# S1E14 An Engineer’s Engineer | Robert Futch

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2020-06-19
- Length: 43m
- Episode: 14
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-06-19-s1e14-an-engineers-engineer-robert-futch

## Summary

Robert Futch, CTO at Delta Development Team, discusses his journey from building model rockets as a child to leading the design of revolutionary medical thermal systems. He explains how his background in mechanical engineering and self-taught programming allowed him to bridge hardware and software gaps at Sundancer, leading to his current work on portable blood transport and warming devices. Futch highlights the critical need for medical-grade reliability, contrasting his products with makeshift solutions like Coleman coolers used by hospitals, and details his pursuit of a Master's in Systems Engineering to manage the complex regulatory and technical demands of life-saving technology.

## Chapters

- [0:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-06-19-s1e14-an-engineers-engineer-robert-futch#t=13) Introduction: Robert Futch and Delta Development Team
- [1:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-06-19-s1e14-an-engineers-engineer-robert-futch#t=66) Childhood Influences: Legos, Rockets, and Raytheon
- [9:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-06-19-s1e14-an-engineers-engineer-robert-futch#t=575) Sundancer: Direct Solar Powered Vaccine Refrigerators
- [14:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-06-19-s1e14-an-engineers-engineer-robert-futch#t=865) Bridging Mechanical Engineering and Software Programming
- [21:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-06-19-s1e14-an-engineers-engineer-robert-futch#t=1294) Pursuing a Master's in Systems Engineering
- [26:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-06-19-s1e14-an-engineers-engineer-robert-futch#t=1566) Ventana: Working with Scientists on Tissue Staining Robots
- [30:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-06-19-s1e14-an-engineers-engineer-robert-futch#t=1836) Delta Development Team: Blood Transport and Warming Systems
- [34:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-06-19-s1e14-an-engineers-engineer-robert-futch#t=2086) Replacing Coleman Coolers with Medical-Grade Technology

## Topics

- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Delta Development Team (company)
- Sundancer (company)
- Ventana (company)
- Raytheon (company)
- Coleman (product)
- LabVIEW (tool)
- picbasic (chip)
- ISO 13485 (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [305: Humans Have a Terrible Spec Sheet (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-04-28-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet-repeat) (Embedded.fm)
- [Medical Electronics Education with Mark Palmeri](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-12-22-medical-electronics-education-with-mark-palmeri) (The Amp Hour)
- [#381: MedTech Advice from an Accidental Entrepreneur](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2024-09-05-381-medtech-advice-from-an-accidental-entrepreneur) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [009 - “Cutting Through the Noise” with Charles Ventura](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2021-12-01-009-cutting-through-the-noise-with-charles-ventura) (Let's Combinate)
- [What Goes into Designing Devices for Military and Emergency Applications?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2020-11-26-what-goes-into-designing-devices-for-military-and-emergency-applications) (Global Medical Device Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-06-19-s1e14-an-engineers-engineer-robert-futch. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Being an Engineer.