[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:01.52,0:00:05.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, I'm going to start off with kind of the buzzkill a little bit.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.50,0:00:07.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Forty-two million people
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.63,0:00:10.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were displaced by natural disasters in 2010.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.74,0:00:13.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, there was nothing particularly special about 2010,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:13.81,0:00:17.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because, on average, 31 and a half million people
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.11,0:00:20.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are displaced by natural disasters every single year.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.21,0:00:22.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, usually when people hear statistics or stats like that,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.76,0:00:25.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you start thinking about places like Haiti or other kind of
Dialogue: 0,0:00:25.55,0:00:28.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,exotic or maybe even impoverished areas, but it happens
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.97,0:00:32.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,right here in the United States every single year.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.10,0:00:35.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Last year alone, 99 federally declared disasters
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.11,0:00:37.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were on file with FEMA,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:37.36,0:00:40.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from Joplin, Missouri, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.55,0:00:44.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the Central Texas wildfires that just happened recently.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:44.94,0:00:47.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, how does the most powerful country in the world
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.00,0:00:49.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,handle these displaced people?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.10,0:00:51.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They cram them onto cots, put all your personal belongings
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.53,0:00:53.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in a plastic garbage bag, stick it underneath,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.70,0:00:56.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and put you on the floor of an entire sports arena,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.72,0:01:00.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or a gymnasium.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.23,0:01:03.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So obviously there's a massive housing gap,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.29,0:01:06.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and this really upset me, because academia tells you
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.20,0:01:08.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,after a major disaster, there's typically about
Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.48,0:01:11.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,an 18-month time frame to -- we kinda recover,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.82,0:01:13.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,start the recovery process,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.40,0:01:15.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but what most people don't realize is that on average
Dialogue: 0,0:01:15.77,0:01:18.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it takes 45 to 60 days or more
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.83,0:01:21.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for the infamous FEMA trailers to even begin to show up.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.69,0:01:25.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Before that time, people are left to their own devices.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:25.31,0:01:28.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I became obsessed with trying to figure out a way
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.69,0:01:30.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to actually fill this gap.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.84,0:01:33.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This actually became my creative obsession.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.39,0:01:36.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I put aside all my freelance work after hours and started
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.10,0:01:41.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just focusing particularly on this problem.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.84,0:01:43.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I started sketching.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:43.20,0:01:45.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Two days after Katrina, I started sketching and sketching
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.22,0:01:47.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and trying to brainstorm up ideas or solutions for this,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:47.07,0:01:50.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and as things started to congeal or ideas started to form,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.23,0:01:52.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I started sketching digitally on the computer,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.45,0:01:55.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it was an obsession, so I couldn't just stop there.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.92,0:01:58.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I started experimenting, making models,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.06,0:02:00.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,talking to experts in the field, taking their feedback,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.84,0:02:03.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and refining, and I kept on refining and refining
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.75,0:02:06.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for nights and weekends for over five years.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.80,0:02:10.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, my obsession ended up driving me to create
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.29,0:02:12.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,full-size prototypes in my own backyard — (Laughter) —
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.58,0:02:14.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and actually spending my own personal savings on
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.94,0:02:17.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,everything from tooling to patents
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.19,0:02:19.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a variety of other costs,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.81,0:02:22.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but in the end I ended up with this modular housing system
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.67,0:02:25.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that can react to any situation or disaster.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.33,0:02:28.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It can be put up in any environment,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.43,0:02:32.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from an asphalt parking lot to pastures or fields,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.37,0:02:34.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because it doesn't require any special setup
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.38,0:02:36.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or specialty tools.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.56,0:02:38.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, at the foundation and kind of the core
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.28,0:02:41.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of this whole system is the Exo Housing Unit,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.21,0:02:43.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is just the individual shelter module.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.65,0:02:45.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And though it's light, light enough that you can actually
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.38,0:02:47.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,lift it by hand and move it around,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.53,0:02:51.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it actually sleeps four people.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.24,0:02:53.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And you can arrange these things as kind of more
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.90,0:02:56.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for encampments and more of a city grid type layout,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.68,0:02:58.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or you can circle the wagons, essentially,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.57,0:03:00.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and form these circular pods out of them,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.58,0:03:03.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which give you this semi-private communal area
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.04,0:03:05.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for people to actually spill out into so they're not actually
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.81,0:03:07.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,trapped inside these units.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.91,0:03:10.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now this fundamentally changes
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.33,0:03:12.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the way we respond to disasters,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.49,0:03:14.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because gone are the horrid conditions
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.47,0:03:17.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,inside a sports arena or a gymnasium, where people
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.19,0:03:19.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are crammed on these cots inside.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.20,0:03:24.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now we have instant neighborhoods outside.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.79,0:03:27.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the Exo is designed to be simply, basically
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.77,0:03:30.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like a coffee cup. They can actually stack together
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.01,0:03:32.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so we get extremely efficient transportation
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.93,0:03:35.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and storage out of them.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:35.18,0:03:39.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, 15 Exos can fit on a single semi truck by itself.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.82,0:03:42.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This means the Exo can actually be transported and set up
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.99,0:03:47.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,faster than any other housing option available today.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.98,0:03:49.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I'm obsessive, so I couldn't just stop there,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:49.97,0:03:51.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so I actually started modifying the bunks where you could
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.86,0:03:54.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,actually slide out the bunks and slide in desks or shelving,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.16,0:03:55.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so the same unit can now be used
Dialogue: 0,0:03:55.68,0:03:58.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for an office or storage location.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.90,0:04:02.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The doors can actually swap out, so you can actually put on
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.62,0:04:05.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a rigid panel with a window unit in it for climate control,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.49,0:04:07.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or a connector module that would allow you to actually
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.95,0:04:10.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,connect multiple units together, which gives you
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.34,0:04:14.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,larger and kind of compartmentalized living spaces,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.00,0:04:16.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so now this same kit of parts, this same unit
Dialogue: 0,0:04:16.32,0:04:20.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can actually serve as a living room, bedroom or bathroom,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:20.96,0:04:27.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or an office, a living space and secure storage.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:27.07,0:04:30.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sounds like a great idea, but how do you make it real?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.13,0:04:32.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the first idea I had, initially, was just
Dialogue: 0,0:04:32.14,0:04:33.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to go the federal and state governments and go,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:33.99,0:04:36.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Here, take it, for free."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:36.66,0:04:38.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I was quickly told that, "Boy, our government
Dialogue: 0,0:04:38.64,0:04:40.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,doesn't really work like that." (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:04:40.90,0:04:44.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Okay. Okay. So maybe I would start a nonprofit
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.88,0:04:47.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to kind of help consult and get this idea going
Dialogue: 0,0:04:47.73,0:04:49.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,along with the government, but then I was told,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:49.83,0:04:52.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Son, our government looks to private sector
Dialogue: 0,0:04:52.30,0:04:53.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for things like this."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:53.90,0:04:56.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Okay. So maybe I would take this whole idea and go
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.89,0:04:59.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to private corporations that would have this mutually shared
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.31,0:05:02.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,benefit to it, but I was quickly told by some corporations
Dialogue: 0,0:05:02.21,0:05:06.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that my personal passion project was not a brand fit
Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.50,0:05:09.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because they didn't want their logos stamped
Dialogue: 0,0:05:09.07,0:05:11.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,across the ghettos of Haiti.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:11.50,0:05:17.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, I wasn't just obsessed. I was outraged. (Laughter.)
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.43,0:05:21.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I decided, kind of told myself,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.85,0:05:27.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Oh yeah? Watch this. I'll do it myself." (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:05:27.72,0:05:29.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, this quickly, my day job sent me to work out of
Dialogue: 0,0:05:29.90,0:05:33.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,our Milan office for a few months, so I was like,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.06,0:05:35.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what will I do? So I actually scheduled sleep on my calendar,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:35.80,0:05:38.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and spent the 8-hour time difference on conference calls
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.100,0:05:43.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with material suppliers, manufacturers and potential customers.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:43.02,0:05:44.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we found through this whole process, we found
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.47,0:05:46.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this great little manufacturer in Virginia,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:46.84,0:05:48.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and if his body language is any indication,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:48.100,0:05:51.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's the owner — (Laughter) — of what it's like
Dialogue: 0,0:05:51.08,0:05:53.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for a manufacturer to work directly with a designer,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:53.17,0:05:56.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you've got to see what happens here. (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:05:56.37,0:05:58.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But G.S. Industries was fantastic.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.63,0:06:03.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They actually built three prototypes for us by hand.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:03.01,0:06:06.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So now we have prototypes that can show that four people
Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.16,0:06:08.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can actually sleep securely and much more comfortably
Dialogue: 0,0:06:08.57,0:06:13.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than a tent could ever provide.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.07,0:06:14.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And they actually shipped them here to Texas for us.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.82,0:06:16.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, a funny thing started happening.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.27,0:06:18.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Other people started to believe in what we were doing,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:18.74,0:06:20.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and actually offered us hangar space, donated hangar
Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.66,0:06:22.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,space to us. And then the Georgetown Airport Authority
Dialogue: 0,0:06:22.94,0:06:27.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was bent over backwards to help us with anything we needed.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.05,0:06:28.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So now we had a hangar space to work in,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:28.71,0:06:31.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and prototypes to demo with.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:31.79,0:06:35.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So in one year, we've negotiated manufacturing agreements,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:35.36,0:06:38.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,been awarded one patent, filed our second patent,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:38.02,0:06:40.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,talked to multiple people, demoed this to FEMA
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.70,0:06:42.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and its consultants to rave reviews,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:42.95,0:06:45.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then started talking to some other people who requested
Dialogue: 0,0:06:45.13,0:06:47.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,information, this little group called the United Nations.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:47.62,0:06:49.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And on top of that, now we have
Dialogue: 0,0:06:49.73,0:06:52.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a whole plethora of other individuals that have come up
Dialogue: 0,0:06:52.37,0:06:55.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and started to talk to us from doing it for mining camps,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:55.86,0:06:58.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,mobile youth hostels, right down to the World Cup
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.29,0:07:00.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the Olympics.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:00.88,0:07:07.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, in closing, on this whole thing here
Dialogue: 0,0:07:07.97,0:07:12.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is hopefully very soon we will not have to
Dialogue: 0,0:07:12.63,0:07:14.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,respond to these painful phone calls that we get
Dialogue: 0,0:07:14.55,0:07:16.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,after disasters where we don't really have anything
Dialogue: 0,0:07:16.54,0:07:18.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to sell or give you yet.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:18.93,0:07:21.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hopefully very soon we will be there,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.36,0:07:23.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because we are destined,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:23.57,0:07:27.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,obsessed with making it real.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:27.68,0:07:30.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you. (Applause)