Introduction

What Zack is building (a computer)

A water cooled oscilloscope

How Zack got started

Hackaday article

Bluetooth heads up display

Hoboken Hackerspace

NYC electronics scene

Working with artists

Working on the set of Mr Robot

Doing a first run prototype for a startup

Building skills in high pressure environments and on consulting jobs

Working on deadlines

How many projects are in a single video?

Building subassemblies

Building projects “backwards” (outside in)

Not thinking your idea is the last good idea you’ll ever have

The prototyping mindset

Ranking risk in a project

Usability in wearable projects

“The role of most prototypes is to try to kill the idea”

What makes people want to buy a prototype?

Minimizing features in any one prototype / test

Consumer products should be shown to thousands before going to market

YouTubers’ battle for attention (check out Voidstar Lab to see all of Zack’s videos)

YouTube theories

Zack’s persona

Filming b-roll to keep things interesting

YouTube comment positivity

Maker Twitter

Full time YouTube

Changes in the hardware space since 2012

Prototyping tools

“The Maker Movement”

Working for industrial clients

Focusing on the technology vs the purpose of the technology

Building a project because you want the thing (output)

Technology being used to move the world forward

What will Zack build in the future?

The Cyberdeck

Cyberdeck cafe Discord

Building on a stream vs on a video (streams happen on Zack’s Patreon every Monday and Friday)

Previously wanting to go into game design

Providing a representation of what people think the process is

People think IronMan is reality

Bringing people into the field

“Finish more projects”

Going beyond the getting started projects

People genuinely interested in a topic will skip beginner classes

Engineering is intrinsically solitary

Trying to figure out gender discrepancies in making

“What’s it like to put yourself out there?”

Putting yourself out there will help you find more positive feedback

Building community

Finding Zack’s work and joining his community

Conclusion