TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design. TED started in 1984 as an annual conference held in Long Beach, California with the goal of bringing together people from the three fields to give 18-minute talks about innovation and possibilities. The TED Talks site has more than 400 talks by people from an expanded array of fields and the videos of their talks are available to be shared and reposted without cost.
From the TED Talks site:
Our mission: spreading ideas. We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. So we’re building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world’s most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other. This site, launched April 2007, is an ever-evolving work in progress, and you’re an important part of it
TED has also spawned the TED Prize which is “designed to leverage the TED Community’s exceptional array of talent and resources. It is awarded annually to three exceptional individuals who each receive $100,000 and, much more important, the granting of “One Wish to Change the World.” After several months of preparation, they unveil their wish at an award ceremony held during the TED Conference. These wishes have led to collaborative initiatives with far-reaching impact.”
I just LOVED this TED talk by Pattie Maes. She demonstrates the “Sixth Sense”, the wearable tech that changes everything. After I saw this, my mind just raced with all the ways this technology could change the healthcare experience!
What are your thoughts?
TED is Technology, Entertainment, Design and the TED Conference which began as a way to bring together thinkers from the three converging fields, will celebrate 25 years in 2009. My son told me about TED Talks a few months ago, and I loved the very first TED Talk I ever watched. Each TED Talk is 18 minutes (or less) long and is given by “the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives.”
TED Talks are available to be shared under the Creative Commons license and you can make them accessible to your staff or your management team. You can use them as a catalyst for creative thinking and an opportunity to think about problems in a different way.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Dr. Dean Ornish: Your genes are not your fate
Malcolm Gladwell: What we can learn from spaghetti sauce
Anand Agarawala: BumpTop desktop is a beautiful mess
Go find Ted and start listening!
