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

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2023-06-23
- Length: 39m
- Episode: 24
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-23-roland-schwarz-r-d-engineering-series-interview-2-of-6
- Listen: https://teampipeline.us/roland-schwarz-rd-engineering-series/

## Summary

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.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-23-roland-schwarz-r-d-engineering-series-interview-2-of-6#t=0) Introduction: Roland Schwarz and SurfaceInk
- [1:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-23-roland-schwarz-r-d-engineering-series-interview-2-of-6#t=94) Schwarz's Career Path: Navy, Jacobsen, and Apple
- [5:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-23-roland-schwarz-r-d-engineering-series-interview-2-of-6#t=315) Defining R&D and the Value of Honest Failure
- [7:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-23-roland-schwarz-r-d-engineering-series-interview-2-of-6#t=447) Case Study: Hospital Bed Actuators and Mathematical Modeling
- [10:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-23-roland-schwarz-r-d-engineering-series-interview-2-of-6#t=652) Tools of the Trade: CAD, Physics, and Energy Models
- [18:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-23-roland-schwarz-r-d-engineering-series-interview-2-of-6#t=1092) Oculus Brain-Computer Interface and Clinical Impact
- [25:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-23-roland-schwarz-r-d-engineering-series-interview-2-of-6#t=1530) Frustrations: Budget Cuts and Knowledge Retention
- [30:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-23-roland-schwarz-r-d-engineering-series-interview-2-of-6#t=1802) Hiring for Innate Curiosity and Mastery

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- SurfaceInk (company)
- Jacobsen (company)
- Textron (company)
- Apple (company)
- Oculus (company)
- UCSF (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [An Interview with Ben Krasnow, 8 years on](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-02-17-an-interview-with-ben-krasnow-8-years-on) (The Amp Hour)
- [77: Goldfish, Fetch My Slippers!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-11-20-77-goldfish-fetch-my-slippers) (Embedded.fm)
- [136: Let's Try Out Some Broccoli](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-01-28-136-lets-try-out-some-broccoli) (Embedded.fm)
- [001 - “Learning Never Exhausts the Mind” with Rick Doe](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2021-10-06-001-learning-never-exhausts-the-mind-with-rick-doe) (Let's Combinate)
- [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)

## 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/2023-06-23-roland-schwarz-r-d-engineering-series-interview-2-of-6. 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.