VIVA SARAH PRESS

Joe Smith in Kansas City is always my guy. He is my go-to audience whenever I’m writing about a new innovation or technology. He is always on my mind. Of course, Joe Smith isn’t one person. He is a readership of everyone I hope will learn something new about the topic I happen to be covering. And it was Joe Smith who I brought with me to a recent class on how to cover innovation news. I have been writing about Israeli innovation, specifically, for over a decade. I give talks

Two years before OrCam products became commercially available, I had the chance to see how their AI-powered solution for people with visual impairments and blindness worked in real-time. Along with a cameraman, I met the developers of this groundbreaking wearable device in their Jerusalem office for a chat about the assistive technology they were creating. We spoke about future plans, and how they intended to create an artificial vision device that would allow visually impair

Covid-19 changed the speakers’ circuit. No more face-to-face banter with audiences, no more raising hands, or nodding faces. Now, when speakers like myself give talks or host webinars, we’re looking into a camera, sharing our screen presentation and trying to hold eye contact with participants (who are many miles away). Speakers know that keeping talks interactive and fun are key. Perhaps even more so, now. Zoom fatigue is real. Online webinars must be fun to hold attention.

It was a beautiful Sunday in Toronto, the sun was shining, a perfect day to enjoy the outdoors. And yet, some 40 households set up their Zoom video links to log in to a talk on innovation in the time of Covid-19. While the talk is packed with exciting stories of health breakthroughs, wild ideas that will change how we do things, and tales of fun coronavirus inventions – it would have been understandable if participants had chosen to go for a walk outside instead. After all, a

When my daughter asked me to come to her new school to give a talk, her friend’s eyes nearly popped out. “You WANT your mom to come speak to our grade?” she asked incredulously. “Yes, she has really good stories and they’re interesting,” my awesome daughter replied. “She comes every year.” My heart swam with joy. My tweenager wants me to come to her school. Her excitement was suddenly hit with a wave of uncertainty. “But Mom, the talk has to fit in with Health Week and you’re