Pulse July 2019 | Page 85

“One of the biggest challenges I see is the shortage of strong leaders who understand the importance of constructive feedback.” EyeWriter, that was made of cheap sunglasses, zip ties, duct tape and a web camera with some really smart code. It allowed him to communicate and draw again for the first time in seven years with just his eyes. That act of doing that one thing, for that one person, was the launching point of Not Impossible Labs. We realized the power of trying to change the world for one person, could actually change the world for so many people—so we released all of the plans and schematics online so now anyone in the world could build an EyeWriter. sonable silence of the world”. The mission of Not Impossible is about seeing these human needs, these absurdities that just exist and saying, “I’m not going to be silent anymore. I’m going to actually go and do something” or, “I’m going to try my best to try to figure this out and change the world for one person.” P: As a storyteller, how do you use your craft to change the world? E: We don’t come from infinite resources. We come from a background of people who just get stuff done and because of that, we have to use the tools that we have in front of us. Storytelling is P: What did it mean to you personally to work on that project? E: For us, it was every- thing. It was the genesis of who we are, what we stand for—to see something that’s absurd from a human stand- point and then say, “that’s not right. I’m going to go change that.” Then we go out and we convene teams of brilliant mad-scientists and misfit geniuses. We come together and we solve that problem. We solve that absurdity and make it accessible for people. P: Not Impossible Labs creates “technology for the sake of humanity”. What does that mission mean to you? E: Albert Camus has a quote... “The absurd is borne out of confrontation between human need and the unrea- incredibly important to us because that’s what actually gives people the opportunity to experience the solutions we’ve created. It lets them relate to those stories, and see those stories, and be able to say, “Hey, I actually can use that for my loved one,” or “I know someone who could actually benefit from this.” P: Questioning the status quo seems to be a big part of Not Impossible Labs’ philosophy. Have you always been someone who has challenged the status quo? E: You would have to ask my mom, but I’m sure she will tell you that I wasn’t just accepting [of] the status quo, just because that’s the way it’s supposed to be or that it’s always been. In fact, if you ask my kids the question, “what are rules for?” they will all answer in their own unique interpretation, “rules are for breaking, but not for following.” jULy ■ PULSE 2019 83