# Your Machines Have a Heartbeat: Here's What It's Telling You | Ep #48

- Show: [Lights Out](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out)
- Published: 2026-08-28
- Length: 52m
- Episode: 48
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-08-28-your-machines-have-a-heartbeat-heres-what-its-telling-you-ep-48
- Listen: https://8819970d-2c51-481c-b08a-4d2a806885b2.libsyn.com/your-machines-have-a-heartbeat-heres-what-its-telling-you-ep-48

## Summary

Lauren Dunford, co-founder and CEO of Guidewheel, explains how their platform uses current transformers on power cords to monitor machine electrical heartbeats, providing non-invasive visibility into run, idle, and down states without PLC integration. She details how this data enables cycle counting, anomaly detection, and predictive maintenance, while emphasizing a philosophy of using data to empower teams rather than surveil them. Dunford shares origin stories from her food manufacturing background and describes how customer feedback shaped Guidewheel’s API-first approach, allowing partners like Slytek to layer industry-specific depth onto their broad platform.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-08-28-your-machines-have-a-heartbeat-heres-what-its-telling-you-ep-48#t=0) Introduction: Lauren Dunford and Guidewheel's Power Cord Sensor
- [5:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-08-28-your-machines-have-a-heartbeat-heres-what-its-telling-you-ep-48#t=338) Lauren's Origin Story: Food Manufacturing and Stanford
- [9:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-08-28-your-machines-have-a-heartbeat-heres-what-its-telling-you-ep-48#t=566) Building the Product: Vibe Coding and VP Feedback
- [15:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-08-28-your-machines-have-a-heartbeat-heres-what-its-telling-you-ep-48#t=908) Slytek vs. Guidewheel: Niche Depth vs. Holistic Breadth
- [19:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-08-28-your-machines-have-a-heartbeat-heres-what-its-telling-you-ep-48#t=1182) Heartbeat Data: Cycle Counts, Anomalies, and Quality
- [26:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-08-28-your-machines-have-a-heartbeat-heres-what-its-telling-you-ep-48#t=1606) Predictive Maintenance and the 'Unsexy' Low-Hanging Fruit
- [36:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-08-28-your-machines-have-a-heartbeat-heres-what-its-telling-you-ep-48#t=2177) Building Culture: Continuous Improvement and Growth Mindset
- [43:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-08-28-your-machines-have-a-heartbeat-heres-what-its-telling-you-ep-48#t=2611) Is Monitoring Surveillance? Using Data With the Team

## Topics

- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Quality & yield](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/quality-and-yield)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Guidewheel (company)
- Slytek (company)
- SMW Autoblok (product)
- ProShop ERP (product)
- Kennametal (company)
- Stanford (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [99 - Ed Garibian at Llumin is transforming how data can impact your manufacturing company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2022-01-18-99-ed-garibian-at-llumin-is-transforming-how-data-can-impact-your-manufacturing) (People of Packaging)
- [How Frontline Maintenance Teams are Bringing the Future of Machine Monitoring to Life featuring Igor Marinelli, Founder of TRACTIAN](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-02-21-how-frontline-maintenance-teams-are-bringing-the-future-of-machine-monitoring-to) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Digital Transformation in Smart Factory Settings | MachineMetrics's Dave Westrom](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2021-09-13-digital-transformation-in-smart-factory-settings-machinemetricss-dave-westrom) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [192: Leading with Productivity to Drive Sustainability Featuring Lauren Dunford, CEO of Guidewheel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-07-02-192-leading-with-productivity-to-drive-sustainability-featuring-lauren-dunford-c) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Sensing at the Control Level: Leveraging Data for Both Safety and Analytics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2026-05-19-sensing-at-the-control-level-leveraging-data-for-both-safety-and-analytics) (Moore's Lobby)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-08-28-your-machines-have-a-heartbeat-heres-what-its-telling-you-ep-48. 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 Lights Out.