CBC Radio: Spark

09/08/2023

Navigation technology has come a long way since the invention of the compass.

And while outdoor wayfinding has been the focus of much research and innovation in this space, indoor positioning and navigation technology has also made inroads.

Navigation technology has come a long way since the invention of the compass. And while outdoor wayfinding has been the focus of much research and innovation in this space, indoor positioning and navigation technology has also made inroads.

23/07/2023

The surprisingly long history and bright future of the light-emitting diode, or LED.

LEDs are found in our phones, TVs, lightbulbs and cars, but this technology is also revolutionizing film and television production.

16/07/2023

How the Sony Walkman paved the way for the iPod and streaming a million songs, TV shows and movies from our smartphones.

It may look like an antique by today's standards, but Sony's personal cassette player paved the way for the iPod and the subsequent ability to stream songs, TV shows and movies from our smartphones.

09/07/2023

The evolution of the battery, and how the need for stored energy became one of the biggest demands of our time.

How can we meet the increased demand for the materials needed to build batteries, while keeping the environmental and human costs of resource extraction low?

02/07/2023

How the integrated chip changed the world, powering nearly every device we use, from toasters to Telecasters.

Nearly every powered device we use these days depends on microchips, from cars to electric guitars. A look at the origin of the integrated circuit, its rapid development, and the way this technology has changed the world's geopolitical and economic landscape.

23/06/2023

Privacy law professor Gaia Bernstein and addictions psychiatrist Anna Lembke speak about the consequences of technology overuse, and how to disconnect from our digital devices and enjoy our summer.

Tackling technology overuse with a toolkit and a challenge to digitally disengage. Just in time to get out and enjoy the summer.

18/06/2023

From the earliest recordings of the human voice, to the cassette's impact on the music industry, to listening beyond our world.

11/06/2023

Whether you're working hybrid, remotely or on a jobsite full-time, communication and collaboration are key to productivity and job satisfaction.

We explore how designers can help foster collaboration and help us reconnect and build community.

Whether you're working hybrid, remotely or on a jobsite full-time, communication and collaboration are key to productivity and job satisfaction. We explore how designers can help foster collaboration and help us reconnect and build community.

10/06/2023

Researcher and author Brian Christian shares how collaboration between humans and machine learning systems is evolving.

09/06/2023

This week, a how-to guide on getting better at collaborating in the workplace, and how it can lead to greater satisfaction and performance on the job, with the help of a designer, an environmental psychologist and an AI expert.

A designer, an environmental psychologist and an AI expert to help us get better at workplace collaboration: understanding why it matters, and where it's going.

04/06/2023

From the moon landing to universal translators, science fiction has offered us visions of our technological future.

But the genre also offers writers and thinkers around the world the tools to tell futuristic stories that reflect their own realities.

From the moon landing to universal translators, science fiction has offered us visions of our technological future. But the genre also offers writers and thinkers around the world the tools to tell futuristic stories that reflect their own realities.

02/06/2023

From inspiring innovation, to framing collective visions of the future — a look at the imaginative power of science fiction.

28/05/2023

How the technical evolution of the camera has changed the way we see the world — from documenting historical harms to finding community in times of grief.

26/05/2023

The impact of the camera — from its technical evolution, to the changed way we see ourselves and historic events.

21/05/2023

Routine online activities like sharing photos to social media, uploading files to shared drives, or streaming TV shows produce a lot of digital data. And as that data production soars, so does the energy demand for storing and processing it.

14/05/2023

When the BlackBerry stepped onto the scene in 1999, it was an instant star — the first cell phone capable of sending emails.

It became a status symbol among business people and, eventually, teens everywhere. It came to bear the nickname 'CrackBerry' — but that hype could only take it so far.

With the theatrical release of a new movie about the rise and fall of BlackBerry, director Matt Johnson and innovation expert Elizabeth Altman look at the story of the iconic company, and why it's so hard to keep up the pace of innovation.

12/05/2023

The new movie, BlackBerry, has us thinking about the dizzying heights, and seemingly inevitable decline, of innovation in organizations.

The film's director talks about what really happened there, and we look at why it's so hard to keep up the pace of innovation.

The new movie, BlackBerry, has us thinking about the dizzying heights, and seemingly inevitable decline, of innovation in organizations. The film's director talks about what really happened there, and we look at why it's so hard to keep up the pace of innovation.

07/05/2023

In the face of today's resource-hungry garment industry, what if there was a more sustainable alternative, where we could grow our textiles using fungi and bacteria?

That's a scenario researchers have been working to bring to life for years now.

From fungus as a leather alternative, to microbial fabric, researchers are tackling the environmental impact of the apparel industry by experimenting with new sustainable approaches to textile design.