What Do Google Glass, Segway and Thermostats Show Us About How Tech Evolves?
Episode description
New technologies and products fail all the time — but sometimes those failures turn into something unexpected. In this episode, we’re exploring the surprising ways that technology evolves.
Remember Segway, the personal transporter that became a cultural joke? Turns out, it’s a major force behind the scooter revolution.
Remember Google Glass, the augmented-reality glasses that freaked everyone out and became an object of scorn? It's now a powerful tool in manufacturing and industry.
Uplight has a few examples of technology investments that didn’t pan out — but they led down a path to other interesting areas of product development. We’ll revisit a few of them.
We’ll also talk with a venture capitalist who’s evaluating all kinds of consumer technologies — some without an obvious application in energy — that could benefit the way utilities deliver services.
Guests featured in this episode:
- Steven Levy, journalist and editor-at-large for WIRED
- Lindsay Luger, partner at Energy Impact Partners
Resources:
- Steven Levy’s article on the startling second act for Google Glass
- CNN feature on Segway’s surprising impact on the scooter revolution
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