# 305: Humans Have a Terrible Spec Sheet

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2019-10-03
- Length: 1h 04m
- Episode: 305
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-10-03-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet

## Summary

Amanda Wozniak, a principal engineer at Amazon Robotics with a background at Analog Devices, the Wyss Institute at Harvard, and NxStage, discusses her career path from semiconductor design to biomedical engineering and robotics. She explains the critical gap between academic theory and practical engineering, highlighting how parasitics and non-ideal component behavior often cause circuit failures that textbooks ignore. Wozniak also details the challenges of navigating FDA regulatory processes for medical devices and the importance of establishing robust quality systems early to avoid bureaucratic busywork. Finally, she addresses the realities of being a woman in tech, offering advice on handling sexism, avoiding burnout, and recognizing that engineering is fundamentally a team sport rather than a solo endeavor.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-10-03-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet#t=6) Introduction and Lightning Round
- [3:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-10-03-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet#t=180) MIT Education and the Gap Between Theory and Practice
- [5:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-10-03-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet#t=353) Analog Devices and the Reality of Parasitics
- [15:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-10-03-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet#t=904) Transition to Biomedical Engineering at the Wyss Institute
- [20:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-10-03-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet#t=1252) Navigating FDA Regulations and Process Engineering
- [24:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-10-03-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet#t=1496) Project Management and Burnout at NxStage
- [40:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-10-03-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet#t=2411) Robotics, Radar, and the Myth of the Lone Engineer
- [54:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-10-03-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet#t=3272) Women in Tech, Burnout, and Career Advice

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Analog & power electronics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/analog-and-power-electronics)
- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Founder wellbeing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/founder-wellbeing)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Analog Devices (company)
- Wyss Institute (company)
- NxStage (company)
- Humatics (company)
- Amazon Robotics (company)
- Adafruit (company)
- iRobot (company)
- Medtronic (company)
- Guidant (company)
- Intel (company)
- IBM (company)
- DEKA (company)
- DARPA (company)
- ISO 13485 (other)
- FDA (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [S2E11 Being Open-Minded, Exiting Introvertism, & Being Nice | Liz Zettel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-03-07-s2e11-being-open-minded-exiting-introvertism-being-nice-liz-zettel) (Being an Engineer)
- [S1E23 A-Team Engineering, From Ireland to the United States | Ronan Jenkinson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-07-24-s1e23-a-team-engineering-from-ireland-to-the-united-states-ronan-jenkinson) (Being an Engineer)
- [S7E25 Yesenia Avellaneda | Engineering, Medicine, and Manufacturing Leadership](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-06-12-s7e25-yesenia-avellaneda-engineering-medicine-and-manufacturing-leadership) (Being an Engineer)
- [#452: Switching Careers to MedTech: A Practical Guide for Engineers and Professionals](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2026-03-23-452-switching-careers-to-medtech-a-practical-guide-for-engineers-and-professiona) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [S5E3 Grace Park | Medical Device Engineering Leaders 4](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-01-19-s5e3-grace-park-medical-device-engineering-leaders-4) (Being an Engineer)

## 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/2019-10-03-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet. 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.