# Episode 157: Generating new robot designs - Josie Hughes

- Show: [Robot Talk](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk)
- Published: 2026-05-22
- Length: 28m
- Episode: 157
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-05-22-episode-157-generating-new-robot-designs-josie-hughes
- Listen: https://ukrobotics.libsyn.com/episode-157-generating-new-robot-designs-josie-hughes

## Summary

Josie Hughes, Assistant Professor at EPFL and founder of the CREATE Lab, discusses using generative AI to design robotic manipulators and soft robots. She explains how her team combines large language models with simulation and reinforcement learning to generate task-specific gripper morphologies, controllers, and part selections. The conversation covers the challenges of spatial reasoning in AI, the trade-offs between specialized and general-purpose designs, and the potential of morphing robots that can adapt their physical form to different environments.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-05-22-episode-157-generating-new-robot-designs-josie-hughes#t=7) Introduction and Lab Overview
- [7:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-05-22-episode-157-generating-new-robot-designs-josie-hughes#t=447) Generative AI for Robot Design
- [10:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-05-22-episode-157-generating-new-robot-designs-josie-hughes#t=635) AI Reasoning and Simulation Feedback
- [15:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-05-22-episode-157-generating-new-robot-designs-josie-hughes#t=904) Task Specificity and Pareto Fronts
- [18:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-05-22-episode-157-generating-new-robot-designs-josie-hughes#t=1080) Soft Robotics and Reconfigurable Bodies

## Topics

- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- EPFL (company)
- CREATE Lab (other)
- ARIA (company)
- URDF (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Plug-and-Play AI: Transforming Robotics with Modular Skills](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-03-06-plug-and-play-ai-transforming-robotics-with-modular-skills) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [Joe Bogusky| Surgical Robots, Catheter R&D, & Seahorse Tails](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2022-05-20-joe-bogusky-surgical-robots-catheter-r-d-seahorse-tails) (Being an Engineer)
- [The inside scoop on food manufacturing with Chef Robotics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-05-31-the-inside-scoop-on-food-manufacturing-with-chef-robotics) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [The AI-Empowered, Superhuman Design Engineer w/ Milan Kocic](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-09-05-the-ai-empowered-superhuman-design-engineer-w-milan-kocic) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Can AI Design IoT Hardware? | Flux's Matthias Wagner | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-04-14-can-ai-design-iot-hardware-fluxs-matthias-wagner-internet-of-things-podcast) (IoT For All 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/2026-05-22-episode-157-generating-new-robot-designs-josie-hughes. 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.