TED2019
Ivan Poupyrev: Everything around you can become a computer
Filmed:
Readability: 3.5
513,955 views
Designer Ivan Poupyrev wants to integrate technology into everyday objects to make them more useful and fun -- like a jacket you can use to answer phone calls or a houseplant you can play like a keyboard. In a talk and tech demo, he lays out his vision for a physical world that's more deeply connected to the internet and shows how, with a little collaboration, we can get there. Unveiled in this talk: Poupyrev announces that his newest device, Jacquard, is now publicly available for all designers to use.
Ivan Poupyrev - Scientist, inventor, designer
Ivan Poupyrev works at the forefront of interaction design, using technology as a raw ingredient to change the way we interact with the physical world. Full bio
Ivan Poupyrev works at the forefront of interaction design, using technology as a raw ingredient to change the way we interact with the physical world. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
Computers have become truly incredible.
0
996
2718
00:16
We are walking around
with supercomputers in our pocket.
with supercomputers in our pocket.
1
4523
2941
00:19
How amazing is that?
2
7488
2154
00:21
So it is disappointing
3
9666
1985
00:23
that the way we use computers,
the way we interact with them,
the way we interact with them,
4
11675
3389
00:27
hasn't really changed
in the last 50 years.
in the last 50 years.
5
15088
3036
00:30
We still use a mouse and keyboards.
We're clicking on screens and buttons.
We're clicking on screens and buttons.
6
18521
3784
00:34
Mobile phones are the same.
7
22329
2173
00:36
We're just using fingers
instead of a mouse.
instead of a mouse.
8
24526
2844
00:39
So is that it?
9
27980
1637
00:41
Is that what the future looks like?
10
29641
1805
00:43
We're going to be stuck in the screens
11
31470
2045
00:45
with our faces not seeing
the world around us?
the world around us?
12
33539
3125
00:49
That's not the future I imagine,
or the future I'm attracted to.
or the future I'm attracted to.
13
37260
3759
00:53
What I've been always
interested in is things,
interested in is things,
14
41043
2833
00:55
physical things we use every day,
like things on this table
like things on this table
15
43900
3134
00:59
that the family doesn't pay attention to.
16
47058
2476
01:01
Things tell our story.
They tell who we are.
They tell who we are.
17
49558
2135
01:03
They tell a lot about us.
18
51717
1598
01:05
Let me give you an example.
19
53938
1802
01:08
These are photographs of things
a person touched during 24 hours.
a person touched during 24 hours.
20
56075
5008
01:13
What can you tell about him?
21
61107
1838
01:15
He loves his motorcycle. Right?
22
63266
1999
01:17
The biggest thing in his picture.
23
65289
2085
01:19
What can you tell about this girl?
24
67398
1620
01:21
She spends all her time on the beach.
25
69774
1778
01:23
There's a surfboard.
26
71576
1413
01:25
She lives by the sea.
27
73013
1586
01:27
What can you tell about this guy?
28
75333
2170
01:29
He's a chef.
29
77527
1478
01:31
Look at all the ingredients
he touched during the day,
he touched during the day,
30
79029
2701
01:33
while he was preparing the food,
31
81754
1589
01:35
and the computer
is a tiny part of his life,
is a tiny part of his life,
32
83367
3043
01:38
this sad thing in the corner.
33
86434
2108
01:41
So if we are using things all the time,
34
89804
2913
01:44
and this is a big part of our lives,
35
92741
2095
01:46
can things become the way for us
to interact with our digital life?
to interact with our digital life?
36
94860
4603
01:52
Can the world become your interface?
37
100795
2634
01:56
That was my idea.
38
104709
1346
01:58
I've been working for 20 years on it.
39
106079
2669
02:00
My idea is that in order
to interact in digital life,
to interact in digital life,
40
108772
2985
02:03
you don't need to have
screens and keyboards and mouses.
screens and keyboards and mouses.
41
111781
4752
02:08
You can interact with your digital life
42
116557
2182
02:10
just by using the things
you use every day.
you use every day.
43
118763
2738
02:14
And to realize this idea,
I need to solve three big challenges.
I need to solve three big challenges.
44
122057
3174
02:17
Let me tell you about them.
45
125879
1328
02:20
The first one, obviously:
Is it even possible?
Is it even possible?
46
128510
4044
02:24
How can you take an everyday thing
you use every day
you use every day
47
132578
3834
02:28
and turn it into a computer interface?
48
136436
2332
02:31
Now I was inspired by the book "Hackers."
49
139570
2018
02:33
I read it when I was a teenager,
50
141612
1657
02:35
and one of the essential
ideas of this book
ideas of this book
51
143293
4014
02:39
is that you can change
the purpose of things
the purpose of things
52
147331
3255
02:42
by inventing new technology
and then hacking into things
and then hacking into things
53
150610
3285
02:45
and changing them.
54
153919
1218
02:47
So I've been thinking
what kind of technology I can invent
what kind of technology I can invent
55
155161
4174
02:51
so that I can hack into things
you use every day
you use every day
56
159359
3976
02:55
and make them interactive.
57
163359
1373
02:57
So when I was working on this thing,
I invented this sensor
I invented this sensor
58
165763
2763
03:00
which injects structured
electric fields into objects
electric fields into objects
59
168550
2928
03:03
and turns them into gesture interfaces.
60
171502
1920
03:05
So this doorknob, unmodified,
can become a gesture sensor.
can become a gesture sensor.
61
173446
3535
03:09
It can know how you're touching it.
It can feel how you're touching it.
It can feel how you're touching it.
62
177005
3334
03:12
It makes a circle, or can I grasp.
63
180363
2194
03:15
And this doorknob isn't modified.
64
183377
1604
03:17
There's nothing special about doorknobs.
65
185005
1956
03:18
Anything can become interactive.
66
186985
1674
03:20
What about plants?
67
188683
1500
03:22
So plants are interesting,
because with plants,
because with plants,
68
190948
2229
03:25
they can know where you're touching.
69
193201
1716
03:26
You can see the line moving
up and down on the image.
up and down on the image.
70
194941
2554
03:29
And that can turn
into a musical interface.
into a musical interface.
71
197519
2160
03:31
(Musical tones)
72
199703
3728
03:36
Now, we do have also
practical applications:
practical applications:
73
204515
3278
03:39
a calendar plant for those
who are obsessed about practicality.
who are obsessed about practicality.
74
207817
4533
03:44
(Laughter)
75
212374
1181
03:48
We can give things a personality.
76
216114
3238
03:51
(Low notes changing in pitch)
77
219376
1793
03:53
So in this particular example,
78
221193
2746
03:55
the orchid can communicate to you
79
223963
3070
03:59
through images and sounds.
80
227057
3230
04:02
It doesn't like to be touched,
so it's created these electric images
so it's created these electric images
81
230311
3261
04:05
that are hissing at you.
82
233596
3222
04:08
This plant, for example,
83
236842
1991
04:10
is more robust, it's a snake plant,
84
238857
2748
04:13
and it likes playing with you.
It engages you.
It engages you.
85
241629
2143
04:16
So every thing can be different,
86
244146
1823
04:17
and every thing can represent
what it feels.
what it feels.
87
245993
3444
04:22
So everything can be hacked,
all the things, including your body.
all the things, including your body.
88
250849
4043
04:26
In this example, we hacked your body
89
254916
2255
04:29
so you can measure
how you're folding your hands
how you're folding your hands
90
257195
2679
04:31
and then using your hand gestures
to control something else,
to control something else,
91
259898
2853
04:34
so if you don't want to listen
to some music thousands of times,
to some music thousands of times,
92
262775
3052
04:37
you simply can cover your ears
to turn it off.
to turn it off.
93
265851
2773
04:40
So everything can be hacked,
and research is important,
and research is important,
94
268978
2937
04:43
but the second challenge we have
95
271939
2078
04:46
is how can we go from R and D,
and prototypes, to real products?
and prototypes, to real products?
96
274041
4850
04:50
How can we make real things
that are also interfaces?
that are also interfaces?
97
278915
3945
04:56
And you may ask yourself,
who would do this?
who would do this?
98
284138
2508
04:58
Silicon Valley?
99
286670
1282
04:59
Is it through Shenzhen?
100
287976
1534
05:01
Now the challenge there
is that the world of things is huge.
is that the world of things is huge.
101
289534
3719
05:05
Every year, the apparel industry
produces 150 billion garments.
produces 150 billion garments.
102
293757
4054
05:10
In comparison, the technology industry
only makes 1.4 billion phones.
only makes 1.4 billion phones.
103
298597
5342
05:15
The world of things is much bigger
than the world of technology.
than the world of technology.
104
303963
4163
05:20
The technology world cannot change
the world of things.
the world of things.
105
308150
3491
05:23
Instead, we need to create technology
which changes makers of things,
which changes makers of things,
106
311665
5295
05:28
people who make your chairs
and clothes and everything else,
and clothes and everything else,
107
316984
2811
05:31
into makers of smart things,
108
319819
2017
05:33
enable them to do that.
109
321860
1544
05:37
So to test this challenge, we came up
with a very simple idea and challenge:
with a very simple idea and challenge:
110
325207
4922
05:42
Can a tailor make a wearable?
111
330611
3357
05:46
Now we don't want to take a tailor
112
334603
1745
05:48
and turn the tailor
into an electrical engineer.
into an electrical engineer.
113
336372
2345
05:51
We still want to have some tailors around.
114
339182
2151
05:54
But what we would like to do
is create technology
is create technology
115
342214
2341
05:56
which looks, feels and behaves
like a raw material used by the tailor
like a raw material used by the tailor
116
344579
5877
06:02
to make their clothes.
117
350480
2535
06:06
For example, a touch panel
made for a tailor would look like this,
made for a tailor would look like this,
118
354791
4144
06:10
made out of textiles, so you can cut it
with scissors and sew it in.
with scissors and sew it in.
119
358959
3759
06:15
At the same time,
it has to retain the performance.
it has to retain the performance.
120
363618
2382
06:18
The way to make this textile touch panel
121
366024
2656
06:20
also requires a very different approach
than for making consumer electronics.
than for making consumer electronics.
122
368704
3667
06:24
In our case, we have to go
to the mountains of Tokyo
to the mountains of Tokyo
123
372395
2730
06:28
to a small factory which was making
kimono garments for generations.
kimono garments for generations.
124
376109
3230
06:31
We worked with my collaborators,
125
379799
2468
06:34
who were not engineers.
126
382291
1772
06:36
It was an artisan who knows
how to make things
how to make things
127
384806
3378
06:40
and an artist who knows
how to make things beautiful.
how to make things beautiful.
128
388208
3258
06:44
Working with them, we created
one of the best yarns in the world,
one of the best yarns in the world,
129
392121
4921
06:49
which consists of thin metallic alloys
130
397066
2442
06:51
wrapped around with polyester fibers
and cotton fibers.
and cotton fibers.
131
399532
3232
06:54
These yarns were made in the same machines
132
402788
2461
06:57
which were making yarns
for kimonos for generations.
for kimonos for generations.
133
405273
3332
07:01
We then took these yarns
and gave them to the factory,
and gave them to the factory,
134
409374
2579
07:03
which is making textiles,
135
411977
1888
07:05
and we wove our smart textile
using regular machines
using regular machines
136
413889
3421
07:09
in a variety of colors and materials,
137
417334
1881
07:11
and we gave those textiles to a tailor
138
419239
3106
07:14
in Savile Row in London.
139
422369
2020
07:17
So tailors are traditionalists,
particularly in Savile Row.
particularly in Savile Row.
140
425959
2978
07:20
They don't use computers.
141
428961
1349
07:23
They don't use machines.
142
431093
2703
07:25
They use hands and they cut.
143
433820
1739
07:27
They fit their products on the human body,
144
435583
2103
07:29
not on 3-D avatars.
145
437710
1562
07:33
Technology is not
a part of their vocabulary,
a part of their vocabulary,
146
441084
2183
07:35
but they are modern people.
147
443291
1873
07:37
They know how to use technology.
148
445188
2095
07:39
So if technology can be formed and shaped
149
447307
2286
07:41
like a button, like a textile,
like something they can use,
like something they can use,
150
449617
3373
07:45
they absolutely can make a wearable,
151
453014
2540
07:47
a garment which can place a phone call.
152
455578
2968
07:50
(Phone rings)
153
458967
1547
07:53
So now we've proven
that you can actually make a wearable,
that you can actually make a wearable,
154
461489
2874
07:56
not by an electronic company,
but by a tailor.
but by a tailor.
155
464387
4507
08:00
We worked and collaborated with Levi's,
156
468918
2832
08:03
our partners and our neighbors,
157
471774
2982
08:06
to make a real product,
158
474780
1673
08:08
and this product is this jacket
I'm wearing right now.
I'm wearing right now.
159
476477
2806
08:12
You can buy it. It's on sale.
160
480381
2087
08:14
It was made in the same factories
which make all their products,
which make all their products,
161
482492
4239
08:18
and you have noticed
162
486755
1294
08:20
I've been controlling my presentation
from the sleeve of the jacket.
from the sleeve of the jacket.
163
488073
3821
08:23
I go like this, it goes forward.
Like this, it goes backward.
Like this, it goes backward.
164
491918
3146
08:28
And of course, I can do more things.
165
496905
1745
08:30
It's not just to control a presentation.
166
498674
1905
08:32
I can now control my navigation,
control my music,
control my music,
167
500603
3246
08:35
but most importantly,
it stays a jacket, it stays a thing,
it stays a jacket, it stays a thing,
168
503873
3997
08:39
which makes me look great.
169
507894
2599
08:42
(Laughter)
170
510517
2021
08:44
(Applause)
171
512562
4539
08:49
And that's the most important thing.
172
517125
2476
08:51
(Laughter)
173
519625
3261
08:55
So OK, we proved we can turn
things into interfaces.
things into interfaces.
174
523425
2907
08:58
We proved that these things
can be made by makers of things
can be made by makers of things
175
526356
3999
09:02
and not by technology companies.
176
530379
1596
09:03
I look awesome. Are we done?
177
531999
2039
09:06
(Laughter)
178
534062
1230
09:07
Not yet.
179
535316
1158
09:08
The third challenge:
180
536498
1533
09:10
How can we scale?
181
538055
2170
09:12
How can we go from one product
to many products?
to many products?
182
540249
3225
09:15
And that's what
we're working on right now.
we're working on right now.
183
543498
2014
09:17
Let me tell you
how we're going to do this.
how we're going to do this.
184
545536
2095
09:19
First of all, I want
to make myself clear --
to make myself clear --
185
547655
2063
09:21
I am not talking about
the Internet of Things.
the Internet of Things.
186
549742
2657
09:24
I'm not talking about
creating another gadget
creating another gadget
187
552423
3429
09:27
you get bored with and throw
in the back of your drawer
in the back of your drawer
188
555876
2888
09:30
and forget about.
189
558788
1151
09:31
I am talking about the foundational,
important principle which guides my work:
important principle which guides my work:
190
559963
4420
09:36
"Technology has to make
existing things better."
existing things better."
191
564693
4039
09:41
It makes them better
by connecting them to your digital life
by connecting them to your digital life
192
569299
4790
09:46
and adds new usefulness
and new functionality
and new functionality
193
574113
4050
09:50
while remaining the same original purpose,
194
578187
2469
09:52
not changing it.
195
580680
1182
09:54
This jacket I am wearing can control
my mobile phone and presentation,
my mobile phone and presentation,
196
582824
4369
10:00
but it still remains a jacket.
197
588084
1476
10:02
That means that once we start making
all things interactive and connected,
all things interactive and connected,
198
590828
5113
10:07
every thing would have its own set
of actuators, displays and sensors
of actuators, displays and sensors
199
595965
4118
10:12
specific for those things.
200
600107
2083
10:14
A pair of running shoes
does not need to have a touch sensor.
does not need to have a touch sensor.
201
602214
2859
10:17
Why would it have one?
202
605097
1824
10:18
If you have a sensor,
203
606945
1333
10:20
it should measure your running performance
204
608302
2055
10:22
or knee impact,
205
610381
1151
10:23
while remaining a great pair of shoes.
206
611556
2089
10:26
Makers of things
will have to start thinking
will have to start thinking
207
614309
3055
10:29
what kind of digital functionality
they have to offer to their consumers.
they have to offer to their consumers.
208
617388
4755
10:35
They will have to become
service providers,
service providers,
209
623002
2895
10:38
or they may become irrelevant.
210
626755
1516
10:41
We will have to provide and create
a service ecosystem
a service ecosystem
211
629262
3501
10:44
just like we've done for mobile phones,
212
632787
2134
10:46
where you have apps and services
and everything else,
and everything else,
213
634945
2476
10:49
and sometimes,
you're still making a phone call.
you're still making a phone call.
214
637445
2317
10:52
Now to make this ecosystem possible,
we have to avoid fragmentation.
we have to avoid fragmentation.
215
640081
4356
10:56
We have to avoid different interfaces
for different people for different things.
for different people for different things.
216
644461
3858
11:00
We have to create uniform user experience
217
648343
2087
11:02
and, for that reason, we have to create
a single computing platform
a single computing platform
218
650454
4378
11:06
which powers all those things.
219
654856
1921
11:08
What is the platform going to be?
220
656801
1880
11:10
And I think the answer is obvious:
221
658705
1712
11:12
it's a cloud, cloud computing.
222
660441
2877
11:15
Now you cannot connect things
directly to the cloud, obviously.
directly to the cloud, obviously.
223
663342
3100
11:18
So you have to develop a small device
which can be plugged into all the things
which can be plugged into all the things
224
666466
5430
11:23
and make them connected to the cloud
225
671920
1716
11:25
to unlock their potential
and add new functionality.
and add new functionality.
226
673660
3639
11:29
So let me show, for the first time,
the real device which we've built.
the real device which we've built.
227
677323
3790
11:33
We are showing this for the first time.
228
681137
2555
11:35
That's what it looks like,
229
683716
1316
11:38
and it's a small device
230
686223
1150
11:39
which will be connected
to things we want to make smart
to things we want to make smart
231
687397
4152
11:43
and connected and interactive.
232
691573
1434
11:45
How is it going to work?
233
693031
1151
11:46
So on the back, you have a few electrodes.
234
694206
4088
11:50
So when you plug them
into different things,
into different things,
235
698318
3000
11:53
like here,
236
701342
1653
11:55
the device will recognize
where you're plugging them
where you're plugging them
237
703019
2771
11:57
and then reconfigure itself
to enable specific functionality
to enable specific functionality
238
705814
3977
12:01
for this particular thing.
239
709815
2180
12:04
We would like to give this device
to makers of things,
to makers of things,
240
712019
2556
12:06
the people who make
your clothing and furniture,
your clothing and furniture,
241
714599
2327
12:08
so they can use it just like they use
a button or a zipper.
a button or a zipper.
242
716950
3974
12:13
And what they're going
to make with them is up to them.
to make with them is up to them.
243
721239
2572
12:15
We don't want to dictate the use cases.
244
723835
1898
12:17
We would like to let
people who make those things --
people who make those things --
245
725757
3125
12:20
artists and designers,
brands and craftsmen --
brands and craftsmen --
246
728906
3341
12:24
to imagine and create this new world
247
732271
3198
12:27
where things are connected
248
735493
1896
12:29
and have all this new,
exciting digital functionality.
exciting digital functionality.
249
737413
2711
12:32
We don't need keyboards and screens
and mouses to interact with your computer.
and mouses to interact with your computer.
250
740148
5171
12:37
So I've been working
on this idea for 20 years,
on this idea for 20 years,
251
745886
2555
12:40
and now it's taking shape,
252
748465
1643
12:42
and as it's taking shape,
what we are realizing
what we are realizing
253
750132
2824
12:44
is that I always thought
I was working on computer interfaces,
I was working on computer interfaces,
254
752980
2921
12:47
I always thought of myself
as an interaction designer,
as an interaction designer,
255
755925
2524
12:50
but I'm realizing
that I'm not building interfaces.
that I'm not building interfaces.
256
758473
3738
12:54
What I realized is that me and my team,
257
762235
3004
12:58
we're building a new kind of computer,
258
766861
2299
13:01
an ambient computer.
259
769184
1695
13:02
Thank you.
260
770903
1151
13:04
(Applause)
261
772078
6255
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Ivan Poupyrev - Scientist, inventor, designerIvan Poupyrev works at the forefront of interaction design, using technology as a raw ingredient to change the way we interact with the physical world.
Why you should listen
Ivan Poupyrev has invented, developed and brought to market a number of breakthrough technologies that allow for blending of digital and physical interactivity in devices and everyday analog objects.
Now Director of Engineering in Google ATAP, Poupyrev leads a team of designers and engineers who are inventing new technologies that will redefine how we interact with both our physical and digital lives.
In 2013, Fast Company recognized Poupyrev as one of the world's greatest interaction designers. His most recent work was acquired for the permanent collection of the Smithsonian's Cooper Hewitt Design Museum.
Ivan Poupyrev | Speaker | TED.com