Thought Lab - We’re obsessed with figuring out how things work and why. These stories provide insight into the kinds of technologies, inventions, and cultural concepts that inspire our work.

Thought Lab - We’re obsessed with figuring out how things work and why. These stories reveal our discoveries, insights and inspiration.

Eavesdropping
On Craft
Exploring the crafty convergence of effort, care, knowledge, and workmanship
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BUILDING WONDER
Real Art and You: Let’s Get to Work. Together.
Real Art is a creative agency that’s on the hunt for bold, forward-thinking clients who share our dreams to build big. Sound familiar? Read more
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Culture Crush
Art Can Wait: The Frank Ocean Complex
Designer Geoff Stump dishes on the exhilarating (and exhausting) saga that led up to Frank Ocean's Blonde Read more
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Culture Crush
Who Run the World
Front-end developer Shelby White talks badass women in video games, special effects, art, and acting Read more
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Maker Hacker
UX Research: Getting Started
Defining the issues can be a research project in itself. So where to begin? Read more
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Future
The Digital Revolution Already Happened
How can companies embrace the new order? Read more
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Future
The Art of Imitation
What should we consider when replicating objects and experiences? Read more
Culture Crush
Is Your Organization Too Organized?
Rigid structures and plans might be hurting more than helping your business
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Culture Crush
VR: Touring New Digital Landscapes
A look at initiatives in gaming, art, science, journalism, and more Read more
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Eavesdropping
Soul Work: The Power of the Passion Project
Real Arters talk about the importance of pursuing personal work. Read more
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Eavesdropping
The Next Great Game
Motion graphics designer Lauren Valko talks VR and gaming. Read more
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Culture Crush
Do Values Matter?
How important is your company culture, really? Read more
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Future
Tech and Social Responsibility
What does the new pace of innovation mean for companies who care? Read more
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Future
Decisions, Decisions
A look at the convergence of data and design and where machine learning is headed. Read more
Maker Hacker
Living Digital Space
An artist collective’s fusion of physical and virtual life encourages new ways of examining the natural world
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Maker Hacker
Creativity and Discomfort
Halloween dates back to an ancient Celtic festival that has some interesting implications for creativity. Read more
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Culture Crush
Twitter Has Its Moment
Is Twitter Moments the natural next step in the evolution of news consumption? Read more
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Future
Deep Video
How the next generation of depth cameras will transform our definitions of image and interface. Read more
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Culture Crush
How Prizes Drive Innovation
From ancient Olympic races to today’s Air Force Prize, prestigious competitions have the power to spur human effort and catapult accomplishment beyond the realm of the ordinary. Read more
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Eavesdropping
How do you know when it’s good?
Real Arters weigh-in on the art of recognizing a good thing. Read more
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Maker Hacker
Code and Legos and Math, Oh My!
How education tools are evolving to create a cohort of citizen-engineers. Read more
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Eavesdropping
How to Control Time
A simple trick to expand your experience of this seemingly limited resource. Read more
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Maker Hacker
History of Flip-Dots
The story of a mid-century display technology that’s getting a new life Read more
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Culture Crush
Sentient Cars
A look at the lives and lessons of 5 fictional automobiles—each with a mind of its own. Read more
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Culture Crush
Design Gold
What Rube Goldberg’s remarkable cartoons reveal about design. Read more
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Culture Crush
History of the 404
The surprising mythology and true meaning of the dreaded 404 page. Read more
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Culture Crush
Don Music Disease
The most creatively deadly condition afflicting artists everywhere. Read more
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Culture Crush
Fiction Gets Real: Cosplay
Real Art's in-house cosplay expert and front-end developer, Shelby White, talks about the magic and maker-skills of this remarkable, imaginative practice. Read more
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Culture Crush
Lessons from Video Games
Surprising and entertaining insights from the defining media of our time. Read more
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Maker Hacker
We <3 Linus Torvalds
The most ground-breaking and influential computer engineer that you probably never heard of. Read more
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Maker Hacker
Fearless
Obliterate harmful self-doubt and internal terror. Read more
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Eavesdropping
For the Love of Letterpress
Why one Real Arter has committed to keeping an arcane printing technique alive. Read more
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Culture Crush
Ghosts in the Machine
How horror stories process a cultural fear of communication technology Read more
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Maker Hacker
AC vs DC
How the 19th century’s War of the Currents became a touchstone for 21st century innovation Read more
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Maker Hacker
The Coding Countess
How the mathematician Ada Lovelace became the world's first computer programmer… before computers even existed. Read more
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Culture Crush
Fiction Gets Real: Lost
Real Art’s Video Team Lead, Andy Nick, talks about the show’s impact on creatives, it’s addictive storytelling, and how it forever changed the landscape of entertainment. Read more
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Maker Hacker
Ye Olde Tech Pirates
How the term for sea-faring swashbucklers became synonymous with illegal downloaders. Read more
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Culture Crush
Badges of Honor
The symbolism and adventurous history of embroidered patches. Read more
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Culture Crush
Improv Problem Solvers
The fringe benefits of theatrical fun and games Read more
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Maker Hacker
The Rebirth of Transitional Interfaces
How motion and animation are about to permeate our digital interactions (again). Read more
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Eavesdropping
The Office Exchange Program
We’re sending Dayton-based staff to mix it up with other offices. The benefits are surprisingly powerful. Read more
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Eavesdropping
Should Everyone Learn To Code?
Real Arters respond to a key conundrum of modern day computing. Read more
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Eavesdropping
By Hand
The simple power in putting pen to paper. Read more
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Future
Emotional Tech
Emotion-tracking algorithms give technology the ability to understand our inner lives. Read more
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Eavesdropping
On Social Media
Sharing value and generating authentic brands in the online wild west Read more
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Culture Crush
Design Fiction Film
Forget character. Forget plot. These future-focused movies are all about design. Read more
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Eavesdropping
On Telling Stories
How weaving a good yarn builds relationships and makes ideas infectious. Read more
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Eavesdropping
Letter from the Editor
We hope our “lab for ideas” can inspire all our friends to dream as big as possible. Read more
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Maker Hacker
Play More
Shuffle off the seriousness and open your mind to the marvelous possibilities of play. Read more
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Future
Amateurs In Space
Embracing the age of DIY satellites and using technology to personally explore the stars. Read more
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Maker Hacker
Lessons From Tesla
Enduring insights from the 20th century's mad scientist extraordinaire. Read more
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Future
Neural Control
The interface that taps into your body and feels like no interface at all. Read more
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Eavesdropping
On Google Glass
Though it isn't quite ready for the big time, Glass still has game-changing potential. Read more
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Eavesdropping
Fueling Creativity
Real Art's “fearless leader” discusses curiosity and puzzles at TEDxDayton. Read more
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Culture Crush
The New Undead
Zombies today are way smarter than they used to be, and sometimes just darn adorable. Read more
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Maker Hacker
Arduino’s Reign
The small, powerful heart inside a whole generation of innovative DIY devices. Read more
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Eavesdropping
On Wonder
Put down your smartphone and tap into this engine of awe, curiosity, and inspiration. Read more
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Future
Plugged-In Pets
How animal-aimed technology will transform the lives of our furry friends. Read more
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Eavesdropping
Doing It Digital
How Angela Ahrendts used technology to reimagine the retail experience. Read more
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Future
Jammin’ In Jetpacks
Keep your eyes to the skies. This retro-futurist dream is about to take off. Read more
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Culture Crush
Timeless Trajectory
A historical flyover of sixteen fantastic jetpacks that sent imaginations soaring. Read more
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Eavesdropping
Q&A with Yves Béhar
As a self-proclaimed contrarian, Yves Béhar enjoys being told what not to do. Read more
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Maker Hacker
Newfangled Nostalgia
The most revolutionary messaging device that you’ve never heard of. Read more
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Future
Life By Numbers
Future data-gleaning devices will optimize the way we live, work, and play. Read more
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Culture Crush
Cult Of The Claw
How a quirky steam shovel game clawed its way into arcades everywhere. Read more
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