The first assignment Erik Brunvand gives his students each semester is to buy a child's toy from a thrift store. The second assignment is to break it. In this TEDxSaltLakeCity talk, watch Erik demonstrate on stage how this simple and seemingly strange task makes us better equipped to navigate the 21st century.
Erik is currently an Associate Professor in the School of Computing at the University of Utah where he’s been teaching and doing research in computer engineering since 1990. As a computer engineer his research group is currently working on designing special-purpose computers for generating very realistic computer graphic images using a technique called ray tracing. His interest in computer hardware extends from the high-level design of the processor, to its implementation on a silicon integrated circuit.
Erik recently developed a new general education course entitled Making Noise: Sound Art and Digital Media. This course introduced students from all parts of campus to technology and electronics through noise-making projects such as circuit bending (modifying an existing music-making or speaking toy to become a sound-art noise generator).
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx
21 окт 2015
