Potentially Genius: a video series from Digi-Key and Tomorrow Lab

Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Electronics and technology innovation studio Tomorrow Lab have launched a new video series called ‘Potentially Genius’. In each monthly episode, a team of designers and engineers will dedicate 16 hours of time towards solving an everyday problem, following the four stages of product invention: discovery, ideation, prototyping and presentation.

The first episode in the series, called ‘Electronic Brake for Inline Skates’, follows the creation of a mechanised brake for inline roller skates. Throughout the course of the episode, ‘Potential Genius’ Sean Pheanis brings the idea to the Tomorrow Lab team, explaining the challenge that needs to be solved: the ability to more safely brake while going down hills or dodging obstacles. The team of engineers then goes through the four stages of Tomorrow Lab’s product invention workflow to develop a remote-controlled brake using components from Digi-Key, documenting the process along the way.

“Tomorrow Lab is beyond excited to be working with Digi-Key on this new, ambitious video series for YouTube,” said Theodore Ullrich, partner at Tomorrow Lab. “Potentially Genius builds on our previous YouTube series, The Teardown, and takes it to a new level.

“With Potentially Genius, we get to have fun working on ideas that may not have immediate commercial applications and offer our audience a glimpse into Tomorrow Lab’s decade-old product invention workflows and NYC office. We hope the Potentially Genius series reaches and inspires new audiences by combining high production quality, TL’s experience in physical product design and development, and, last but not least, Digi-Key’s vast component supply.”

“With Potentially Genius, we wanted to highlight the four stages of designing a new product and dedicate time to showing how you can attack problems, make trade-offs and weigh those options with limited time and resources,” said David Sandys, Director, Technical Marketing at Digi-Key.

“We hope the Potentially Genius video series inspires engineers, start-ups and makers around the world to bring their own ideas to fruition — genius is often just around the corner, and starting the journey is the most critical part of getting there. Digi-Key and our design and integration service providers are proud to be part of that journey.”

The first episode in the series can be viewed below.

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