Hardware Podcasts

An Interview with Joe Long

The Amp Hour · 17 Dec 2018 · 1h 35m · Episode 420

What this episode covers

Joe Long, founder of HackerBoxes and IP attorney at Long Tech Law, discusses his dual career in hardware education and intellectual property. He explains how HackerBoxes curates electronics kits and components to teach hands-on skills, emphasizing a 'Lego-like' approach where users build libraries of parts rather than just single projects. Long also details the rigorous process of patent law, explaining the difference between utility and design patents, the 'machine or transformation' test for software, and the high costs and low success rates associated with independent invention.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Long Tech Law, JPL, Georgia Tech
Products
HackerBoxes, Arduino
Chips
ESP32, LM3D6
Also
DEF CON, AliExpress, Alibaba, USPTO

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 16m

    277: The Sport of Kings

    Jie Qi, founder of Chibitronics and PatentPandas.org, explains how her work creating paper-based electronics and circuit stickers led to unexpected patent conflicts. She details the process of using conductive tape and stickers to build accessible hardware for education and storytelling. Qi discusses the legal realities of open-source hardware, including a specific instance where a backer patented her LED sticker product and Google filed patents on concepts discussed during a job interview. She outlines strategies for protecting prior art and the high costs associated with patent litigation for individual creators.

    Intellectual propertyMaterials & manufacturing processes
    7 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 10m

    58: Use These Powers For Good

    Joe Grand, founder of Grand Idea Studio and former member of the hacker group LOIC, discusses his career in hardware hacking, his role as a judge for the Hackaday Prize, and his work teaching cybersecurity to high school students. He details his experience testifying before the U.S. Senate, his TV show Prototype This, and his advice for embedded engineers to adopt a 'hacker mindset' to improve security. Grand also critiques the privacy implications of wearables and the Internet of Things, emphasizing the need for responsible use of technical skills.

    Security & privacyDebugging & failure analysis
    8 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 56m

    40: Mwahaha Session

    Lenore Edman, co-founder of Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories (EMSL), discusses her company's journey from a hobbyist blog to a bootstrapped business selling electronic kits for art and education. She details specific products like the LED Menorah, Watercolor Bot, and Bristlebot, explaining how they lower barriers to entry for electronics through solderless options and engaging designs. Edman emphasizes the importance of the maker community, particularly Maker Faire, and their strategy of serving educators and artists with low-cost, shield-compatible hardware like the Diavolino.

    Starting a product companyIndustrial & consumer product design
    10 chapters

  • Being an Engineer · 22m

    S2E51 The Hardware Academy | John Teel

    John Teel, founder of Predictable Designs and The Hardware Academy, explains his platform which bridges electronics engineering and entrepreneurship for hardware startups. He details the academy's tiered subscription model, ranging from $49 to $249 per month, offering courses on PCB design, power management, and go-to-market strategy. Teel draws on his 15 years at Texas Instruments and his experience launching a consumer lighting product to advise engineers on avoiding the common pitfall of ignoring customer validation until after development.

    Validation & product-market fitStarting a product company
    8 chapters

  • Making It · 55m

    238: Fun fun create time record time

    Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss the nature of making, focusing on the concept of parallel thinking where independent creators arrive at identical simple solutions to problems, such as camera stabilizers. Bob Clagett details his first leatherworking project for Weaver Leather, including a significant error in stitching that required him to start the project from scratch to achieve a professional result. The hosts also debate the ethics of attribution in open-source hardware and share their 'Picks of the Week,' highlighting Love Hulten's custom electronics cases and Disney's The Imagineering Story.

    Industrial & consumer product designMaterials & manufacturing processes
    10 chapters

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