# Timothy Blumberg: Innovative Gut Health Tech, Autonomous Vehicles, Shanghai | Hard Tech Podcast #20

- Show: [Hard Tech Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast)
- Published: 2024-06-24
- Length: 2h 01m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-06-24-timothy-blumberg-innovative-gut-health-tech-autonomous-vehicles-shanghai-hard-te
- Listen: https://rss.com/podcasts/hardtechpodcast/1536903

## Summary

Timothy Blumberg, co-founder and CTO of Throne, discusses his journey from developing self-driving simulation platforms at Lyft to building a gut health tracking device. He explains how Throne uses a camera-based system to analyze stool consistency and urine color, leveraging machine learning to provide hydration and gut health insights. Blumberg details the hardware challenges of creating a battery-powered, low-power device and the strategic decision to avoid FDA medical device classification initially to maintain iteration speed. He also highlights the importance of data privacy, security architecture, and the 'Software 2.0' model where user data improves the product's predictive capabilities over time.

## Chapters

- [0:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-06-24-timothy-blumberg-innovative-gut-health-tech-autonomous-vehicles-shanghai-hard-te#t=3) Introduction: Timothy Blumberg and Throne
- [1:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-06-24-timothy-blumberg-innovative-gut-health-tech-autonomous-vehicles-shanghai-hard-te#t=91) Lyft Self-Driving Simulation and Data Challenges
- [11:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-06-24-timothy-blumberg-innovative-gut-health-tech-autonomous-vehicles-shanghai-hard-te#t=692) Working in Shanghai and Learning Mandarin
- [15:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-06-24-timothy-blumberg-innovative-gut-health-tech-autonomous-vehicles-shanghai-hard-te#t=930) Throne's Gut Health Tracking Concept
- [27:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-06-24-timothy-blumberg-innovative-gut-health-tech-autonomous-vehicles-shanghai-hard-te#t=1651) Medical Device Strategy and FDA Regulations
- [40:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-06-24-timothy-blumberg-innovative-gut-health-tech-autonomous-vehicles-shanghai-hard-te#t=2406) Throne Hardware and User Experience
- [45:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-06-24-timothy-blumberg-innovative-gut-health-tech-autonomous-vehicles-shanghai-hard-te#t=2750) Microbiome Science and Disease Detection
- [1:20:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-06-24-timothy-blumberg-innovative-gut-health-tech-autonomous-vehicles-shanghai-hard-te#t=4839) Hardware Prototyping and Battery Constraints
- [1:47:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-06-24-timothy-blumberg-innovative-gut-health-tech-autonomous-vehicles-shanghai-hard-te#t=6434) Hardware Engineering and Contractor Management
- [1:56:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-06-24-timothy-blumberg-innovative-gut-health-tech-autonomous-vehicles-shanghai-hard-te#t=6980) Privacy, Security, and User Comfort

## Topics

- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)
- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Throne (product)
- Lyft (company)
- comma AI (product)
- Waymo (company)
- Tesla (company)
- Apple Watch (product)
- Widdings (company)
- U scan (product)
- Raspberry Pi (chip)
- Bristol stool scale (other)

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- [522: The Information Is In Poop](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2026-03-06-522-the-information-is-in-poop) (Embedded.fm)
- [AI that can be your second brain with Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhri of Humane](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-03-14-ai-that-can-be-your-second-brain-with-bethany-bongiorno-and-imran-chaudhri-of-hu) (How I Built This)
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