# 62. AI Powered Devices For Saving Lives & Studying Oceans

- Show: [The Next Byte Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast)
- Published: 2022-03-22
- Length: 29m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-03-22-62-ai-powered-devices-for-saving-lives-studying-oceans
- Listen: https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/62-ai-powered-devices-for-saving-lives-studying-oceans-LDE7c2Fa

## Summary

Hosts Daniel and Farbode discuss two AI-powered hardware projects: a handheld surgical robot from MIT and Mass General Hospital that uses ultrasound and AI to guide needle insertion for trauma care, and a sound-powered marine call identifier from Imperial College London and MIT that uses energy harvesting to identify whale calls. They detail the MIT team's work with Autonom US to democratize emergency medical skills, and the ocean research team's use of tiny ML and piezoelectric harvesting to create sustainable, battery-free sensors.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-03-22-62-ai-powered-devices-for-saving-lives-studying-oceans#t=0) Introduction and Sponsor Read
- [3:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-03-22-62-ai-powered-devices-for-saving-lives-studying-oceans#t=205) AI for Emergency Response in Rural Africa
- [6:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-03-22-62-ai-powered-devices-for-saving-lives-studying-oceans#t=372) Handheld Surgical Robot from MIT and Mass General
- [9:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-03-22-62-ai-powered-devices-for-saving-lives-studying-oceans#t=550) How the Robot Uses AI and Ultrasound
- [13:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-03-22-62-ai-powered-devices-for-saving-lives-studying-oceans#t=835) Autonom US and Clinical Validation
- [15:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-03-22-62-ai-powered-devices-for-saving-lives-studying-oceans#t=951) Sound-Powered Marine Call Identifier
- [19:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-03-22-62-ai-powered-devices-for-saving-lives-studying-oceans#t=1141) Tiny ML and Energy Harvesting Details
- [24:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-03-22-62-ai-powered-devices-for-saving-lives-studying-oceans#t=1481) Accuracy Results and Future Research

## Topics

- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)
- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Mouser Electronics (company)
- Stellenbosch University (company)
- MIT (company)
- Massachusetts General Hospital (company)
- Autonom US (company)
- Imperial College London (company)
- Texas Instruments MSP430 (chip)
- TensorFlow (tool)
- Keras (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep 329: AI Surgery, a Prison Camp Lathe, and a One Hertz Four-Fer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-07-18-ep-329-ai-surgery-a-prison-camp-lathe-and-a-one-hertz-four-fer) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Episode 59: Robots at sea - Ffion Llewellyn](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2023-10-27-episode-59-robots-at-sea-ffion-llewellyn) (Robot Talk)
- [Episode Twenty-Nine: Sina Sareh](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2022-12-09-episode-twenty-nine-sina-sareh) (Robot Talk)
- [Ep 314: It's Pi, but Also PCBs in Living Color and Ultrasonic Everything](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-03-28-ep-314-its-pi-but-also-pcbs-in-living-color-and-ultrasonic-everything) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Ep084: Awful Floppy Disk Music, Robot Climbs Walls, An Undersea Lab, Inside a Digital Pregnancy Test](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-09-11-ep084-awful-floppy-disk-music-robot-climbs-walls-an-undersea-lab-inside-a-digita) (Hackaday Podcast)

## Citing this page

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