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For AI and XR developer Andre "Dre" Smith, virtual reality, brain-computer interface technology and AI are artist's tools. And to describe him as "prolific", would be an understatement. Dre is always exploring, experimenting and creating something new at the edge of immersive computing. Dre's projects include apps, immersive experiences, games and real-time neurofeedback systems. One of his most intriguing current projects, Octobot, is a multiplayer experience in which players use a brain-computer interface to outsmart a robotic octopus! But there's also the Zenquarium app, which transforms a room into an AI-powered reef. As well as Hydroverse, a free (and highly addictive!) game in which players pilot an armed speedboat and battle to be the last one floating in tropical waters. Plus Dre's work in immersive medical technology. And his "Gridiron Hangout" in Horizon World...the list goes on! In addition, Dre works as an independent consultant, with clients creating something new at the edges of immersive computing. Dre talked about his background, offered a closer look at some of his games and apps, and offered some guidance on the use of AI as a tool to enhance creativity.

As we celebrate Over Coffee®'s 500th episode, we've had a very enviable "problem". Too many great guests, and great stories, to include everyone in ONE episode! Consequently, here is our second installment of our Show 500 special. Thank you again to all the incredible interview guests who generously took the time to share their stories, and we're looking forward to spotlighting many more creative innovators at the intersection of art and science.

"What are you going to do for Show 500?" People were asking me that question, as Over Coffee® approached that number of episodes this year. The answer was pretty easy. Without our incredible guests, the Over Coffee® podcast wouldn't exist. So, here is both a retrospective, and an update on just a few of the amazing innovators who have starred in our show, over our years of production. And a quick note--this is only a sampling, highlighting just some of the amazing creative guests with whom I've had the pleasure of speaking, so far. As production continued through the summer, a fact quickly became clear: we had more audio than any one episode could comfortably cover. Unless, of course, anyone wants to sit through a one-hour-plus episode--but we don't know anyone with that much time on their hands! Accordingly, here is the first installment of Over Coffee®'s 500th episode. More to come, next week!

Over Coffees® is on hiatus as we complete production on a special-edition episode. Please enjoy this reposting of one of our top episodes from earlier this year. "I wish somehow to contribute to a better world," says Abeye Co-Founder and CEO Michael Kodochian. And a number of students--and adults--would almost certainly agree that that's exactly what his Lexilens® technology is doing. Michael started by inventing patented smart glasses, to help users with dyslexia read more smoothly. These glasses, Michael explains, work as a filter, correcting the brain's visual processing. “It cleans the input (of information you're reading),” Michael says. He is quick to point out that Lexilens® doesn't increase reading speed, nor distinguish letters. What it does, though, is "clear" the input of the text the user reads, to allow them to acquire better reading capabilities. In effect, it can cancel out the "noise" of dyslexia. And earlier this year, Abeye began shipping another new visual-processing technology in the U.S.: their Lexilens® LED monitor! Expanding ease in reading At the time of our conversation in January, Michael had just exhibited the monitor at CES® 2026. The new monitor, he explained, incorporated the Lexilens® technology. Users could comfortably and inconspicuously use the technology for work, school or at home without needing a hardware device. Michael mentioned, at the time, that Abeye intended to make the new monitor available in the U.S. by March. A quick check of their website shows that the monitor is now available for purchase! This is going to continue to change some lives--and the world--for the better. Michael shared the story of his smart-eyewear startup Abeye, explained how the technology works, and offered a closer look at some of the results he's seen, among users of his innovation.

As we wrap up production on a special-edition Over Coffee® episode, please enjoy this reposting of one of our top episodes of 2023! Class is once again in session with Jim Burnham, "The STEAM Clown". Or, as he describes himself, "a mad scientist in the classroom". This semester, his students are going to be lighting things up, connecting sensors, designing a Rube Goldberg device...and, they may just create some fire-breathing robots along the way. Technically, Jim is an award-winning Mechatronics Engineering Instructor at Silicon Valley CTE High School, in San Jose. Santa Clara County School District named him "Teacher of the Year" in 2019. He is also an electronics engineer who holds two patents on his inventions and who spent more than 25 years in high-tech engineering positions, prior to his education career. But those descriptions don't capture the elements of fun and passion which he brings to his classes. Imagination, at play with engineering "The first or second day, we're just going to sit down and build paper-airplane launchers," Jim says. of his orientation for new students each semester. He also expands his students' imagination, as they get acclimated. First, he'll have the newcomers identify their "superpowers". "Since my class is very physics-based, I...make them write down. how does it actually work? "It's not just magic. What's the physics behind how your superpower works?" And then, the following day, he'll have those students come up with engineering ways, if they were superheroes saving the world from that superpower, to defeat it! Open source for learning Jim shares a number of his classroom projects on his TikTok channel, and is currently planning to launch a newsletter for like-minded educators who want to expand access to STEAM lessons. The goal: a "collaboration forum" where others can work with him on some ideas he has in mind, making them available to be, as his website says, "freely used, modified and shared". He also offers a link, on his website, for class visitors, who can access the material shared in his class on the day of their visit! "I am a huge supporter of open source, Creative Commons kind of curricula," he says. And he encourages anyone who can, to support local teachers as they create STEAM curricula: monetarily, but also by donating time and equipment. Jim shared the story of his creative journey, offered a look inside his S.T.E.A.M. classroom and shared some of his favorite resources.

"I hated school until I was in about the fifth grade," says California Invention Convention Executive Director Brenda S. Payne. But then, a gifted teacher showed her some of the ways that what happened in the classroom, could be relevant to her future. That project-based learning, combined with some of her experiences visiting an older brother who worked in cutting-edge technology, led to her passion for invention education. And as fall semester, 2026, gets started, now is a great time to spread the word about the California Invention Convention. Guiding the invention process Every school year, California Invention Convention offers a challenge to K-12 students from all across the state. That challenge: find a problem that affects you, or your family--and come up with a solution. And research, as part of the process, whether someone else has already invented something to fix the problem. If they have? Think of ways to improve on that particular solution. Then, in spring, these young inventors get to take their projects out of the classroom. Regional events in Northern and Southern California give them the opportunity to showcase their idea to a team of judges. From there, the top Award Winners go on to the National competition, at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Some of these young participants have wound up patenting their inventions. Some have been inspired to pursue careers in the areas they researched. And all of them are learning vital communication and research skills. An opportunity for leaders and educators Meanwhile, if a teacher or youth leader would like to know more about implementing an invention education curriculum, Brenda invites them to reach out. California Invention Convention offers a 10-week training program with an Open Source curriculum. Provided by the 42-year-old Connecticut Invention Convention, this program is customizable to any subject. according to California Invention Convention's website. Areas which these lessons can cover include science, history, math, art and music. As far as a time commitment goes, the program involves approximately one hour a week of in-school mentoring. Students complete additional work on their projects at home, often with parental assistance. Then, at the conclusion of the program, students present their work to the group. Brenda talked about her own educational journey, shared the story of the California Invention Convention and discussed some of the ways educators, parents and volunteers can get involved.

Over Coffee® is on hiatus during production of a special-edition episode. Please enjoy this reposting of one of our top episodes of 2024! This post and podcast are for informational purposes only, and are not intended as healthcare advice. Please contact a medical professional with any health-related questions. "I wish I was three people," says artist/worldbuilder and "Bee Queen" Sara "Tink" Mapelli. "I would love that." She's referencing all the opportunities she sees to create, learn and grow as an artist, both in physical and in immersive space. Tink is the creator of Artopia, the first artist district in the Multiverse. She's also a gifted world builder in Meta Horizon Worlds, as well as an artist with her work on exhibit in her home studio in Washington. And she is a community leader: every Tuesday at 8 am Pacific, she hosts free "Women of Wonder" meetings in VRChat. Attendees explore and learn emerging technologies together. But she also has a unique creative medium. As an energy realignment specialist, Tink performs dances with live bees. The "queen" in her power With thousands of live bees on her body, she enters a meditative state. Then, she responds to the motion of the bees as she dances for attendees. She works with each person in the group, sometimes presenting her bees as she focuses on energy realignment. "I think of bee dance as a duet among many," Tink says, on her website, of the live performances she has been doing since 2001. She also sees a real parallel between her bees, pollinating the world, and creatives in the metaverse space, collaboratively creating magic. "What if that was like a hive?" she asks. "...Which cell am I going to explore? And then, each one of those has subdivisions, like groups of people doing things together. "...To me, that's like the hive mind." Tink talked about her creative journey, shared the story of her work as a bee dancer and offered a closer look at her worlds in the Multiverse.

Over Coffee® is on hiatus during production of a special-edition episode. Please enjoy this reposting of one of our top episodes of 2024! Fine artist/educator Niklas Roy builds an invitation into his work. That invitation: "Come and play. Enjoy being creative." Niklas, who creates art with technology, specializes in interactive installations which center on a spirit of fun and discovery. His goal: to make art accessible to people from all walks of life. The results tend to be highly engaging. Currently, according to his YouTube channel, he's reimagining the traditional school bell. Students get to create and upload their own melodies. These get stored in an archive, and each time the bell rings, a physical instrument selects and plays one of these, randomly. In addition, Niklas writes, there's a custom "clock" on which the hands "dance" in time with the melodies. An excursion through creativity A look at his website reveals almost-innumerable installations, centered around the same sense of fun and exploration. A mini-robot, or "drawbot", equipped with a glittery parasol, draws on a whiteboard. A "Generative Art 1C" vending machine dispenses unique fine-art drawings when visitors insert one euro. A mechatronics game challenges participants to feed sushi to a popular fashion doll--which "eats" by extending an outsized tongue. LED lights, bubbles, electronic music and vehicles which visitors can ride have all been components of Niklas' installations. "Openness and accessibility" And his projects are open-source, encouraging makers to use their own creative talents! "I believe in openness and accessibility, which is why I share each project's schematics, code, and documentation online—encouraging others to copy, remix, and build upon my work," Niklas writes, on his website. He also enjoys sharing his talents in workshops and conference presentations. (His "About" page includes a link to his "Cardboard Computer Workshop".) In this 2024 Over Coffee® interview, Niklas shares the story of his creative journey, takes us behind the scenes for a closer look at some of his installations and offers his advice to aspiring artists.

As production continues on our special-edition episode, please enjoy this reposting of one of our favorite interviews from 2023! "I want it to be a place for women today, where we can meet and where we can support each other..." explained author Helen Lundstrom Erwin, in this 2023 interview. We were discussing her pioneering metaverse space, The Foremothers Cafe. This is the first immersive space in the metaverse created by a historical novelist, based on a setting from her book! Helen first envisioned the cafe in her novel Sour Milk in Sheep's Wool, set in Sweden in the late nineteenth century. The story explores her great-grandmother's experience as a single mother, against the background of women who were beginning to explore their options in creating a better world. As Helen became involved in virtual reality, she realized that one of her locations--the cafe owned by main character Hanna, a women's rights activist--was perfect for an immersive world. Paralleling the past, building the future Like Hanna's cafe, the "Frog", The Foremothers Cafe is a space where women can meet to discuss current issues which affect their lives. Unlike the Frog, though, The Foremothers Cafe, hosted on the ENGAGE platform, is a Swedish American women's museum and cultural center in VR. Attendees from all over the world, including men, as allies, are welcome. One of Helen's goals is the dissolution of borders, as new friends meet in real time to share their cultures and ideas, and explore their roles in creating positive change. Every Thursday at 11:00 am Pacific time, Helen hosts "fika" at the cafe. "Fika", she explains, is a Swedish word for "coffee break with something sweet to eat with friends". In addition, she hosts a thought-provoking Community Discussion Series, featuring a new guest speaker every month. Guests also get to learn about Swedish culture through special events such as the Lucia Festival, in December, and the Midsommar celebration. A personal favorite, however, is the annual Foremothers Day, on November 30th, where guests honor the strong women in their own histories. Honors and engagement In the four years since its opening, The Foremothers Cafe has garnered some impressive accolades. A 2026 Auggie Awards finalist for "Best Indie Creator", the cafe's honors also include a 2023 XR Women Awards nomination in the Trailblazing category, and Auggie Awards nominations in the "Best Social Impact" category in both 2024 and 2025. However, her readers might easily nominate Helen for the "Can't-Put-It-Down" Award, if such an honor existed. Her most recent novel, The Lure of Water and Wood, is a historical fantasy which explores two characters from Swedish mythology, from those characters' point of view. Like her previous books, it is seriously addictive. Helen talked about her background as a storyteller, shared the story of her trailblazing virtual space, and explained her vision for the future.

Over Coffee® is on hiatus as we continue production on a special-edition episode! Please enjoy this reposting of one of our top episodes from 2025. "Wow" is one of the most exciting reactions any creator can hear, in response to their work. Tech pioneer, human-centric AI consultant and author/speaker/podcast host Elizabeth Bieniek knows exactly how to evoke that response. In her book, Cake on Tuesday: 25 Lessons to Unlock Corporate Innovation, Elizabeth explains the steps involved in creating something amazing. In 2021, Elizabeth built and led the team that created the groundbreaking Webex Hologram holographic collaboration system. This is a project that sounds like a cross between science fiction and magic. Webex Hologram is a real-time meeting technology which allows collaborators from all over the world to appear and interact, holographically, in the same space. (Wow.) "Cake" and creativity While her book explores corporate innovation, the lessons Elizabeth learned, leading her team of technological innovators, could easily be applied to your next creative project. Among those lessons: keeping the project simple, keeping a plan flexible, and persisting through the middle of a project--which no one tends to like. And most of all, having fun. The title of Elizabeth's book--and of her podcast, comes from one of the ways she incorporated the fun element into her team as they created Webex Hologram. Be sure to check out her "Cake on Tuesday" podcast, as she and her guests discuss entrepreneurship, tech leadership and innovation! In this discussion, recorded in 2025, we apply some of the principles from Elizabeth’s book to a hypothetical educator’s experience of creating a mini maker faire!

Over Coffee® is on hiatus as we continue production on a special-edition episode! Please enjoy this reposting of one of our top episodes from 2025. "It truly can go anywhere a car can go," says Think Tank Science Program Manager Christina Campbell, of her nonprofit's mobile STEAM lab. That flexibility allows for a major expansion of horizons for students all over the Los Angeles area. Think Tank Science's mobile STEAM lab, which celebrated its two-year anniversary in March, provides resources and mentorship to students in underserved communities. Their vision: maker education for everyone. Like an ice cream truck--but better In describing how the lab works, Christina likens it to an ice cream truck. The difference, though? Once the mobile STEAM lab arrives at a school, festival or other location, it can open out into a full classroom. Inside that classroom is equipment for all types of maker projects. Students are empowered to learn science, technology, engineering, art and math by using their creativity. Woodworking, 3D printing, robotics and advanced design are among the maker skills they can learn. Think Tank Science's services include school visits, after school programs and day camps. Christina says the program is available for free to schools in underserved areas. The biggest challenge, she adds, is connecting with administrators to arrange a time when their lab can visit the school! As a paid service, to fund their work, Think Tank Science can also provide birthday parties with arts and crafts! Here is the link to book them for a special event. Empowerment for all While maker classes are available for K through 12 students, there are also DIY courses for learners of all ages and skill levels. (Here's a link to Think Tank Science's YouTube video on one of their most popular projects: creating an LED lamp.) And much more is coming! Christina talked about her own educational journey, her experiences with Think Tank Science and her vision for the future.

Over Coffee® is on hiatus as we continue production on a special-edition episode! Please enjoy this reposting of one of our top episodes from 2025. "We try to be creative," says VictoryXR CEO and Co-Founder Steve Grubbs. He's explaining the ways his interactive educational platform engages students through immersive experiences. Those experiences could include learning Newton's Laws from the middle of a pool table. Or exploring the history of ancient Egypt by traveling through the Avenue of the Sphinxes. Or even by building new worlds in a creator space! In the ten years since VictoryXR's founding in 2016, educators in more than 30 countries have used its applications of virtual reality, augmented reality and artificial intelligence to spark students' imagination. Imagination in action Among these applications is the VXRLabs platform, which is free to download. Students can examine statuary on an interactive field trip to Egypt, experiment in a virtual biology lab, and use mathematics as a key to making their way through the "King's Labyrinth", among VictoryXR's offerings. They can also come up with their own content, and create new worlds in a "creator space". Meanwhile, the "Victory XR: Global Traveler" app will take them all over the world on virtual field trips. Steve says much more content is coming, to be added to more than 160 current experiences. And their HOLOTUTOR: an AI student tutor, is available 24/7, and can tutor students in virtually any subject. (It's also free to download.) A wide range of possibilities Students, by the way, aren't just restricted to the K through 12 groups. Victory XR also has resources for homeschooling, higher education and career and technical training. Steve talked about his background, shared the story of creating VictoryXR and offered a closer look at some of the ways his company continues to transform the ways we learn--and teach.

Over Coffee® is on summer hiatus as we prepare a special-edition show! Please enjoy this reposting of one of our top conversations on robotics from 2025. Where does inspiration start? Sometimes, it begins with an experience, which makes someone see themselves--and their future--from an exciting new perspective. That's the whole idea behind True Robotics. On their website, this Worcester, Massachusetts-based startup states their mission as, "providing every student the opportunity to learn with robots, not just the top 10-20% of learners" . True Robotics President and Founder Anthony Galgano is accomplishing that mission by providing curricula and robotics kits for students, grades K through 8. "There (are) so many programs out there that are amazing for...the kids who are going to MIT already," he says. "But what I think is unique about us, is that we are focused on that other percentage, that 80 percent, and trying to get everyone exposure." Open doors, competitions and mini-modules True Robotics has a multi-pronged approach to that goal. They offer three different classroom robotics packages--Treads, Pilot and Axle, for grades K-3, 3-5. and 6-8, respectively. For educators who don't have the budget for robotics kits, they have free or low-cost mini modules on their website. These include a playground simulation, coding and AI lessons and machine learning fundamentals. They welcome students for tours at their warehouse, as well as visiting schools in their local area, and showcasing their programs at conferences. And, they host competitions! Their third annual True Robotics Competition took place approximately a month ago, according to Anthony's LinkedIn, and was their largest one yet. Fourteen teams competed, using their problem-solving skills in events including obstacle courses, king of the hill and robot soccer. "Getting the students to be empowered, and taking responsibility...it's like one of the coolest things, to actually impact the students forever," Anthony says. That impact continues to grow. Anthony emails that True Robotics served 32,000 students in 2025! While he says this figure is "just shy of our 35,000 goal", 2026 marks a major increase. "This year we are already up to 38,000, on our way to 65,000," Anthony adds. (And those figures are current as of June, 2026!) Anthony talked about his background in robotics, offered a closer look at True Robotics’ robotics packages and shared his vision for the future.

Music is Futureproof Music School Founder and CEO John von Seggern's passion. So is guiding fellow musicians as they develop their skills in a constantly-changing industry. And now, AI is allowing him to provide electronic music producers with an affordable platform--and a community--for developing their gifts and completing their projects. John opened Futureproof Music School, the first AI-native music school, in 2024. Students build their music-production skills through courses designed to produce real-world results. They can also have members of the online community offer feedback on their current tracks, as well as meeting with pro mentors. "...Every student gets at least one check-in with a human mentor, every month," John says. In addition, there's an AI music coach, called Kadence, who can guide them through arranging, composing and mixing, 24/7. Expertise becomes affordable John, a gifted bassist and electronic music producer, spent fifteen years creating educational content for top music schools. During that time, he says, he saw standardized curricula for students--at prices that could be prohibitive. With Futureproof Music School, he resolved to create something different. Accordingly, Futureproof Music School's tuition is $99 per month--with access to more than 20 courses, in all aspects of electronic music production. Community membership is included, as is mentorship. These classes are designed so that students can fit their studies around their other commitments. Additional offerings are a higher-tier live-session artist accelerator program, to which students can apply, and a blog with production tips and tutorials. And Kadence allows individual students to customize their learning! (Students can also learn with Kadence alone, for $29 per month.) John talked about his musical career, shared the story of Futureproof Music School and offered a closer look at what his students get to experience. (Would you like to hear John's band, Liminal Shade? Here's their link!)

Dr. Carolina Cruz-Neira has something exciting to show you. Actually, she has several exciting innovations to show everyone--with more coming. Dr. Cruz is an immersive technology pioneer and the creator of the original CAVE VR system: the world's first real-time environment to allow multiple people to have an immersive experience in the same space. And she's about to showcase her latest projects on the exhibit floor of Augmented World Expo 2026, in Long Beach. Those projects? A human telepresence robot, and her work with her team on AI companions! (Both of these are currently finalists for AWE's Auggie Awards!) For Dr. Cruz, who is the Executive Director of Pegasus Institute as well as the Interim Executive Director of UCF's Institute for Simulation and Training, these projects are just the latest steps in nearly four decades of innovation. An innovator's journey Dr. Cruz has founded multiple successful applied-research centers, spearheaded open-source initiatives, innovated digital tools used worldwide. Recently she received IEEE's VR Lifetime Achievement Award. Additional honors received, over the course of her career, include her induction into the National Academy of Engineering, as the first person to receive this recognition for immersive technologies and virtual reality. Dr. Cruz is an AWE XR Hall of Fame member, and in 2025, Forbes Magazine recognized her in their prestigious "50 Over 50" List. However, she says, her current work resulted from her Plan "B" when she attended college. Her original career aspiration: to become a classical ballerina. To satisfy her family, who wanted her to have a more marketable degree, she studied systems engineering and computer science. "I (could do my STEM homework super fast) to get that out of the way and get to the studio," she explains. From studio to research lab But when an accident ended her dreams of a dance career, she combined her creativity and technical abilities in computer graphics work. A chance invitation led her to discover virtual reality. The rest is not only history--but still evolving. "We have made tremendous progress, but...I don't think we're done yet," Dr. Cruz says, of the current state of virtual and extended reality. Dr. Cruz talked about her background, shared the story of pioneering the CAVE and offered a look at some of the emerging technologies she and her team are exploring. (Would you like to meet Dr. Cruz and her team, and get a look at their work firsthand? They'll be at Booth 337, on the Augmented World Expo exhibit floor. AWE 2026 runs June 15th through 18th in Long Beach.)