Latest / Technology Now / The History of Innovation
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- SAM JARRELL So I'm actually really curious. I have a question for you both. What do you think is the most important invention in your life? Or what's your most favorite? MICHAEL BIRD The pressure is on here. This could be a big one. I'm gonna say the smartphone only because I basically use it for everything, right? Paying bills, groceries, online shopping, information, everything. What about you? AUBREY LOVELL Yeah. Mine is my smartwatch. I think the only reason I go and do exercise is because I get a little graph and a little map at the end of it and it tells me how far I've run. I've given myself a little challenge this year to run 2025 kilometers in 2025 and I can track that with my watch. what about you, Sam? SAM JARRELL Ooh, well, mine is also kind of health related. So I have to say that my favorite invention, at least right now, has to be the adjustable dumbbell. that's a good one. Yeah, I got way into weightlifting during the pandemic way back when, but didn't have the space living in a small apartment. And these adjustable dumbbells saved me. MICHAEL BIRD I think souse is the coolest answer isn't it? AUBREY LOVELL Yep, I think so. You win, Sam. You win the prize. MICHAEL BIRD I think it's time to stop talking about our favourite products and get on with the show. I’m Michael Bird AUBREY LOVELL I'm Aubrey Lovell SAM JARRELL I’m Sam Jarrell And welcome to Technology Now from HPE. AUBREY LOVELL So you may have noticed an extra voice on today's show. That would be our reporter, Sam Jarrell, who's joining us for our next two episodes. Super excited. And based on what we just talked about, I assume, okay, just assuming, today's show has something to do with inventions, possibly? SAM JARRELL You would assume correctly. Yes, I've got a couple of stories over the next few shows about innovation and inventions because the other week I visited a very special place, the HP garage in Palo Alto. MICHAEL BIRD For those of us not in the know, why is that specific garage so special? SAM JARRELL It's actually a museum, Michael. The HP Garage is where Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard founded their company. It's also a California state landmark and known as the birthplace of Silicon Valley. MICHAEL BIRD So that's sort of where it all started. To some extent, if it wasn't for that garage, wouldn't be here today talking about whatever it is we're going to be talking about AUBREY LOVELL So true. And if you think about it, really in technology, how many success stories have actually started from a garage? That's really interesting. So the history of HP and HPE is really rich. MICHAEL BIRD So, Sam, can I just get this straight? It is, like a normal garage? Like... SAM JARRELL Very normal garage. But I don't want to get too much away, okay? Because while I was there, I chatted with our very own Kirk Bresniker, chief architect at Hewlett Packard Labs, all about HPE, how we got here, and the history of innovation coming out of that very normal garage. AUBREY LOVELL Very exciting. Well, while you were in Palo Alto, Michael and I have been doing a little bit of research on the state of the world before Bill and Dave came along to shake things up. So as we know, it is time for Technology Then. AUBREY LOVELL Okay, so let's start with the late 1700s and the Industrial Revolution has begun . So factories are popping up, right? The skies of London are turning gray with smoke pumped out of factories while across the pond, the Americans have just gained their independence from the British and all the while the unstoppable force of modern innovation is marching forward. So across those 100 years, the world went from using water mills to steam power to chemicals and importantly, electricity. The car would be invented and the modern day assembly line would catch on. And with that, universities started to offer new courses like electrical engineering. MICHAEL BIRD Man, that is massive progress, isn't it? It is. Now, by the 1930s, radio, film, and TV, which all relied on electronic signalling, were becoming increasingly integrated in society, with sound films, aka the Talkies, being all the rage. Inspired by this new technology, two key people decided to study electrical engineering. But it wasn't until 1934 when those two students went on a camping trip and came up with the ideas that would go on to change the world. They were, of course, of their own, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard. AUBREY LOVELL Now I have a question, Sam Michael, do either of you know about the infamous coin toss? MICHAEL BIRD Is that how they figured out what to call the company? AUBREY LOVELL Exactly. So this was how they kind of figured out and decided who would go first in the company name. So would it be Hewlett Packard or would it be Packard Hewlett? Which is really weird to say. MICHAEL BIRD Packard-Hewlett feels just a bit awkward doesn't it? SAM JARRELL Yeah, it sounds wrong with the names swapped. I think the toss went the right way. So where did things go from this fateful coin toss? Well, let's hear from Chief Architect of Hewlett Packard Labs, Kirk Bresniker, and the place where it all began. SAM JARRELL Kirk, thank you so much for joining me here. And so what is exactly is this building that we're standing in right now? KIRK BRESNIKER We are here in the garage, the foundational laboratory of Hewlett Packard, where Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard first began their business together here in 1939. SAM JARRELL Wow. And this place is also called the birthplace of Silicon Valley. Why is that? KIRK BRESNIKER You know, because, well, they're great institutions of higher learning here in the San Francisco Bay area. No one really stuck around. Everyone got their degree and then hop back on a plane or train and headed back east, because that's where radio was. That's where industry was. But Bill and Dave's mentor, Professor Terman, kept encouraging students. You know, it's pretty wonderful out here in California. How about a couple of you stick around and try and create a West Coast technology hub? And, Bill and Dave were the ones brave enough to take that first step. And here we are in the garage where they started at all. SAM JARRELL Yeah. Actually it seems like a lot of innovation really does kind of take someone pushing you along like that. KIRK BRESNIKER Absolutely SAM JARRELL why do you think it took a garage, though, to be the birthplace of Silicon Valley? KIRK BRESNIKER You need that place where you can really, find yourself and lose yourself in the work somewhere where you can spread out, have the tools, have what you need, and actually have that time to be together and immerse yourself in a problem. Okay. We have we have the work that was already started at school. What are we going to do? I mean, it's kind of amazing when you think about it. It was, you know, 1938, 1939, bottom of depression. World war was just around the corner. Bill and Dave had never run a business just out of school. No business plan, no business experience, no product plan. And yet here they decided to make it go for it. And this kind of a space. You got the doors. You can close the doors. If you need some privacy, you can open the doors and get some fresh air here. In the it can be a little bit warm occasionally in the, in the Santa Clara Valley, but you know that that place to call your own and really explore your ideas. SAM JARRELL Yeah. You you touched on something there that I thought was interesting, that it was the Great Depression. They hadn't had any business experience. It really is like in some ways the original startup. Right KIRK BRESNIKER Oh absolutely SAM JARRELL Yeah KIRK BRESNIKER And, and I can imagine, you know, the conversation that, that Dave and Lucille had, it's like, okay, you know, we don't have any plans. Our professor says to make a go for it, but, do you mind if we start a business in the back of our rented house? SAM JARRELL And I you know, Flora and Lucille played a pretty big role. And that, you know, we're talking a little bit about innovation here today, but that does require a lot of outside support. From what I recall, Lucille kept the books and also had a full time job at Stanford as well, while trying to help support those two. KIRK BRESNIKER And they baked some things for the oscillators and enamel enamel baking in her oven. So, you know, I know, I know at different points in my career, I've had that conversation with my wife, and say, okay, here's this next big step. I want to take it together, you know? And so having that support that just frees you, you know, that is incredibly valuable when you're part of a team. SAM JARRELL And I wanted to talk a little bit about, the products. So we mentioned, yeah, they had to make some of the pieces in the oven to, to do all of that. I'm sure things tasted a little bit strange afterwards. We have, some the 200. Are you oscillators here? I think an A and a B. Can you tell me what is an oscillator like Explain to me like I'm five. KIRK BRESNIKER So you just think of think of that, that beautiful tone you hear when you when you strike, strike a bell. That that perfect little tone. And that's really what this does, is an audio oscillator. So it is something that produces tones, the tones that we hear. So if you're in the business where high quality sound reproduction or recording is important, this is a tool of business. This is how you test. This is how you design. This is how you make sure that that sound kind of sounds great, that that record captures every sound. And so that is really what they, they did. And this was really work that started with them as undergraduates. And, it's interesting. The key is actually in this light bulb, because the light bulb was the key element to make a very low cost, very high quality tone. It doesn't just tell you that, the device is on, it actually is a functional element. And that was part of the innovation that was part of the first patent using the negative resistance of the light bulb element in order to stabilize the oscillator. So you get that beautiful pure tone that you were looking for SAM JARRELL . Wow. That I did not know that. And why would somebody purchase an oscillator like it? Doesn't seem like it would. Something that I would use in my free time KIRK BRESNIKER This is this is. I'm an engineer. I'm a scientist. I need tools in order for me to pursue my passion. And if your passion was sound reproduction, recording any aspect where the audio range of human hearing is material to your science or your engineering or your business, this is the tool you want it incredibly high quality, great value And really, it's really what they built that business reputation on, giving scientists and engineers the tool that allowed them to pursue their science and their business SAM JARRELL And so what happened next? You know, how did Bill and Dave work lead to Silicon Valley becoming Silicon Valley? KIRK BRESNIKER So I think there's a couple things. One, they just proved that it could be done right. And then, you know, they were here for a couple of years and then they were over on page mil. Unknown But it was really that ability to set up, to set people up. And, to give an example. Well, these two guys made it, I think I can do it, too. [My] dad grew up just in the East Bay on a chicken farm, youngest of 11. And, you know, you know, he was he was two when when HP was founded. But, you know, 20 years later, he is, a student and, you know, he used the, he used the slide rule. We got we got one right here. Here's a slide rule, just like this one. Every day in his engineering was a wedding present from my mother. An investment in their shared future SAM JARRELL That's a very techie gift KIRK BRESNIKER But, he used it every day till he got that HP 35 calculator. And that changed the way he could pursue his engineering. And that was really, I think so much about this is tools and capabilities. Us providing infrastructure, engineering capabilities, first instruments, then instruments connected together, then instruments that are automated with computation, and then all of those things connecting up through industry, science and engineering. And I think Bill and Dave were the ones who pointed us all in the direction this is possible. It's it's not risk free, but I really think we can make a go of it. SAM JARRELL What are some of the highlights to you? Those big innovations that have taken us along this road. KIRK BRESNIKER So I think especially when you think about HP and if I think about that through line back, you know, you know, instruments for science and industry of unparalleled value and quality. But the big leap was when they realized, first, we should digitize this, right? And then when you bring computation into it first just to store the data, maybe just to print out the data, but then to begin to reason over the data to be part of that active control loop. So while it was first called an instrument controller, that was HP's first computer. And as we move forward in computation, understanding how we connect science and industry into information so that they can make the best decisions possible, I think that's our through line all the way back to this workbench on what we're doing every day at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. SAM JARRELL I love that, I love that. And so when we're thinking about some of these innovations and inventions, I've heard some things about a transistor and I think also maybe integrated circuits, microchips. What do you know about those? KIRK BRESNIKER So, took the courses in school and actually here we're surrounded by, by vacuum tubes and, and we got oh, let's see, we got one right here, you know. So back when Bill and Dave started, this was cutting edge technology. This is how we amplify. This is how we control. So whether it was digital or analog computation, reproduction, all of the elements, you know, this is what you were studying as a cutting edge electrical engineer here in the pre Silicon Valley. But you know, when, the solid state revolution, came out, Hewlett Packard were right there first, you know, working on some of the first light emitting diodes, all those LEDs. You think of that wonderful calculator. Well, part of the innovation was, was also in that display was seven, seven seven segment LED display, because that meant it was small enough with a battery to fit in your pocket and still last a whole workday. So all of those innovations in solid state technologies, first with transistors, then with integrated circuits. And every time that these new technologies have been there, we've been there to pivot into those. And part of what made that all possible was actually Hewlett Packard Labs. So 1966 HP was a 20 something at that point. And and Bill and Dave said, you know what we really need? We need a team that's looking a little bit farther out. So they asked Barney all over to come over and found Hewlett Packard Labs, a team that was dedicated to thinking about the technology, the IP, the innovations that the company would need to continue to flourish. Knowing that technology is constantly changing and sometimes that change is slow. But here we are in earthquake country. So we talk about tectonic shifts and sometimes the way we've always done things becomes, can you remember when we used to have to, overnight. So that ability for us to come together and to quickly innovate. I think also all of the open development, we always had open research, but open development, open source methodologies that ability for us to expand the the pool of people who are innovating and participating directly in technology, that's also very different than it was. SAM JARRELL I love that, and, I'm curious to know a little bit more about labs, actually. Are there any stand out stories from your time in Hewlett Packard Labs that, you know, when you think of bringing innovation together as a team, bring it forward. What can you tell me about your time there? KIRK BRESNIKER You know, at one point they were flying atomic clocks around the world to prove Einstein was right. And, you know, their instruments that were something that we could finally, you know, you think of atomic clock, and they used to occupy an entire an entire laboratory. Well, here was something that was actually small enough to sit in the seat with its batteries, four of them all together flying around, and 740 sevens in order to prove the the time dilation that Einstein had predicted. So. Well, we'll put a couple of those, those really important ones But I guess for me it's when we've been able to connect with an important research team. My own personal favorite, we're working with , the German National Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, the team is trying to crack Alzheimer's. And I think we really helped them change the way in which they're pursuing their science to the betterment of every one of us. SAM JARRELL Well, you know, now that we're here in the garage and we're surrounded by, you know, some of the the moments that mark our innovation history. I'm curious if there are any of your favorite pieces here, or if there any pieces of innovation, history that you would really, really like to share about? KIRK BRESNIKER I think for me, it's just is knowing that they were here and thinking of my own time when when I was the one who was alone in the lab, and, knowing that they they blazed a trail, they led, led us forward. They gave us these examples, not only and frankly, not only on the engineering, which was fantastic, but then all of the impact, you know, growing up here in the in the Silicon Valley, we all knew someone who worked for HP. SAM JARRELL it truly does come from community, these innovations And it needs to be supported by a community for it to happen. I'm curious, your take on what what is needed in order to, you know, create the next oscillator, the next big innovation. And what are the things that maybe stop people from innovating? KIRK BRESNIKER So I always tell the young engineers, you know, you're gonna you're gonna look back on your career and you're gonna, you know, laugh about the things you got wrong, you're gonna cry about the things you got right if you had the right idea. But there was something that was holding you back. There was some missing piece. And so especially for for young innovators, it's not just about the technology, right. It's about first you have that moment, that ingenuity strikes. The next thing you really need is to understand opportunity. And oftentimes that's not just about technology. That's about business. That's about people, that's about problems, that's having empathy. That today we would call it, empathetic product design methodology. Right. Something would give a nice long name, but really is it's it's listening. Understand what people want to do. And then having that moment like we had with DZNE. Oh that's what you're trying it. Well well here's something I think I could do. So building up your network, understanding that that who who understands the market opportunity, who understands the finances of pulling together does because you really need to have an opportunity And then of course you gotta you gotta convince someone who can invest, right? Who can, who can give you access to resources, who can put you in front of the toughest problems in the world and help you achieve that goal. And that's how you make a difference. And I think that's what, you know, every young engineer who's starting out, I think the best of us always want to make is is a difference through our technology. MICHAEL BIRD Sam, that was -such an awesome interview. That was fascinating. One of the things that I was really struck by was, like I know we said at the top of the show, it was like the birthplace of Silicon Valley, but from hearing Kirk talk about it, it sort of sounds like, it's almost like the birthplace of the modern world. It must have felt really special being in that garage, Sam. SAM JARRELL It did, it felt very, very special being there. It's, you know, like you said, it's strange because so much has come out of that specific garage. And when you're actually standing in it, it's not that big. And there's like a singular light bulb, which I mean, is a passable light bulb. It turns on, but it's not reliable for lighting. So it's truly humble beginnings for all of Silicon Valley in that tiny, tiny little structure. MICHAEL BIRD I guess the thing to take away from that is innovation doesn't have to come from huge companies with huge infrastructure. It can come from just an idea and a garage. And I guess that's the whole point of it, isn't it? It's like you can come up with an idea, you can work on it, you might have to make some sacrifices, but just go and do something AUBREY LOVELL Yeah. And I think another point to that story that's super powerful is that what they did was not in a enlightenment time period. It was in a very challenging time period when you're thinking about coming out of the depression and sometimes technology and innovation actually thrives under pressure, right? Trying to find a need to do better or to get to a better place for humanity. And I think what's really interesting is, and I might be dating myself a little bit here, but when I started with the company, it was HP and it was in 2012, we had a very big emphasis on the HP way. And I think we still carry a lot of that into HPE today around the culture of the company and ensuring the balance between work and life and personal and collaboration and partnership and innovation. And we carry that through. to see it go from, like you said, Sam, just being in this tiny little garage and being able to scale that and be what it is today is an amazing story for sure. MICHAEL BIRD Sam, what was it like? I mean, I know we saw it on the footage, there were tools and was it all original stuff? Did it feel really dusty and just like they'd just left? SAM JARRELL It was dusty, that is for sure. Yes, there are tools and things. The oscillators are original. I don't know that the actual workbench and things, but most of what is in there is from the actual time period at minimum. And you don't see it there, but the garage is in a backyard. And in addition to there being a garage in that backyard, there's kind of a shack situation that I think that Dave Packard was sleeping in on a day-to-day basis. So it really just goes to show you like how little they had to work with. I mean he was sleeping in a shack, they were baking parts of the oscillators in the oven. There's a lot to be said for you know being resourceful in order to to make these things happen and being able to rely on other people and their support to make these things happen Michael Bird I think about that a lot in our jobs. There is an element of sometimes you just have to, what do they say, minimum viable product, crack on and do something. it doesn't have to be, maybe it doesn't have to be perfect or completely slick, but just make something, take your idea and create something out of it. SAM JARRELL Yeah, it feels very, very inspiring. And you might remember that Kirk mentioned his father, but I thought it might be a little bit nice to hear more about him and how he inspired Kirk to become the man he is today. KIRK BRESNIKER And so that's what you know, that's what I think led my dad to think, okay, I'm the youngest of 11 on the chicken ranch, but I think I could be a rocket engineer. And then he was and I think when I was sitting right by him, looking over his shoulders and he was getting his master's degree, when I was, when I was young, looking over your shoulder as he was doing his homework at night because he had the early bird classes. He'd go to work, he'd come home, we'd have dinner. Then he go back to work, you know, back to school. And I would sit up late and and watch him behind it. And then I thought, you know, I want to be an electrical engineer. And then, of course, you know, going to school here in the Bay area, all the instruments were HP. AUBREY LOVELL Okay that brings us to the end of Technology Now for this week. Thank you to our reporter, Sam, and our guest, Kirk Bresniker, thank you And of course, to our listeners. Thank you so much for joining us. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please do let us know – rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts and if you want to get in contact with us, send us an email to technology now AT hpe.com and don’t forget to subscribe so you can listen first every week. MICHAEL BIRD Technology Now is hosted by Aubrey Lovell and myself, Michael Bird. Our reporter was Sam Jarrell This episode was produced by Harry Lampert and Izzie Clarke with production support from Alysha Kempson-Taylor, Beckie Bird, Mikey Nissenbaum, Alissa Mitry and Renee Edwards. Our music was composed by Greg Hooper. AUBREY LOVELL Our social editorial team is Rebecca Wissinger, Judy-Anne Goldman and Jacqueline Green and our social media designers are Alejandra Garcia, and Ambar Maldonado. MICHAEL BIRD Technology Now is a Fresh Air Production for Hewlett Packard Enterprise. (and) we’ll see you next week. Cheers! AUBREY LOVELL Cheers SAM JARRELL Bye y’all