Hardware Podcasts

Joe Bogusky| Surgical Robots, Catheter R&D, & Seahorse Tails

Being an Engineer · 20 May 2022 · 43m · Episode 20

What this episode covers

Joe Bogusky, a Senior Mechanical Engineer at Intuitive Surgical, discusses his 25-year career developing minimally invasive medical devices, ranging from robotic-controlled catheters to the DaVinci surgical robot. He details the unique engineering challenges of catheter design, such as managing conflicting stiffness requirements and testing materials like PTFE in simulated body temperature environments. Bogusky also shares insights on the future of surgical robotics, emphasizing the role of AI for low-risk tasks while maintaining physician control, and advises engineers to build custom calculation tools and study biomimicry for inspiration.

Most relevant to

large enterprises

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Intuitive Surgical, Zeus, Fort Wayne Plastics, Tegra
Products
DaVinci Robot
Materials
PTFE

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Robot Talk · 50m

    Episode 162: The robot doctor will see you now - Robot Talk Live

    Claire Asher hosts a live episode of Robot Talk at Imperial College London with George Mylonas (Imperial College London), Antonia Tzemanaki (University of Bristol), and Tom Vercauteren (King's College London/Hypervision Surgical). The panel discusses the evolution of surgical robotics from the da Vinci system to soft robotics and AI-driven perceptual interfaces, highlighting research into needle steering, tactile sensing for cancer diagnosis, and computer vision for tissue differentiation. They address the challenges of training AI models with limited annotated medical data, the regulatory hurdles for medical devices, and the ethical implications of autonomy in healthcare.

    Robotics & autonomyAI & machine learning
    5 chapters

  • Robot Talk · 24m

    Episode Twenty-Five: Ferdinando Rodriguez y Baena

    Professor Ferdinando Rodriguez y Baena of Imperial College London discusses medical robotics, highlighting his work on the Acrobot system for hands-on surgery and the Eden 2020 needle steering platform for neurosurgical drug delivery. He explains how robotic training systems use vibrotactile feedback to teach surgeons procedures like endoscopy, and contrasts telemanipulation with cooperative 'hands-on' robotics. Rodriguez y Baena identifies funding risks and strict MDR regulations as major barriers to commercializing complex medical devices, noting that major players like Stryker and Siemens are now heavily invested in the field.

    Medical & health devicesMechanical engineering
    7 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 59m

    406: R2D2 Is a Trash Can

    Jorvon Moss, also known as Odd Jayy, a Technical Media Creator for Digi-Key, discusses his journey as a self-taught maker of steampunk-inspired robots and wearable tech. He details his design process, which prioritizes sketching and aesthetics over pure engineering, and explains his current project of programming an AI personality into a rolling robot using Mycroft and Raspberry Pi. Moss shares how his background in comic book illustration informs his use of color and form, and describes his strategy for using open-source projects to build community and combat loneliness.

    Robotics & autonomyIndustrial & consumer product design
    10 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 04m

    305: Humans Have a Terrible Spec Sheet (Repeat)

    Amanda Wozniak, a principal engineer at Amazon Robotics with a background at Analog Devices, the Wyss Institute at Harvard, and NxStage, discusses her career in biomedical engineering and hardware development. She explains the gap between academic theory and practical engineering, detailing how parasitics and non-ideal component behavior often cause circuit failures that textbooks ignore. Wozniak also shares insights on navigating the FDA regulatory process for medical devices, the challenges of managing complex robotics projects, and the importance of avoiding burnout by recognizing engineering as a team sport rather than a solo endeavor.

    Careers & educationAnalog & power electronics
    8 chapters

  • The Robot Report Podcast · 1h 02m

    The Future of Surgery: The long path to market for surgical robots with Adam Sachs from Vicarious

    Adam Sachs, co-founder and CEO of Vicarious Surgical, discusses the company's progress in developing a single-port surgical robot that operates through a 1.8 cm incision, detailing the transition from VR-based Beta 1 to a hybrid interface in Beta 2. He explains the rigorous FDA regulatory path, including electromagnetic compatibility testing against electro-surgery tools and the strategic decision to delay AI features to ensure traceability. The episode also covers Vicarious' public funding status, supply chain challenges, and the potential for remote training applications, alongside industry news on GM's Cruise and Amazon's iRobot acquisition.

    Medical & health devicesSourcing & supply chain
    8 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Being an Engineer. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.