Hardware Podcasts

Roland Schwarz | R&D Engineering Series – Interview 2 of 6

Being an Engineer · 23 Jun 2023 · 39m · Episode 24

What this episode covers

Roland Schwarz, a mechanical engineer at SurfaceInk, discusses his career path from nuclear power to R&D roles at companies like Jacobsen and Apple, and his current work on a brain-computer interface with Oculus. He emphasizes the importance of 'honest failure' in prototyping, using CAD and mathematical modeling to understand physical phenomena, and the value of innate curiosity in hiring. Schwarz highlights the emotional reward of creating technology that improves lives, such as helping a quadriplegic communicate, while noting the business risks R&D faces regarding budget cuts and knowledge retention.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
SurfaceInk, Jacobsen, Textron, Apple, Oculus, UCSF

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