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Over the Air

Very’s podcast on IoT, connected devices, and AI — unfiltered conversations with the executives and engineers building connected hardware products.

113 episodes · 55 hours · since 2021

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Over the Air has ended.

Its last episode came out on 1 Dec 2025. The whole back catalogue is still here to explore, every episode with its summary and chapters.

Over the Air is filed under product development, startups and hardware. Its most recent episode published on , so it sits in the archive rather than the active listings. Listeners have left 58 ratings on Apple Podcasts, averaging 5 out of 5.

Latest episodes

The 10 newest episodes of Over the Air, each with a summary and chapters.

  • · 1m

    Closing One Chapter, Opening Another

    Ryan Tradesup announces the sunset of the 'Over the Air' podcast after five years, introducing its successor, 'The Dispatch,' which will feature a broader lens on physical products and infrastructure. He reflects on the privilege of hosting executives and engineers building connected hardware and expresses excitement about shifting his focus from the studio to the field to learn about America's industrial landscape. He invites listeners to join him in this new chapter while acknowledging that some may not follow the pivot.

    1 chapters

  • · 34m

    Leading Digital Transformation in Industrial America ft. Nick Petersen

    Nick Petersen, Division Director at FortifyIt (a division of DuraServe), explains how he led a 21-month digital transformation to build an intelligent IoT platform for loading dock equipment. He details the decision to use edge computing to achieve 10-year battery life in rugged environments, the strategic choice to outsource hardware development to external partners, and how the team navigated manufacturing challenges during the pandemic, bank failures, and shifting tariff landscapes. Petersen also shares his outlook on the rise of manufacturing in Mexico and Central America as a viable alternative to China.

    Connected products & IoTManufacturing partners & offshoring
    7 chapters

  • · 22m

    Computing in the Cosmos: Sophia Space's Mission to Move Data Centers Into Orbit

    Rob DeMillo, CEO of Sophia Space, explains the company's mission to deploy orbital data centers, starting with modular 'tiles' for edge computing before scaling to full 'string of pearls' configurations. He details the thermal engineering of these one-meter compute units, which leverage the 4 Kelvin vacuum of space for efficient heat dissipation without moving parts. DeMillo also discusses the operational challenges of self-managed hardware in orbit, the current state of space debris, and his predictions for commercial space activity, including asteroid mining and robotic Mars exploration.

    Connected products & IoTMechanical engineering
    7 chapters

  • · 24m

    AI at the Edge: Justin Schneck on the Future of Embedded Devices

    Justin Schneck, co-founder and CPO of Peridio, discusses the evolution of AI from cloud to edge, introducing Peridio's upcoming 'Avocado' OS designed to simplify embedded product development. He and host Ryan Prosser of Very explore the spectrum from cloud AI to embedded AI, noting how specialized silicon and miniaturized models are enabling practical applications like Garmin's radar-enabled bike lights. Schneck argues that while cloud AI handles massive compute, the real value lies in robust, self-initializing embedded systems that reduce hardware complexity for developers.

    Embedded firmwareAI & machine learning
    7 chapters

  • · 30m

    Smart Air, Smarter Cooling: Actasys's Innovation in Data Center Technology

    David Menicovich, CEO and co-founder of Actasys, explains how his company pivoted from aerodynamic drag reduction for vehicles to providing piezoelectric cooling actuators for data centers. He details the technology's ability to remove heat from specific hotspots on network interface cards and DPUs with high energy efficiency, enabling higher ambient temperatures in server racks. Menicovich discusses the challenges of navigating the semiconductor supply chain, the differences in customer engagement between automotive OEMs and tech integrators, and the company's operations from the Navy Yard in Brooklyn.

    Mechanical engineeringConnected products & IoT
    10 chapters

  • · 29m

    From Wearables to Insurance: How Kinetic is Revolutionizing Workplace Safety

    Heytham, co-founder and chief strategy officer of Kinetic, explains how the company evolved from designing wearable IoT devices to becoming a workers' compensation insurance provider. He details the hardware development of a belt-mounted sensor using Intel Edison chips to monitor body mechanics and prevent musculoskeletal injuries in frontline workers. Brock describes the strategic pivot to insurance to serve smaller companies, leveraging partnerships with insurers like Nationwide to offer risk-reduction technology alongside coverage. The episode highlights the use of computer vision and mobile apps to identify facility risks, focusing on industries like last-mile delivery and warehousing.

    Industrial & consumer product designMicrocontrollers & dev platforms
    9 chapters

  • · 33m

    The Connected Factory Floor: L2L and Data Management

    Eric Whitley, Director of Industrial Transformation at L2L, explains how their connected workforce platform bridges the gap between enterprise ERP systems and shop-floor PLC data to provide real-time visibility into manufacturing operations. He details how L2L captures five key metrics—demand, build, scrap, labor, and downtime—to calculate Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and other critical KPIs for discrete manufacturers in automotive, food and beverage, and packaging. Whitley highlights the severe labor shortage in manufacturing, noting that 80% of surveyed firms report it impacts throughput, and describes how L2L’s AI tools and digital workflows help upskill workers by providing immediate, context-aware guidance on the shop floor. He also discusses the company's evolution from an in-house Excel tool at Autoleave to a global software provider, emphasizing the importance of practical AI applications that reduce wasted time and motion for mechanics and operators.

    Factory operations & automationAI & machine learning
    9 chapters

  • · 37m

    Making Industrial IoT Work: Lessons from 30 Years in Automation with Grace Technologies

    Drew Allen, CEO of Grace Technologies, discusses the company's 30-year evolution from automation components to industrial IoT solutions, including Graceport interface connectors, electrical safety devices, and wireless vibration monitoring. He explains the technical complexity of vibration analysis using Fast Fourier Transforms and the strategic importance of integrating sensors directly with Rockwell Automation PLCs via Ethernet/IP to serve plant floor operators. Allen highlights a critical failure mode where lack of real-time integration led to an $800,000 transformer arc flash event, emphasizing the need for robust connectivity strategies like LTE and Zigbee in harsh industrial environments.

    Connected products & IoTIndustrial & consumer product design
    8 chapters

  • · 34m

    The Human-Centric Tech Revolution: Reimagining Indoor Environments With Bubblynet

    Fabio Zanaboni, founder and chief vision officer at BubblyNet, explains how the company evolved from controlling LED lighting on luxury yachts to building an IoT platform for intelligent indoor environments using Bluetooth Mesh. He details the hardware architecture, which includes small cylindrical sensors with Nordic chips, and the software stack that processes data at the edge and gateway levels to optimize building performance. Zanaboni discusses the critical role of open standards like Bluetooth Mesh versus proprietary protocols, highlighting interoperability challenges with legacy systems like BACnet. The conversation covers specific applications in hospitality, education, and offices, focusing on how environmental factors like CO2 levels and lighting spectra impact human well-being, productivity, and energy sustainability.

    Wireless & RFConnected products & IoT
    8 chapters

  • · 30m

    Cracking The Code Of Automotive Radar: An Inside Look With Arbe's Chief Radar Officer

    Gonen Barkan, Chief Radar Officer at Arbe, explains how his company’s high-resolution 4D imaging radar chipsets provide superior safety for autonomous driving compared to legacy systems. He details the technical shift from simple tracking to 5-dimensional point clouds, highlighting Arbe's partnerships with tier-one suppliers like Magna and Chinese manufacturers to integrate their silicon into vehicle radar units. Barkan also recounts his history developing early imaging radar at GM and Cruise, discussing the cultural and technical challenges of transitioning traditional automotive DNA to a software-defined, deep-tech mindset.

    Wireless & RFMicrocontrollers & dev platforms
    7 chapters

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