Have you ever heard of a vibrational wristband that has the ability to transfer noise to a deaf person’s brain? If not, Dr. David Eagleman the inventor of that prototype visited SHVS for Authors Day leaving the students with a full understanding of his scientific work.

As the Pavilion began to fill up, Dr. David Eagleman started his presentation with an observation on different kinds of animal species. He compared animals’ brains to human brains and the differences they hold. Eagleman explained to the audience that zebra babies come into this world “pre-programmed,” while humans take years to develop basic living skills. 

Dr. Eagleman noted to the students, “think about the brain as a planet,” drawing their attention more to his scientific studies. Dressed in blue khaki pants and a red dress shirt, Eagleman paced back and forth from his computer to the big screen emphasizing his love for research on the human brain. This flowed right into his next topic which touched based on his own invention. Eagleman’s invention is a black wristband known as the “VEST,” which he wore throughout his entire presentation. This stands for Extra-Sensory Transducer. It allows individuals who cannot hear to identify the sound, speech, and other audio signals through a series of vibrations against their bodies. 

After his presentation, Eagleman left time for any questions and comments the audience had. The first question led by asking who exactly is on Eagleman’s team? He responded, “I find people who know how to program and have a great background in STEM.” 

“I didn’t expect to study science although childhood environments definitely affect your love for things,” he said. He went on to explain that his major challenge when studying the brain was his worry that by the time he was out of grad school, there would be nothing left for him to study he joked.