exhibition after their deaths. • The specimens on display were preserved through plastination, a process invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens in 1977. • Dissection and plastination of a human body require about 1,500 working hours and normally take one year to complete. • More than 16,000 people are currently registered for the body donation program with the Institute for Plastination in Germany.
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Several years ago, John and Ann Doerr attended the well-known Body Worlds traveling exhibit at The Tech. The mesmerizing sight of plastinated human bodies filled them with a sense of wonder. “It’s a journey into the secrets of life that is awe-inspiring,” John Doerr recalled. That lasting memory planted the seed of an idea. The Doerrs, who are one of Silicon Valley’s power couples, wondered if technology could make Body Worlds even more profound by transforming a static exhibit into an interactive experience. Imagine if next to a plastinated figure you could see a 3D animation of a beating heart? Lungs expanding and contracting? The intricate features of a human eye? Explore the marvels of the brain? What if ... Body Worlds could be brought to life? Well, imagine no more. Body Worlds Decoded makes its debut at The Tech on Oct. 15, and, simply put, visitors will be able to see and explore the human body like never before. That’s because this groundbreaking museum experience melds a world-class anatomical collection with cuttingedge augmented reality technology.
INNOVATIONS
“This is going to be the best experience of the magic and mysteries inside the human body in the world, period,” said John Doerr, the visionary venture capitalist who has helped guide some of tech’s most iconic companies, including Amazon and Google. “This is going to be a great book that you read over and over again. It won’t be a movie that you just see once. This goes right to the heart of who we are as humans.” It begins with the striking Body Worlds exhibit, which has drawn more than 44 million visitors worldwide since 1995, including during two stops at The Tech. Donated human bodies have been preserved through a “plastination” process that replaces water and fat with plastic materials. But what transforms an already powerful attraction into something revolutionary is the overlay of augmented reality. Visitors will check out an Iris — a phablet, which is a device larger than a cellphone but smaller than a tablet — and will be directed by indicators on the screen to hotspots where virtual exhibits are located. By holding up Iris, a 3D-scanning camera captures the real world in front of you while displaying an animated body system that is essentially floating in space. As you “see” that beating heart, more information will pop up on the screen. The possibilities for what can be displayed are as endless as the functions of the human body itself. For instance, one planned piece of the exhibit will show exactly how concussions occur – a timely health issue. Animation will demonstrate what happens when the head is hit too hard and how the sudden impact causes the brain to bounce against the skull. “The Tech is about to become the leader in this whole new world of immersive technology,” said Toshi Anders Hoo, the lead AR consultant who is also the director of the Emerging Media Lab at the Institute for the Future, a Silicon Valley nonprofit that helps organizations think systematically about the future. “No one has ever done this before. This is a major paradigm shift in education, computing and media. The Tech has stepped forward as a leader in this movement.”
Ann and John Doerr were the catalysts for this. Their family foundation has donated millions to educational institutions across the country, but they are particularly passionate about this project and were thrilled that Tim Ritchie, the president and CEO of The Tech, shared their vision of creating a next-level experience. “There is a reverence when you go into Body Worlds, because you know you’re seeing humans who chose to further our understanding of the body,” Ann Doerr said. “Now the augmented reality technology allows you to see between the layers of tissue in a way that you could never do previously and explore even deeper.”
“It’s truly amazing. I’ve never seen anything like this. I’m beyond thrilled. This collaboration is going to do more than change our understanding of the human body. This is going to be the future of museums.” – Ann Doerr It took a remarkable, only-in-Silicon Valley partnership to make it happen. Stanford Clinical Anatomy, a leader in the use of digital models for doctor training and patient education, is a partner on the project. The new Google Tango platform powers the phablet, allowing the Institute of the Future team to design the AR experience. And the museum will be the home of Body Worlds Decoded for the next 10 years. “There still is so little known about the human body,” Ritchie said. “The ability of augmented reality to inspire the next generation about medicine and physiology — and just to understand the body — is very powerful. This will be Northern California’s most exciting anatomy experience.” That’s why in addition to affording a look inside the body, this also will be a glimpse into the future.
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Introducing Iris
What You Will See
Body Worlds Decoded is the first augmented reality experience at The Tech to use Iris, our helpful AR guide. Here are the components that help Iris bring virtual worlds to life:
Body Worlds Decoded features eight full-body plastinates and more than 60 anatomical specimens, as well as augmented reality 3D organs and systems you can study using Iris, a phablet that brings the augmented reality to life. It also includes these interactive exhibits:
INSIDE ANATOMY Explore various body systems with touch-screen interactives.
Phab 2 Pro: Made by Lenovo, this smartphone is one of the first consumer devices to feature simultaneous localization and
VISUALIZE YOU See a lively depiction of your skeleton, muscles and nervous system in this Kinect-based full-body visualization.
mapping — also known as SLAM — the process that makes the next generation of augmented reality possible.
DIGITAL ANATOMY TABLE View a live presentation at Anatomage, the same 3D virtual dissection table used at the nation’s top medical schools.
Depth Sensor: This system uses a camera that includes a depth sensor, which pinpoints a device’s exact location in relation to other objects, like GPS for indoors. This sensor allows people to see and interact with virtual objects in Body Worlds Decoded.
THE DRAWING BOARD Pick up a pencil and sketch your own anatomy-inspired design.
Google Tango: This is the AR platform behind Body Worlds Decoded. It also powers apps like AR interior decoration or games that feature AR ghost-busting.
ART AND ANATOMY An art installation will feature pieces inspired by the wonder and mystery of the human body.
Define This: Augmented Reality Here’s what excites Toshi Anders Hoo the most about Body Worlds Decoded.
layer? Now, with augmented reality, the whole world has the potential to become a museum.”
“This is a future of museums project,” said Hoo, the emerging media lab director at Institute for the Future, which helped develop the technology for The Tech’s new exhibit. “What is a museum but a collection of interesting things with an interpretive
You may be familiar with augmented reality, which encompasses technology that adds a layer of information to our everyday experience, say a navigation app or GPS-based mobile game like Pokémon Go. But the inventive use of AR in Body Worlds Decoded may require some explanation.
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INNOVATIONS
A Welcoming Experience Viewing plastinated body specimens can take your breath away. But they also can be a little unsettling. For younger children, an exhibit featuring real human bodies might even be scary. For that reason, The Tech has taken care to create a family-friendly atmosphere for Body Worlds Decoded that isn’t intimidating. “We realize that it’s not something that everyone is comfortable with, so we’re going to great lengths to make sure people understand what the exhibit is all about,” said Lisa Incatasciato, the exhibit content developer. “We’re also letting visitors know that children under 12 really should be accompanied by an adult.”
The Tech, as well as primary benefactors John and Ann Doerr, felt strongly that there shouldn’t be an additional charge for Body Worlds Decoded. With that in mind, the exhibit is designed so that visitors strolling through the museum won’t unexpectedly walk up to a glass case containing a plastinated body. They won’t be seen from the rest of the museum, and visitors will pass by a front desk where they can check out the AR equipment. “We get a lot of school groups, and we wouldn’t want them to enter unaware of the context of the exhibit,” Incatasciato explained. “The way we’ve designed it, the exhibit will clearly be something that you select to do.”
“This is not an exhibit. It’s truly an experience. Ann and I dream that it will inspire youth and contribute to a greater understanding of the life sciences. And what better place to do this than at The Tech in the heart of Silicon Valley.” – John Doerr
SLAM
Virtuality Continuum
Kinesthetic Interaction
Simultaneous Localization and Mapping, which is what makes Body Worlds Decoded work. This process scans a space, like an exhibit hall, and creates a 3D map. Virtual objects can then be precisely placed within this map, allowing people to interact in a populated virtual environment in great detail.
This is what researchers use to gauge just how much “virtual” is getting mixed up with our reality. On one end of this continuum: a hike where you leave your phone at home. On the other: a game where you are fully immersed in a virtual world. Body Worlds Decoded exists somewhere in the middle.
Keyboards, touchscreens ... we mostly interface with technology using our fingers on a flat surface. Augmented reality promises a whole new level of interaction — full-bodied, kinesthetic interaction, which “uses completely different parts of our brain,” Hoo said. “People are excited about what telling stories and exploring things in 3D means for education.”
In virtual reality, everyone’s an artist New tech in Reboot Reality exhibit helps the creative juices flow VR isn’t just a thing you watch. Just check out the fun artwork created by visitors using Tiltbrush by Google in our Reboot Reality exhibit! For tips on how to get started, we turn to Rebekah Nelson — The Tech’s resident “VR-tist” as well as a manager and experience developer in The Tech Studio — who has painted fancy costumes with electrified wings, seascapes filled with tiny creatures inviting you to swim, and even recreated The Tech itself. It’s OK to scribble. “Drawing big curved lines, like rainbows, is a great way to get used to the controls and mind-blowing environment. Just make sure you play with different colors or effects, like stars and embers. Perfectionists among us might appreciate guides that will give your astronaut’s helmet a perfect sphere or your Rubik’s cube a perfect square.” Let there be light … or not. “Some brushes cast shadows. Others are vibrant and glow or pulse. Play with these features in your design. For example, your tree can cast a shadow. Or you can create a cave with a fire, and if you choose the right brush for the flames, the cave walls will bounce with light.” The real question is, one s’more or two? (Trick question. Two. Always.)
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Teleport is your friend. “One of the most underutilized tools for any VR novice is teleport. You can move a football field away from your design in seconds and see it from a whole new view. This will give you new perspective on your design.” Pro tip: Using both controllers, you can zoom in to your design and add small, delicate flourishes that will make your work sing. We like to move it, move it. “Too often people are so excited about the bright colors right in front of them, they forget to move! One of the coolest parts of VR is you can draw a doorway and walk right through it. Or write your name and walk all the way around it. Remember to take a few steps and turn around to appreciate your masterpiece from a new angle.”
Extra credit! “Work ‘easter eggs’ into your design to make it pop. A simple example is a wave where you see a glimpse of something popping through it, then when you walk around its curve and see there’s a shark hitching a ride! The best designs also set a fun scene like a pirate ship with a colorful deck and a galley full of lily-livered scoundrels.” Ready for a VR adventure, or should we make you walk the plank?
INNOVATIONS
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Young innovators shine at The Tech Challenge 2017 What better way to celebrate the 30th annual Tech Challenge, presented by Dell, than a party with 2,500 inspiring young guests? That’s how many budding engineers participated in our youth engineering design program whose 2017 theme was Rock the Ravine. Students worked for months to design and build devices to help explorers cross an ice field with multiple ravines. In April, teams put their creations to the test at the showcase, cheered on by mobs of advisers, teachers, volunteers, staff and family members. Many learned the basics of circuitry or how to code. Some used simple materials including rubber bands, mixing bowls and styrofoam wheels and proudly rattled off newly acquired knowledge about kinetic energy. “The Tech Challenge helped me realize how important teamwork is for solving problems,” said Kimberly Lopez, an 8th grade student from San Jose’s Ocala Middle School. “When something failed, we worked together to try and fix it. I am definitely considering a career in engineering.”
The Tech Challenge invites teams of students in Grades 4-12 to use engineering design to solve a real-world problem. Interested in supporting The Tech Challenge 2018? Details will be announced in October. Learn more: thetech.org/techchallenge 26 | Made @ The Tech
INNOVATIONS
Thank you to the generous supporters of The Tech Challenge 2017 Presenting Level Dell Innovator Level Cisco Systems, Inc. SAP Founding Level Bank of America Cadence Intel Principal Level Adobe ARM (Video Contest Sponsor) eBay Genentech Thermo Fisher Scientific Underwriting Level Accenture Best Buy Brocade Cavium Ernst & Young (Official Tabulation Sponsor) First Tech Federal Credit Union Goldman, Sachs & Co. Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Co. Hitachi Data Systems Junior League of Palo Alto-Mid Peninsula Lockheed Martin Mentor Graphics Northrop Grumman Corporation Samsung Seagate STMicroelectronics Symantec Toeniskoetter United Airlines Wells Fargo Bank Workday Xilinx Investing Level AMD Box David H. Liu Foundation GoDaddy Barbara and William Heil IBM IDT Jive Software Markkula Foundation McKinsey & Company ON Semiconductor Palo Alto Networks Tech CU TiVo Zoom Team Level Plantronics San Jose Water Company Santa Clara Valley Water District Entrepreneurial Level FireEye University of Phoenix Media Level NBC Bay Area Telemundo
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Check out our new ink Visitors harvest pigment from living bacteria in new BioDesign Studio activity Can living bacteria play a role in the creation of art? They sure can! Welcome to Bio Inks, a new activity in The Tech’s BioDesign Studio, where visitors are invited to harvest and tinker with a pigment made by living bacteria. The pigment is then turned into an experimental bio ink, which participants can use to make their own artistic creations. Here’s how it works: We leverage the innate abilities of a humble little bacteria called Streptomyces violaceoruber. These guys live everywhere, and they’re what give soil its distinctive smell. They are harmless, and in fact they are the source of numerous life-saving antibiotics. In Bio Inks, Streptomyces violaceoruber displays another of its natural abilities: Producing a blue-hued pigment that gives colonies their beautiful coloring. The bacteria — which are grown in The Tech’s bio lab — do most of the work by manufacturing this pigment inside their cells and then releasing it. The unique pHsensitivity of the pigment means visitors can play with chemistry to alter its color before they add it to our Bio Ink Depository! Bio Inks is a fun peek into how scientists are exploring the possibilities of using biological systems to produce inks through a more Earth-friendly process. Inks like ours are not petroleum-based and therefore are more sustainable than most. Come get creative with our oneof-a-kind museum-grown bio inks! Dates and times vary. Check schedule when you arrive. Ages 10+ 28 | Made @ The Tech
INNOVATIONS
New labs inspire kids to think big
This fall The Tech will add two Innovation Labs to our exhibit spaces. These facilitated experiences provide a deep learning opportunity for students on field trips and drop-in participants on weekdays. Educators can reserve an Innovation Lab for their group at no additional cost when they schedule their field trip.
Design for All
Apps for Health
Exhibit: Reboot Reality Ages: 8+ Available to field trip groups and drop-in visitors on weekdays
Exhibit: Innovations in Health Care Ages: 10+ Available to field trip groups on weekdays
Imagine designing a playground. Would it include a slide? Places where young people can create things? Would this space provide an equal opportunity for all people to play? In The Tech for Global Good Innovation Lab, students “collaboratively design an inclusive playground for students who may not be able to physically join in all situations,” said Kristen Martin, director of facilitated experiences. Lab participants will first draft their concepts on a paper Panoform grid, then snap a picture of the grid with a phone and use an app to convert this 2D image into a virtual reality environment. Students use VR goggles to look around their virtual playground, which helps them see their designs more fully as they iterate new versions.
Students will take inspiration from the Innovations in Health Care exhibit, presented by El Camino Hospital, to come up with an app that addresses a health problem. “Students will list the features the app would have and design the interface,” Martin said. “Then they’ll put together a prototype of what their own app would look like.” In early prototyping of the lab with students, one team came up with the idea for an app to alert people with diabetes to their blood sugar level. “We’re focusing on the design thinking process behind developing an app,” Martin said.
“We’re using VR tools to build empathy and design spaces,” Martin said. “This gets students thinking how they can change things around them to be more inclusive.” And once students are comfortable making changes in the virtual world, they’ll be much more likely to do so in real life. Fall 2017 | 29
tech, yeah!
Buster brings the funny, and check out an activity that’s almost as fun as a day at The Tech. Plus, drink in some cool facts about the brewed beverage we’ll celebrate at our annual Geektoberfest on Sept. 28.
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tech, yeah!
Under the Dome After renovations, IMAX will reopen Oct. 28, then launch a spring lineup featuring music and pandas The Tech is dedicated to being a resource for the community, and this fall we are renovating our IMAX dome theater into a much more flexible space. Imagine movies by day, lectures by night and live streaming events that fulfill and expand The Tech’s mission to inspire the innovator in everyone. A stage will be added to the base of the theater, and 19-year-old cove lights that illuminate the circumference of the dome will be replaced with eco-friendly LED lighting. Ten LED programmable spotlights are also being added, along with video capture and broadcast capabilities that will allow event streaming both inside the museum and out.
The theater is closed during the renovation but will reopen Saturday, Oct. 28, with a giant-screen classic “Great White Shark,” and we’ll resume our successful run of the audience-acclaimed “Dream Big.” In February we’ll present MacGillivray Freeman’s “America’s Treasures,” a toe-tapping film that will take audiences on a voyage of American culture as seen through the lens of music. And in May, get ready for an overload of adorable when “Pandas” climbs into your heart.
GREAT WHITE A BREATH TAK ING ENCO UNTER WI T H T H E PR EDATO R W E LOV E TO F E AR
Opening Saturday, Oct. 28 Tickets: thetech.org/imax
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Innovation on Ice Launch March 2017
Students “chomp� on engineering skills in a new activity to build a better ice skate, in partnership with the Sharks Foundation and SAP.
Scene @ The Tech Volunteer Dinner April 2017
We love our volunteers! Everyone had a swinging good time at this Gatsbythemed evening.
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tech, yeah!
Reboot Reality Opening May 2017
Creative confidence flourishes in our newest exhibit packed with immersive tech.
Community Day June 2017
Our 3rd annual Community Day — our thank you to YOU — was a blast!
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Do try this at home! Who says all the fun has to happen at The Tech? This DIY engineering activity can be put together with cheap store-bought materials or objects you find around the house
DIY Inflatables Subject: Design Thinking Ages: 6-12 Key terms: 3D design Structural integrity Spatial reasoning Aerodynamics
What are inflatables? Ever seen those wacky waving tube dudes outside a car dealership or furniture store? Imagine a DIY version!
In this playful, open-ended activity, thin plastic is cut into shapes and taped together so it inflates when placed over an air source, such as a fan. Motion of the wind brings the character to life, and decorative elements like googly eyes and construction paper tell its story. Inflatables are a wonderful family activity and can be done by anyone who can hold a pair of scissors. Materials Inflatables can be created from all kinds of materials. Explore your junk drawer or garage to find fun odds and ends to give your creation personality.
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Things you can use Don’t limit yourself to the items on this list. Use whatever you have on hand — be creative! Inflatable parts
Structural materials
• Thin plastic drop cloth • Grocery bags • Bags from shipping or packaging
• Poster board • Thick paper • Rubber bands • Paper clips • Pipe cleaners or twist-ties
Decorations
Tools
• Googly eyes • Rhinestones • Feathers • Construction paper
• Standing fan (preferably one that can be pointed up)
• Yarn • Beads and buttons • Macaroni • Pom-poms • Scrap cloth
• Hole puncher • Clear tape • Scissors • Stapler (optional) • Permanent markers
Instructions
i Top Tips Start decorating with tape rather than glue, as you may change your mind on placement once your inflatable is set in motion. Long, flowing materials such as streamers or ribbon look wonderful blowing in the wind, but they can get caught in the fan. This can be prevented by covering the fan with a mesh cover. This is also a good way to keep little fingers away from the fan blades. Look at the seams on your clothes or stuffed animals for hints on how you might construct different shapes.
Once you’ve assembled your materials, examine your plastic. What potential does it have? Can it be cut or laid out big and flat, so there is plenty of space to draw multiple designs? If your design is intricate, you may want to use a permanent marker to draw out your shapes. Next, cut out the design and use clear tape to create one piece. Many designers choose to cut two identical shapes and tape around the outside (like making a pillow), but there are many ways to approach an inflatable design. Don’t forget to leave an opening at the bottom so the fan can inflate your creation. Line the opening with a strong but flexible material, such as a strip of poster board. This will help give your inflatable structural integrity, helping it stay upright when placed over the fan. If you would like the inflatable to stay on the fan without your assistance, punch holes in the poster board and add paperclips. Use the clips to hook the inflatable to the fan while it is turned off. Now it’s time to decorate! What kind of creature is your inflatable? What kind of personality do you see in its movements? Does it flap wildly like a bird or float gently like a jellyfish swaying in the sea? Think about how the wind can activate your decorations. Is there a way to make something hover inside? Blow crazily on the outside? The possibilities are endless!
Extra Credit How can you manipulate the plastic to make certain parts of the inflatable puff up? Try inflating it right after you tape it. Then, turn it inside-out and inflate it again. Was there a difference in how it looked or moved? How does the air flow when you leave openings in different areas of your creation? Does your inflatable move differently with holes on the top or at the ends of any limbs? What about big openings? Small openings?
Finally, flip the switch on your fan and watch your creation inflate! Fall 2017 | 35
Thursday, Sept. 28 7 to 10:30 p.m. The Tech proudly presents Geektoberfest 2017! At Geektoberfest, in partnership with BioCurious, we’ll dive into the biology of beer, with tastings from local and regional craft breweries. We’ll also have demos and talks from expert brewers. Ages 21+. Special thanks to the Koret Foundation.
Tickets: thetech.org/geektoberfest
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Three cheers for beers
Those foam-topped mugs are brimming with innovation
Libation Innovations Spent grain — the leftovers after extracting sugars, proteins, and nutrients — can constitute as much as 85 percent of a brewery’s total by-product. Brewers have cleverly upcycled the waste into soil, chicken feed and even tasty dog treats.
In 1963, Alfred Heineken created a beer bottle that could also be used as a brick to build sustainable housing in impoverished countries.
Breweries in 2017 are paying more attention to their impact on the environment and striving to repurpose waste from their process into new, usable materials. Take Upslope Brewing Co. in Boulder, Colo. Through a partnership with Boom Algae, carbon dioxide and other waste by-products are fed to the algae, which is harvested and used to make biodegradable ink.
Beer is the 3rd most popular drink in the world after water and tea.
By the numbers
Who knew? Cenosillicaphobia is the fear of an empty glass.
Three brewers are on the $2 bill. George Washington Thomas Jefferson Samuel Adams
A labeorphile is a person who collects beer bottle labels or beer bottles.
Early recipes for beer sometimes included mushrooms, poppy seeds, butter, bay leaves, sugar, aromatics, honey, and bread crumbs.
Too much foamy head in your mug? Rub the side of your nose with your fingers, then stick them in your glass. The natural oil from your skin breaks the surface tension of the bubbles and collapses them.
The first known recipe for beer is recorded in 4300 BC.
Prohibition lasted 13 years, 10 months, 19 days, 17 hours, 32.5 minutes.
California has more craft breweries per adult of drinking age than any other state, brewing 3.7 gallons of beer for every adult a year… that’s more than 3 million barrels/year.
What is it?
hey buster who should come see ? the new exhibit ,
Details, details! Can you guess what exhibits and activities are featured in these photos?
1
Crossword Puzzle
2
ACROSS
DOWN
8 These make images more fun or colorful on Snapchat or Instagram.
2 Rosie Jetson, Wall-E, R2D2 are all _____.
2 First American woman in space.
12 Come again? Or build it better. 13 3D printing and a loaf of bread have this in common. 15 Process to preserve specimens in Body Worlds. 16 Next summer, The Tech celebrates ___ years. 17 The Tech’s beloved bot. 18 Rosalind Franklin’s research helped us understand this. 19 Watch movies on ours that could inspire thoughts in yours.
1 New exhibit: Body Worlds ____.
3 Central chunk of our thinking organ: _____stem. 4 America’s Space Agency. 5 The Tech’s new AR phablet. (Hint: page 22) 6 The first time you build something, you’ve made a ______. 7 This system carries messages from brain to the rest of the body. 9 To create or design something new. 10 New exhibit Reboot _____. 11 Chemical element of atomic number 14, used in making circuits.
3
14 Teal and black team on ice.
1. Reboot Reality 2. From Here to There 3. Body Worlds Decoded
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The Tech 201 South Market Street San Jose, CA 95113 1-408-294-8324 thetech.org
Real bodies. Unreal technology. New exhibit opens Sunday, Oct. 15 thetech.org/bodyworldsdecoded