# 305: Humans Have a Terrible Spec Sheet (Repeat)

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2022-04-28
- Length: 1h 04m
- Episode: 305
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-04-28-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet-repeat
- Listen: https://embedded.fm/episodes/305-repeat

## 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 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.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-04-28-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet-repeat#t=6) Introduction and Lightning Round
- [3:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-04-28-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet-repeat#t=180) Academic Foundations and Analog Devices
- [7:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-04-28-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet-repeat#t=450) The Reality of Parasitics and Practical Engineering
- [15:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-04-28-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet-repeat#t=904) Transition to Biomedical Engineering at Harvard
- [20:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-04-28-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet-repeat#t=1252) Navigating FDA Regulations and Process Engineering
- [25:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-04-28-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet-repeat#t=1504) Project Management and Burnout at NxStage
- [40:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-04-28-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet-repeat#t=2411) Robotics, Radar, and the Myth of the Lone Engineer
- [50:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-04-28-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet-repeat#t=3014) Career Advice, Hiring, and Work-Life Balance

## 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)
- 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)
- [S1E35 Harley-Davidson, Device Reprocessing, & Keeping a High Level Perspective | Tim Rempfer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-09-04-s1e35-harley-davidson-device-reprocessing-keeping-a-high-level-perspective-tim-r) (Being an Engineer)
- [S1E19 Mentors, Ego, and Vulnerability | Trey Bobo](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-07-03-s1e19-mentors-ego-and-vulnerability-trey-bobo) (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/2022-04-28-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet-repeat. 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.