Episode 87: Human-centred design - Isabelle Ormerod

Robot Talk · 31 May 2024 · 26m · Episode 87

What this episode covers

Isabelle Ormerod, a PhD student at the University of Bristol’s Design and Manufacturing Futures Lab, explains how data-driven human factors and mixed reality can improve the design of medical and industrial robotics. She details the trade-offs between qualitative ethnographic research and quantitative sensing, noting that while rich data is vital for safety, it creates bottlenecks in prototyping. Ormerod also discusses her leadership role in Women in Robotics UK, highlighting initiatives like the Launchbox grant and efforts to address systemic barriers such as the gender pay gap and lack of early STEM exposure.

Mentioned

Companies
University of Bristol, Bristol Robotics Lab, Women in Robotics UK, Royal Academy of Engineering
Products
Mixed reality headset
Tools
Eye tracking, Ethnes

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 03m

    525: Some Sort of Metal

    Dr. Tom Williams, a computer science professor at the Colorado School of Mines and author of 'Degrees of Freedom: On Robotics and Social Justice,' discusses the intersection of robotics, ethics, and social justice. He argues that roboticists must consider societal impacts, citing Waki Kamino’s research on MLB’s automated ball-strike system and the teleoperation of robots like EngKey. Williams advocates for integrating ethics into engineering education through methods like participatory design and improvisation to address issues of race, gender, and labor.

  • Being an Engineer · 51m

    S6E33 Bryant Foster | Design for Human Factors & User Experience

    Bryant Foster, Vice President of Human Factors and User Experience at Research Collective, discusses his background in cognitive psychology and his work with clients like Google, GE Healthcare, and Medtronic. He explains how his team uses advanced usability testing tools, including eye tracking, pupilometry, and facial emotion analysis, to measure cognitive load and objective user behavior rather than relying on potentially dishonest self-reports. Foster details methodologies for ensuring medical device safety, such as use-related risk analysis and task analysis, and shares insights from his time at Google X on the importance of defining clear research questions. He also covers cost-effective approaches like heuristic evaluations and the importance of providing constructive, solution-oriented feedback to engineering teams.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 04m

    305: Humans Have a Terrible Spec Sheet

    Amanda Wozniak, a principal engineer at Amazon Robotics with a background at Analog Devices, the Wyss Institute at Harvard, and NxStage, discusses her career path from semiconductor design to biomedical engineering and robotics. She explains the critical gap between academic theory and practical engineering, highlighting how parasitics and non-ideal component behavior often cause circuit failures that textbooks ignore. Wozniak also details the challenges of navigating FDA regulatory processes for medical devices and the importance of establishing robust quality systems early to avoid bureaucratic busywork. Finally, she addresses the realities of being a woman in tech, offering advice on handling sexism, avoiding burnout, and recognizing that engineering is fundamentally a team sport rather than a solo endeavor.

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 48m

    181: Leadership and Ethics in the Adoption of Robotics with Ryan Gariepy, CTO of Clearpath Robotics & OTTO Motors

    Ryan Gariepy, CTO of Clearpath Robotics and OTTO Motors (both acquired by Rockwell Automation), discusses the evolution of his companies from garage startups to enterprise solutions. He explains how observing the stark contrast between legacy industrial automation and Kiva Systems' technology revealed the future of robotics, leading to the creation of Clearpath for R&D platforms and OTTO for material handling. Gariepy emphasizes that successful robotics adoption requires balancing hype with signal, focusing on specific high-value applications, and prioritizing human safety and ethical deployment in both manufacturing and broader societal contexts.

  • Embedded.fm · 58m

    393: Don't Drive My Baby Off the Table

    Professor Carlotta Berry of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology discusses her book, Mobile Robotics for Multidisciplinary Study, and her approach to teaching robotics using Arduino and ROS. She explains the distinction between mechatronics and robotics, detailing how she uses platforms like the Arduino Mega and SparkFun RedBoard to teach control architectures, PID tuning, and sensor integration to undergraduate students. Berry also addresses the ethical implications of AI in robotics, advocating for diverse teams to mitigate bias, and shares her work with BlackInRobotics.org and her consulting firm, NoireSTEMinist.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Robot Talk. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.