Hardware Podcasts

#009 - Commercializing the first robotic touch sensing that uses light, with Ákos Dömötör of OptoForce, Hungary

The Hardware Entrepreneur · 18 Jan 2017 · 34m

What this episode covers

Ákos Dömötör, CEO of OptoForce, explains how the company commercialized its unique optical force/torque sensors for collaborative robots, differentiating itself from competitors using strain gauges or capacitive sensing. He details the company's evolution from a university spinoff with a technically mature but market-mismatched product to a scalable business by iterating on its business model and focusing on industrial customers. Dömötör discusses the challenges of shifting an engineering-heavy team to customer-centricity, managing in-house production of critical components while outsourcing standard parts like PCBs to local suppliers, and the importance of empathy in navigating cultural differences in international business.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
OptoForce, LEGO, DARPA, 3Dconnexion
Also
High Performance Management

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