Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Inspired by Alexander Graham Bell, Danielle George attempts to beam a special guest into the theatre via hologram, using the technology found in a mobile phone.
When Scottish inventor Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated the first telephone in 1876, he could never have dreamed that in 2014 we’d all be carrying wire-free phones in our pockets and be able to video chat is crystal clear HD across the world.
In this lecture, Danielle explains how these technologies work and shows how they can be adapted to help keep you connected to the people around you. She shows you how to control paintball cannons with a webcam and turn your smartphone into a microscope whilst also investigating a device that allows you to feel invisible objects in mid-air.
About the 2014 CHRISTMAS LECTURES
A revolution is happening. Across the world people are taking control of the devices we use every day, customising them, creating new things and using the sparks of their imagination to change the world. Now it’s your turn, and you can start with the things you have around you.
Electrical and electronics engineer, Danielle George takes three great British inventions – a light bulb, a telephone and a motor – and shows you how to adapt them and transform them to do extraordinary things. This is tinkering for the 21st century, using the full array of cutting edge devices that we can lay our hands on: 3D printers, new materials, online collaboration and controlling devices through coding.
Inspired by the great inventors and standing on the shoulders of thousands of people playing at their kitchen table or in their shed, Danielle announces the new rules of invention and shows you how to use modern tools, technologies and things from your home to have fun and make a difference to the world around you.
Anything could happen. Sparks will fly.
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Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UCYeF244yNGuFefuFKqxIAXw/join
Subscribe for regular science videos: bit.ly/RiSubscRibe
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Chapters:
00:00 Calling an Astronaut: Communication in Space 🛰️
02:50 The Future of Touch: Robotic Hand Demo 🤖
05:32 Hacking Alexander Graham Bell's Original Phone ☎️
08:24 The Grand Challenge: Building a Live Hologram 📽️
10:15 The Secret Science Inside Your Smartphone Camera 📸
15:35 AI Experiment: High-Speed Paintball Tracking 🔫
20:01 Fiber Optics: Sending Data at the Speed of Light ⚡
25:00 VR Challenge: The Champagne Rollercoaster 🎢
34:10 The Reveal: Beaming a Live Hologram into the Room 🌫️
40:08 Haptic Tech: Feeling Objects That Aren't There 🐄
48:11 Digital Senses: Testing Electric Lollipops & Smartphone Smells 🍭
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The Ri is on Twitter: twitter.com/ri_science
and Facebook: facebook.com/royalinstitution
and TikTok: tiktok.com/@ri_science
Listen to the Ri podcast: podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ri-science-podcast
Donate to the RI and help us bring you more lectures: rigb.org/support-us/donate-ri
Our editorial policy: rigb.org/editing-ri-talks-and-moderating-comments
Subscribe for the latest science videos: bit.ly/RiNewsletter
Product links on this page may be affiliate links which means it won't cost you any extra but we may earn a small commission if you decide to purchase through the link.
#Holograms, #ArtificialIntelligence, #SmartphoneTechnology, #DanielleGeorge, #ChristmasLectures2014
Inspired by Alexander Graham Bell, Danielle George attempts to beam a special guest into the theatre via hologram, using the technology found in a mobile phone.
When Scottish inventor Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated the first telephone in 1876, he could never have dreamed that in 2014 we’d all be carrying wire-free phones in our pockets and be able to video chat is crystal clear HD across the world.
In this lecture, Danielle explains how these technologies work and shows how they can be adapted to help keep you connected to the people around you. She shows you how to control paintball cannons with a webcam and turn your smartphone into a microscope whilst also investigating a device that allows you to feel invisible objects in mid-air.
About the 2014 CHRISTMAS LECTURES
A revolution is happening. Across the world people are taking control of the devices we use every day, customising them, creating new things and using the sparks of their imagination to change the world. Now it’s your turn, and you can start with the things you have around you.
Electrical and electronics engineer, Danielle George takes three great British inventions – a light bulb, a telephone and a motor – and shows you how to adapt them and transform them to do extraordinary things. This is tinkering for the 21st century, using the full array of cutting edge devices that we can lay our hands on: 3D printers, new materials, online collaboration and controlling devices through coding.
Inspired by the great inventors and standing on the shoulders of thousands of people playing at their kitchen table or in their shed, Danielle announces the new rules of invention and shows you how to use modern tools, technologies and things from your home to have fun and make a difference to the world around you.
Anything could happen. Sparks will fly.
---
Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UCYeF244yNGuFefuFKqxIAXw/join
Subscribe for regular science videos: bit.ly/RiSubscRibe
---
Chapters:
00:00 Calling an Astronaut: Communication in Space 🛰️
02:50 The Future of Touch: Robotic Hand Demo 🤖
05:32 Hacking Alexander Graham Bell's Original Phone ☎️
08:24 The Grand Challenge: Building a Live Hologram 📽️
10:15 The Secret Science Inside Your Smartphone Camera 📸
15:35 AI Experiment: High-Speed Paintball Tracking 🔫
20:01 Fiber Optics: Sending Data at the Speed of Light ⚡
25:00 VR Challenge: The Champagne Rollercoaster 🎢
34:10 The Reveal: Beaming a Live Hologram into the Room 🌫️
40:08 Haptic Tech: Feeling Objects That Aren't There 🐄
48:11 Digital Senses: Testing Electric Lollipops & Smartphone Smells 🍭
----
The Ri is on Twitter: twitter.com/ri_science
and Facebook: facebook.com/royalinstitution
and TikTok: tiktok.com/@ri_science
Listen to the Ri podcast: podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ri-science-podcast
Donate to the RI and help us bring you more lectures: rigb.org/support-us/donate-ri
Our editorial policy: rigb.org/editing-ri-talks-and-moderating-comments
Subscribe for the latest science videos: bit.ly/RiNewsletter
Product links on this page may be affiliate links which means it won't cost you any extra but we may earn a small commission if you decide to purchase through the link.
#Holograms, #ArtificialIntelligence, #SmartphoneTechnology, #DanielleGeorge, #ChristmasLectures2014
