Haifa Maamar FUTURIST

Ever wondered how cutting-edge technology merges with education to shape the future? Join us for an enlightening conversation with Dr. Haifa Mamar, the Director of Emerging Technologies at Full Sail University. From her early days in Tunisia, inspired by her father’s Macintosh, to her advanced studies in Canada, Dr. Mamar's journey is both inspiring and educational. She opens up about her passion for robotics and immersive tech, sharing details of her groundbreaking work in developing a robot controlled by a PDA and creating a virtual environment for telesurgery.

Discover the transformative approach of Full Sail University towards tech and gaming education. We delve into how the university collaborates with industry leaders to provide students with practical, hands-on experiences that significantly boost their employability. Learn how Orlando has become a hub of innovation, with a particular focus on simulation, gaming, and healthcare technology, and how this dynamic environment benefits students and the tech community alike. Dr. Mamar also discusses her transition from a fascinated student to a leader overseeing 12 tech-related programs, emphasizing the importance of real-world projects in education.

Get inspired by the innovative projects coming out of Full Sail's Department of Emerging Technologies. From supporting companies with UX research and new application development to creating attention-grabbing projects like a 3D printed full-size Formula One car, this episode showcases the practical and impactful work students are involved in. We also explore the theme of future wellness technology, discussing the importance of daily habits in maintaining health and the potential of emerging innovations. Concluding with a nod to Elon Musk's tech advancements and our ongoing Futurist Series, this episode is packed with insights and inspiration for anyone passionate about technology and education.

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Transcript

Speaker 1 0:22

Hi everyone, welcome to the Future Construct podcast. I am your host, amy Peck, and we're doing this little something different. Now we're going to have a series of futurists join us because I'm in the enviable position of getting to travel to some of the top events around the world, and because of that, I meet all of these incredible speakers, and every time I meet one, I think, oh my gosh, this person is so brilliant, I need to have them on the show. So we decided that that's exactly what we're going to do, and so I am super excited, as our first guest in this series, to welcome Dr. As our first guest in this series, to welcome Dr Haifa Mamar, who is Director of Innovation at Full Sail University.

Speaker 2 1:10

Welcome Haifa. Hi, welcome Amy. Thank you for having me. I'm excited about this.

Speaker 1 1:14

Now did I get your title correct, Because you have a super long title.

Speaker 2 1:19

I do have a super long title, I do have a bizarre of like everything.

Speaker 1 1:21

So well, let's start there. What is your actual title?

Speaker 2 1:28

um, dr Hekma Ammar, I'm the director of emerging technologies at wholesale university. Uh, yeah, so this is the title it's director of emerging technologies. Let's keep it that way, okay. Okay, what I know, what I'm doing, very good, perfect, perfect.

Speaker 1 1:44

So we've met a couple of times and I had a wonderful time at Full Sail over the last couple of visits, most recently in March. But how did you land in Orlando at Full Sail and just give us a little bit of the background story.

Speaker 2 2:05

Sure. So it started out Hold on, how are we going to start this? Well, I was born in France and I am originally from Tunisia that's North Africa, for those who don't know where Tunisia is and so we used to live in France. Then we went back to Tunisia, and it's funny because I always have been in technology. Well, I wanted to be in a doctor, a surgeon, but I was always into learning technology, understanding how it works.

Speaker 2 2:37

And I remember back when I was I mean, I was five, I think my dad used to have a Macintosh to work, and he used to. He used to be a CEO of a company and then he used to work at night sometimes to finish some stuff, and so he used to take me with him to the office and and like it's just like he's trying to entertain this, like five-year-old or six-year-old girl, like so he would put me on the Macintosh and like we will have you play and I'm like I'm so fascinated by this box and like I'm like trying to understand how it works. And yeah, so like, slowly I started looking like I was very young and then I started looking at how this machine worked, like at the beginning it started with games, but then I was bored with the games. I'm like, no, I want to understand how this works. So, yeah, so this is how I started learning more about technology.

Speaker 2 3:32

Then, as I was actually in Tunisia, they have this how to say this program where the best students of the country, they take them to a school by themselves. It's called the Pioneer School and I, so I was part of that school. I went to the school at 11. And this is when I started learning programming. So I started programming. Back then it was Pascal and Ada, and and so my love story with the technology started, and I mean part of that's what I mean, like we learn different things. It's a more advanced STEM school that the Tunisian government was trying to prepare a whole generation of kind of engineers, doctors, whatever in STEM. So they give them way more curriculum than other schools.

Speaker 2 4:27

And then so after that, I wanted I graduated from the high school and I wanted. My dad was like, okay, you're going to be a doctor, you're just going to go back to France. We used to go back to France every year, and he's like you just go back to France and study medicine. And I'm like go to the every year. And he's like you just go back to France and study medicine. And I'm like go to the medical school. And I'm like I don't know about this. I wanted to come to the US. And he's like there is no way you're going to the US by yourself.

Speaker 1 4:50

We don't have family there Not doing this thing?

Speaker 2 4:54

So it's funny because I was like, looking at the map, I'm like what is around the US and I'm like Canada. So for some reason he accepted Canada and he's like, okay, canada, I have friends there, maybe you can go to Canada. So this is how I ended up in Canada. I went to the University of Ottawa and then that's where I did my bachelor's, master's and PhD in computer and electrical engineering. And so my bachelor was I was in robotics. I was interested more into the devices and how it works and robot and and like. Back then it was like we were we built a robot from scratch and then we were controlling the robot with a PDA and so we put boxes and we have like a whole like path that the robot was supposed to follow, surround the obstacles and then keep going. But then all the information, so the information of the kind of the shape of the path, the shape of the obstacles. He would send all that information to the PDA and then you have kind of a map of everything that was happening. So that was my passion. I'm like I was fascinated, I'm like I'm building a whole robot and I'm doing all these things. And then I went to the master's and because I love healthcare, I'm like more looking into how I can include healthcare in everything that I build. And then this is how I discovered immersive technology. So my master's was on a collaborative virtual environment using haptic and the applications were two telesurgery applications. So, and the applications were two telesurgery applications, we were working with hospitals and it was a brain tumor telesurgery application and then a tracheoctomy telesurgery application, and the idea there is that in Canada there are so many places or cities that don't have necessarily big hospitals, so the idea was that we're trying to build again like an application where the surgeon can perform the surgery from one hospital and then we have a robot that is performing the surgery in the hospital where the patient is. But we started training. So we built the virtual environment, we built the robot, we had the whole phantom where we're controlling the incisions. So you have everything the force feedback, depending on whether you're doing a skin, it's lighter than if you're doing the brain tumor. Then it's like different sensation, of course, that you're going to get, and then. So that was like I, like I'm, I love this so much and this is how I started going into immersive technology. I'm like all about immersive technology. Reading more about immersive technology, mental reality, virtual reality, uh, and collaborative virtual environments.

Speaker 2 7:56

And then, um, then, from then, when I went to my phd, then I knew I wanted to stay in immersive technology and mixed reality and I wanted to do something more than that. So, with my advisor, he had a fund, he was working with Defense Canada and we were working on a special program where we were trying to figure out so it's building applications for emergency preparedness class publications. So if there is some kind of catastrophic event or anything that's happening or anything that's happening, so how are we going to be able to help first responders find the victims and get them out of that building or of that environment? And the way to do it is that you just go and throw the sensors and those sensors would be able to build a whole virtual environment and then collect information. Of course, like, from these sensors you're collecting, whether the temperature or some images, so you're building, and then all of that is being streamed to first responders who are on the way, having their headset, their VR headset. Then they can navigate, kind of have an idea of what's happening, and then they can go into the environment and figure out where the victims are and get them out to the environment and figure out where the victims are and get them out. So that was, I mean, like I was so how to say excited to work on that project with Defence Canada. I mean it just kind of it's a different exposure to like it's an exposure to different things that you don't think about, some kind of scenarios that you don't think about, and but it's funny because I was building the network layer that you don't think about, some kind of scenarios that you don't think about. But it's funny because I was building the network layer. I've been always in the network layer, so building the protocols, the transport protocols, how to get the information from the application and transform everything. What kind of information? How are we going to send it to the different headsets, how to make it reliable, and so on. And from there, actually, when you think about it, the application can be different. We did this thing for Defense Canada, but there are so many other applications that we can do and again. So my love for healthcare came back and I was like, okay, I want to see what other applications I can do.

Speaker 2 10:21

So part of my PhD as well was I created what we call an exergame. So it's an exergame, it's a game, it's a virtual game, for we were doing it more for kids, to help obese kids exercise. Sometimes when you have some kids who they don't want really to exercise, they don't really want to network with other kids, they're more shy and they keep to themselves, and we know all kids love video games. And then you add the virtual reality to it and everyone now is immersed in that environment and they want to do things. So then I created the Excel game where we are having those kids different kids, all network together and they're exercising together as they are in the virtual environment, and then we were collecting data to see how they're socializing, if really whatever exercise and game that they're playing, if it's really helping them work out and it's helping them like from the physical aspect and like the psychological aspect. So so that actually.

Speaker 2 11:35

So then this is how, again, like part of that, then I was was like, oh, okay, then video games, now let's go back to video games and let's see how we can see video games. So I was always like, like, looking like at different ways to apply virtual reality or augmented reality to different applications, whether it's video games, whether it's simulation, whether it's care and uh, so I I stayed in that and then, as I was in my phd, actually I got a job, uh, um, from, so I had to move from the university of and I moved to montreal because I was hired to be the software solution architect at the montreal stock exchange, which is completely different thing. Like I'm like a complete shift of my career, but like I'm like I don't understand anything from this business. But from them, what they were interested in is they like my brain, as like I see different systems connected to each other and how things can be built and added and so on, and like my capability of like seeing different applications. So they were like we need something like this. And I was hired at the stock exchange and I was really lucky to work and be like to learn more about that industry, because I didn't know anything about that industry. But at the stock exchange, actually in the Montreal Stock Exchange, our department was building software solutions for Montreal Stock Exchange, toronto Stock Exchange, boston, new York, milan and Paris and London seven stock exchanges and all these trading systems were built in Montreal and any solution or anything that feature that needs to be added was built in Montreal and any solution or anything. That feature that needs to be added was built in Montreal and then distributed to everyone. So, uh, so I had to learn a lot about stocks and bonds and like business stuff, and I'm I'm like completely foreign to me, uh, but um, and I loved it there.

Speaker 2 13:36

But then I, I stayed. I'm like I need the technology. I mean I, I'm like I need the technology. I mean I guess I like this. I mean something was missing, so, so, yeah, so then then I met my ex-husband and he was here in Florida and he had no interest in coming to Canada. He's like I know, I'm not going to deal with your cold, the cold there and the snow, we're not doing this. And he's like, what about you come to if you come down to florida? I'm like really like, I'm like okay. Then I came here and I'm like like have taken someone from really cold places to really warm places. I'm like, oh god, like what is this? This is too much. But then I started I okay, this is my life now.

Tech and Gaming Education at Full Sail

Speaker 2 14:21

I moved here and I started trying to figure out what I want to do. I knew that I didn't want to do. I didn't want to go back to the industry, I wanted to go back to education, I wanted to innovate and, like, that passion stayed in me. I'm like I want something different. And then so I was, as I was looking, actually a friend of my friend, my husband, my ex-husband came and he's like well, have you thought of like, did you, do you know anything about Full Sail? I'm like Full Sail, what's Full Sail? He's like well, it's a university here in Orlando, but you mentioned that you, you like video games and you worked on video games. Well, they are known for video games and you worked on video games. Well, they are known for video games. I'm like huh, what are you talking about? And then so I started learning about them and reading more. And when you think about traditional education and we're talking about video games, you just have a computer science degree and you just teach. Other universities will just teach courses about like in games, something like I was like game design or game development, but nothing, it's not a program that is specific for gaming.

Speaker 2 15:23

Full Sail had several programs in games and I was like I'm like, I was fascinated, I'm like I've never seen this before. And and they were hiring for the mobile gaming masters program, and so I applied and it's it's funny because I got hired kind of like the milestones of it and like how to deploy it and so on. So it kind of like brought me back to yeah, to uh, the, the gaming, uh world. And then from there then I uh I started like looking more into like what other programs exist here. Then I, I, I joined the game development program, bachelor program, so I was teaching the computer networks, uh course, and that's my background. Like in my bachelor, master's or phd I was always working in the network layer. So I'm like computer networks that's my thing, so I will be teaching that.

Speaker 2 16:39

And then slowly I started like I want more. What is it that I can do more here? And so I became the department chair of the gaming program, then the program director, which is the dean of the gaming programs and the computer science program, the Dean of the Gaming Programs and the Computer Science Program. And so now I am then like now I'm the Director of Emerging Technologies, which means that I oversee all the tech and gaming programs at Full Sail. So everything that is technology and we're talking about the Computer Science Bachelors and Masters, data Science, artificial Intelligence, simulation and Visualization, which is everything virtual reality, augmented reality, mobile development, web development, it cyber I mean and the game design and interactive technology program. So I have 12 programs under me and then part of my job is that not only it's the education part, but also I help the partnership department, where we're always figuring out ways to partner with companies, and the idea there is Full Sail has a complete.

Speaker 2 17:52

I mean probably we're going to talk about Full Sail later, but it's a different university from traditional universities. The way they do things is completely different and it's not because I work at Full Sail I say this, but like I wish I had a university like this because of the amount of hands-on, especially for us in technology and engineering and programming that you need that amount of practice and hands-on and understand working on real-world projects. And Full Sail is really about real-world education. So you're not working on some kind of a theoretical project, as we did in the past. No, you are working with companies. You're working on real projects and trying to learn from them.

Speaker 2 18:43

So students are programming day in, day out until they graduate and then they're like right away, hired right away by industry because of the amount of programming and hands-on that they get and the projects they work on. So part of my job as well is to work with the partnership department, where we're always looking for different things that are uh, in the industry I don't want. Kind of what anyone can do is like more innovation. Let's look at innovation, let's look at new stuff, uh, that, uh, that is that are trending right now let's bring them to full sound.

Speaker 2 19:18

Let's start teaching that. So amazing. Yeah, that's how I ended up being at full sound.

Speaker 1 19:23

I know I'm like I did the whole kind of like no, but I think you know that that's what gives it really the context and it's it's funny. So a lot of the things that you talk about, um, you know, and you even mentioned this was that you know you, you, you know, and you even mentioned this was that you know, you, you learn the technology and you have, like, for example, you have your passion in healthcare but you see that it has applications in other industries and that that is, and it's also what's interesting about, I think, about Orlando, because you know, you've got Lake Nona, you've got, you know, the airport, you've got a state-of-the-art healthcare facility out by the airport. You have, you know, Unity. Nvidia is building an AI outpost there, you know.

Speaker 1 20:05

So there's a lot of technology kind of bumping up against a lot of industry and it's interesting how Full Sail, like you said, is sort of giving that kind of hands-on knowledge. We have a largely architecture, engineering and construction audience, but the reason I think that having this kind of futurism series is valuable is just to understand all of the different applications of different technologies is what you focus on, because any company can come to you. I mean, I know you work with Echelon and help them, you know, with their healthcare, their, I guess a lifestyle fitness brand.

Speaker 2 20:51

Yeah, so here in Orlando, orlando has been always the simulation hub. We have the military here, we have the simulation companies here, we have the gaming companies. But now the way Orlando is changing, it's that. Well, now Orlando has been announced as the meta center, which is like when we're talking about the metaverse. So it's a meta city. And why we're talking about that? It's because not only we have the simulation, the gaming companies, the software companies, but the military, of course, but the education as well, and the way this works. It's because everyone, they're all working together to build a whole ecosystem and we're all trying to see how we can make it even better, how we can all lift this up, you know. So that's why, you see, as you said, lake Nona, it's our medical hub, it's the medical city, it's called the medical city. It's because UCF Medical Center is there, uf Medical Center is there, we have Nemours Hospital there, all the doctors are moving there, more things. It's so healthcare, and we have a whole I think I forgot now, but like a whole network of startups that are now in Lake Nona working and building. But when we're talking also about this medical city, one main thing that they're all doing is technology. They're all approaching healthcare from a different perspective. They're all looking at how they can include technology in everything that they do. So it's funny because I used to live in Lake Nona and I remember when I was looking at Lake Nona they're trying to have us visualize so it used to be an empty thing. And they're trying to have people move to Lake Nona and the way the builders were trying to have people visualize is by using technology and immersive technology. So they're trying to show different things of how the whole city is gonna look like, where different um companies are going to be moving and so on. So and that has been always the kind of like the thing about lake nona so they, so they have a self-driven bus there where, like, you just take the bus and it will take you in Lake Nona Nobody is driving it. Like, everything is technology over there, but not only Lake Nona. Everything here in Orlando is more moving towards. We have unity here and with the digital twin, now we're trying to figure out how, like more companies are building their digital twin. And for those who don't know the digital twin, now we're trying to figure out how, like, more companies are building their digital twin. And for those who don't know what digital twin. Digital twin is really a representation of a physical environment and we're not just making this represent. It's a representation. Actually, it helps people make very important decisions, whether it's like actually orlando has its own digital twin with the OEP, with the Orlando Economic Partnership, because it helps people understand different things, instead of having people come and you're navigating all Orlando trying to figure out where things are going to be. Now you have this digital twin of Orlando and it's a visualization of everything. You can click and get the information about the population, whatever information you're looking for, but it helps you make decisions and it helps you run simulations and see how is that going to affect things. So you can have a digital twin of a city, you can have a digital twin of a factory, you can have whatever it is.

Speaker 2 24:34

So Unity is here, as you said. Nvid, nvidia is here, is coming. I mean the universities between Full Sail and UCF. We're all trying to all work together. And, of course, you have the gaming company. You have EA, different indie games, and you have the simulation and the military. So we're all coming together to work together, just to see how we can collaborate together. So here at Full Sail. We have again everything that is new. I'm trying to make sure that we're doing it.

Speaker 2 25:09

So we have fitness technology and this is how we partnered with Echelon. Echelon is, for those who don't know, is a fitness company, and during the pandemic, actually what happened is people were not able to go and work out. So then this is how kind of like fitness at home started like booming and more people are now having more equipment at home. But you know, you always have to keep in mind that you need to engage with your users, and what like how can you engage with your users is through technology. So then you see now that more companies, especially with Echelon I'm going to talk about Echelon because we are partnering with them they're looking at ways how we can. They can engage by using different technology, whether it's artificial intelligence, whether it's like the streaming and how you can navigate. They have their reflect where it connects and helps you correct your workout, and so on. So there are different things how you can do that.

Speaker 2 26:11

But then also, another partnership that we have is Advent Health. Advent Health is a healthcare provider and we work with AdventHealth University and what we do is that we build all their simulation for their nurses. Again, during the pandemic, nurses were not able to go and practice certain skills because, I mean, like you need to go to the hospital, we didn't, they didn't have that. So what happened is that that partnership came about and then we started building their virtual trainings. So we have different simulations and trainings.

Speaker 2 26:48

Virtual reality trainings that we built for their nurses, or their physical and like physical assistance and so on, is because physician, physician assistance sorry, physician assistance because they need to practice their skills.

Speaker 2 27:05

So now we're using virtual reality and haptics to have them practice, and one like one project that they're working on right now is the DaVinci robot. The DaVinci robot is a very expensive robot and nurses and doctors cannot have enough time to practice because of how expensive it is. They try to just use it to make the surgeries. So some nurses have some PTSD. They feel really intimidated going and practicing this whole robot, but if they make a mistake, it's a surgery. So what Atlanta Health University suggested is that we build that whole virtual environment and virtual reality training for the nurses so that they can practice their skills. So, again, healthcare technology is growing. Where we use technology in healthcare, whether it's with virtual reality trainings or whatever things that new technologies, that's existing fitness technology is coming, I mean even in architecture, like you can find how, like there are so many different applications of using technology in that.

Speaker 1 28:34

Yeah, and I think before everything in immersive technology was called the metaverse, digital Twin was just kind of starting to populate out of the military and secure environments, and the interesting thing is that we've had the elements for Digital Twin, especially in the AEC industry, for a long time, and then you've had the advent of BIM. You have building management systems. You mentioned sensors. Like it is kind of the way at least I believe, the way of the future. I know Tavistock, who's responsible for Lake Nona. That is something that's very important to them. It's like you need to be able to monitor your buildings and that's a perfect example of how a digital twin of a physical space and a building and a smart building then becomes part of the infrastructure for a smart city. Like we have to start thinking more broadly about this.

Real-World Innovation Projects at Full Sail

Speaker 1 29:35

And I think the other thing that people don't recognize and certainly I didn't know is that it's such a great opportunity for companies to be able to reach out to an academic institution like Full Sail, partner with you and bring you a problem and say, okay, so we hear about Digital Twin, how do we do it Right? And so what are some of the? And I know a lot of these partnerships, some. Some are more public and some are more private. But you know, when companies come to you like what is, what are the steps Like, how do they get engaged and how can you help them?

Speaker 2 30:13

So actually, when companies come like I want companies to come, because that's when we think about technology you cannot find an industry that does not use technology. So for me, I welcome all companies and the way I see it is that I want to hear what their idea. We can help in so many ways. Sometimes they have an application or like whatever it is that they're trying, a program that they're trying to build, but they don't know where to start, so we can help them start. We can help brainstorm. Sometimes, like when echelon came, they had the whole like um system, the echelon app, already built, but then they wanted to add features. So for when they came, they didn't, didn't know whether you don't have the time to build those features and there are some low hanging fruits, so we can help build. Or sometimes you need some research done, some UX research done, understanding your user, understanding what makes sense and what does not make sense, so we can help with that. Or sometimes you're just trying to figure out ways, so we need something more innovative, and this is also where we come. So for me, everything, I welcome everyone and everything, because it's always a good experience for my students. It's a real world project. It's a real thing that whenever they're going to be hired at companies, they're going to be working on these projects. So I want them to get that exposure to all these different industries and that variety of projects, you know. But one thing I want to always keep in mind when we do these things is that we're called the Department of Emerging Technologies. It's innovation. I want something new, I want something challenging. For me it's. I look at it as like research and development. Let's research and let's develop this, and because of the pace of our programs, it's and we can easily integrate something within our programs to make these projects real, you know. So so it's let's figure out a new way to like I don't know like a new technology. Yes, let's work on that.

Speaker 2 32:27

I remember back in 2019, actually we were partners with Magic Leap and it was part of our curriculum. Like I personally work on, like figuring out ways how we can build things in the Magic Leap app and add things and then have my students understand how to develop stuff for the Magic Leap, you know, and that's big back in 2019, especially with the Magic Leap device, like the headset, that was big. So that for me, it's always like just we welcome everyone. Just reach out to me or the executive, uh, or the partnership department, and let's sit down and figure out what is it exactly that you want, if it makes sense, because, again, depending on our programs and whatever we do, sometimes they're looking for specific skills or specific things that they need to be developed. Um, so we can do that and I don't force anyone to work on anything. So our students have the opportunity, like we just put all these different opportunities for them and then we offer them, but we don't force them to do anything. It's but they're all, of course, interested, they want to?

Speaker 1 33:36

yeah, of course, yeah, yeah yes, with advent health.

Speaker 2 33:39

I mean you have the simulation visualization program. All these students like end up working in with advent health, because this is new. You're really building something that is being used by another university to train their, their nurses. So, and building these virtual reality like the VR trainings, it's very interesting for them. So, again, we don't force anyone, but then we build, we encourage students.

Speaker 2 34:09

Actually, one cool thing that's happening right now at Full Sail and I remember you saw it and you were excited when you saw it is our full-size a 3d printed formula one car. So actually, one of our instructors, uh, in the simulation visualization program has surashi. He is passionate, he and for me, he is the innovator, his brain is just impressive and he came one day and his he loves formula one and he's like I am going to build a full-size formula one and my 3d printed formula one. This does not exist. So he started pitching the idea to students and students are getting more excited and now he's having all these cohorts that are helping the formula one car, the 3d printed formula one car, and then actually, uh, red bull heard of like about the story, so they came. So I started with red bull regional, then red bull formula, like the race, red bull race, then red bull, uh, us, I, I don't know exactly like which, which uh, which one came first. But then they were so excited about it they brought one of their drivers down here to Florida, to Orlando, to a full cell.

Speaker 2 35:23

The driver sat down with Pat and his students.

Speaker 2 35:27

He was giving them feedback about things, how the car should be, because we're not only building the 3D printed car but also we're adding immersive technology to it and we're building a whole experience for people to like, just so that they can sit in the car, and then it's a full size Formula One car, and then we're going to paint it the same colors as the car that the Red Bull car, and then they will be able to put the headset or I can't like, I cannot share what like, whether it's virtual reality or augmented reality on the screen but then they will be able to be, to have that experience that they're driving a formula one car, having the haptic added to it, having the shaking and everything, so, uh, so these are some of the stuff that, whether we work with companies or we start actually a project and now companies come and they want to be part of it, but yeah, so again, like for companies, if they're interested and they want to reach out, I'm always looking for new industries, new technologies, new projects to offer to our students.

Speaker 2 36:40

Again, all of it is just experience for our students.

Speaker 1 36:44

Yeah, and I think it's interesting now because I think it's harder and harder for companies to innovate internally and not to be disrespectful of R&D teams and innovation hubs within companies.

Speaker 1 36:56

But they're very prescriptive and they're beholden to kind of economic. You know drivers right, wherever the company is doing. If they have bad quarter they might get their, you know their budgets pulled, and so you know, even in the conversations that we have with companies, it's like you need to have an external partner who's much more limber and is not stuck in this lane, because the challenge that we're having with innovation is that we've almost productized innovation within companies, right, and as soon as you start to productize it, then that by its very nature starts adding layers of kind of stasis, right, and so it kind of blocks innovation. So I think that's why, you know, in the couple of times I've been through Full Sail, I've been so blown away and to me this is the model for innovation moving forward. It's like partner with an external organization that has resources, that has technology, that has talent, right, and you create that sort of win, win, win, because after a project some of the students go and actually work for the companies.

Speaker 2 38:02

They do actually. So another way is that sometimes, as you said, sometimes they don't have time or maybe they need the fund or something we can also help build the prototype. So everything that we build is a prototype. They can go use that prototype and go pitch to get the funding. But the idea here is, when we talked about the Orlando ecosystem, we're all trying to build the talent to feed that ecosystem, and when these students actually work with these companies, they end up being hired by these companies. Because now that student knows the product, knows the company, knows the system and the API or app or anything that they've been working on, so why going and hire someone from outside when you have this person who has been working with you on these projects? So then, of course and for me it's a nicer way for our students, so it's a win-win as you said, that has this experience on these real world project.

Speaker 2 38:59

The company now is getting someone like they're training easily someone and to to learn about their product and then they get hired.

Speaker 1 39:09

Yeah no, I, I love it. I I really want to see also the Orlando digital twin kind of move through the the ranks and really become because Orlando is also designated a smart city, yes, and so really starting to bring all those elements together. You know where it's a connected digital twin smart city, you know, with the city, or you know, with the OEP and the city, and then all of the industries, right, so the universities can start to participate. But you know, and TavEP and the city, and then, and then all of all of the industries, right, so the universities can start to participate. That you know, and, and Tavistock is already participating. I think it's just such an interesting ecosystem and I think it's one that that you know, companies should look at, just even if it's just around.

Speaker 1 39:51

What are the models for innovation and how do we leverage digital twin? And it's something that I can't stress enough. I almost call it sort of the metaverse for business, because once you build a digital twin, you can kind of anchor multiple use cases, but it's actually going to be a way that companies are going to be running their businesses. And it's interesting because the AEC industry already has all of the elements of a digital twin right Along the way through design, build and then building, management, lifecycle. And so how do we then take it to the next step?

Speaker 2 40:29

Yeah, yes, just use more technology. I would say, just let the technology take over and then it will help Seriously.

Speaker 2 40:38

Sometimes people like don't really see I wouldn't say scared of change, but this technology is there, it is staying, so just take advantage of it. I mean sometimes I would say, maybe build a prototype, see how it is. You don't need to really invest, build a prototype, see how it is. You don't need to really invest. Build a prototype, see what kind of benefits can come from that and then move into that technology. That also would help with that.

Speaker 1 41:11

I think you mentioned user testing. It's almost like stakeholders. If you can get it to a level where you can actually demo so they can see and actually understand what the technology is capable of, different business units will come up. It's almost like there's too much choice about how they would leverage it. So that's kind of the state I would like to get to.

Speaker 2 41:34

It's all about educating people you know, sometimes you experience it. Once you experience it, now you get what you're talking about, what you know, sometimes, like you experience it once you experience it, now you get what you're talking about. What you've been talking about. It's like, oh okay, I can see it and now I can apply this here and here and here. So, um, so it's all about like for whoever to be open to try new things and for, uh, us in technology to just educate others about the technology and make it not seem so, so scary and kind of unattainable, because it's all kind of us in technology to just educate others about the technology.

Speaker 1 41:58

And make it not seem so scary and kind of unattainable, because it's all kind of coming at us, Right. I mean, it was like it was all metaverse last year and now it's all generative AI. You know, it's like where does anybody even start to focus? And you know, I like keep up with it you can't.

Speaker 1 42:15

Oh, I know, I know, and we're in the business and it's hard to keep up with it. So it's really about you know. I always say work backwards from the future. It's like what are the products and services of the future? What problems can you solve in your business? What are some of the most pressing challenges? Because we can find a technology solution to solve that, that problem. So, speaking of the future, because we always go on a little trip to the future the last question I ask everyone and I'll ask you is if you could project yourself 20, 25 years into the future and you could bring with you any product, service, just something that would make you personally happy or make your life better in some way, what would it be and what would it do?

Speaker 2 43:01

Hmm, I would say, can it be two gadgets?

Speaker 1 43:07

Yeah, there's no rules. It's the future, it's your future.

Speaker 2 43:10

So I would say I would love to have some kind of a brain computer interface, a BCI, that is kind of a chip in your brain that helps you connect with computers and devices without the use of any kind of keeps. Again I will go back always to healthcare, but for me it will help you see how your brain is is working and then maybe collecting different information about your, about your health, and then maybe recommend some ways to improve your mental health or your productivity or the overall well-being. And then the second interface or the second gadget I would say will be an augmented reality contact lens or lenses, and and I want that just uh, you know how now we're always like in in, I wouldn't say in our car that's very dangerous but like how we're always with those phones and we're trying like we're uh, whether like browsing the internet or watching videos or like talking to um, uh, to uh our family or our kids through the phone. So what about? You have now this lens where, like you're sitting and everything is there, you can easily browse, connect, browse the internet using your, like that bci that is in your, but then uh, also make your calls. And then maybe also another way is again to bring it back to health care, is that that lens is now collecting again different information about whether it's your heart rate or blood pressure, or blood glucose levels and so on, and then it alerts you of anything that may happen on any kind of like diet that you should be in, or, like sometimes, when, if you're starting to have a panic attack, there are some things that are happening. So it alerts you, so it calms you down.

Future Wellness Technology and Collaboration

Speaker 2 45:31

So these are some things for me that, like I can, I really would love to have, because, like sometimes, like for me, I'm like learning about my body to have, because, like sometimes, like for me, I'm like learning about my body. Wellbeing is a big thing for me, healthcare is a big thing for me, so, and I'm trying to like it's difficult sometimes to just find a device or something that can, like, get all the information that you need and predict that something is gonna happen. So, like, use some kind of artificial intelligence and predict that something is going to happen. So, like, use some kind of artificial intelligence and predict that something is going to happen. Sometimes it's like we are in kind of a proactive approach versus like really like taking actions way before.

Speaker 1 46:10

um so, um, um, so I think you're gonna get, I mean, these, we already have the sensors, like we're on the way. But I am 100% aligned with you because the more we can take control of our own wellness, wellness, yes, you know, and just on a day-to-day basis, just reminding me to drink, even just like reminding me to stand already, but like reminding me to drink water, you know all of those things that you know. As humans, we kind of get in our day and we forget. So I'm with you and I think you're going to get your wish, and Elon is certainly working on it.

Speaker 2 46:46

So I'm not going to do the 1.0, maybe 2.0.

Speaker 1 46:53

I'll take the second or third version on that one, but yeah, I'm definitely, I'm definitely with you there. Well, as always, it is a pleasure chatting with you. We could go on for probably 10 more hours, but thank you so much, and thank you for joining us and being our very first futurist in the Futurist Series.

Speaker 2 47:12

Thank you so much for having me. This was amazing. Thank you so much for having me. This was amazing, thank you.