# Alex Villanueva: Asteroid Mining, Virtual Apparel Fitting, Biomimicry Inspired Tech | Hard Tech Podcast #17

- Show: [Hard Tech Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast)
- Published: 2024-04-02
- Length: 1h 32m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-04-02-alex-villanueva-asteroid-mining-virtual-apparel-fitting-biomimicry-inspired-tech
- Listen: https://rss.com/podcasts/hardtechpodcast/1416751

## Summary

Alex Villanueva, founder and CEO of Eclo, explains how his AI platform reduces apparel returns by predicting shoe fit through a smartphone foot scanner and user preferences. He details the technical challenges of capturing 3D foot data and the business insight that increasing conversion rates is more valuable to retailers than just reducing returns. Villanueva also reflects on his graduate research building biomimetic robotic jellyfish at Virginia Tech and his internship at NASA working on pulse plasma thrusters.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-04-02-alex-villanueva-asteroid-mining-virtual-apparel-fitting-biomimicry-inspired-tech#t=0) Introduction: Alex Villanueva and Eclo
- [0:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-04-02-alex-villanueva-asteroid-mining-virtual-apparel-fitting-biomimicry-inspired-tech#t=53) The Problem of Online Returns and Eclo's Solution
- [4:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-04-02-alex-villanueva-asteroid-mining-virtual-apparel-fitting-biomimicry-inspired-tech#t=266) Inspiration from Warby Parker and Grad School
- [15:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-04-02-alex-villanueva-asteroid-mining-virtual-apparel-fitting-biomimicry-inspired-tech#t=932) Eclo's AI Technology and Foot Scanner
- [27:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-04-02-alex-villanueva-asteroid-mining-virtual-apparel-fitting-biomimicry-inspired-tech#t=1621) The Shoe Scanner Robot and Quality Control
- [46:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-04-02-alex-villanueva-asteroid-mining-virtual-apparel-fitting-biomimicry-inspired-tech#t=2761) Biomimetic Robotic Jellyfish Research
- [1:07:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-04-02-alex-villanueva-asteroid-mining-virtual-apparel-fitting-biomimicry-inspired-tech#t=4055) NASA Internship and Space Exploration
- [1:19:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-04-02-alex-villanueva-asteroid-mining-virtual-apparel-fitting-biomimicry-inspired-tech#t=4744) Entrepreneurial Advice and NSF Grants

## Topics

- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Eclo (company)
- Warby Parker (company)
- Zappos (company)
- Nike (company)
- Gucci (company)
- Amazon (company)
- SpaceX (company)
- Blue Origin (company)
- Vada (company)
- National Science Foundation (other)
- Robo Jelly (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [69. Feet Pics Saving The Planet & Fly Eye Inspired AI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-05-10-69-feet-pics-saving-the-planet-fly-eye-inspired-ai) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [Step into the Future: Doc Sols’ 3D Printed Revolution in Podiatry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-08-29-step-into-the-future-doc-sols-3d-printed-revolution-in-podiatry) (Additive Snack)
- [194. You Don’t Stand Straight But This AI Wearable Will Fix It](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-10-01-194-you-dont-stand-straight-but-this-ai-wearable-will-fix-it) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [249. Harvard’s Smartwatch Makes You Run Faster & Safer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2026-07-21-249-harvards-smartwatch-makes-you-run-faster-safer) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [4. 3D Printing Organs, The AI DJ, Next-Gen Weather Satellites](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2021-02-09-4-3d-printing-organs-the-ai-dj-next-gen-weather-satellites) (The Next Byte Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-04-02-alex-villanueva-asteroid-mining-virtual-apparel-fitting-biomimicry-inspired-tech. 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 Hard Tech Podcast.