Turning ideas into impact with Todd Edmunds
In this episode, Jillian Kaplan talks with Todd Edmunds, a lifelong technologist and current CTO, about the creative spirit that drives his innovation—from industrial IoT to life-changing accessibility solutions. Todd shares how a childhood curiosity for light switches sparked a decades-long journey of building, rethinking, and improving both the workplace and the world around him.
You’ll hear how Todd combines cutting-edge tech with deep empathy to solve problems—like building a patented elevator hidden beneath a staircase for his brother, who uses a wheelchair. This episode dives into what it really means to be an innovator, how to balance vision with politics, and why sometimes being “too early” is actually just right on time.
Key Takeaways:
• Innovation starts with an insatiable desire to know how things work
• Being forward-thinking sometimes means being misunderstood—until you’re proven right
• Real innovation is about solving real problems—especially for people you love
• Combining existing technologies in new ways can be just as inventive as brand-new inventions
• Sometimes, innovation means knowing how to frame your idea differently for different people
Inventions Highlighted:
• A stairwell elevator that transforms stairs to allow wheelchair access (stairwellelevator.com)
• A motorized desk for accessibility
• A rotating inflatable bed system using PLCs to improve hospital recovery
• Voice-activated entertainment and computing setups for individuals with limited mobility
Quotable Moment:
“People say think outside the box. I’ve already taken that box apart and used it to build something new.” – Todd Edmunds