Olin Lathrop, Embed Inc. May 21, 2009 Electronic gadgets that you can buy at Walmart don't just spontaneously pop into existence or come from little elves in a hollow tree. This talk describes the interesting and sometimes mundane and grimy process of how products go from ideas to store shelves or virtual web shelves. A small device designed specifically for this talk will be followed thru the process with samples given out. (Hint: these will be great for annoying your parents and siblings). The discussion will not only show what an electrical engineer does, but also how global and accessible the process is of producing electronic items has become, even in small quantities by individual entrepreneurs. The talk is aimed at high school and advanced middle school students, and is free and open to the public. Olin will mention career opportunities and career paths in electrical engineering, and there will be time for open discussion. Olin Lathrop received a BS in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1978, a Master of Engineering in EE from Rensselaer in 1980, and has been designing electronics, firmware, and software ever since. He has worked for Hewlett Packard, Raster Technologies, Apollo Computer, Radianse Inc, and now owns his own consulting company, Embed Inc, in Littleton. Olin has been granted eight patents ranging from computer graphics to sports training equipment to indoor location systems to power conversion circuits, and wrote the introductory book, "They Way Computer Graphics Works", published by John Wiley and Sons.

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