# Episode Forty-Two: Thom Kirwan-Evans

- Show: [Robot Talk](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk)
- Published: 2023-03-24
- Length: 29m
- Episode: 42
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2023-03-24-episode-forty-two-thom-kirwan-evans
- Listen: https://ukrobotics.libsyn.com/episode-forty-two-thom-kirwan-evans

## Summary

Thom Kirwan-Evans, co-founder of Origami Labs, discusses applying AI and computer vision to industrial robotics, drawing on his background at DSTL and Phasor Nash Consultancy. He details defense applications like the DASA autonomous last-mile resupply program, focusing on scale, speed, and separation, while highlighting the critical gap in current 'smart' systems regarding true autonomy and trust. Kirwan-Evans also explains technical challenges in low-power drone vision, specifically using Google Coral TPUs to optimize neural networks for high-speed, low-false-alarm object detection. Finally, he contrasts the near-term impact of soft robotics with the complex, emergent nature of swarm robotics and the associated safety case difficulties.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2023-03-24-episode-forty-two-thom-kirwan-evans#t=7) Introduction: Thom Kirwan-Evans and Origami Labs
- [1:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2023-03-24-episode-forty-two-thom-kirwan-evans#t=110) Origami Labs Focus: Edge AI and Autonomous Systems
- [6:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2023-03-24-episode-forty-two-thom-kirwan-evans#t=364) Defense Applications: DASA and Autonomous Logistics
- [10:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2023-03-24-episode-forty-two-thom-kirwan-evans#t=646) Trust, Safety, and Human-Machine Teaming
- [13:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2023-03-24-episode-forty-two-thom-kirwan-evans#t=831) Civilian Applications: Rail Delays and Aerospace
- [17:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2023-03-24-episode-forty-two-thom-kirwan-evans#t=1075) Low-Power Drone Vision and Google Coral TPUs
- [23:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2023-03-24-episode-forty-two-thom-kirwan-evans#t=1395) Soft Robotics vs. Swarm Robotics Impact

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [Certification & compliance](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/certification-and-compliance)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Origami Labs (company)
- Dstl (company)
- Phasor Nash Consultancy (company)
- DASA (other)
- Google Coral TPU (chip)
- ChatGPT (product)
- Dali (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Latest on Intel RealSense; Tesla Bot; Stratom supports the troops](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-08-20-latest-on-intel-realsense-tesla-bot-stratom-supports-the-troops) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [Tangram launches new HiFi 3D sensor; Next Generation Robotics on the cutting edge of optimization](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-11-21-tangram-launches-new-hifi-3d-sensor-next-generation-robotics-on-the-cutting-edge) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [Embedded Systems and IoT Connectivity: Lessons from Automate 2024](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2024-05-22-embedded-systems-and-iot-connectivity-lessons-from-automate-2024) (Over the Air)
- [The Evolution of RE2 Robotics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-04-08-the-evolution-of-re2-robotics) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [44. How Computer Vision Is Changing Your World](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2021-11-16-44-how-computer-vision-is-changing-your-world) (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/robot-talk/2023-03-24-episode-forty-two-thom-kirwan-evans. 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 Robot Talk.