Becoming Superhuman

Writer Director — 2x30 Minute / 1 Hour Television Feature

Presented by Dr Jordan Nguyen. Written and directed by Wain Fimeri. Produced by The Feds.

‘★★★★
If you watch one thing this week let it be this two parter – it’s just wonderful… 
I loved this.’ — Clare Rigden, Herald Sun

This is the story of Jordan the biomedical engineer, and Riley the 13-year-old student and computer geek who was born with cerebral Palsy.  Riley’s in a wheelchair. He speaks with the aid of a computer that he controls with his eye movements. The only voluntary movement Riley has is his eyes.

Superhuman

Jordan and Riley develop a technology that responds to Riley’s eye movements so he can control things in his home, like turn on a TV, or operate a light switch. It’s like giving Riley telekinesis, a superpower.

What follows is a wild, funny, frustrating, and amazing ride with a small bunch of brilliant young electronic and software designers.

‘Critic’s Choice
★★★★
Really lovely two-part Catalyst special that brings science and human interest together in a thoroughly engaging way.
– this is a cracking yarn.’ — Melinda Houston, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age

First they have to figure out a way to capture the tiny bio electrical signals generated inside Riley’s brain when he moves his eyes. Then they build electronics, and design software that harvests those signals and then Riley does something he’s never done before. He switches on a light, operates some fans, and switches on a TV, but Riley being Riley, wants to do something else. Riley wants to drive a car.

Dr Jordan Nguyen

Jordan and his team adapt a small wicked little dune buggy to operate with the technology they’ve designed for Riley and our wild, funny, frustrating, and amazing ride gets better as Riley powers the dune buggy at top speed through a specially constructed obstacle course.  The technology works. It proves the mettle of everyone involved and points to a future where we might all become Superhuman.

‘Dr Jordan Nguyen arrives on TV with the easy charm of a natural and sets himself a laudable task. His project blends science and technology with experimentation….There's a spirit of enthusiastic discovery here that recalls Mythbusters and, through Riley, the personalisation of a story that illustrates the way in which inventive thinking can be deployed to improve lives.’ — Debi Enker, Sydney Morning Herald

  • Winner ATOM Award Best Factual Television series Australia.
  • Winner Gold award for NSW ACS awards Australia.
  • Winner Best Documentary Picture This International Disability Film Festival, Canada.
  • Winner Gold REMI Award 50th Annual International Independent Film Festival, WorldFest, USA.
  • Winner ROCKIE Award Best Science and Technology, BANFF World Media Festival, Canada.
  • Winner Australian Museum Department of Industry, Innovation and Science EUREKA Prize for Science Journalism.
  • Official Selection SUPER GEEK Film Festival Florida Supercon USA.
  • Official Selection SCINEMA International Science Festival, Australia.
  • Official Selection ASSIM VIVEMOS International Disability Film Festival.