0:00:02 > 0:00:04I love gadgets and technology, so when I found out
0:00:04 > 0:00:07I would be doing a gadget special, I looked a little bit like this.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09And when you see what's about to hit your TV screens,
0:00:09 > 0:00:11you will also look like this.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17We've been on a mission to bring you some of the hottest gadgets
0:00:17 > 0:00:19the world has to offer.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22I've got the inside story on some truly life-changing technology,
0:00:22 > 0:00:26and I met some amazing people along the way.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31Coming up on today's gadget special -
0:00:31 > 0:00:34the bionic suit that's changing people's lives...
0:00:34 > 0:00:39I control a CBBC game using a banana and some modelling clay...
0:00:39 > 0:00:43and we meet the man who designed some of the most iconic gadgets
0:00:43 > 0:00:45of the 21st century.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56I really am like the cat that's got the cream today.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58And you can tell by looking at my ears.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00This is a really cool gadget. It's attached to my forehead here,
0:01:00 > 0:01:04cos that's reading my brainwaves via this sensor, and then this bit
0:01:04 > 0:01:06that's attached to my ear is reading my pulse.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08And so it knows at any time how I'm feeling
0:01:08 > 0:01:11and then translates that through the movement of the ears.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13So if they're sticking up and moving around,
0:01:13 > 0:01:14that means I'm excited and happy,
0:01:14 > 0:01:16which I am today, cos there are gadgets here,
0:01:16 > 0:01:19but if I feel sad or relaxed, they'll start to droop.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23But who could be sad and relaxed in a studio full of gadgets? Not me.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25Check this guy out down here. He's called Roomba.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28He's basically a robotic vacuum cleaner.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Very simply you press the button in the middle which says "clean"...
0:01:31 > 0:01:35and off he goes, going about his business, cleaning your house
0:01:35 > 0:01:36while you play with other gadgets.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Maybe a robotic vacuum cleaner doesn't float your boat.
0:01:39 > 0:01:40How about these things over here?
0:01:40 > 0:01:43You can play with other people with these -
0:01:43 > 0:01:46six-legged robots that you control using a remote control.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49All the stuff you'd expect - left and right, forwards and backwards.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52And the idea, very simply, is to rotate that centre console
0:01:52 > 0:01:54so it's aiming towards your opponent. And it fires discs.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57You can aim them by going up and down here
0:01:57 > 0:01:58with the blue and the yellow buttons,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01and when you're ready and you think you're lined up,
0:02:01 > 0:02:02press the green button to fire a disc...
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Just like that. Oh, that's a bit too high. Let's lower it.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08The idea is to knock bits of armour off the legs of your opponent.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12If you can do that three times, like this... Oh, that was so close!
0:02:12 > 0:02:15- There we go! - CHEERING
0:02:15 > 0:02:18That's what you've got to do. You've got to knock three of those off,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21and once you have, you render your opponent useless and you win.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Maybe that's not high-tech enough for you.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25Have a look at this thing over here.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27It's a vehicle you can control using your phone or your tablet.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30But it's no ordinary vehicle that goes forwards and backwards,
0:02:30 > 0:02:34left and right, cos in the middle of it is a spy camera.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36So place it on the floor -
0:02:36 > 0:02:39whoever you want to spy on has to be in sight -
0:02:39 > 0:02:42and then you control it going forward and backwards like this.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45And then you can actually aim the camera.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47Now, the footage from the camera is being fed wirelessly
0:02:47 > 0:02:51to my tablet here so I can see exactly what's going on.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54So you can spy on your brother or your sister or your film crew,
0:02:54 > 0:02:56if you happen to have one of those in your house.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58So you can see we've got six-legged robots,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01we've got brainwave-reading technology and we've got spy cams.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04M.I. High, eat your heart out. But what about the Hollywood stuff?
0:03:04 > 0:03:06You know the stuff that you see in movies,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09like bionic suits that can make the impossible possible?
0:03:09 > 0:03:11Surely that's just a Hollywood myth, right?
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Wrong. Watch this.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18Hollywood filmmakers are obsessed with predicting new technology
0:03:18 > 0:03:21and the Iron Man movies are no exception.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24But surely a suit like this is pure science fiction.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Or is it?
0:03:28 > 0:03:32No, I'm not in Hollywood, but I am in the United States of America.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34I'm in a place called Richmond in California,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37where a company have been developing some truly movie-like technology,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40and I'm about to demonstrate what you're going to see
0:03:40 > 0:03:44using some... non movie-like technology.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48Say hello to Rita. She's a rabbit.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50And unlike real rabbits, she has an exoskeleton.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53That means the skeleton is on the outside of the body.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55On the inside is just some soft and floppy string.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58So without this external strong layer holding her rigid,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02she would simply do this. Sorry, Rita.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04But you and I, like other human beings, have a endoskeleton.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07That means our skeleton is on the inside of our bodies,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10and along with nerves, cartilage and tendons and other clever stuff,
0:04:10 > 0:04:14it gives us the internal support we need to do this - stand up and walk.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19But for people with spinal injuries or those born with disabilities
0:04:19 > 0:04:21that mean they can't simply stand up and walk around,
0:04:21 > 0:04:23they often use a wheelchair.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25But in the future, things could be very different -
0:04:25 > 0:04:28new technology that means they can choose how they get around.
0:04:30 > 0:04:31I've come here to Ekso Bionics,
0:04:31 > 0:04:34where they have developed something truly amazing -
0:04:34 > 0:04:37one of the first human exoskeletons in the world.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44I'm here to meet a lady called Tamara.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Eight years ago, she was in a car accident.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48When she woke up in hospital,
0:04:48 > 0:04:50she was devastated to hear that her boyfriend had died
0:04:50 > 0:04:54and that her own spinal cord had been badly damaged.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Doctors told her that she would never walk again.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59But then she came here.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13- Tamara, hi.- Hello.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16It's actually quite hard to believe what I'm seeing here.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19This is the exoskeleton - the bionic suit that you're wearing -
0:05:19 > 0:05:21- and it helps you to walk.- Yes. - It's incredible.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23How does it feel to be able to walk?
0:05:23 > 0:05:25To be very, very honest,
0:05:25 > 0:05:29I gave up the hope that I would ever walk again.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33I didn't think this would happen and I didn't want to get stuck in life.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36I wanted to pursue other things and accomplish other dreams,
0:05:36 > 0:05:38so I just said, "You know what?
0:05:38 > 0:05:41"The easiest thing is going to be to give up on walking,"
0:05:41 > 0:05:42and that's kind of what I did.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Obviously you have access to this amazing technology now,
0:05:45 > 0:05:47but do you have a moment in your life
0:05:47 > 0:05:49when you wish you'd had exo with you?
0:05:49 > 0:05:53There's a very particular moment I really wish I'd been able to stand.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57When I graduated, I went to collect my degree
0:05:57 > 0:05:59and I had a standing ovation.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01There was 10,000 people standing.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04And I was standing with them in spirit. I really was.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07But that's one time I just remember wishing,
0:06:07 > 0:06:09"I wish I could stand right now,
0:06:09 > 0:06:13"physically and emotionally and mentally with everyone." And...
0:06:14 > 0:06:18But here I am now. I'm just looking forward to what's coming next.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Obviously a lot of the time you're a lot lower than you are now
0:06:21 > 0:06:24and here you are, a full six foot two, and you're talking to me
0:06:24 > 0:06:27eye to eye, which must be just a nice feeling in itself.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31When I stood for the first time and I got to hug someone,
0:06:31 > 0:06:37and have a conversation, I remembered how amazing it felt.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40I kind of had forgotten what it felt like to give someone,
0:06:40 > 0:06:44like, a hug, like, chest to chest.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47You know, I forgot how good it felt.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51It's just the things we take for granted.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Ekso Bionics here in California is not the only firm developing
0:06:55 > 0:06:57this kind of technology. Last year,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00a lady called Claire Lomas completed the London Marathon
0:07:00 > 0:07:02in a suit developed by an Israeli firm
0:07:02 > 0:07:04called Argo Medical Technologies.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10I'm meeting Russ - he's one of the inventors of this bionic suit
0:07:10 > 0:07:12and he's going to explain how it works.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15- Russ, hi.- Hi.- Great to meet you. Thanks for having us.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Now, it's fair to say that we've seen an exoskeleton in action -
0:07:18 > 0:07:20we've seen Tamara walking one, there's one right here.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23How does an exoskeleton actually work?
0:07:23 > 0:07:25A good way to think of it is we have this exo here
0:07:25 > 0:07:28and it has these electric motors that are basically like your muscles
0:07:28 > 0:07:31and so they're actually providing the movement at the knees and the hips,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33just like you would with your thighs,
0:07:33 > 0:07:36and then we actually have the structure of the exoskeleton itself,
0:07:36 > 0:07:37which actually acts as the bones.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40So that gives it the strength and support
0:07:40 > 0:07:42to be able to get Tamara up and help her walk.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44So how do you even go about putting this together?
0:07:44 > 0:07:46When did exo...? When was it born?
0:07:46 > 0:07:49This actually all started as a DARPA -
0:07:49 > 0:07:51an advanced research programme - back in 2004.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54We were actually making exoskeletons to help the soldiers out -
0:07:54 > 0:07:57- to actually give them Iron Man type capabilities.- Nice.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00And along the way we figured out we can actually take this technology
0:08:00 > 0:08:03and help people that had spinal cord injuries get up and walk again.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05I think there is one question on everyone's lips
0:08:05 > 0:08:08and I think that I speak on behalf of our audience as well -
0:08:08 > 0:08:11- are you going to make an Iron Man suit and can we have one?- Not yet.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14Unfortunately, unlike the movie, we don't have the arc reactor yet.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16- Of course. - We're still constrained to batteries.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19So as soon as we have the arc reactor, we'll start working on it.
0:08:19 > 0:08:20Excellent. We'll let you know.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Bionic technology is taking its first steps
0:08:25 > 0:08:28and it has a bold, bright future ahead of it.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32I love technology. I love what you can do with it.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34I love that it can be used to be creative,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36or it can be used to create something quite daft.
0:08:36 > 0:08:37But I think, most importantly,
0:08:37 > 0:08:40technology can be used to change people's lives
0:08:40 > 0:08:41and there's no better example of that
0:08:41 > 0:08:43than what we've seen here today.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55It really is incredible, isn't it?
0:08:55 > 0:08:57And we've got a lot to learn from nature's exoskeletons too.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Take a look at this. It's a crab - a perfect example of an exoskeleton.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02Or maybe this creature - a scorpion.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05They have a hard outer layer that protects the inside.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08A bit like this egg. Now, the egg has a shell,
0:09:08 > 0:09:10which works a bit like an exoskeleton,
0:09:10 > 0:09:14but if you apply too much pressure to it, like this...
0:09:14 > 0:09:15it smashes on the floor.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19So is there an exoskeleton available that uses technology
0:09:19 > 0:09:21that can help to protect our gadgets?
0:09:21 > 0:09:23Well, I'm sure you've all seen a phone like this -
0:09:23 > 0:09:26friends and family members walking around with a smashed screen.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28The obvious thing to do to protect your gadgets
0:09:28 > 0:09:30is to put a case on the outside of them.
0:09:30 > 0:09:36But what if I was to say to you, you could also cover them in this stuff?
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Now, this is actually being used in phone cases today.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42I'm not the man to describe this to you, or explain how it works -
0:09:42 > 0:09:45- Jason is. Jason, hi, welcome to the show.- Hi. Thank you very much.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47So here we have the orange goo in the tank
0:09:47 > 0:09:49and here it is inside one of your cases.
0:09:49 > 0:09:50Can you explain what it is and what it does?
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Well, we call it Impactology.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54And what Impactology is all about is
0:09:54 > 0:09:57we take some of the most advanced materials
0:09:57 > 0:09:59in the world for impact protection,
0:09:59 > 0:10:03such as D3O here, so that it absorbs all of those knocks, drops and bumps
0:10:03 > 0:10:06- that happen in everyday life.- It's quite a strange substance, isn't it?
0:10:06 > 0:10:09Because it's almost liquid-like, yet in the cases it's solid.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11How does it actually work? Why is it like that?
0:10:11 > 0:10:14So, basically, how it works is... You're correct.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18It's like a liquid but then, upon impact,
0:10:18 > 0:10:22when a force is integrated into the material, it actually goes hard.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26The intelligent molecules lock together and then push away
0:10:26 > 0:10:28the impact force from the product it's protecting.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31- It really is quite intelligent stuff, isn't it?- That's correct.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33It almost knows that an impact is about to happen.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36- We've seen what a very weak sort of exoskeleton can do.- Yeah.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38We've seen the eggshell break.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40If you were to put this stuff on the outside of an egg,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43- would it protect it enough? - Well, I think so.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46I mean, D3O is used in some of the high-grade sports equipment,
0:10:46 > 0:10:50helmets, and also in military applications as well.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53- Let's give it a go.- Always up for an experiment. Brilliant.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56So this is a real egg going inside this same material.
0:10:56 > 0:11:01Let's take an egg and let's wrap it up into the D3O.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05And then let's come over here and...
0:11:05 > 0:11:08- It has to be completely covered over the top.- That's right.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12- This is quite exciting. I've never seen this done before.- Here we go.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15- Oh! Perfect.- That was a hard bounce as well, wasn't it?
0:11:15 > 0:11:18- Here we go. - But how is the egg inside?
0:11:18 > 0:11:21It's absolutely fine. Look at that. Proof that this stuff really works.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24And if you're thinking this might be a stunt egg - watch.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Absolutely brilliant. Jason, thank you so much for coming in.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28- Thank you.- What amazing stuff.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Impact protection is only part of the solution
0:11:31 > 0:11:32when it comes to selling these phone cases.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35Of course, they have to look good as well, and recently,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38when I went to America, I met a guy who knows a thing or two
0:11:38 > 0:11:40about good-looking gadgets.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47I've come to Cupertino in California, where,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50in the early 1800s, local residents made their money
0:11:50 > 0:11:52by selling fruit that was grown here. They had plums
0:11:52 > 0:11:54and cherries, and right where I'm stood
0:11:54 > 0:11:56was an apricot orchard. These days, however,
0:11:56 > 0:12:00it's a big city and those apricot orchards have all gone.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03There is, however, one very big fruit still here.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Welcome to Apple HQ.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08I'm here today to meet a massive Blue Peter fan
0:12:08 > 0:12:11who just happens to be a British designer
0:12:11 > 0:12:15who designed this, this and this. Thanks.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18You may recall I set you a design challenge a while ago
0:12:18 > 0:12:22and that was to design a schoolbag, pencil case and lunchbox all in one.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24Well, I've picked some of my favourite designs
0:12:24 > 0:12:27and I've brought them here because they are about to be seen
0:12:27 > 0:12:29by the legend that is Sir Jonathan Ive.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32Sir Jonathan was born and grew up in Northeast London.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35He went to the same high school as David Beckham.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38After studying industrial design at Northumbria University,
0:12:38 > 0:12:41he worked for a company that designed tools.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43He moved to California when he was 25 years old
0:12:43 > 0:12:45to work as a designer for Apple
0:12:45 > 0:12:49and is now the senior vice president of industrial design.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52His designs have enabled Apple to sell millions of products worldwide.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55He also received a knighthood in 2012.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Arise, Sir Jony.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00From the East End to the West Coast, from tools to tablets -
0:13:00 > 0:13:03the boy done good.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Sir Jonathan Ive, it's so nice to meet you.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08- Lovely to meet you, Barney. And it's Jony, please.- Jony.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11Jony, so nice to meet you. Let's start from the very beginning.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13As a young boy, you watched Blue Peter
0:13:13 > 0:13:16and you saw the shows that were on, obviously, when you were a kid,
0:13:16 > 0:13:19and the great thing is, it hasn't really changed over the years.
0:13:19 > 0:13:20There's always been things to watch
0:13:20 > 0:13:22to give you ideas, to make and design things.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24Is there anything that you saw in the show
0:13:24 > 0:13:26that stuck in your mind as you got older?
0:13:26 > 0:13:29I remember one thing very... really vividly,
0:13:29 > 0:13:35which was taking a detergent bottle that had been cut
0:13:35 > 0:13:37and then the top turned upside down
0:13:37 > 0:13:40and it made this fantastic paintbrush holder
0:13:40 > 0:13:42- where you could put water in.- Yeah.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44But if you knocked it over,
0:13:44 > 0:13:47because of the way the top had been turned upside down,
0:13:47 > 0:13:49it wouldn't spill. I mean, I don't how long ago that was
0:13:49 > 0:13:52but I remember that really clearly.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54I loved the way there were just products
0:13:54 > 0:13:59that you thought were no longer useful, but re-using them.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02I thought it was fantastic. I remember ever so clearly.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05We set a challenge and the challenge was to design
0:14:05 > 0:14:08a lunchbox, a school bag and a pencil case all in one.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10So imagine that was your brief.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12If you were given that task, how would you have approached it?
0:14:12 > 0:14:14If we're thinking of lunchbox,
0:14:14 > 0:14:18we'd be really careful about not having the word "box" already,
0:14:18 > 0:14:22you know, give you a bunch of ideas that could be quite narrow,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25cos you think of a box as being square and like a cube.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28And so we're quite careful with the words we use
0:14:28 > 0:14:31because those can sort of determine the path that you go down.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Sure. I've got some videos here to show you of the actual design.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37If we take a look, these are the designers themselves
0:14:37 > 0:14:39telling you about what they've done.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41First up is Danya.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44I decided to design the new school bag.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47It's a handy backpack and a lunchbox and a pencil case
0:14:47 > 0:14:49all rolled into one. What I thought was,
0:14:49 > 0:14:51I would attach the pencil case with a zip on the bag.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53You can zip it off or zip it on.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57The next bit is a lunchbox, which is attached here by a zip,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00so you can zip it off or keep it on.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04It's got cushion on the back so that if it's really heavy
0:15:04 > 0:15:07it doesn't hurt your back that much
0:15:07 > 0:15:09and the straps you can make longer or shorter.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12I mean, one of the things that really struck me
0:15:12 > 0:15:15with Danya's design first of all was the drawings.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18- I mean, the drawings are really fabulous, aren't they?- They are.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20I love the way the pencil...
0:15:20 > 0:15:23- It looks like the pencil case actually rolls out.- That's clever.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26It rolls into a pencil case that you know it as, but when you unzip it,
0:15:26 > 0:15:28it rolls out flat like an artist's palette. That's clever.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31And I guess it would be pretty comfortable.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35You know, there's that padded back just there.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37Yeah, really, really, fantastic.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Well, we've got another one here. This is from Dougie.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42This is my design.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44I did it in the shape of the Blue Peter badge
0:15:44 > 0:15:50because I like watching Blue Peter and I knew they would like it.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53The pencil case can come on and off.
0:15:53 > 0:16:00This is the boat on the badge where you can put your lunchbox in.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04And it's got mesh on the bottom to let all the crumbs out.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08- Oh, wow.- It's brilliant, isn't it? There's Dougie's design.- Yeah.
0:16:08 > 0:16:13The amazing thing is how original and new the shape is. I saw the badge...
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Actually, it does work really well as a bag, doesn't it?
0:16:16 > 0:16:20How could you not love the mesh to let your crumbs out?
0:16:20 > 0:16:24- It's really, really lovely. - OK, third up, this is Sarah.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27This is my design. It's called the schooler sack.
0:16:27 > 0:16:32I designed the lunchbox with a code so no-one can steal your lunch.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37This comes with a wrist navigator where it can tell you exactly
0:16:37 > 0:16:41where your bag is and which direction to go to find it.
0:16:41 > 0:16:47It also comes with a free water bottle in over ten designs.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51- What do you think?- To include the water bottle with the lunchbox...
0:16:51 > 0:16:56It's a great idea. Very safe. The most secure sandwiches in the school.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01Quick release for the pencil case with the straps at the top.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04- No, it's fantastic, isn't it? - It really is amazing.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07- Wow.- Yeah, love it.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10There's another video our top designers would like you to see.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16Hi, Jony, we like your cool designs.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19You've inspired us to design things that people use every day.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22To say thanks, we want to present you with a gold Blue Peter badge.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25And here it is. It gives us great pleasure,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28on behalf of everybody that's been involved,
0:17:28 > 0:17:29not just our audience or designers
0:17:29 > 0:17:32but anybody who has seen what you've done over the years,
0:17:32 > 0:17:33you really are an inspiration to everybody
0:17:33 > 0:17:36and we would like to award you with our highest accolade -
0:17:36 > 0:17:38- a gold Blue Peter badge.- That's...
0:17:38 > 0:17:41That's absolutely incredible. Thank you so much.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46- You're very, very welcome.- I'm very, very grateful. It means an awful lot.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48It really does. Wow.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51I actually have a surprise for you.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54- Let's go this way.- I like surprises.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00Well, I hope the surprise involves this boy's toy,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03I love it already. It's amazing, isn't it?
0:18:03 > 0:18:09This is a CNC machine that right now is cutting some aluminium.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13- Yeah.- You gave me this incredible gold Blue Peter badge
0:18:13 > 0:18:16and we wanted to make something very special for you.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19And so we're making a very large Blue Peter badge
0:18:19 > 0:18:23- from a solid piece of aluminium. - Wow, look at that. It's incredible.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27It takes about ten hours for it to finish.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31But in true Blue Peter fashion, I'm very glad to say...
0:18:31 > 0:18:36- here's one we made earlier.- That is absolutely fantastic. Look at that.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39Isn't that the best thing you've ever seen? Thank you so much.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42- You're so welcome. So glad you like it.- It's amazing.
0:18:42 > 0:18:43It's a bit big to wear, though.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49And here it is. Isn't it absolutely gorgeous?
0:18:49 > 0:18:52At the moment, Sir Jonathan and his team are making us
0:18:52 > 0:18:54a nice stand so we can display it here in the Blue Peter studio,
0:18:54 > 0:18:56so look out for that in the next few weeks.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58Now, as this is a gadget special,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01I think it's about time we showed you some more gadgets and tech.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03So we're going to head back to America to a place called Las Vegas,
0:19:03 > 0:19:07where every year they have the biggest gadget fair in the world.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09We sent along a guy called Richard Taylor,
0:19:09 > 0:19:10who is as big a gadget geek as I am,
0:19:10 > 0:19:12to track down some really cool stuff.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19I'm Richard Taylor. For the past 13 years,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22I've been around the globe covering the world of technology,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24and each year, this is a highlight -
0:19:24 > 0:19:27CES, the Consumer Electronics Show.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31This is where the biggest technology companies
0:19:31 > 0:19:32come to showcase their new gadgets.
0:19:32 > 0:19:37There are thousands of products in an area as big as 25 football pitches
0:19:37 > 0:19:40and I've got an access-all-areas pass.
0:19:42 > 0:19:47Check this out. A 750-kilo robotic spider, don't you know?
0:19:47 > 0:19:51Now, it's actually an art project by two Canadians,
0:19:51 > 0:19:55aimed at inspiring people like you to build the unbuildable.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Screens have dominated the Consumer Electronics Show
0:20:04 > 0:20:07for as long as I can remember, and this year is no exception.
0:20:07 > 0:20:08There are thousands of them.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11Wafer-thin curved screens...
0:20:11 > 0:20:15super sharp, ultra high-definition touch screens...
0:20:17 > 0:20:21..and entire walls of 3D screens.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26Imagine in the future if you all had these in your schools.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32Now, what I'm about to do is crazy.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36But the technology behind this is even crazier.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40It's been coated in a special waterproof layer
0:20:40 > 0:20:421,000 times thinner than a human hair.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44MOBILE RINGS
0:20:44 > 0:20:46Oh, excuse me, I've got a call coming in.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48'Hey, Rich. Are you in the bath?'
0:20:48 > 0:20:50These make quite the fashion statement.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53Bendable headphones that you can link together
0:20:53 > 0:20:55to share the music with your friends.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05And after a hard day's gadget hunting,
0:21:05 > 0:21:10it's time to unwind, courtesy of a tiny robot tickling my back.
0:21:17 > 0:21:22Dear Father Christmas, I would like loads of gadgets... Oh, hi.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24It's not too early to write a Christmas list, is it?
0:21:24 > 0:21:27Or a birthday list, for that matter. In fact, if you're lucky enough
0:21:27 > 0:21:29to get a gadget for Christmas or your birthday,
0:21:29 > 0:21:30I bet you just take it for granted
0:21:30 > 0:21:33that you take it out the box and then just start playing with it,
0:21:33 > 0:21:36which is exactly what I did with this guy. He's called Sphero.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Took him out the box, charged him for a little bit
0:21:38 > 0:21:39and then started playing.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42But after about an hour or so, he turned things on his head
0:21:42 > 0:21:45and asked me how I wanted to play with him. It's brilliant.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48You can download different apps for your smartphone or your tablet
0:21:48 > 0:21:51and you get different decisions to make. So you can choose the colour,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53for example. At the moment, he's blue.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55But I want to change him to a red. I can do that.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Or maybe yellow or green. It's entirely up to you
0:21:58 > 0:22:00how you customise him before you start playing.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02This application uses shapes to control him.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04so if I do a circle, for example,
0:22:04 > 0:22:05just like that, in the colour of green,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08he will then use it as a signal
0:22:08 > 0:22:12and he will do the exact shape I've drawn on the screen of my tablet.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14It's amazing. Once you've got the hang of this
0:22:14 > 0:22:17and you've got him moving all over the floor and in different colours,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19you can start to write code,
0:22:19 > 0:22:21which means that Sphero will do longer sequences.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23You're going to hear the word "code" quite a lot more
0:22:23 > 0:22:26because people in the technology world are worried
0:22:26 > 0:22:28that people like you aren't learning to code,
0:22:28 > 0:22:30and that's exactly what makes our gadgets work.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33So the theory is, no more coders, no more gadgets,
0:22:33 > 0:22:34and that simply can't happen.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36So recently when I went to America,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39I met two guys called Jay and Eric who have designed a brand-new gadget
0:22:39 > 0:22:41that uses code to do some pretty magical stuff.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52I've come to San Francisco to meet two guys called Jay and Eric,
0:22:52 > 0:22:56who together have invented something called the Makey Makey.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58It's really cool. And this is it.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00It's no bigger than a credit card, really,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03and it doesn't look like much, but it is a wicked gadget.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06They've coded it so it can be connected to absolutely anything.
0:23:06 > 0:23:07Whatever it's connected to
0:23:07 > 0:23:10can then be turned into a controller for a computer.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12When I said to them I was on my way, they said,
0:23:12 > 0:23:14"We need you to bring two things with you -
0:23:14 > 0:23:17"some bananas and some modelling clay."
0:23:17 > 0:23:20So, without further ado, let's Makey Makey.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Jay and Eric have been learning about computing and coding
0:23:23 > 0:23:24for most of their lives.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27The gadget they've created allows you to use everyday objects
0:23:27 > 0:23:31in loads of different ways, some of which will really surprise you.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34I've arranged to meet up with them to find out exactly how it works.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39- Jay, Eric, nice to meet you. - Hey, how's it going?
0:23:39 > 0:23:41Very good, thank you. Thanks for seeing us.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43It's the first time I've ever arrived at an interview
0:23:43 > 0:23:45with bananas and some modelling clay.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Can you tell us how Makey Makey actually works?
0:23:48 > 0:23:49Well, let me draw you a picture.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52You need a person...
0:23:52 > 0:23:55you need some stuff, like a banana...
0:23:55 > 0:23:59and you need the Makey Makey and a computer.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Beautiful laptop. So once you've got all four objects together,
0:24:02 > 0:24:04how do you make them work?
0:24:04 > 0:24:06When you turn the lights on in your house, you flip the switch
0:24:06 > 0:24:09and it makes two pieces of metal touch each other.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11With Makey Makey, you can use anything.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15So here we've got you touching the banana to make a switch.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18So could we control a computer game using a banana?
0:24:18 > 0:24:22- I think you're onto something. - I have an idea. Follow me.
0:24:22 > 0:24:23Now, if you go to the CBBC website,
0:24:23 > 0:24:25you'll find a game on it Capture The Crown,
0:24:25 > 0:24:27which I've loaded up here on the big TV screen.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29Normally, you'd use the space bar and the cursors
0:24:29 > 0:24:32but we're going to use fruit and modelling clay to control it
0:24:32 > 0:24:33using the Makey Makey, yes?
0:24:33 > 0:24:37- Sounds good.- Right, let's get it rigged up, then. How do we do it?
0:24:37 > 0:24:38Hook yourself to the black wire
0:24:38 > 0:24:40and then hook up the banana to the white wire
0:24:40 > 0:24:43and it's hooked to the space bar of the Makey Makey.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45Oh, it's labelled on the actual thing
0:24:45 > 0:24:47so you can see what you're doing. So the banana is now the space bar.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Blue and yellow can control left and right.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53- Shall we see if it works? Yeah? - Let's see if it works.
0:24:53 > 0:24:54Let's have a go.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01I am genuinely controlling this game using the banana as the space bar
0:25:01 > 0:25:03and the modelling clay as left and right.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05It's hard to understand how it's working.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Can you explain that, Jay?
0:25:07 > 0:25:09Well, there's water in the bananas and there's water in the dough
0:25:09 > 0:25:11and anything with water conducts electricity.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14So we can control a game using some fruit and some modelling clay.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18- What else can you do?- Well, do you play any instruments?- I play piano.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21OK, so why don't we pull up an internet piano
0:25:21 > 0:25:23and then put a twist on it with the Makey Makey?
0:25:23 > 0:25:24I love this guy.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27Thank you.
0:25:27 > 0:25:28'And here is the twist.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30'We're inventing a magical piano
0:25:30 > 0:25:32'by hanging a collection of objects from some rope.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35'The objects will then be wired up to Jay and Eric's gadget
0:25:35 > 0:25:38'and hopefully we'll be able to play a tune.'
0:25:38 > 0:25:40By the way, this isn't for the experiment,
0:25:40 > 0:25:42just Eric was doing his washing.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51It's quite a strange collection of objects
0:25:51 > 0:25:53but effectively we have just built a piano.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55So let's start playing some music.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57OK, hang on a second, though, there's only six notes
0:25:57 > 0:25:59- and the tune we want to play needs seven notes.- OK.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Where are we going to get our seventh note from?
0:26:02 > 0:26:05Well, you know, I'm quite musical myself.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08- And, actually, I think he'd be conductive.- Eric, we're using you.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Perfect. Right, let's play this tune.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14We have got a baseball bat, some aloe vera -
0:26:14 > 0:26:16the kind of stuff you would find in after-sun lotion on holiday -
0:26:16 > 0:26:21this is The Rock, a prison here in San Francisco, an NFL football,
0:26:21 > 0:26:26Eric, some Y-fronts with the American flag on them, and my hat.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28Now, these are all attached to the Makey Makey
0:26:28 > 0:26:30and the Makey Makey is attached the laptop,
0:26:30 > 0:26:32which is running some free piano software.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36So the Makey Makey is telling the laptop that all of these objects
0:26:36 > 0:26:37are notes on a piano.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41So if I make the last connection, which is me and press Eric's nose...
0:26:41 > 0:26:43NOTE SOUNDS
0:26:43 > 0:26:47The laptop thinks it's a note in a tune. So, theoretically,
0:26:47 > 0:26:50I should be able to play all these objects like a piano.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52- Are you ready for this? - Oh, yeah.- Here goes.
0:26:52 > 0:26:53See if you recognise the tune.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57HE PLAYS: "Hedwig's Theme" by John Williams
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Absolutely brilliant. Jay, you've got to come... High-five. Musical.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08Right, if you hold my hand, you've got a connection as well.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Try playing. See, how perfect is that?
0:27:11 > 0:27:13VARIOUS NOTES SOUND
0:27:15 > 0:27:17This is so much more than just playing your hat
0:27:17 > 0:27:19or your underpants as a musical instrument.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Don't forget Jay and Eric's motto,
0:27:21 > 0:27:24and that is that the world is your construction kit.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27So get out there and enjoy yourself. Genius.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32How amazing was that? My kind of gadget.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34And if you're wondering what the tune was,
0:27:34 > 0:27:36that was the Hedwig Theme from the Harry Potter films.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38Now, if you think about the washing line you just saw
0:27:38 > 0:27:41with all those objects hanging from it that I played like a piano,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43you may think they were there randomly.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46But, actually, they weren't. There's a hidden message were you to find.
0:27:46 > 0:27:51So head to... Watch the film again and see if you can crack the code.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54That's it for the gadget special. I hope you've enjoyed yourselves
0:27:54 > 0:27:56as much as I've enjoyed making the show,
0:27:56 > 0:27:58and I'll see you next time. Bye.