# 252: A Good Heuristic for Pain Tolerance

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2018-07-05
- Length: 1h 13m
- Episode: 252
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-07-05-252-a-good-heuristic-for-pain-tolerance
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/252-a-good-heuristic-for-pain-tolerance

## Summary

Katie Malone, a data scientist at Civis Analytics and host of the Linear Digressions podcast, discusses the practical application of machine learning in embedded systems. She explains the distinction between training and inference, highlighting the challenge of integrating black-box neural network outputs into deterministic embedded software. Malone emphasizes that data science is largely about data preparation and problem formulation, not just algorithm selection, and advises engineers to build projects to overcome imposter syndrome.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-07-05-252-a-good-heuristic-for-pain-tolerance#t=6) Introduction: Katie Malone and Civis Analytics
- [1:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-07-05-252-a-good-heuristic-for-pain-tolerance#t=94) Lightning Round: Tools and Preferences
- [2:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-07-05-252-a-good-heuristic-for-pain-tolerance#t=167) Linear Digressions Podcast and Learning Resources
- [11:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-07-05-252-a-good-heuristic-for-pain-tolerance#t=686) Getting Started in Machine Learning: Projects vs. Courses
- [18:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-07-05-252-a-good-heuristic-for-pain-tolerance#t=1116) Inference vs. Training and Embedded Constraints
- [26:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-07-05-252-a-good-heuristic-for-pain-tolerance#t=1605) Interpretability and Feature Engineering Challenges
- [34:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-07-05-252-a-good-heuristic-for-pain-tolerance#t=2073) Adversarial Attacks and Real-World Robustness
- [41:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-07-05-252-a-good-heuristic-for-pain-tolerance#t=2495) The Role of a Data Scientist: Data Prep and Business Context
- [50:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-07-05-252-a-good-heuristic-for-pain-tolerance#t=3027) Safety Critical Systems and Neural Net Integration
- [59:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-07-05-252-a-good-heuristic-for-pain-tolerance#t=3561) Imposter Syndrome and the Value of Math

## Topics

- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Linear Digressions (product)
- TensorFlow (tool)
- Chainer (tool)
- Udacity (company)
- Coursera (tool)
- NVIDIA (company)
- AlphaGo (product)
- CERN (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [AI-enhanced Embedded Development (May 2025 Edition)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2025-11-12-ai-enhanced-embedded-development-may-2025-edition) (The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast)
- [AI Vision Systems in Manufacturing with Deepview's Eliyahu Davis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2024-07-30-ai-vision-systems-in-manufacturing-with-deepviews-eliyahu-davis) (OnTrack)
- [Super Intelligence. Friend or Enemy?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2022-03-31-super-intelligence-friend-or-enemy) (Over the Air)
- [AI and Connectivity at the Edge and Endpoint](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2023-10-19-ai-and-connectivity-at-the-edge-and-endpoint) (EE Times Current)
- [#007: AI, Open Source, and the Future of Embedded Development: How Much Code Will We Actually Write?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-04-29-007-ai-open-source-and-the-future-of-embedded-development-how-much-code-will-we) (Coredump Sessions)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-07-05-252-a-good-heuristic-for-pain-tolerance. 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 Embedded.fm.