hi I’m Zach Fisher and ever since fourth grade I’ve been a problem solver now
grade I’ve been a problem solver now
grade I’ve been a problem solver now you’re probably wondering well what
you’re probably wondering well what
you’re probably wondering well what happened in fourth grade did I have a
happened in fourth grade did I have a
happened in fourth grade did I have a cool teacher or go to a cool class or
cool teacher or go to a cool class or
cool teacher or go to a cool class or even come see a cool TED talk no it was
even come see a cool TED talk no it was
even come see a cool TED talk no it was better when I was in fourth grade I
better when I was in fourth grade I
better when I was in fourth grade I guess on my very own computer explode
guess on my very own computer explode
guess on my very own computer explode before my eyes it was the coolest thing
before my eyes it was the coolest thing
before my eyes it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen
watching the components one by one get
watching the components one by one get engulfed in smoke and flames was so cool
engulfed in smoke and flames was so cool
engulfed in smoke and flames was so cool but what I remember being cooler was
but what I remember being cooler was
but what I remember being cooler was watching the computer tech put it all
watching the computer tech put it all
watching the computer tech put it all back together the complexity of
back together the complexity of
back together the complexity of components which he finessed with ease
components which he finessed with ease
components which he finessed with ease into a brand new computer just left me
into a brand new computer just left me
into a brand new computer just left me dumbfounded this really sparked my
dumbfounded this really sparked my
dumbfounded this really sparked my interest in computers and technology in
interest in computers and technology in
interest in computers and technology in general six years later I walk into that
general six years later I walk into that
general six years later I walk into that mighty Media Lab I’m interning at a tech
mighty Media Lab I’m interning at a tech
mighty Media Lab I’m interning at a tech startup called core sites and walking in
startup called core sites and walking in
startup called core sites and walking in and seeing other kids is a little bit
and seeing other kids is a little bit
and seeing other kids is a little bit intimidating but what I really remember
intimidating but what I really remember
intimidating but what I really remember was being fascinated of course it does a
was being fascinated of course it does a
was being fascinated of course it does a biofeedback based virtual reality
biofeedback based virtual reality
biofeedback based virtual reality company working out of MIT
company working out of MIT
company working out of MIT we specialize in teaching you how to
we specialize in teaching you how to
we specialize in teaching you how to control your heart rate with your
control your heart rate with your
control your heart rate with your breathing the product that corsets is
breathing the product that corsets is
breathing the product that corsets is currently working on is a piece of
currently working on is a piece of
currently working on is a piece of software that can be used across
software that can be used across
software that can be used across industries to reduce anxiety we do this
industries to reduce anxiety we do this
industries to reduce anxiety we do this by using a virtual reality headset and
by using a virtual reality headset and
by using a virtual reality headset and the biofeedback sensor placed on your
the biofeedback sensor placed on your
the biofeedback sensor placed on your finger trust me
finger trust me
finger trust me it’s cool on my first day of course I
it’s cool on my first day of course I
it’s cool on my first day of course I heard some talk with the technology
heard some talk with the technology
heard some talk with the technology behind our sensor and my co-workers were
behind our sensor and my co-workers were
behind our sensor and my co-workers were talking about how it was cool but it was
talking about how it was cool but it was
talking about how it was cool but it was kind of big and bulky it was expensive
kind of big and bulky it was expensive
kind of big and bulky it was expensive we’re talking like $300 so it’s a nice
we’re talking like $300 so it’s a nice
we’re talking like $300 so it’s a nice naive 14 year old I thought to myself I
naive 14 year old I thought to myself I
naive 14 year old I thought to myself I bet I could build a better one and I bet
bet I could build a better one and I bet
bet I could build a better one and I bet I could do it for cheaper on my second
I could do it for cheaper on my second
I could do it for cheaper on my second day of course it’s I designed a new
day of course it’s I designed a new
day of course it’s I designed a new finger sensor for seven dollars I spent
finger sensor for seven dollars I spent
finger sensor for seven dollars I spent the previous night watching MS YouTube
the previous night watching MS YouTube
the previous night watching MS YouTube videos researching a ton and not
videos researching a ton and not
videos researching a ton and not sleeping and I came in the next day of
sleeping and I came in the next day of
sleeping and I came in the next day of the finish schematic of my design after
the finish schematic of my design after
the finish schematic of my design after hours of research I realized that all
hours of research I realized that all
hours of research I realized that all the basic finger sensor was was an
the basic finger sensor was was an
the basic finger sensor was was an inferred emitter
inferred emitter
inferred emitter an infrared detector mounted really
an infrared detector mounted really
an infrared detector mounted really close to your finger and based on the
close to your finger and based on the
close to your finger and based on the amount of light the detector received we
amount of light the detector received we
amount of light the detector received we could determine if there was blood
could determine if there was blood
could determine if there was blood flowing through your finger and then get
flowing through your finger and then get
flowing through your finger and then get a heartbeat it was pretty simple now
a heartbeat it was pretty simple now
a heartbeat it was pretty simple now every time people ask me every time I
every time people ask me every time I
every time people ask me every time I tell this story people always ask well
tell this story people always ask well
tell this story people always ask well how’d you come up with the idea of
how’d you come up with the idea of
how’d you come up with the idea of designing a finger sensor on your very
designing a finger sensor on your very
designing a finger sensor on your very first day there how’d you even get the
first day there how’d you even get the
first day there how’d you even get the courage to suggest a redesign as I said
courage to suggest a redesign as I said
courage to suggest a redesign as I said before my curiosity for problem solving
before my curiosity for problem solving
before my curiosity for problem solving was not a recent development it all
was not a recent development it all
was not a recent development it all started with the exploding computer now
started with the exploding computer now
started with the exploding computer now after watching that computer explode in
after watching that computer explode in
after watching that computer explode in fourth grade I spent the next couple
fourth grade I spent the next couple
fourth grade I spent the next couple years learning everything there was to
years learning everything there was to
years learning everything there was to know about modern day pcs and I rebuilt
know about modern day pcs and I rebuilt
know about modern day pcs and I rebuilt my computer over and over and over again
my computer over and over and over again
my computer over and over and over again why well not just for the flashy new
why well not just for the flashy new
why well not just for the flashy new LEDs but because there was always
LEDs but because there was always
LEDs but because there was always something wrong with my computer
something wrong with my computer
something wrong with my computer he’s never fast enough for me I was one
he’s never fast enough for me I was one
he’s never fast enough for me I was one of the more GPU or CPU performance I
of the more GPU or CPU performance I
of the more GPU or CPU performance I found the problem and I fixed it it was
found the problem and I fixed it it was
found the problem and I fixed it it was easy
easy
easy two years later and sixth grade
two years later and sixth grade
two years later and sixth grade I saw the most amazing drone footage of
I saw the most amazing drone footage of
I saw the most amazing drone footage of chair Noble it was almost as cool as the
chair Noble it was almost as cool as the
chair Noble it was almost as cool as the exploding computer after seeing this I
exploding computer after seeing this I
exploding computer after seeing this I realized I just needed the drone so I
realized I just needed the drone so I
realized I just needed the drone so I got a job I worked some hours and I
got a job I worked some hours and I
got a job I worked some hours and I bought myself one except just over a
bought myself one except just over a
bought myself one except just over a month in my drone had a fatal crash now
month in my drone had a fatal crash now
month in my drone had a fatal crash now flying this drone was one of my favorite
flying this drone was one of my favorite
flying this drone was one of my favorite things to do I mean I was the only kid
things to do I mean I was the only kid
things to do I mean I was the only kid in sixth grade with a drone how cool is
in sixth grade with a drone how cool is
in sixth grade with a drone how cool is that and right now this show was broken
that and right now this show was broken
that and right now this show was broken I was devastated I was willing to do
I was devastated I was willing to do
I was devastated I was willing to do whatever it took to get this thing back
whatever it took to get this thing back
whatever it took to get this thing back in the air so I tried everything I could
in the air so I tried everything I could
in the air so I tried everything I could think of I turned it on and then off and
think of I turned it on and then off and
think of I turned it on and then off and then on it didn’t work after many hours
then on it didn’t work after many hours
then on it didn’t work after many hours of trying that I realized that there was
of trying that I realized that there was
of trying that I realized that there was a pretty big difference between my drone
a pretty big difference between my drone
a pretty big difference between my drone in its current state and the drone in
in its current state and the drone in
in its current state and the drone in the flying state and I needed to do
the flying state and I needed to do
the flying state and I needed to do something about it so I look for a local
something about it so I look for a local
something about it so I look for a local mentor someone who could teach me how
mentor someone who could teach me how
mentor someone who could teach me how drones worked how to fly drones had a
drones worked how to fly drones had a
drones worked how to fly drones had a fixed route how to build drones anything
fixed route how to build drones anything
fixed route how to build drones anything but I found no one I started
but I found no one I started
but I found no one I started binge-watching drone YouTube videos
binge-watching drone YouTube videos
binge-watching drone YouTube videos YouTube became my personal mentor this
YouTube became my personal mentor this
YouTube became my personal mentor this is when I knew I was a certified nerd
now after hours of research I realized
now after hours of research I realized that what was wrong with my drone was
that what was wrong with my drone was
that what was wrong with my drone was that a broken motor and to fix this
that a broken motor and to fix this
that a broken motor and to fix this motor I would need to learn how to
motor I would need to learn how to
motor I would need to learn how to solder now soldering is essentially the
solder now soldering is essentially the
solder now soldering is essentially the process of using a 750 degree pencil to
process of using a 750 degree pencil to
process of using a 750 degree pencil to melt metal to join wires and to make an
melt metal to join wires and to make an
melt metal to join wires and to make an electrical connection and after teaching
electrical connection and after teaching
electrical connection and after teaching myself to do this I had to learn that
myself to do this I had to learn that
myself to do this I had to learn that tree burn wounds
tree burn wounds
tree burn wounds I remember just a few months after
I remember just a few months after
I remember just a few months after fixing my first drone I set out to build
fixing my first drone I set out to build
fixing my first drone I set out to build a drone from scratch now this is an
a drone from scratch now this is an
a drone from scratch now this is an incredibly ambitious project because the
incredibly ambitious project because the
incredibly ambitious project because the drones I’ve been working with previously
drones I’ve been working with previously
drones I’ve been working with previously already had an existing framework laid
already had an existing framework laid
already had an existing framework laid out I knew everything went I knew how
out I knew everything went I knew how
out I knew everything went I knew how everything worked it was simple it made
everything worked it was simple it made
everything worked it was simple it made sense to me but for this drone I would
sense to me but for this drone I would
sense to me but for this drone I would literally have to start from the ground
literally have to start from the ground
literally have to start from the ground up now the first time after I watched
up now the first time after I watched
up now the first time after I watched that drone fly I realized what I had
that drone fly I realized what I had
that drone fly I realized what I had just done
just done
just done alright spent the past couple of weeks
alright spent the past couple of weeks
alright spent the past couple of weeks working endlessly in my basement to get
working endlessly in my basement to get
working endlessly in my basement to get every part of this drone to work exactly
every part of this drone to work exactly
every part of this drone to work exactly like it should and it did and now it was
like it should and it did and now it was
like it should and it did and now it was in the air and it was flying I felt like
in the air and it was flying I felt like
in the air and it was flying I felt like I could do anything
I could do anything
I could do anything picture that drunk so if you’re gonna
picture that drunk so if you’re gonna
picture that drunk so if you’re gonna take one thing away from this talk it’s
take one thing away from this talk it’s
take one thing away from this talk it’s that the difference between you and me
that the difference between you and me
that the difference between you and me is simply this when I was in fourth
is simply this when I was in fourth
is simply this when I was in fourth grade I got to see my computer explode
grade I got to see my computer explode
grade I got to see my computer explode that’s it now nothing you should go home
that’s it now nothing you should go home
that’s it now nothing you should go home and let your computer on fire seriously
and let your computer on fire seriously
and let your computer on fire seriously don’t but every runner it’s in there get
don’t but every runner it’s in there get
don’t but every runner it’s in there get inspired break things fix things go nuts
inspired break things fix things go nuts
inspired break things fix things go nuts thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] you
”
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