The Future of Everything

Hosted by Stanford Engineering

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Aug 2026

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Host Russ Altman, a professor of bioengineering, genetics, and medicine at Stanford, is your guide to the latest science and engineering breakthroughs. Join Russ and his guests as they explore cutting-edge advances that are shaping the future of everything from AI to health and renewable energy. Along the way, “The Future of Everything” delves into ethical implications to give listeners a well-rounded understanding of how new technologies and discoveries will impact society. Whether you’re a researcher, a student, or simply curious about what’s on the horizon, tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments that are transforming our world.

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August 14, 202634 min

The future of neuroimaging

Psychologist Russ Poldrack is a mind reader of sorts, but not in the traditional sense of the word. Instead, he makes movies of blood flow in the brain using functional MRI to draw insights into the function of specific regions of the brain to decipher how they control behavior. In one example, Poldrack has shown how people with obsessive-compulsive disorder have enhanced “salience networks” that turn on when surprising things happen. This finding could have “very profound” outcomes in diagnosis and treatment, Poldrack tells host Russ Altman in this wide-ranging exploration of the implications and the ethics of functional neuroimaging on Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast. Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu. Episode Reference Links: Stanford Profile: Russ Poldrack Poldrack Lab website: http://poldracklab.org The MyConnectome project: https://www.myconnectome.org/ Stanford Center for Open and Reproducible Science: https://datascience.stanford.edu/cores Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Russ Altman introduces guest Russ Poldrack, a professor of psychology and of psychiatry and behavioral science at Stanford University. (00:03:15) Path into Neuroimaging How Poldrack moved from cognitive psychology into functional MRI research. (00:04:18) Functional MRI How MRI can be used to track brain activity. (00:06:59) Mapping Brain Activity How tasks and behaviors are linked to patterns of brain activation. (00:08:02) Resting Functional MRI How resting scans revealed large-scale brain networks. (00:09:00) Brain Networks and Behavior How the brain controls stopping, switching, and habits. (00:10:34) Layers of Brain Organization Why neuroimaging studies the brain across multiple scales. (00:13:04) Individual Brain Differences How shared brain networks vary across individuals. (00:13:34) Scanning Himself Why Poldrack repeatedly scanned his own brain. (00:15:47) Mapping One Brain Deeply How repeated scans revealed reliable individual brain patterns. (00:18:59) Neuroimaging and Mental Health How brain network differences may relate to depression and OCD. (00:21:42) Reproducibility in Brain Imaging How larger and deeper data sets improve reliability. (00:24:51) Analytic Variability Why the same data can produce different conclusions. (00:26:39) Multiverse Analysis How testing many analyses helps identify stable findings. (00:27:55) Open Science How data sharing and standards improve transparency. (00:30:29) Privacy and Brain Data How researchers protect participants when sharing neuroimaging data. (00:32:17) Future In a Minute Rapid-fire Q&A: neuroimaging, reproducibility, and AI in science. (00:33:22) Conclusion Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

August 7, 202636 min

The future of clinical bioethics

Prior to becoming an anesthesiologist, Alyssa Burgart trained in bioethics. She now counts herself among a growing number of certified clinical bioethicists who help doctors, nurses, patients, and their families handle ethically complex medical decisions at the bedside. Bioethicists are critical to care, Burgart argues, helping patients facing difficult choices to clarify personal values and weigh a complex array of risks and benefits, as well as emotions and familial, cultural, and religious norms. While much of her work is in pediatrics and maternal-fetal cases, she also studies how moral distress and moral injury impact clinicians, contributing to burnout among doctors and nurses. Having a strong ethical community brings resilience to these challenging environments, Burgart tells host Russ Altman in this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast. Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu. Episode Reference Links: Stanford Profile: Alyssa Burgart Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Russ Altman introduces guest Alyssa Burgart, a professor of anesthesiology and perioperative pain at Stanford University. (00:03:16) Path into Bioethics & Anesthesiology How Burgart became a bioethicist and then chose anesthesiology. (00:05:18) What Bioethics Means How bioethics helps connect medical decisions to values, risks, and benefits. (00:07:03) Making Hard Decisions Manageable How ethics consultation helps clinicians act with integrity. (00:08:33) Ethics Consults A detailed explanation of hospital ethics services (00:12:23) Pediatric Ethics Examples of Dr. Burgart’s work with children, families, and clinicians (00:15:45) Culture, Faith, and Trust Navigating cultural and religious differences as a bioethicist. (00:17:57) Family Decision-Making How ethics consultants help families and care teams honor a patient’s voice. (00:21:55) Moral Injury What is moral injury and how do clinicians specifically experience it? (00:24:52) Institutional Betrayal Why barriers like policies, laws, and denied approvals can create moral strain. (00:26:37) Moral Distress What is moral distress and how does it manifest itself in healthcare. (00:28:28) Moral Residue When clinicians experience repeated moral strain and cannot recover between incidents. (00:29:33) Treating Moral Injury & Distress Strategies for helping clinicians manage these parts of their work. (00:33:54) Future In a Minute Rapid-fire Q&A: clinical bioethics, human dignity, and moral resilience. (00:36:15) Conclusion Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 31, 202634 min

Best of: The future of AI and the law

These days, AI is everywhere, and it’s increasingly hard to separate the gains from the slop. With that in mind, we're re-releasing my conversation with Stanford Law professor Daniel Ho on the future of AI and the law. When we look for applications where AI can deliver measurable benefit, the legal profession stands out, both for its potential gains in efficiency and equity, and for how much is at stake if we get it wrong. Dan's research — from using AI to identify racist property covenants buried in county deed records, to mapping obsolete regulations that waste thousands of hours of government time — shows what's possible when the technology is applied with rigor and purpose. If you’re curious about how AI can serve both justice and good governance, this one is well worth another listen. Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu. Episode Reference Links: Stanford Profile: Dan Ho Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Russ Altman introduces guest Dan Ho, a professor of law, political science, and computer science at Stanford University. (00:02:19) Path into Legal AI How Ho’s background shaped his interest in law, and technology. (00:03:35) What Lawyers Do What makes law a complex domain for AI. (00:05:28) Legal Hallucinations When AI performs well and when it fails. (00:07:52) Searching Legal Records in California How AI can help identify outdated, harmful, or legally important material. (00:10:28) Scaling Redaction How a model accelerated a process that overwhelmed county recorder offices. (00:13:04) Legal Reform at Scale How AI has supported legal reform by scanning massive bodies of law. (00:15:02) STARA & The City of San Francisco How AI was used to go through San Francisco’s code and clean up reporting. (00:20:53) Outdated Obligations How “regulatory sludge” takes the time & resources of the public service (00:25:02) Open vs. Closed AI The differences and associated risks of the different AI systems. (00:30:58) Legal Chatbots Why legal chatbots are promising but risky. (00:33:42) Conclusion Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 24, 202633 min

The future of menopause

Dr. Karen Adams, obstetrician/gynecologist and Farwell Family Director of the Stanford Program in Menopause and Healthy Aging, studies menopause and, perhaps more importantly, perimenopause – the critical years preceding it. During this time, hormone-related symptoms like mood instability, sleep disruption, hot flashes, and joint pain can be severe even though periods continue. Adams explains that perimenopausal symptoms are often misdiagnosed and improperly treated. She says hormonal therapies are safe and effective in perimenopause and menopause, and can even have heart and bone benefits. “Menopause is inevitable, but suffering is not,” Adams tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast. Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu. Episode Reference Links: Stanford Profile: Karen Adams Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Russ Altman introduces guest Karen Adams, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford University. (00:02:11) Path into Menopause Medicine How Adams built one of the first clinical programs focused on women over 40. (00:04:19) Menopause and Perimenopause What menopause is and how the hormonal transition often begins years earlier. (00:06:19) Beyond Hot Flashes The wide range of symptoms that can appear during perimenopause. (00:11:09) Pregnancy Risk During Perimenopause Why contraception can still matter until a full year without a period. (00:11:11) Unpredictable Symptoms Why perimenopausal symptoms can be harder to recognize than PMS. (00:13:37) Hormone Therapy How treatment differs during perimenopause and after menopause. (00:22:57) The Women’s Health Initiative What the landmark hormone therapy study showed. (00:27:53) Sexual Health and Vaginal Estrogen Why local estrogen can safely treat genitourinary symptoms for many women. (00:30:36) Future In a Minute Rapid-fire Q&A: menopause care, women’s health, and better clinical support (00:32:58) Conclusion Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 17, 202632 min

The future of Parkinson’s disease

Biochemist Suzanne Pfeffer is an expert on the molecular roots of Parkinson’s disease. Her work focuses on mutated proteins linked to Parkinson’s risk. She’s discovered, for instance, that drugs inhibiting one of the proteins can help neurons regrow primary cilia and stave off cell death, reversing disease progression. Since similar drugs are in clinical trials, her findings bring great hope for people with a subtype of Parkinson’s and hopefully can be linked to earlier detection through warning signs like REM sleep disruptions and loss of smell. “This is precision medicine,” Pfeffer tells host Russ Altman of the future of Parkinson’s disease on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast. Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu. Episode Reference Links: Stanford Profile: Suzanne Pfeffer Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Russ Altman introduces guest Suzanne Pfeffer, a professor of biochemistry at Stanford University. (00:03:25) Path into Parkinson’s Research How Pfeffer’s protein work led to a life-changing work on Parkinson’s disease. (00:05:28) Parkinson’s Primer The various causes and the effects of the disease on the brain and body. (00:10:26) Lewy Bodies and Dementia How Lewy bodies, synuclein, and dementia relate to Parkinson’s disease. (00:11:56) Molecular Trafficking Pfeffer breaks down the effects of LRRK2 and GBA mutations in the brain. (00:16:10) Early Disease Changes Some of the early changes in the body and how they show up as symptomatically. (00:20:04) Current Treatments The limitations of symptom-focused treatments. (00:21:46) Treating Earlier Opportunities for slowing or reversing disease progression when detected earlier. (00:22:32) Targeting LRRK2 Current research on disease treatment & trial challenges. (00:27:33) The Value of Basic Science Why curiosity-driven research can unexpectedly lead to disease breakthroughs. (00:29:33) Future In a Minute Rapid-fire Q&A: biomarkers, brain donation, and better Parkinson’s treatments. (00:31:52) Conclusion Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 10, 202637 min

The future of AI and the legal field

Law professor Julian Nyarko has drawn attention for his studies using large language models to investigate and improve legal education and explore AI’s biases. He hopes AI can become a reliable, always-on legal learning and assistance tool to lower costs and expand access to legal services. In one recent study, he asked a group of law professors to evaluate written answers to student questions. Three-quarters of the time, the professors preferred AI-generated answers to those of their human colleagues. “AI is good at law,” Nyarko says, the challenge now is to use it most effectively, he tells host Russ Altman in this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast. Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu. Episode Reference Links: Stanford Profile: Julian Nyarko Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Russ Altman introduces guest Julian Nyarko, a professor of law at Stanford University. (00:02:31) Path into AI and Law How Nyarko’s early work led him to legal AI. (00:05:03) Law, Economics, and Computation How Nyarko’s training, methods, and self-taught coding shaped his research. (00:07:23) Building the LIFT Lab Why a law professor started a lab. (00:09:06) Evaluating Legal AI How AI raises fundamental questions about what counts as good lawyering. (00:10:22) Improving Legal Services Using AI to work faster, reduce errors, and make informed decisions. (00:10:57) Rethinking Legal Education How AI may change the way future lawyers learn (00:11:51) AI in Office Hours How AI answers law students’ questions compared with human professors. (00:15:18) Surprising Results Why AI answers were often preferred (00:16:16) What the Study Shows The findings support AI tutoring, but don’t prove AI improves learning. (00:18:48) Limits of One-Shot Answers Why real teaching often depends on dialogue, clarification, and productive struggle. (00:20:59) AI for Social Science How AI can become both an object of study and a tool. (00:22:43) Research Agents Using AI to test claims and make previously impossible research scalable. (00:24:51) Agentic AI in the Lab How Socratic dialogue with AI can sharpen research ideas. (00:26:07) Fairness and Bias How computational tools can be audited for bias and used to audit decision-making. (00:27:29) Discrimination in Models Exploring bias and how it can be reduced. (00:30:16) Disparate Impact How policies and systems disadvantage groups even without explicit intent. (00:32:53) From Evidence to Policy How Nyarko’s lab works with stakeholders to surface disparities. (00:34:49) Future In a Minute Rapid-fire Q&A: justice, talent, and the future of legal AI. (00:36:57) Conclusion Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 3, 202632 min

Best of: The future of wildfire management

In the western United States and Canada, this time of year is the beginning of peak wildfire season, a reality that's become impossible to ignore. In light of this, we're re-releasing my conversation with energy and climate policy expert Michael Wara on the future of wildfire management. Michael walks us through how we got here, why fires are burning bigger and more frequently, and what a smarter, more proactive approach to managing our landscapes might look like. Whether you're in a fire-prone region or simply paying attention to the changing climate around you, this one is well worth another listen. Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu . Episode Reference Links: Stanford Profile: Michael Wara Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Russ Altman introduces guest Michael Wara, a wildfire expert and professor of law at Stanford University. (00:02:05) Journey to Wildfire Research How Michael’s clean energy work led to wildfire research. (00:03:36) Communities at the Frontlines The community-level challenges and responsibilities in fire prevention. (00:05:53) Shifting Community Perspectives How awareness is rising but state efforts remain misaligned. (00:08:17) Legacy Homes, Modern Risk Why older homes pose a major risk and retrofitting is crucial. (00:09:55) Utility-Led Safety Limitations The significant but insufficient progress utilities have made. (00:13:23) Targeting High-Risk Areas How utilities now prioritize high-risk areas for safety upgrades. (00:14:30) Insurance Industry Realities Why insurers can't price risk without crashing markets. (00:17:19) Urban Wildfires How today's major fires in suburbs are mostly fueled by homes. (00:22:12) The Climate Change Multiplier The impact of atmospheric dryness and fuel moisture on fire risk. (00:24:45) New Fire Regulations Recent mandates that have been implemented to decrease fire risk. (00:28:17) Rethinking Wildfire Communication Why better messaging is key to changing homeowner behavior. (00:31:52) Conclusion Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 26, 202630 min

The future of storytelling for health

“Stories … are powerful tools that can help us make sense of our lives,” says physician-scientist Maya Adam . She now combines visual storytelling and health education to create animations that go beyond the barriers of language and culture to convey important health messages. The subject matter ranges from vaccine acceptance and addiction to mental health and nutrition. These emotionally engaging narratives – often without a single spoken word – are more effective than traditional pamphlets and lectures, Adam says. Visual stories have the potential to achieve “near-universal understanding” that can support better health outcomes, she tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast. Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu . Episode Reference Links: Stanford Profile: Maya Adam Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Russ Altman introduces guest Maya Adam, a professor of pediatrics and infectious disease from Stanford University. (00:03:43) From Ballet to Medicine How Adam’s background shaped her approach to health education. (00:05:02) Why Stories Work Why lived experience makes evidence-based health recommendations more meaningful. (00:06:17) The Story Creation Process Adam’s techniques for creating effective scalable health stories on any topic (00:09:20) Real World Stories Adam shares some particularly challenging topics the team has created stories for (00:11:10) Global Accessibility Designing stories and characters that can resonate across cultures and contexts. (00:12:38) Measuring Impact Using technology to run trials to test and measure impact (00:15:23) Iterating the Message Adapting and changing approaches to create the most effective message (00:17:53) AI and Storytelling How AI is beginning to affect health communication and creative production. (00:19:45) Testing Human vs. AI Art A trial comparing responses to human-created and AI-generated health storytelling. (00:25:42) Human-in-the-Loop AI How AI may best support artists and clinicians by reducing burden rather than replacing (00:27:43) Future In a Minute Rapid-fire Q&A: stories, collaboration, media, and the future of health communication. (00:29:44) Conclusion Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 19, 202627 min

Best of: The future of exercise

The World Cup is here, and while we watch some of the world's greatest athletes competing on a global stage, it's fascinating to consider what effect this intense activity may have on the human body. With that in mind, we're re-releasing our conversation with Stanford biochemist Jonathan Long on the future of exercise. Jonathan studies the chemistry of what happens inside your body when you move, and his findings are pointing toward some genuinely surprising possibilities — including treatments for obesity, diabetes, and even, someday, an exercise pill. If the athleticism on the pitch has you feeling inspired, this one is well worth another listen. Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu . Episode Reference Links: Stanford Profile: Jonathan Long Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Russ Altman introduces guest Jonathan Long, a professor of pathology from Stanford University. (00:02:02) Effective Weight Loss Drugs The history and development of GLP-1 receptor agonists. (00:04:04) Understanding Metabolism and Exercise Why Long’s lab starts with molecules to understand metabolism and physical activity. (00:05:10) Animal Models in Exercise Studies The use of animal models in exercise studies and the discovery of Lac-Phe. (00:06:47) Psychological Preparation for Exercise The psychological aspects of exercise and the involvement of endocannabinoids in exercise motivation. (00:09:00) Lac-Phe's Role and Mechanism The role of Lac-Phe and its production in the gut. (00:12:08) Differences in Exercise Response Differences in exercise response between trained athletes and untrained individuals. (00:12:57) Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases The relationship between diabetes, exercise, and metabolic diseases. (00:15:01) Lac-Phe as a Potential Therapeutic The potential of Lac-Phe as a weight loss drug, and parallels to GLP-1 drug development. (00:16:21) Importance of How Weight is Lost Whether the method of weight loss matters, and the importance of preserving lean muscle mass. (00:18:37) Exercise as Medicine The concept of exercise as medicine, and defining physical activity at the same resolution as modern medicines. (00:22:11) Metformin and Exercise Pathways The unexpected connection between metformin and the Lac-Phe pathway. (00:24:01) Prospects of an Exercise Pill The future of an exercise pill, and the challenges associated with its development. (00:27:05) Conclusion Final thoughts on the future of exercise. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 12, 202634 min

The Future of Retinal Implants

Professor of ophthalmology Daniel Palanker is a physicist who has combined his skills in optics and electronics to create PRIMA – the Photovoltaic Retinal Implant. Inserted beneath the retina, it restores vision to patients blinded by retinal degeneration, allowing them to read and write – and with the next-generation software, to recognize faces. PRIMA’s photovoltaic pixels act like tiny solar panels, converting light into electricity to stimulate the remaining retinal neurons. Better yet, the growing field of brain-computer interfaces may have implications beyond ophthalmology. “Unlike medicine, where the road ends with curing a disease or restoring lost function, the prospects for brain-machine interfaces may be infinite,” Palanker tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast. Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu . Episode Reference Links: Stanford Profile: Daniel Palanker Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Russ Altman introduces guest Daniel Palanker, a professor of ophthalmology and electrical engineering at Stanford University. (00:03:17) Path into Ophthalmology How Palanker’s background in physics and optics led him to vision research. (00:04:33) How Vision Works A primer on the eye, retina, photoreceptors, and the neural code of sight. (00:08:50) Retinal Degeneration How diseases like macular degeneration and inherited retinal disorders damage vision. (00:13:18) The PRIMA Implant How a photovoltaic retinal implant converts light into electrical stimulation. (00:15:05) Augmented Reality Glasses How camera-equipped glasses amplify and project images to power the implant. (00:17:42) From Reading to Face Recognition Why grayscale vision is the next step toward recognizing faces. (00:20:18) Implanting the Device How the wireless chip is placed under the retina and powered by light. (00:21:45) Replaceable Vision Technology How future generations of implants could be swapped in for higher resolution. (00:22:28) Limits of Resolution Why geometry and proximity to neurons determine how small pixels can get. (00:24:00) Moving to 3D Electrodes How pillar-shaped electrodes help neurons move closer to the implant. (00:26:28) Clinical Path Forward The status of European trials, FDA discussions, and future patient access. (00:28:10) Safety and Real-World Use What trials reveal about surgical risks, durability, and patients using implants at home. (00:30:11) Future In a Minute Rapid-fire Q&A: neural coding, brain-machine interfaces, and restoring vision. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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