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Hard Tech Podcast

Interviews with the people building aviation technology, on the engineering and the business of hard tech.

27 episodes · 25 hours · since 2023

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Hard Tech Podcast has likely ended: no new episode in over a year.

Its last episode came out on 13 Dec 2024. The whole back catalogue is still here to explore, every episode with its summary and chapters.

Hard Tech Podcast is filed under climate & energy, startups, engineering and interviews. Its most recent episode published on , so it sits in the archive rather than the active listings.

Latest episodes

The 10 newest episodes of Hard Tech Podcast, each with a summary and chapters.

  • · 6m

    What's the BEST Avionics Setup for Pilots? Analog vs Glass Cockpits #27

    The Hard Tech Podcast episode explores the evolution of aviation avionics, contrasting traditional analog 'steam gauges' with modern glass cockpits. It discusses the reliability and cost benefits of analog systems for training versus the situational awareness and safety features of digital displays like the Garmin G1000. The host also touches on the history of cockpit technology, from military origins to private aviation, and the rise of hybrid setups.

    Industrial & consumer product designConnected products & IoT
    1 chapters

  • · 10m

    TC-12B Huron: The Forgotten Legend of Pima Air & Space Museum #26

    The episode explores the Beechcraft TC-12B Huron, a rare military trainer aircraft preserved at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, and the adjacent Davis-Monthan Air Force Boneyard. It details the Huron's turboprop engine technology, its role in pilot training, and the museum's preservation techniques, including the use of spray light and non-destructive inspections. The narrative also covers the history of the boneyard, explaining how the desert environment and the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group preserve thousands of aircraft for parts and reuse.

    Materials & manufacturing processesMicrocontrollers & dev platforms
    1 chapters

  • · 12m

    How This Pilot Survived The Longest Solo Flight EVER! Solar Impulse 2 #25

    Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, the creators of Solar Impulse 2, explain how they engineered a solar-powered aircraft to circumnavigate the globe without fuel. The episode details the extreme lightweight design using carbon fiber and foam, the integration of 17,000 solar cells, and the critical battery management system that allowed for day-night flight cycles. It highlights the human endurance challenges faced by pilots, including cockpit insulation and sleep management, and the technical failure of overheated batteries during the Pacific crossing that required a major repair delay.

    Energy & climate techMaterials & manufacturing processes
    6 chapters

  • · 6m

    Can We Electrify Aviation? Electric vs Fuel Planes #24

    The host of the Hard Tech Podcast discusses the transition from gas-powered jet engines to electric aviation, highlighting the environmental and operational benefits of electric motors. They explain that while electric motors offer high efficiency and silence, current lithium-ion batteries lack the energy density of jet fuel, limiting range and payload. The episode notes that companies like Ampere and 0 AVIA are developing hybrid electric aircraft as a transitional technology for longer routes.

    Batteries & low-power designMechanical engineering
    1 chapters

  • · 8m

    A Brief History of Nuclear Energy: From Destruction To Powering AI #23

    The host of the Hard Tech Podcast outlines the history of nuclear energy, starting with Eisenhower's 1953 Atoms for Peace program and the 1957 operation of the Shippingport Atomic Power Station. He details the 1979 Three Mile Island accident, which halted US nuclear expansion for decades, and contrasts current fission operations with emerging fusion technologies. The episode highlights Helion Energy's partnership with Microsoft and OpenAI to develop fusion power specifically to support the energy demands of AI infrastructure.

    Energy & climate tech
    4 chapters

  • · 8m

    Disaster Strikes on the Wobbly Bridge | The London Millennium Bridge #22

    The host discusses the London Millennium Bridge, designed by Norman Foster and Arup, which suffered from synchronous lateral excitation on its opening day in 2000 due to pedestrian footfall matching the bridge's natural frequency. The incident was resolved by installing 91 dampers, including 52 tuned mass dampers and 37 viscous dampers, to absorb kinetic energy and stabilize the structure. The episode highlights the engineering lesson regarding the interaction between human behavior and flexible structural design.

    Mechanical engineeringDebugging & failure analysis
    4 chapters

  • · 2h 31m

    Riley Knox: Leviathan Air, Flying Cargo Ships, and Altering Global Trade | Hard Tech Podcast #21

    Riley Knox, CEO and co-founder of Leviathan Air, explains the design and business case for autonomous flying cargo ships that utilize ground effect to bridge the gap between slow ocean freight and expensive air freight. He details how modern advancements in hybrid-electric propulsion, autonomous flight controls, and composite materials make the concept viable today, contrasting it with the Soviet-era Caspian Sea Monster. Knox outlines a strategy to build and operate these vehicles to serve high-value e-commerce and defense logistics, targeting a first flight within six to seven years.

    Mechanical engineeringScaling production
    15 chapters

  • · 2h 01m

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

    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.

    Prototyping & iterationAI & machine learning
    10 chapters

  • · 1h 43m

    Yonas Tadesse: 4D Printing, Humanoid Robots, Bionic Humans, AI for Engineers | Hard Tech Podcast #19

    Yonas Tadesse, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at Dallas, discusses his research in soft robotics, 4D printing, and bionic humanoids. He explains how shape-memory polymers and alloys enable structures to change form over time, with applications in medical devices like dynamic hand orthoses for stroke rehabilitation. Tadesse also analyzes the shift in humanoid robotics from hydraulic to electric systems, citing Boston Dynamics' Atlas as a key driver of US research leadership, and offers advice on engineering education and funding.

    Materials & manufacturing processesRobotics & autonomy
    8 chapters

  • · 2h 09m

    Matty Schaefer: YouTube Fame, Surveillance Tech, Solving City Congestion | Hard Tech Podcast #18

    Matty Schaefer, founder and former CEO of Vade, discusses his journey from building a successful tech review YouTube channel, MS Tech, to solving urban congestion through smart parking technology. He explains how Vade uses wireless, solar-powered cameras to provide real-time curb data to cities, addressing the mismatch between parking supply and modern delivery/rideshare demand. Schaefer details the technical challenges of building proprietary hardware and computer vision models, the strategic decision to pivot from a consumer app to a B2G data provider, and his eventual decision to sell the company after five years of intense startup life.

    Starting a product companyMechanical engineering
    8 chapters

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