Ted

1) TED is a global organization dedicated to compiling the "ideas worth spreading." Their conferences are used to spread innovative ideas that shed light on many fields including technology, business, entertainment, design, science, and global issues.


2) What is the purpose of their website and how does the functionality of their site support that? The website efficiently organizes the videos based on which categories they fall under and their popularity. The different tags can be viewed on the left and the videos are in the center of the screen in different sized rectangles. Under the videos there is space for people to leave comments. 

3) As Engineers and Problem Solvers, which topic areas (the choices from the "Show talks related to:" section on the sidebar) are of most interest to us? Justify your answer. I am most interested in Technology, Science, and Design. I have always had an affinity for new inventions in the scientific field, and I enjoy seeing new ways to design the world around us. 

4) Based on your previous answer, what are 3 talks (videos) on the site that appear like they would be of most interest to you as an Engineer/Problem Solver? Justify your choices. For technology, Theo Jansen creates new creatures because it he has a really out of the box idea and uses simple components to create amazing masterpieces. For science, JR's TED Prize wish: Use art to turn the world inside out, because the artist shows that simple paintings can have a tremendous impact on people's emotions. For design I like Jason Fried: Why work doesn't work because he discusses the inefficiency of the modern workplace.  


5) Each student will watch a unique video. Claim your video on the following period specific posts: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th. If no one else has claimed your video, leave a comment on that post to call the one you want. If someone else has already claimed the talk, go back and pick another one. Watch the video. Embed the video in your blog post and create a bulletized outline of the key issues presented in the talk.


 Using only plastic tubes and bottles, Theo Jansen hopes to create creatures that are able to walk on the beach by being powered by the wind. His pursuits combine elements from both art and engineering resulting in creations that are visually fascinating and are capable of passing multiple obstacles like detecting the sea.


6) How could you get involved in the field/technology/issue you chose to hear about? What experience/skills/training/education would you need to learn to get involved with this field?