# 459: Ideas Have to Come From Somewhere

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2023-09-14
- Length: 1h 17m
- Episode: 459
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2023-09-14-459-ideas-have-to-come-from-somewhere
- Listen: https://embedded.fm/episodes/459

## Summary

Professor AnnMarie Thomas, head of the Playful Learning Lab at the University of St. Thomas, discusses her work in playful learning, entrepreneurship, and education. She details the creation of Squishy Circuits, a conductive play dough kit for teaching electronics, and its evolution into a company. Thomas also describes the PLAYground initiative, which provided STEM boxes and videos to deaf and hard-of-hearing children during the pandemic, and her current consulting work with the Lego Foundation.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2023-09-14-459-ideas-have-to-come-from-somewhere#t=6) Introduction and Lightning Round
- [5:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2023-09-14-459-ideas-have-to-come-from-somewhere#t=330) The Origin of Squishy Circuits
- [12:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2023-09-14-459-ideas-have-to-come-from-somewhere#t=755) PLAYground and Metro Deaf School
- [20:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2023-09-14-459-ideas-have-to-come-from-somewhere#t=1207) Playful Learning and Magic
- [27:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2023-09-14-459-ideas-have-to-come-from-somewhere#t=1621) Lego Foundation and Entrepreneurship
- [39:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2023-09-14-459-ideas-have-to-come-from-somewhere#t=2348) Ideas, Fiction, and Engineering Education
- [52:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2023-09-14-459-ideas-have-to-come-from-somewhere#t=3164) Community, Pedagogy, and Final Thoughts

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Maker community & events](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/maker-community)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Squishy Circuits (product)
- Lego Foundation (company)
- Metro Deaf School (company)
- MBARI (company)
- Playful Learning Lab (company)
- University of St. Thomas (company)
- Maker Education Initiative (company)
- Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories (company)
- Gallaudet University (company)
- The Mountain in the Sea (other)
- Making Makers (other)
- Bare Conductive (company)
- Makey Makey (product)
- SciGirls (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [S2E51 The Hardware Academy | John Teel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-12-03-s2e51-the-hardware-academy-john-teel) (Being an Engineer)
- [Technology Instruction with Charlie Larrabee](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2022-01-10-technology-instruction-with-charlie-larrabee) (The Amp Hour)
- [Advocating for Women in Manufacturing w/ Alicia Gilpin](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-05-09-advocating-for-women-in-manufacturing-w-alicia-gilpin) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [S1E37 Inspiring the Rising Generation of Engineers | Danielle Boyer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-09-18-s1e37-inspiring-the-rising-generation-of-engineers-danielle-boyer) (Being an Engineer)
- [How to Build an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-06-04-how-to-build-an-engineer) (EE Times Current)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2023-09-14-459-ideas-have-to-come-from-somewhere. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Embedded.fm.