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| Kristen White 3005 S. St. Francis St, Ste 1D #322 Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505 United States (505) 395-0686 Unsubscribe |
| From: Peter Diamandis <peter@diamandis.com> Sent: Sunday, August 28, 2016 10:01 AM To: STeve Reply To: peter@diamandis.com Subject: email mastery |
Over 100 billion emails are sent every day. That's 1.1 million emails sent per second.
Personally, I receive hundreds per day -- and frankly, most of them are just bad… and most are too long to read.
This blog is a look at how to send effective emails, get your message across and not waste time.
If you are an entrepreneur, mastering this simple skill can make or break your ability to raise money, land customers, attract partners and win over advisors.
I don't read emails over three lines. I just don't. I don't have time for it.
No email should be over three lines.
If you can't communicate your message in the first few lines, it shouldn't be an email – instead, the email should be a request for a phone call or meeting (see below).
The subject line is one of the (if not THE) most important parts of the email.
You'd be shocked how little people actually pay attention to it and how many people mess it up.
The subject needs to be unique and compelling -- just like a headline on a news article, the subject should capture my attention, pique my interest and make me want to open your email.
The subject line should be meaningful: I should know what you want, based on the subject.
And importantly, it needs to be searchable…
Searching through emails on mobile is bad enough (a big business opportunity for the entrepreneurs out there), so I need to be able to remember unique keywords in your email subject to find it quickly. Otherwise, it's going to get buried.
It sounds intuitive, but you'd be shocked by how many emails I get with font size 9. It's impossible to read on my phone.
"Hard to read," means "it's not read."
Keep your audience in mind, and assume they are going to read the email on their phones, or better yet, their smartwatches.
Keep your font size 12 (or even 14) point … and keep your font style simple, ideally sans serif. I like Arial.
Use bold, underline, and ALL CAPS for the MAIN QUESTION, IMPORTANT DATES, and other KEY DETAILS.
Use line breaks to your advantage. Spacing is key. Give important details their own lines.
A busy exec wants to touch an email once and take action: delete, respond or forward for action.
I want to know what you're looking for in the first sentence.
Don't bury the lede. Don't give me three paragraphs of context – this can come after.
Start with the action/request, and then explain if you need to.
This can be as simple as "FYI:" or "Have time for a 10 min phone call?" or "Can you sign the attached document?"
Then, and this is REALLY IMPORTANT, be specific in your request…
Instead of saying, "Can you meet sometime next week?" say, "Can you meet Wed, Sept 10 in XYZ location between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. PST?"
Or, you can say, "I'm available to meet at these three time windows. My EA is copied. What works?" (Then list the three windows.)
This will save you about five emails back and forth figuring out logistics and a lot of unnecessary clutter to your inbox.
Have your email make a single, specific, simple request:
I should be able to reply to the email in one word (ideally Yes or No), or forward it on to the right person to reply in full.
If you ask for lengthy feedback on an idea, or are asking for a big favor, or want to set up a three-hour meeting, you're going to dramatically decrease the probability that a busy executive responds.
Not to mention, these things shouldn't really be done over email.
Email is not a replacement for a phone call. Keep emails very short and factual. If they are long, then schedule a call or a meeting.
In general, meeting with someone is best, calls are second best, and an email is the third option if you can't seem to get either of the first two.
We've gotten so addicted to email that sometimes we assume this is the fastest way to get someone's attention. It's really not.
Email really hasn't changed much since it came out over 45 years ago.
Platforms like Slack and a few plugins and AI assistants have been useful additions to the professional communication ecosystem, but I still think there's an opportunity to reinvent email in a big way.
We need to rethink email from first principles. I'd love to hear your ideas.
Have an idea? Tweet at me @peterdiamandis and @efficient.
This is the sort of conversation we explore at my 250-person executive mastermind group called Abundance 360.
The program is highly selective. If you'd like to be considered, apply here. Share this with your friends, especially if they are interested in any of the areas outlined above.
P.S. Every week I send out a "Tech Blog" like this one. If you want to sign up, go to Diamandis.com and sign up for this and Abundance Insider.
P.P.S. My dear friend Dan Sullivan and I have a podcast called Exponential Wisdom. Our conversations focus on the exponential technologies creating abundance, the human-technology collaboration, and entrepreneurship. Head here to listen and subscribe: a360.com/podcast
In this week's Abundance Insider: Self-assembling cellphones, Intel and Microsoft's VR play, and vitamin-rich biofortified rice.
Cheers,
Peter, Marissa, Cody, Kelley and Greg
P.S. Send any tips to our team by clicking here, and send your friends and family to this link to subscribe to Abundance Insider.
What it is: Skylar Tibbits of the MIT Self-Assembly Lab has teamed up with design studio Marcelo Coelho to create cellphones that can build themselves -- no human intervention or advanced automation needed. Their rough prototype has six parts, and when placed into a tumbler, the phone can self-assemble in under a minute. The secret to attaching the parts and keeping them together is surprisingly simple: magnets of varying polarity.
Why it's important: This manufacturing approach is a cost-effective, fast and scalable alternative to factories manned by humans or robots. Tibbits also sees another compelling use: complete design freedom. "Imagine you take a circuit board and you have different logical building blocks and those logical building blocks can be tumbled around -- you can have different functionalities," he told Fast Company. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Marissa Brassfield
What it is: Ford has officially announced the company's plan to deliver fully autonomous cars to consumers by 2021. These cars will be designed without steering wheels, brake pedals and gas pedals, making it a "full Level 4 self-driving" vehicle -- meaning human drivers aren't required. Ford will staff up for the effort by doubling employee numbers (to over 300) and expanding operations space in Palo Alto.
Why it's important: Peter recently wrote about the implications autonomous cars will have on a variety of industries, but especially the traditional automotive manufacturing industry. Ford's CEO hinted at the coming sea change, stating that the company was no longer "just an auto company, we're also a mobility company." Will Ford and other traditional automakers be able to implement these changes quickly enough to remain relevant? Join the Discussion
Spotted by Cody Rapp
What it is: Intel recently unveiled Project Alloy, an open-source standalone virtual reality headset made in cooperation with Microsoft. Unlike competing headsets from Oculus and HTC, MIT Technology Review reports that Project Alloy lets users interact with virtual objects simply by reaching out -- no hand controllers necessary. Another fun user feature: Hold a real-life object in your hand, and the headset will generate that object in your virtual world.
Why it's important: To date, consumers only have a few standalone VR headsets to choose from, and their price range and user interface are prohibitive for mass adoption. Intel's decision to open-source its technology could signal that VR is about to begin dematerializing (no need to tether to a computer) and demonetizing (anyone can download the files to create their own headset). Join the Discussion
Spotted by Marissa Brassfield
What it is: Uber plans to test fully autonomous Volvo XC90 sport utility vehicles in Pittsburgh in just a few weeks, making it the first to roll out self-driving cars for urban taxi use. Due to regulatory uncertainties and safety precautions for this pilot program, Uber will have a human driver in each Volvo, as well as a mandatory "opt in" from passengers to use the self-driving Uber cars.
Why it's important: One of the three forces Peter predicted could decrease the automotive marketplace by a factor of 10 or more is this introduction of "car as a service" using a fleet of self-driving vehicles. If regular autonomous Uber use ends up being 10x cheaper than the average ownership of a car in America today, will people living in areas that Uber serves ditch their cars and use the service (or others like it) as their primary transportation? Join the Discussion
Spotted by Peter Diamandis
What it is: At a recent NASA press conference for its Journey to Mars mission, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development Bill Hill told the audience that NASA may relinquish ownership of the International Space Station. "NASA's trying to develop economic development in low-Earth-orbit," he said. "Ultimately, our desire is to hand the space station over to either a commercial entity or some other commercial capability so that research can continue in low-Earth orbit."
Why it's important: It's a long shot, but should NASA find a private buyer for the ISS, it could dramatically accelerate the pace of LEO research -- and the commercialization of space. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Cody Rapp
What it is: Aircraft manufacturer Airbus is planning to build a self-flying vehicle platform for both passenger and cargo transportation, used by companies such as Amazon. Airbus' ultimate use for the platform would be to ferry passengers using shared autonomous vehicles.
Why it's important: We've been promised flying cars for decades, but Airbus' involvement indicates the technology is closer than it's ever been. We know that industries like real estate, retail, airlines, hotels, energy, auto, and more will be heavily impacted by the introduction of autonomous vehicles. How will Aircraft's autonomous flying taxi platform complement (or compete with) the key players implementing self-driving cars? Join the Discussion
Spotted by Cody Rapp
What it is: Researchers at Tel Aviv University are experimenting how VR integrated into a regular treadmill workout could help prevent older people from falling. The university's investigation stemmed from the idea that safely training motor and cognitive functions through video game-style VR would effectively reduce an older adult's chance of falling.
Why it's important: We've seen virtual reality used to digitize, dematerialize and demonetize in-person training experiences ranging from sports training to PTSD therapy. If successful, this gamified workout could help older adults remain independent far longer than they would have otherwise. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Marissa Brassfield
What it is: University of Melbourne plant geneticists have developed a biofortified rice that contains 200% more iron and over 180% more zinc than conventionally bred rices. What's more, the biofortified rice doesn't have any downsides: it has the same yield as existing rice varieties, it won't cost any more for farmers to adopt, and it doesn't have any harmful effects on the soil or environment.
Why it's important: Dr. Alex Johnson, who led the research, says that they're working on introducing the biofortified rice into Bangladesh, where, as the University of Melbourne reports, "almost 80% of cultivated land is dedicated to rice, but where more than half of all children and 70% of women are iron deficient." In areas like Bangladesh where rice is a staple food, Johnson says that introducing biofortified rice "...should lead to healthier and more productive populations in the developing world, boosting local economics and eventually supporting more diverse and balanced diets." Join the Discussion
Spotted by Marissa Brassfield
This email is a briefing of the week's most compelling, abundance-enabling tech developments, curated by Marissa Brassfield in preparation for Abundance 360. Read more about A360 below.
At Abundance 360, Peter's 250-person executive mastermind, we teach the metatrends, implications and unfair advantages for entrepreneurs enabled by breakthroughs like those featured above. The program is highly selective and we're almost full, but we're still looking for a few final CEOs and entrepreneurs who want to change the world. You can apply here.
Know someone who would benefit from getting Abundance Insider? Send them to this link to sign up.
This blog considers four controversial implications of exponential technologies and asks for your vote:
After you read my comments below, I'd love you to cast your opinion on a simple poll (Click here). If you enter your opinion, I'll report back to you on the full results in a couple of days.
By 2020, we will live in a world with 100 million connected devices and 1 trillion sensors collecting data. Cameras on phones, glasses, drones, autonomous cars, satellites and more will be recording everything, everywhere all the time. Everything on the planet will get witnessed (sensed) at some level.
Add to this machine learning and image recognition (such as facial recognition and digital lip reading), and the question emerges: will privacy exist anywhere?
The upside of lack of privacy is radical transparency. Given that most evildoing happens in the dark, radical transparency means we will likely see less terrorism (which is much harder in a world of radical transparency) and less oppression.
Is privacy dead? If so, will society be able to adapt to this? Is it a good thing? A bad thing? (At the end of the blog, be sure to answer the poll.)
The Martin School at Oxford University predicts that in the next 20 years, computers, AI and robotics will automate and replace over 48% of jobs in the United States.
People like my Singularity University co-founder Ray Kurzweil and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen believe that technology has always created more jobs, and this will be no different in the future. While some jobs are eliminated, many more (that we can't even currently imagine) will be created.
Other technology leaders, from Richard Branson to Larry Page, believe that society will adapt, perhaps with a shorter workweek and state-supported guaranteed basic income.
Other leaders are just worried that there will be massive unemployment and this will lead to civil unrest.
If so, will society adapt quickly? Slowly? Never?
Which of these views sounds right to you? (After the blog, don't forget to take the poll.)
As virtual reality and artificial intelligence continue their exponential rise, there will come a time when we'll be able to simulate "reality" so well that you won't be able to tell the difference between the real and simulated world.
Many Silicon Valley technologists, entrepreneurs and philosophers believe that we are already living in a simulation.
The concept, largely popularized in The Matrix and by philosopher Nick Bostrum, proposes that if a sufficiently advanced civilization reaches a point where it can simulate reality, it is in its best interest to do so, many times over.
If this was the case, statistically, in a 14.5-billion-year-old universe, the probability that we are in a simulation is close to 100%, while the probability that we are the first generation of humans ever to become sufficiently advanced to simulate others could approach zero.
So, what do you think? Are we living in a simulation? (After the blog, click the link to enter your response.)
As you know, I believe we are living in the best time ever. The data shows over and over again that the world is better than it has ever been, and that it's getting better every day.
And yet, every day we are bombarded with negative news, as the latest murders, acts of terror, natural disasters and violent uprising are delivered to our eyeballs in high definition.
Is the world actually getting better? What do you think?
So now it's your turn.
What do you think? Please vote. Click here to take a 1-minute survey, and then I'll report back on the results (for those who took the poll) in a couple of days.
This is the sort of conversation we explore at my 250-person executive mastermind group called Abundance 360.
The program is highly selective. If you'd like to be considered, apply here. Share this with your friends, especially if they are interested in any of the areas outlined above.
P.S. Every week I send out a "Tech Blog" like this one. If you want to sign up, go to Diamandis.com and sign up for this and Abundance Insider.
P.P.S. My dear friend Dan Sullivan and I have a podcast called Exponential Wisdom. Our conversations focus on the exponential technologies creating abundance, the human-technology collaboration, and entrepreneurship. Head here to listen and subscribe: a360.com/podcast
In this week's Abundance Insider: Cancer-killing nanobots, solar roof shingles, and a 60TB SSD.
Cheers,
Peter, Marissa, Cody, Kelley and Greg
P.S. Send any tips to our team by clicking here, and send your friends and family to this link to subscribe to Abundance Insider.
What it is: Soon, we'll all be able to observe the Earth from space, thanks to a virtual reality startup. SpaceVR has just signed an agreement with NanoRacks to launch Overview 1, its first VR camera satellite, next year. The cube satellite has two high-res 4K sensors and wide-angle lenses, and will be delivered to the International Space Station for deployment in low earth orbit. On the ground, SpaceVR will turn the captured footage into 360-degree panoramas for smartphones, tablets and VR devices.
Why it's important: Another impressive example of virtual reality enabling and democratizing travel experiences. In success, SpaceVR may spark a whole new wave of interest in space and space tourism. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Marissa Brassfield
What it is: Last week, Elon Musk revealed his latest plans for SolarCity: solar roof tiles, versus installing modules on top of an existing roof. "I think this is really a fundamental part of achieving differentiated product strategy, where you have a beautiful roof," he explained on a conference call. "It's not a thing on the roof. It is the roof." The tiles will be produced at the forthcoming 1 GW factory in Buffalo in the second quarter of 2017.
Why it's important: SolarCity CEO Lyndon Rive says that 5 million new roofs are installed every year in the U.S. alone -- and believes there's a tremendous market in consumers who are holding off on installing solar until it's time to replace their roof. By integrating the solar cells directly into the roofing shingles, SolarCity has the potential to disrupt (and significantly update) an adjacent industry. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Peter Diamandis
What it is: Researchers at Stony Brook University have partnered with medical drone manufacturer Vayu to deliver medical technology to rural Madagascar communities by drone. Recently, in a world first, Stony Brook's Global Health Institute completed a long-range, fully autonomous drone flight in which blood and stool samples collected from rural Madagascar villages were transported to the institute for testing. "A billion people in the world do not have access to reliable roads," Dr. Peter Small, the Founding Director of Stony Brook's Global Health Institute, told Digital Trends. "For them, getting sick requires running a gauntlet in order to get healthcare. That's very common in Madagascar, where 70 percent of people live in very rural settings, and a significant number live in truly remote settings. These are places that are only accessible on foot; you can't even get a bicycle there. By using drones, we can not just fly out to villages, but collect diagnostic specimens and deliver care."
Why it's important: "The cool thing about this is the bigger picture: how we can use drone technology to forward-deploy healthcare," added Dr. Small. "What I'm envisioning is a system in which a health worker has a patient with an undiagnosed cough, and can then use an emergency beacon to call in a drone. That drone could then fly back a sputum sample to the lab and, if it tests positive for [tuberculosis] the drone flies back the next day with the medication it needs." Join the Discussion
Spotted by Marissa Brassfield
What it is: SuperMeat is currently raising funds on Indiegogo to create a mini bioreactor that can produce cultured meat -- namely, a chicken breast -- from chicken cells. The founding team includes award-winning biomedical engineers, top researchers and noted scientists all focused on consumer lab-grown alternatives to animal protein.
Why it's important: As Peter has noted in a previous blog, cultured meat would require up to 99% less land, 96% less water, 45% less energy, and produce up to 96% less greenhouse gas emissions when compared to today's animal stockyards and cattle farms. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Valeriy Rotar
What it is: Can virtual reality cure stage fright? According to VR firm Cerevrum, the answer is yes -- thanks to its app Speech Center VR. Users don an Oculus Rift and can select from a variety of public speaking environments and audiences that range from stick figures to demons. Each has its own challenges designed to improve the user's public speaking abilities, and a virtual coach takes users through each lesson and practice session.
Why it's important: This app democratizes access to speaking coaches and programs like Toastmasters, but it's also a compelling look into the near future of skill training and development. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Marissa Brassfield
What it is: This week, Seagate debuted its 60TB solid-state drive, packed with enough power to safely store 12,000 movies or 400 million photos. For now, Seagate says its 3.5-inch SSD is a "demonstration technology," but hinted at a possible commercial release in 2017. What's perhaps most impressive of all is that Seagate says it can scale up the SSD's capacity to 100TB while retaining the 3.5-inch form factor.
Why it's important: A storage solution of this caliber enables better server performance, unprecedented capacity configurations and, ultimately, much smaller datacenters. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Dan Swift
What it is: Google's latest FCC filing indicates that it may be dematerializing its Fiber high-speed Internet service. As Business Insider reports, "...the heavily redacted FCC filing suggests that it wants to dramatically expand to testing 'experimental transmitters' at up to 24 US locations, including Provo, Utah, Omaha, Nebraska, and Boulder, Colorado, for a period of 24 months. Google is requesting authorization to operate between the 3.4 and 3.8 GHz band." Curiously, this filing comes just after Google's acquisition of Webpass, a point-to-point wifi company, and an intentional delay in Fiber's rollout in two Silicon Valley cities.
Why it's important: Updating existing Internet infrastructure is slow, bureaucratic and expensive, but by dematerializing its Fiber Internet service, Google can expand its coverage significantly faster, cheaper and easier. "The project is in early stages today," a Google spokesperson told Business Insider, "but we hope this technology can one day help deliver more abundant Internet access to consumers." Join the Discussion
Spotted by Marissa Brassfield
What it is: General Motors recently made an (unsuccessful) offer to buy ridesharing company Lyft, following its $500 million investment earlier this year. "In the case of Lyft, GM has decided that this is a key business to be in going forward, and it wants to own its entry rather than face another alliance situation where it ultimately doesn't get what it wants," said a 'high-ranking' GM executive to Forbes. Details on why Lyft rejected the offer are scant, but this article features some compelling ideas based on recent history.
Why it's important: Further evidence that ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft aren't going away. In fact, since rejecting GM's offer, Lyft has announced that it's seeking additional financing. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Peter Diamandis
What it is: Researchers at McGill University, the University of Montreal and Montreal Polytechnic have achieved an impressive breakthrough in cancer treatment using nanorobotic agents made of over 100 million flagellated bacteria. Each tiny agent can self-navigate through the bloodstream, identify hypoxic zones -- the oxygen-depleted areas of a cancerous tumor -- and precisely administer a drug treatment to the hypoxic zone. Such zones are typically resistant to traditional therapy, including radiotherapy, according to McGill University.
Why it's important: "This innovative use of nanotransporters will have an impact not only on creating more advanced engineering concepts and original intervention methods, but it also throws the door wide open to the synthesis of new vehicles for therapeutic, imaging and diagnostic agents," explains Sylvain Martel, who led the research. "Chemotherapy, which is so toxic for the entire human body, could make use of these natural nanorobots to move drugs directly to the targeted area, eliminating the harmful side effects while also boosting its therapeutic effectiveness." Join the Discussion
Spotted by Marissa Brassfield
This email is a briefing of the week's most compelling, abundance-enabling tech developments, curated by Marissa Brassfield in preparation for Abundance 360. Read more about A360 below.
At Abundance 360, Peter's 250-person executive mastermind, we teach the metatrends, implications and unfair advantages for entrepreneurs enabled by breakthroughs like those featured above. The program is highly selective and we're almost full, but we're still looking for a few final CEOs and entrepreneurs who want to change the world. You can apply here.
Know someone who would benefit from getting Abundance Insider? Send them to this link to sign up.
At my Abundance 360 Mastermind this January 2017, one area I'll be focusing on is: the massive implications of Autonomous Vehicles – how they will impact real estate, retail, hotels, airlines, energy and petroleum, entertainment, etc.
But of all of the industries impacted by autonomous cars, none will be disrupted more than the traditional automotive manufacturing industry.
This blog is a look at three forces that could decrease the automotive marketplace by a factor of 10 or more.
The three forces are:
Unless the traditional automotive players acknowledge the coming changes and experiment and invest, they have a very turbulent road ahead.
Fully autonomous cars will result in a shift from "buying and owning" a car, to "car as a service" (CaaS).
No longer will you buy a car that sits in your driveway or office parking lot, unused 95% of the time.
Instead you'll use CaaS where you "subscribe" to a fleet of autonomous cars. The result is greater ease, more variety and lower costs:
Implications: But beyond these points, there are a number of other Interesting Implications:
But what if you enjoy owning a car? No problem. In that case you can take advantage of the opportunity recently described in Part-2 of Elon Musk's Tesla master plan. You can buy an autonomous, electric Tesla that drives you around, but when it drops you off, you can have it earn you money by contributing it to the fleet of autonomous vehicles patrolling the streets.
When you think of traditional players in the automotive industry, you probably think of Toyota, GM, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Ford, etc.
Well… these companies were built back when cars were just machines.
Today cars aren't just machines; they are mobile computers.
And companies like Tesla, Apple, Uber and Google, are entering the scene with a fresh perspective and powerful balance sheets flush with cash.
Tesla and Uber are both startups that are reshaping the industry.
Tesla's Model S was voted "best car every tested" by Consumer Reports (full disclosure I have a Model S and Model X, and they are the best cars I've ever driven).
Uber has completely validated the CaaS/on-demand model, growing to a $66 billion valuation in under 6 years. They've had over 1 million drivers sign up to the platform, and have expanded to over 300 cities.
But this is just the beginning.
Most importantly, technology giants Google and Apple are working on cars. Both of these companies have many times disrupted adjacent industries. Google's autonomous cars have already driven over 1.5 million miles. Apple's Project Titan has attracted top talent. Both companies have the brand, the technical expertise and the multi-hundred-billion-dollar balance sheet needed to re-invent the old school automotive marketplace.
Of course, beyond these players, there are a number of small startups launching every year to tackle the autonomous driving challenge.
Finally, there is one more exponential technology trend that will impact today's automotive manufacturers – the rapid rise of the Virtual Reality. VR will make "traveling" itself less important.
If my team can meet in a virtual environment (with expanded capabilities) from the comfort of our own homes, this will save us all time commuting and reduce the need for office space.
I already have 20+ "Beams", telepresence robots from a company called Suitable Technologies, in my offices in Culver City, La Jolla, Mountain View, and Redmond.
At the press a button, I can commute from city to city and attend meetings virtually without having to move my "meat body" across hundreds or thousands of miles.
As I've written extensively in previous blogs (link here), VR will alter the retail shopping experience. Couple this with in home 3D printing and Drone delivery services, and your need to actually get into a car and drive someplace is quickly diminishing.
In conclusion…
To my friends in the automotive industry – there is a tsunami of change is coming.
You can either ride atop it by embracing the change or you will get crushed by it.
It seems some have the right mindset – yesterday, news broke that GM made a bid (though unsuccessful) to acquire Uber's competitor Lyft – perhaps all is not lost.
This is the sort of conversation we explore at my 250-person executive mastermind group called Abundance 360.
The program is highly selective. If you'd like to be considered, apply here. Share this with your friends, especially if they are interested in any of the areas outlined above.
P.S. Every week I send out a "Tech Blog" like this one. If you want to sign up, go to Diamandis.com and sign up for this and Abundance Insider.
P.P.S. My dear friend Dan Sullivan and I have a podcast called Exponential Wisdom. Our conversations focus on the exponential technologies creating abundance, the human-technology collaboration, and entrepreneurship. Head here to listen and subscribe: a360.com/podcast
In this week's Abundance Insider: Blood-powered fuel cells, the world's first artificial neuron, and a life-saving diagnosis from IBM Watson.
Cheers,
Peter, Marissa, Cody, Kelley and Greg
P.S. Send any tips to our team by clicking here, and send your friends and family to this link to subscribe to Abundance Insider.
What it is: Food Ink is a London concept restaurant that 3D prints nearly everything, from plateware and tableware to furniture and even food. A critical component of the restaurant's kitchen is byFlow, a device that extrudes pureed ingredients into three-dimensional molds, guided by a robotic arm. The founders say Food Ink is a "platform for a public conversation about how these emerging technologies are rapidly challenging and changing the way we eat, create, share and live."
Why it's important: Peter has previously written about how, in the near future, 3D printers will print personalized food and supplements. Food Ink transforms the fine dining experience by introducing 3D printing and robotics into its kitchen equipment and tweaking some of its food production processes. How else might you use exponential technologies to reinvent traditional social experiences? Join the Discussion
Spotted by Marissa Brassfield
What it is: Sergey Shleev and his research team at Sweden's Malmo University have created a tiny fuel cell that uses the human body's blood flow to generate its power, and they recently conducted a successful human test with the device. While this idea isn't new -- biocompatible fuel cells have been in development since the 60s -- these power sources have never been successfully demonstrated on humans. Their next task is engineering a charge-storing design to increase the power output.
Why it's important: Imagine pacemakers and other biomedical devices that don't need batteries or a wireless power supply system, even after long-term use. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Ian Pitchford
What it is: 3DomFuel is a North Dakota startup that transforms agricultural waste -- items like hemp, beer and coffee -- into filaments for 3D printers. The filaments work on any 3D printer that can print with PLA, using the standard PLA settings.
Why it's important: By recycling agricultural waste into ready-to-use filaments, 3DomFuel cuts down on the plastic waste seen elsewhere in the 3D printing industry. These filaments also demonstrate the ever-growing array of materials we can use for 3D printing projects. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Clyde R. Dennis
What it is: Researchers at IBM's Zurich research lab have created the world's first working artificial neuron. It uses a phase-change material called germanium antimony telluride, which is often found in optical disks, placed between two electrodes. "In the published demonstration, the team applied a series of electrical pulses to the artificial neurons, which resulted in the progressive crystallization of the phase-change material, ultimately causing the neuron to fire," said IBM in a statement. "In neuroscience, this function is known as the integrate-and-fire property of biological neurons. This is the foundation for event-based computation and, in principle, is similar to how our brain triggers a response when we touch something hot. "
Why it's important: With this development, we're one step closer to true neomorphic technology -- effectively, microprocessors and computer components inspired by the human brain. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Peter Diamandis
What it is: The Photonic Microsystems Group at MIT has created a LIDAR-on-a-chip system that could revolutionize how we produce robots, self-driving cars, drones and ocean mapping UAVs. This miniature LIDAR system is so small that it fits on a dime, and has no moving parts. Best of all, it's mass-producible: at volumes of "millions of units per year," the researchers report that the 300-millimeter wafers would cost about $10 each to produce.
Why it's important: This LIDAR-on-a-chip system is remarkable when you consider that today's commercial LIDAR systems cost between $1,000 and $70,000. As this technology continues to demonetize, expect to see it everywhere, from obstacle-avoiding robots to high-speed drones. Join the Discussion
Spotted by David Rabanus
What it is: MIT researchers have created a portable system that can manufacture biopharmaceuticals in real time, nearly anywhere. It's based on Pichia pastoris, a programmable yeast strain that, as KurzweilAI reports, "can be induced to express (generate) one of two therapeutic proteins when exposed to a particular chemical trigger." The researchers say that their experiments thus far have yielded "selectable and near-single-dose production of these biologics in under 24 hours with limited infrastructure requirements."
Why it's important: Tim Lu, who heads up the Synthetic Biology Group at MIT's Research Laboratory of Electronics, explains to KurzweilAI that the system could be used to manufacture vaccines in remote villages, produce treatments for wounded soldiers at the point of care, or facilitate health care in even the most challenging environments. "Imagine you were on Mars or in a remote desert, without access to a full formulary; you could program the yeast to produce drugs on demand locally," he said. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Marissa Brassfield
What it is: IBM's cognitive computer Watson recently helped a team of Japanese doctors diagnose a rare form of leukemia. Originally, the doctors diagnosed the female patient with acute myeloid leukemia and initiated a typical course of treatment, but this treatment ultimately proved ineffective. Stumped, they turned to Watson, which compared the patient's genetic data with its database of 20 million oncological studies. In just 10 minutes, Watson identified the correct diagnosis, which enabled doctors to tweak the patient's treatment plan, saving her life.
Why it's important: Artificial intelligence can make complex, data-backed recommendations far faster, easier and more accurately than humans. While the U.S. has already begun to use AI to support treatment of brain tumors and leukemia, this is the first time Japan has done so. Soon, it will feel unusual to diagnose a condition like cancer without first conducting a genetic analysis using AI. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Cody Rapp
What it is: John Rogers, an epidermal electronics specialist, researcher and entrepreneur, has recently unveiled a flexible, stretchy skin patch that can monitor the wearer's sun exposure and heart rate. Unlike other smart patches we've seen, Rogers' contains an NFC chip that draws power from the radio signals of nearby cellphones or tablets.
Why it's important: Wearables and sensors that don't need batteries can be much thinner than devices with built-in batteries. This health-monitoring patch leverages a cultural phenomenon -- gadgets all around us, always -- to streamline its design. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Marissa Brassfield
What it is: Joshua Neally recently had a life-changing experience thanks to semi-autonomous car technology. During his commute to work one day in late July, Neally pulled onto the highway and began feeling piercing chest and stomach pains. Using his Tesla Model X's Autopilot mode, Neally directed the car straight to the emergency room, where he was treated for a pulmonary embolism.
Why it's important: We forget just how easy it is for safe drivers to drive dangerously. As Peter has previously discussed, autonomous cars can transport human drivers to their destination faster and safer than traditional cars -- all while saving millions of lives every year. Join the Discussion
Spotted by Cody Rapp
This email is a briefing of the week's most compelling, abundance-enabling tech developments, curated by Marissa Brassfield in preparation for Abundance 360. Read more about A360 below.
At Abundance 360, Peter's 250-person executive mastermind, we teach the metatrends, implications and unfair advantages for entrepreneurs enabled by breakthroughs like those featured above. The program is highly selective and we're almost full, but we're still looking for a few final CEOs and entrepreneurs who want to change the world. You can apply here.
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