Meet mechanical engineer and inventor Nate Ball in this video profile from The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers. Ball explains how an idea for a design competition project led to his big invention: a rope-climbing device named the Atlas Power Ascender that is used in search-and-rescue operations. He describes the process used to design, build, and test the Ascender and discusses the role of failure, which is not only common in engineering but teaches valuable lessons. This resource is part of the NOVA: Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers Collection.

This video is available in both English and Spanish audio, along with corresponding closed captions.