A Smarter Path | Chasing Genius | National Geographic

I was about six my favorite toy was mine

I was about six my favorite toy was mine slot car track and what that really is

slot car track and what that really is

slot car track and what that really is is little electric cars on an electric

is little electric cars on an electric

is little electric cars on an electric road that’s electric road the thing

road that’s electric road the thing

road that’s electric road the thing stuck with me

stuck with me

stuck with me [Music]

I am an engineer rather than to make a

I am an engineer rather than to make a better mousetrap I chose to make the

better mousetrap I chose to make the

better mousetrap I chose to make the world a better place we’re out our

world a better place we’re out our

world a better place we’re out our garden one day and Julie turned to me

garden one day and Julie turned to me

garden one day and Julie turned to me and said can you make roads out of solar

and said can you make roads out of solar

and said can you make roads out of solar panels you know that you know if I can

panels you know that you know if I can

panels you know that you know if I can figure out a way to protect the solar

figure out a way to protect the solar

figure out a way to protect the solar cells it just might work

cells it just might work

cells it just might work it’s got I’ve had the same traction as

it’s got I’ve had the same traction as

it’s got I’ve had the same traction as asphalt has to be strong enough to

asphalt has to be strong enough to

asphalt has to be strong enough to support a fully loaded semi truck

support a fully loaded semi truck

support a fully loaded semi truck shatterproof fireproof the roads are

shatterproof fireproof the roads are

shatterproof fireproof the roads are collecting heat anyways this thing

collecting heat anyways this thing

collecting heat anyways this thing collects the power and stores it we

collects the power and stores it we

collects the power and stores it we covered all our parking lots and roads

covered all our parking lots and roads

covered all our parking lots and roads with just 15 percent efficient solar

with just 15 percent efficient solar

with just 15 percent efficient solar cells we’ve produced more than three

cells we’ve produced more than three

cells we’ve produced more than three times the energy of this country uses

times the energy of this country uses

times the energy of this country uses [Music]

[Music]

[Music] solar roadways contain solar cells LEDs

solar roadways contain solar cells LEDs

solar roadways contain solar cells LEDs to make your line markings heating

to make your line markings heating

to make your line markings heating element we’re in snow and ice and it’s

element we’re in snow and ice and it’s

element we’re in snow and ice and it’s also a safety feature for the roads when

also a safety feature for the roads when

also a safety feature for the roads when I first started talking about it half

I first started talking about it half

I first started talking about it half the people we talked to thought we were

the people we talked to thought we were

the people we talked to thought we were crazy and happened but we’re a genius

people wrote articles saying that it was

people wrote articles saying that it was really audacious and that we were never

really audacious and that we were never

really audacious and that we were never gonna accomplish that so we got really

gonna accomplish that so we got really

gonna accomplish that so we got really in dire straits financially before we

in dire straits financially before we

in dire straits financially before we got our first contract of the federal

got our first contract of the federal

got our first contract of the federal highway administration we’re making

highway administration we’re making

highway administration we’re making improvements and eventually we hope this

improvements and eventually we hope this

improvements and eventually we hope this will become the standard of the future

will become the standard of the future

will become the standard of the future the planet will be healthier our waters

the planet will be healthier our waters

the planet will be healthier our waters will be cleaner it’s really cool to come

will be cleaner it’s really cool to come

will be cleaner it’s really cool to come around full circle to what I was

around full circle to what I was

around full circle to what I was dreaming as a child

if by six or seven-year-old self was

if by six or seven-year-old self was here seeing what we’re doing today and

here seeing what we’re doing today and

here seeing what we’re doing today and surely be amazed

surely be amazed

surely be amazed [Music]

you

you [Music]