Finding Genius Podcast

Ramsay Brown, co-founder, and COO of Boundless Mind (boundless.ai) delivers an insightful overview of the apps that influence our behavior and the mechanisms of behavioral engineering that could change our actions. Brown believes that machine-learning techniques have advanced to the level that we can now predictably and predictively take behavioral engineering seriously. Brown states that Boundless Mind can help companies understand how people are acting, and change the way they behave. Additionally, they can assist individuals who want to make a behavioral change in their own life. He discusses some options that they offer to help people change the way they interact with social media as well, options that allow people to build healthier relationships. Brown and his team at Boundless Mind believe that technology is becoming more addictive, and coercive, and some of the technologies that are moving at the greatest pace toward persuasive domination are unfortunately not always great for human prosperity. Through the study of human behavior mechanisms, Boundless Mind has developed their AI platform such that any app that seeks to help humans thrive can now do just that, powered by state of the art mechanisms that bring together brainpower and machines. Essentially, the Boundless AI platform works to combine neuroscience and data, to deliver tailored in-app user engagement programs that consistently outperform other methods and approaches. The AI platform allows administrators to pick a common action that has value for users (opening the app or completing a specific task), and then they can pick a particular enhancement, such as a visual cue that acts as a reward for completing the task. Finally, the users are connected to Boundless Mind's API through one of their supported software development kits, known as SDKs, or REST (Representational State Transfer) API, which aligns each user onto an individualized program tailored for them. It is software that changes user behavior and strengthens engagement following neuroscience, which has proven that habits are programmable, but individuals require tailored programs. Brown discusses optimized reinforcement techniques, and their partnership with a large pharmaceutical company in which Boundless Mind has delivered a means to keep patients on track with their medications. By using the mechanisms of basic neuroscience their platform can help to reward patients for taking their medication and thus increase retention. Brown digs into the hard science behind predictability and patterns of reinforcement as it applies to modification of behavior. The behavioral modification expert provides an overview of how we interact with our apps in the smartphone world, and how all apps are designed to be persuasive. He explains that we are constantly making choices as to which apps we give our attention to, and how those apps are influencing our decisions, and ultimately how we feel about ourselves. Brown believes that when we are equipped with tools that understand our motivations and aspirations, that our smartphones can become instruments that enable us to grow into the kind of people we aspire to become. By loading up our smartphones with apps that appeal to our better selves, who we aspire to be, and deleting apps that impact us negatively, Brown feels that we can transition to a healthier life. Brown's team ultimately seeks to work with other companies that share their vision of bringing positive, healthy changes to our behavior.

Dr. Bret Scher has been a cardiologist for over 15 years now and says that one thing's been made clear: our health care system is badly broken, failing to address the main issues affecting people and to provide solutions that will actually work. As the lead practitioner at My Boundless Health, Dr. Scher is trying to change this. "The goal of the work I'm doing...is to help people get access to information that is not being promoted by our contemporary health care system and to get access to a practitioner who can spend more time, think outside the box, and see the bigger picture to really try to find the right solution for each individual," says Dr. Scher. At My Boundless Health, the focus is on a lot more than just lab results and medications; it's about nutrition, exercise, stress, sleep, and social interactions. Ultimately, it's about listening to the patient and making adjustments according to the changes in their life or status of health. Dr. Scher takes a two-tiered approach by first giving people easy access to as much information as possible, and then working one-on-one with patients in order to develop an intense, individually-tailored program that will best suit their needs. Dr. Scher discusses a variety of topics, including overmedication, the details of the initial screening process of his program, and some of the most difficult aspects of getting people into more healthful states of being. Tune in for the full conversation, and learn more by visiting myboundlesshealth.com or lowcarbcardiologist.com.

There's been a lot of talk about quantum computing lately, but what exactly is it, and what are some practical applications that it may have? These are just a few of the topics discussed by William Hurley, CEO of Strange works, which is a company that launched earlier this year during a South by Southwest Keynote presentation and raised $4 million just in seed money. The main goal of the company is to make quantum computing technology more understandable to the layperson and more accessible to developers. Right now, the Strangeworks platform offers developers and enterprises a way to become familiar with the technology by performing quantum experiments, as well as a timeline of the likely advances in this technology. Hurley believes that within 24 to 36 months, quantum computing will be usable and produce real enterprise outcomes. Quantum computing has come a long way in the past few years, but it has a ways to go. Among many other topics, Hurley discusses what he believes to be the two main factors holding back quantum computing: high cost and the unsolved problem of error correction. Despite the challenges, the potential of quantum computing is exciting and has the potential to change the world. Tune in for an informative and compelling conversation, join the community at quantumcomputing.stackexchange.com, and reach out to Hurley with questions via email at whrley@strangeworks.com.

Jade Nelson, speaker, coach, epilepsy advocate, community health educator, and author of My Keto Toolkit, delivers a passionate account of her journey to better health through lifestyle changes and the ketogenic diet. Nelson shares her story and details on her remarkable path to healing at her website (jadenelson.net). Nelson's book, My Keto Toolkit, is equal parts a survival guide and overview of her path to becoming a ketogenic epilepsy warrior. Nelson shares her 31-year journey with an epilepsy diagnosis, her personal experience with self-care, the ketogenic diet, health insurance and more. The informative book provides tips, resources, and information on favorite products, as well as many personal recipes, etc., that can help people to take the first step toward a healthier life with more energy and a feeling of well being. It is a guide to a lifestyle that will truly be life-changing. Nelson describes how a strict ketogenic diet worked for her, but that other might achieve positive results from variations on the diet, such as a modified Atkins, or simply a low-carb approach. Nelson describes the incredible changes she felt once she took the plunge into a ketogenic lifestyle, such as feeling more alert, having an abundance of energy, feeling happier, and living with a general sense of wellness within the body. Overall she was simply less emotionally drained, and she no longer needed those daily naps; her life was restored. The nutrition authority offers valuable information on the importance of tweaking one's diet to ensure it is providing the maximum health benefits. She discusses the process of gluconeogenesis, which is what happens when the body receives more protein than it needs and converts it into glucose, which can push someone out of ketosis. Nelson explains that the process of discovery and experimentation can lead ketogenic dieters to a plan that is optimum for them, as everyone is different internally to some degree. She stresses that the ketogenic diet will cause many to feel satiated more often, not as hungry as they might have been before beginning the diet, and the importance of monitoring the diet, especially if one's body fat is low to ensure that body muscle is not adversely impacted. Nelson outlines some helpful tips for those who are on the go. She states that there are more ketogenic products available in the marketplace today, including many travel items, oils, and supplementary foods that are grab-and-go and convenient. She explains that there are many ways to supplement meals when eating out or traveling, options that can round out the ketogenic diet and allow everyone to keep on track with their ketogenic routine and stay in ketosis. Additionally, she describes some of the ketogenic products that she has had success with but stresses that it is real food, not products, that is the key to success in a ketogenic lifestyle and diet. The ketogenic educator discusses ketogenic specifics for women and some of the important issues to consider to ensure that their diet doesn't adversely affect their natural cycle. She warns that excessively low caloric intake and insufficient nutrients can possibly cause some women to become amenorrheic, which is the loss of their period, so women should be aware, and adjust their diets accordingly to avoid this problem. Nelson discusses her path to success on the ketogenic diet, and the many people she has worked with on an individual basis, as well as her coaching and live event speaking engagements where she outlines a wealth of information on the diet and nutrition in general. She encourages people to reach out to her through her website as well as through instagram (@thetraininsideme) and on facebook.

Kit Tran, chief marketing officer at HyreCar (hyrecar.com), delivers an overview of the rideshare industry and how his company is helping to build a bridge between drivers and vehicle owners. While many people are excited to get into the potentially lucrative, make your own schedule career of rideshare driving, 40% of those who desire to drive are denied the opportunity because their car simply doesn't meet Uber or Lyft's standards. Thus, HyreCar is there to bridge the gap, offering solutions for drivers and vehicle owners who want to work, and make money, respectively. HyreCar is an app that allows car owners to rent their vehicles to ridesharing drivers who either don't have a vehicle of their own, or their vehicle fails to meet the standards of their rideshare employer, or they simply prefer to not use their own vehicle. It's a startup company that brings together a sharing economy model and on-demand economy model that benefits all parties involved. Tran's company, HyreCar, was launched as a means to empower entrepreneurs by leveraging technology, and HyreCar seeks to become the undisputed leader in automotive asset sharing. In an on-demand economy, drivers can make one thousand dollars per week or more, so demand for vehicles is on the rise. Vehicle owners who have an extra vehicle to spare, or drive infrequently with the vehicle they do have, can make a substantial amount of money by renting out their Uber or Lyft approved vehicle. In fact, owners can sometimes make $14,000 per year, possibly even more. Tran speaks about HyreCar's higher mission, which is enabling people to get on the path to financial freedom. He shares some stories of their successes in this area, as their service has allowed many who were once homeless or underemployed find a solution to greater financial stability. He gives an overview of their service, covering the terms and various background checks that potential drivers must go through in order to work with HyreCar. As HyreCar is a tech platform that is designed to work in tandem with the rideshare companies, HyreCar's vehicles must be used for ridesharing specifically. Tran discusses future opportunities for HyreCar and drivers alike, as they continue to evolve to meet the growing demands of the industry. Tran states that their primary goal is to build bridges to financial freedom, and through that lens they look at many potential paths they can take to improve lives and meet demands. He discusses possible opportunities, as drivers or owners may want to expand and create their own fleet of vehicles and thus find even more avenues to financial success. For as Tran states, an easier path to ownership benefits everyone.

George Church is an American geneticist, chemist, molecular engineer, professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, and professor of health sciences and technology at Harvard and MIT. Church provides an informative and thorough overview of his work in genetics and gene therapy, which is the use of genes to treat or prevent disease. Church's Harvard Ph.D. work included the initial methods for direct genome sequencing, as well as molecular multiplexing and barcoding. His innovative research and experimentation led to the first genome sequence (pathogen, Helicobacter pylori) in the mid-nineties. His work has provided important and significant contributions to practically all next-generation DNA sequencing methods and a long list of companies who are leaders in the field. Church's lab's research on chip-DNA-synthesis, gene editing, and stem cell engineering led to the founding of multiple application-based companies in the areas of medical diagnostics, and synthetic biology and therapeutics. Church is the director of an IARPA (Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity) BRAIN Project and NIH Center for Excellence in Genomic Science. Church discusses some of the new companies that he is involved with that are researching many scientific areas. He details one of his passion projects that seeks to impact human cells such that they will be resistant to all viruses. He talks about various endogenous viruses that exist within specific genomes, and exogenous viruses, and the methods of his lab is studying, particularly in regard to transplants. He explains that virus and disease transmission is a great concern in organ transplantation from pigs to humans, and how it is important to eliminate all endogenous retroviruses that could potentially cause disease once organs are transplanted. While the concept of animal to human organ transplant is not a new idea, Church explains that it has taken 20 years to develop new technologies for gene editing that can enable simultaneous changes in dozens of areas within the genome in order to make transplantation potentially possible. The genetic expert talks about current research in the study of longevity and his interest in using gene therapy for the reversal of diseases and conditions such as obesity, type II diabetes, osteoarthritis, heart and kidney damage, etc. He discusses the categories that his lab looks for that can be manipulated, and he provides an overview of classic gene therapy for diseases that someone is born with, as well as the FDA approval needed. He provides examples such as how mitochondria is impacted by aging, and why important levels drop, and how gene therapy can provide a means to restore cells to more optimum levels for better functioning. Church expounds upon the current options for genome sequencing and where he expects the advances in genetic research to lead us. He details how the price is coming down such that many people may soon have access to important genetic information that can greatly impact their lives, inform their decisions about having children with partners, and so forth. Church discusses epidemiology, therapies, and methods that apply to genetic research, and how the future will possibly see gene therapy become as commonplace as vaccinations are today.

Matt Angle, Ph.D., the founder & CEO of Paradromics, Inc., provides an informative overview of the current state of neuroscience and technology as it pertains to people who have sustained a loss of ability due to injury or disease. Angle completed his graduate studies at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, a research institute of the Max Planck Society in Heidelberg, Germany. His post-doctoral work at Stanford University was focused on the design of novel interfaces between nanomaterials and cells, with the intention of developing next-generation electrical recording technologies and products for the field of neuroscience. Paradromics seeks to advance bidirectional data streaming capabilities that flow between brains and computers. Their complex neural interface technologies are designed to help physically disabled patients reorient and reconnect with the world outside. The Paradromics platform brings together research and clinical applications. Angle discusses his team's work and describes their primary goal, which is to create a modem for the human brain. He describes how blind, deaf, or paralyzed people have been somewhat cut off from the world, and he explains the motivation that fuels his work at Paradromics as his team pushes to find ways to assist these people to reconnect. He details the basic examples of how their technology could work, such as robotic limbs that move based on brain waves for those who are paralyzed, and cameras that provide visual experiences, or input to the brain, for those who are blind. The neuroscience expert provides details on brain implants currently in trials that allow up to one hundred electrodes to be implanted into a person's motor cortex that can give a paralyzed person control of a robotic limb or a mouse on a computer screen, etc. Angle hopes to build a higher data rate version of the current technologies, and increase the advantages that these amazing technologies bring to the lives of those who have sustained injuries and/or losses of function. Angle describes in detail some of their specific technology, and the methods and materials used, such as microwire-based recording techniques. He talks about the impact of the use of microwires, as they are only about one-fifth of the size of a human hair, and thus they can be inserted noninvasively into brain tissue. He states that it comes down to how many neurons can you record and how many neurons can you stimulate. He discusses the value of direct electrical recording and the importance of recording for simplicity of implementation and preservation of safety. Angle provides his analysis of the importance of the collection of data and how it impacts the simplicity of models that a researcher/designer can use to describe a particular system and build more sophisticated hardware. Angle states that more, and better, data makes an analysis easier, not harder. Finding the simplest models for use in the decoding of brain data will be advantageous for the development of new and innovative products and systems that will enable users to have more control over their world. Angle states that the Paradromics team's goal is to have a completely implantable device ready to go by the end of the year 2020, with clinical trials beginning as early as 2021. He discusses how their technology may play a part in correcting neural activity to help treat conditions and diseases with electrophysiological signatures such as chronic depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or even schizophrenia. Angle founded Paradromics in 2015 with a team of skilled engineers and neuroscientists. His company received supplemental early-stage support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which is an agency of the United States Department of Defense that develops emerging technologies for use by the military.

Dutch fashion-tech designer, Anouk Wipprecht, discusses her work and the many ways that technology and fashion are becoming one. As a successful designer and innovator in the fascinating field of fashion-tech, Wipprecht's passion is to design garments that bring together the physical and psychological. Fashion-tech is a bridge between multiple areas of study and design and is the nexus between fashion design, science and engineering, robotics, and user experience design. It seeks to lift fashion design to an experiential level, rising above simply garments to be worn for comfort or style. With fashion as interface, Wipprecht's designs push conventional design to higher levels that interact with the surroundings and introduce considerations of expanding technology, personal space, and more. Wipprecht has formed many exciting partnerships with major companies such as Microsoft, Intel, Google, Audi, and Cirque Du Soleil, as well as the 3D printing company Materialise, as she continues to influence how we will dress in the ever-expanding technological future. Wipprecht discusses her thoughts on the ways she wants fashion to speak for those who wear it and how the technology aspects offer more opportunities for the wearer. She talks about the interesting spider dress that she created while working with Intel and details her use of the Intel Edison, a computer-on-module designed by Intel to be utilized as a development system for wearable devices. The spider dress contains sensors and moveable arms that create a more defined boundary of personal space while pushing style in a new direction. Wipprecht describes her smoke dress, a dress that contains a small, battery-operated fog generator. The dress was unveiled at the Dutch Electronic Art Festival in Rotterdam. The famous smoke dress can produce up to a quarter hour of continuous output or 150 puffs of five seconds each, and it can react to the number of people within the general area. The innovative designer discusses her work with entertainers such as Fergie, Britney Spears, and others, and collaborations with movie studios on CGI-based movies. Wipprecht delivers an overview of the important work she is doing to help children with ADHD, such as her unicorn horn hat that contains a camera and electrodes that helps to measure brain signals and attention. She explains the process and how the camera records when brain signals indicate that the user is paying attention, which helps to further the advancement of their development. As technology continues to become part of our very existence, electronic systems can now be included in materials that allow processors and sensors to transmit and receive information. Wipprecht's technological couture is poised to lead us into the future of wearable tech.

The current gold standard for measuring and tracking brain health is not only hugely expensive, but time-consuming, invasive and cumbersome for the patient, and not as accurate as it could be. Aura Analytics is a health tech company that's providing a new, inexpensive, and highly accurate method for early detection and longitudinal tracking in brain health, which encompasses Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, ALS, and other disorders affecting fine motor and cognitive function. CEO and co-founder of Aura Analytics, Daniel Jones, explains how their product works: patients complete a simple, three to five minute set of tasks on a mobile device app that asks specific questions targeting task-specific areas of the brain. The tasks solicit a speech sample from the patient, which is immediately sent to the cloud and subjected to a series of machine learning algorithms that generate and deliver to clinicians in real time objective, finite results. Built on 25 years worth of data from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, the Aura Analytics technology has shown a level of accuracy in the 90th percentile of all currently used methods of measuring brain health. Patient feedback has already been overwhelmingly positive, and Aura Analytics is now partnering with major pharmaceutical companies and health systems to carry out large-scale clinical trials and gain more widespread acceptance. Daniel Jones expects their first major breakthrough with the FDA to happen in about 18 months, and in the meantime, his efforts are focused on gaining external validation and eventual clinician and consumer adoption. Tune in for the full discussion, and visit auralanalytics.com to learn more.

Most sleep solutions on the market today overlook a critical contributing factor to our quality of sleep: what we do during the day, which includes what we eat, what we do in our free time, and what we do while at work. "The most surprising factor...is how many people actually suffer from sleep disorders….not a lot of people are talking about it but as soon as you give them a stage to talk about it, they are seeking solutions because there are not very good solutions on the market today to treat real sleep disorders," says Amir Inditzky, CEO of Dayzz. Dayzz is taking a holistic approach to the problem of sleep by assessing an individual's lifestyle and sleeping patterns, collecting data about that individual in a variety of areas during all times of the day, and then creating a highly detailed assessment and training program that not only combines several different sleep solutions in a way that's tailored to the individual, but also allows for adjustments along the way in order to provide the most well-suited plan. Interested in finding your solution? The first version of the Dayzz app with be available on your mobile device early this November; simply download the app and get started by answering a few questions about your lifestyle and the problem you're trying to solve, whether you suspect it's insomnia, restless leg syndrome, or circadian sleep disorder. So far, Dayzz app users are seeing better results on average than those who've sought help from a sleep doctor or clinic--which are hard to come by in the first place. Tune in to learn more and hear the most recent feedback from Dayzz focus groups.