Hlavní stránka Info portálu ZČU

At a time when technical fields are facing declining interest among young people, more and more projects aim to bring physics and technology back into the spotlight. One of them is Hi! Fyziko – YouTube channel that combines precision, humor, and visual storytelling. The project’s author, Vladimír Kindl from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the University of West Bohemia, has attracted an audience of teachers, students, and even those who left textbooks behind long ago. Most importantly, they begin to feel that physics actually makes sense. We talked to Vladimír Kindl about why science popularization should start as early as elementary school, how his visual physics universe is created, and why he believes that slowing down can sometimes be the fastest path to understanding.

When people hear the word “technology” today, many seem intimidated. Why do you think that is?

Technical education has lost some of its shine in the public eye, even though we need it more than ever. The Czech Republic has long suffered from a shortage of technically skilled workers across industries—electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, construction, IT. That’s not a media cliché but a structural reality of the labor market. The problem isn’t that physics is hard; it’s that the why is often missing. When students don’t see a real-world connection, their motivation drops. But once they get context—say, realizing that the principle we’re describing on the board works inside a car or a socket—they start to enjoy it. And this should begin already in elementary school.

So you decided to “translate” technology into everyday language?

Exactly. Hi! Fyziko is a space where physics is translated into images and clear stories. I build on three pillars: precision, clarity, and visual thinking. I use Czech terminology, my own measurements, and animations. The goal is practical literacy—to understand the principles we use every day and to see how physics operates in the real world. I want viewers to see what they’re learning—and enjoy it. With primary and secondary school students, I aim for “aha” moments that break the myth that physics is only for geniuses. For the general public, I provide reliable “anti-fake” foundations—no sensationalism, just solid visuals. And for teachers, I offer materials that complement their lessons rather than replace them.

Is your goal to teach or to awaken curiosity?

Both—but in that order. The experience of understanding must come first, that “aha” moment. Only then does it make sense to explain formulas. With children, I try to dispel the myth that physics is for the chosen few; with adults, I try to restore confidence that thinking is nothing to be ashamed of. For teachers, Hi! Fyziko serves as a supplement—something they can play in class without sacrificing accuracy or clarity.

Your videos have a distinctive style. How do you build them?

I like structure: hook → model → reality and limits → takeaway. First a question or a problem, then the principle, then its limits, and finally the takeaway. And I stick to one rule: slow down to speed up. When you understand the principle, everything else comes faster. People sometimes say they get a bit lost in my videos, and that’s fine. The real shame would be pretending physics is simple. I’d rather admit that it takes time, but that it’s understandable.

Your delivery feels natural, almost conversational. Is that intentional?

Yes. I don’t want to sound like a “voice from the lectern.” I add little pauses like “hmm, why is that?” or “aha, we’ll have to do this differently.” These micro-pauses give viewers time to think. They keep both pace and humanity—and that’s key for me. Popularization without human touch is just a dictation of facts. I usually write the script with a co-author or an academic advisor (an essential part of the process), but I handle the visuals and editing myself. Communication and PR I’ve handed over to more capable hands. I use Photoshop, Adobe Animate, Adobe Premiere, Matlab, and a bit of AI. The graphics are simple and readable because I don’t want visuals to overshadow the idea. Physics is a visual discipline - the image should guide, not confuse.

Your son sometimes appears in the videos. Was that intentional?

More of a test subject (laughs). Vašík was my “child litmus paper.” If something didn’t pass his test, I reworked it. He once appeared in a video, for fun. But overall, I try to make videos understandable for everyone - from mechanics to managers. That’s my definition of clarity (laughs).

Hi! Fyziko also extends into teaching and research. How does that work in practice?

At the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, I teach a course on electrical machines and created a series of ten educational videos for it. They cover complex principles of rotating and non-rotating machines—but in a way that’s comprehensible. I also collaborate with the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Czech Technical University in Prague. Together, we made a series of videos for our Faculty’s YouTube channel about controlled nuclear fusion, featuring Assoc. Prof. Entler—one of our top researchers. The aim was to provide a popular yet scientifically precise explanation—without distortion or sensationalism. I consider that one of the most valuable contributions science popularization can make.

You speak about popularization with both respect and passion. What does it mean to you?

A true science popularizer doesn’t stand beneath science—they carry it. It’s not about simplifying science but about opening the door to it. I try not just to say things that are true but to say them in a way that people can hear. That’s the difference.

Where do you see Hi! Fyziko going next?

I’d like to further connect education with real-world practice—energy, machines, drives, fusion. And most of all, I want physics to stop being a symbol of difficulty. I want it to become a tool that helps people understand the world around them.

Assoc. Prof. Ing. Vladimír Kindl, Ph.D. works at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, specializing in advanced analysis of electrical machines, wireless power transfer, and modeling of magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in tokamak-type fusion reactors. He is the author or co-author of numerous academic papers, utility models, and patents. He has long been active in teaching and science communication. Through his Hi! Fyziko project, featuring videos, animations, and real-world examples, he brings physics principles closer to students, teachers, and the public.