Jessica Toh is cofounder of an app called Huckleberry. It’s a tool for tracking baby things - sleep, feeding, diapers, etc. After I wrote about the app, Jessica wanted to talk to me because empathy for users is actually really foundational to her and the company, and she wanted to know what they could do better.
Read moreEpisode 7: Rob Morris - Koko
Rob Morris is a data scientist who took a major pivot from academia to app development for a pretty unique reason. We talk a bit about why he created this bot named Koko, the mental health crisis among kids in the U.S., and the science behind why it feels good to help other people. We also get into what keeps companies like Facebook from implementing helpful, empathetic tech like Koko on their platforms.
Read moreEpisode 6: Evelyn Chan - Smileyscope
Evelyn Chan is a doctor and she’s also CEO of a company called Smileyscope. They make needle experiences a little less scary for kids, and less stressful for their parents and doctors using VR. I think Smileyscope is another good example of tech that isn’t meant to REPLACE human empathy, but can help AMPLIFY it and actually add to certain human relationships.
Episode 5: Gawain Morrison - Empathic Tech Consultant - Pt 2
Today’s show is part 2 of my interview with empathic AI producer and strategist Gawain Morrison. Last time we went deep on data. This time, we’re gonna talk about the empathic tech market, Knight Rider, algorithmic bias, facial recognition, and of course the Age of Ultron.
Read moreEpisode 4: Gawain Morrison - Empathic Tech Consultant - Pt 1
Gawain Morrison is an empathic AI producer and strategist who also has a LOT to say about the collection and use of human data. Among other things, we use a Marvel Universe analogy to help me - and maybe you? - understand what this stuff is all about. We could have talked all day, honestly. Ultimately we talked for a little over an hour and I just couldn’t bring myself to pare it down - Gawain has such great insight into human-computer and human-human relationships, and he’s got a much-needed international perspective as well.
Read moreEpisode 3: Emily Ladau - Disability Advocate & Author
Emily Ladau is a disability rights activist and the author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally. I met Emily in person a few years ago when I was still living in New York and we’ve kept in touch via Twitter since then. We talked earlier this year about the role of empathy in the CREATION of technologies, and also the limits of quote unquote “taking a walk in someone else’s shoes.”
Read moreEpisode 2: Anya Kamenetz - Journalist & Screen Time Expert
is an education correspondent for NPR. She’s the author of several books, including The Art of Screen Time, which came out in 2018, and a new one set to come out soon, called The Stolen Year, about the impact of COVID on kids. She talks to us about how to be a “positive media parent,” what it’s like to be an education reporter in the time of zoom school, and more.
Read moreEpisode 1: Erin Washington - Embodied Labs
Erin Washington is co-founder of Embodied Labs, an immersive caregiver training platform. In this episode, we chat about the role of empathy in creating and using virtual reality experiences related to serious illnesses like dementia.
The Future of Feeling is Coming (Trailer)
This is the trailer for a new interview series about empathy & tech. More to come soon!