Telling detail
Sanjay describes a line lead who went from paper-and-pencil to having full digital visibility, ending with this blunt threat.
“If you take this away from me, I'm gonna kill you.”
Golden Samples
Oct 17, 2026 · the week's best moments from hardware podcasts
Last week, 21 shows put out 26 hardware episodes, about 21 hours. You don't have 21 hours, so here are the 8 moments worth stopping for, and the 3 episodes worth every minute.
The moments
Moments worth learning from
Picked by a model from all 26 episodes for the surprising, the costly and the candid, with the generic advice left out. Quoted word for word; each opens at the moment it is said.
Counterintuitive
Amy explains why she rejects teams that bring her raw data without a conclusion.
“I'm not just paying you to do research, right? I'm paying you to get out there, do the research dig in, make the recommendation. Consider our organizational competencies, and come forward with a package that says, I strongly believe based on the intelligence and data that I've collected that when we do these things, we're going to win.”
Expensive lesson
Why making your own 3D printer filament from soda bottles is a bad business decision.
“To make one kilogram of sort of garbage filament, took 17 empty bottles and these bottles need to be cleaned and heated up and poofed out to get all like the imperfections out of the surface area and they have to be cut in strips and then pulled through the machine. Like, it's a lot of work. … the reality is, you know, I'm regularly you're seeing roles of filament for 10, $12 now. The economies of scale have just kicked in. … don't do it if you think you're going to save money or anything like that.”Hear it at 43:22 →
Telling detail
A UC Davis chemist reveals the most extreme case of fraud she’s found in the avocado oil industry.
“In our first study, there were two samples that were labeled as extra virgin avocado oil. … when we Tested, it was 100% refined soybean oil.”
Telling detail
The specific manufacturing process that allows this snack to undercut legacy brands on calories and fat.
“we are about 30% less calories per serving and almost 60% less fat per serving than some of the leading popcorn brands out there that have been around for a long time. And I think a big piece of that. There's a couple pieces of that one. We air pop our stuff and spray it with ghee, and seasoning it runs through, like a car wash conveyor belt, if you will. Like, that's the easiest way to describe it. And if you kettle popcorn, you've got to use a ton of oil and the calories get bumped up because of the oil.”
Expensive lesson
Tara Bosch recalls the moment her first manufacturer tried to sabotage SmartSweets' launch with a bad recipe.
“We put a launch date for December of 2015. Come 2nd weekend of December. They call me and they say, hey, we are not going to let you use this recipe, this formula. You can use another formula with chicory root fiber as the bulking agent. And immediately I knew what they were telling me was, we're going to give you a recipe that's actually not digestible. That's gonna blow up people's stomachs. That manufacturer took the recipe and ended up going on to launch a product themselves.”Hear it at 51:31 →
Telling detail
Mike Drues shares the most embarrassing scenario he has witnessed as an FDA reviewer: companies following outdated guidance.
“there's nothing more embarrassing, and I've seen this happen before, especially when I'm sitting on the FDA side of the table. There's nothing more embarrassing than a company coming into a pre-sub and following what is in a guidance that is not hurt. That is not current because it just it makes the company look like idiots. And quite frankly, I don't know about you, Erien, but I don't want to look like an idiot.”
Telling detail
This is what happens when you show sales a hyper-realistic AI render before the product exists.
“sometimes, for example, salespeople, if I show them a sketch, they're gonna be like, Okay, instruction manual. But if I show them a Biscom render, they're gonna go try sell it, which is crazy because it happened to me. Like I was just for fun doing some testing, and somebody from sales passed behind my computer and was like, What is that? I want it, I want it, like send that to me now. And I scented being completely like clueless about what they really meant. And then somebody else told me, Why did you send that? He's trying to sell it. Like he thinks that that's real.”
By job
Your share of the week
The same episodes, sorted by who will get the most from them. Pick your job above to see only yours.
Engineers
- Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: Tim and Karrie League (2023)
- #476: Part 2: FDA Guidance: What We Should Expect in 2027
- #475: Rethinking FDA Guidance: Why Non-Binding Documents Define Your Regulatory Strategy
- 258 - Combination Product Quality: Human Factors, CDMO Scorecards, ISO 14971 vs. ICH Q9, with Ben Locwin
Designers
Start with: This is what happens when you show sales a hyper-realistic AI render before the product exists.
Founders
Operations & Manufacturing
Start with: Amy explains why she rejects teams that bring her raw data without a conclusion.
- When Production Overtakes Prototyping: Materialise’s Next Phase of AM
- Let the Experts Be the Experts: Leading Without Every Answer w/ Amy Mercante
- R&D RADIO: Oil Analytics, Seed Oils and Adulterated Avocado Oil with Dr. Selina Wang of UC Davis
- Unpacking Marvell's Analyst Day, OpenAI Revenue Rumors, and the Heterogeneous Rack
Marketing & Sales
Start with: The specific manufacturing process that allows this snack to undercut legacy brands on calories and fat.
Makers & the Curious
Start with: Why making your own 3D printer filament from soda bottles is a bad business decision.
Topics
What the week was about
Each episode counted once, under what it is mostly about.
- Certification & compliance2
- Quality & yield2
- Batteries & low-power design1
- Wireless & RF1
- Materials & manufacturing processes1
- Prototyping & iteration1
- Validation & product-market fit1
- Robotics & autonomy1
- Careers & education1
- Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce1
- Embedded firmware1
- Energy & climate tech1
- Crowdfunding & preorders1
- Industrial & consumer product design1
- Packaging design1
- Test & measurement1
Names
The names that kept coming up
Named in at least two episodes.
- 1Anthropic3 episodes
- 2Sprouts3 episodes
- 3Amazon2 episodes
- 4CDRH2 episodes
- 5Central Market2 episodes
- 6Erewhon2 episodes
- 7FDA2 episodes
- 8Google2 episodes
- 9Grassroots Marketing2 episodes
- 10Greenlight Guru2 episodes
- 11OpenAI2 episodes
- 12Raspberry Pi Pico2 episodes
- 13Thrive Market2 episodes
3 episodes
Worth a full listen
Second for second, the best of the week: the most that lands, in the least time.
306: From Systems of Record to Systems of Action: Putting AI to Work in Manufacturing with Sanjay Brahmawar
Sanjay Brahmawar, CEO of QAD Redzone, explains how his company uses AI agents to transform manufacturing systems of record into systems of action, focusing on amplifying human potential rather than replacing workers. He details specific use cases, including line lead agents that predict production issues and procurement agents that automate supplier communication, to address the industry's 500,000 open jobs. Brahmawar emphasizes that manufacturers can implement these solutions alongside legacy ERP systems without massive modernization, citing a 40% capacity increase for buyers and improved shop floor engagement as key outcomes.
Let the Experts Be the Experts: Leading Without Every Answer w/ Amy Mercante
Amy Mercante, General Manager of Specialty Products at PPG, discusses her transition from research chemist to business leader and her philosophy of 'letting the experts be the experts.' She explains how she flips the leadership pyramid by empowering teams closest to the work to provide recommendations rather than just data, and how she makes decisions without waiting for every fact. Mercante also details her approach to mentoring emerging leaders, emphasizing the importance of defining a 'North Star' career goal and taking calculated risks outside one's comfort zone.
Ep 391: Tuned in to ESP32 SDR, New Old Pagers, and Bugs on Mars
Hackaday editors Elliot Williams and Tom Nardi discuss the ESP32 SDR community, highlighting projects like Marvel's ESPDR that enable transmission on the 2.4 GHz band, and a Meshtastic pager built from a Motorola T900. They analyze the DARPA Lift Challenge, noting that a simple helicopter won over complex designs, and review a retro computing project using C64 SID chips on a Raspberry Pi Pico. The episode concludes with a deep dive into modern computer memory abstractions, including CRAM, and the retirement of the Little Fuse EZ80 microcontroller.
All 26 of the week’s episodes
Why Opportunity Charging Is Winning as Robot Fleets Scale
Ben Waters, CEO of Wibotic, explains why opportunity charging is becoming essential for scaling autonomous robot fleets, detailing the trade-offs between charging speed, battery size, and infrastructure costs. He discusses Wibotic’s expansion into outdoor robotics, medical carts, and humanoids, highlighting their IP65-rated 1-kilowatt charger and development of 3-kilowatt systems. The conversation covers how Wibotic’s software helps customers model ROI and predict battery degradation to maximize fleet uptime.
Ep 391: Tuned in to ESP32 SDR, New Old Pagers, and Bugs on Mars
Hackaday editors Elliot Williams and Tom Nardi discuss the ESP32 SDR community, highlighting projects like Marvel's ESPDR that enable transmission on the 2.4 GHz band, and a Meshtastic pager built from a Motorola T900. They analyze the DARPA Lift Challenge, noting that a simple helicopter won over complex designs, and review a retro computing project using C64 SID chips on a Raspberry Pi Pico. The episode concludes with a deep dive into modern computer memory abstractions, including CRAM, and the retirement of the Little Fuse EZ80 microcontroller.
STL377: Woodworking Myth Busters!
Seri Robinson, a professor of wood science at Oregon State University, and Dan Bollock, operations manager for Purdue University's Woodworking Lab, bust common woodworking myths. They explain that unfinished red oak cutting boards naturally draw bacteria down into the wood, making finishes and soaps unnecessary and often counterproductive. Bollock reveals that pinned and wedged mortise-and-tenon joints are actually weaker than plain ones due to stress risers, and that gluing only one surface of a joint reduces strength by 40-50%. The experts also advise against using finishes on children's wooden toys, recommending raw, dense woods like maple or beech instead.
542: Setting Yourself Up For Divorce, or Death
Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss their recent projects, including Bob's Maker Camp recap and laser cleaning of 1863 WISS scissors, David's annual wedding ring tradition, and Jimmy's exploration of analog synthesizers and audio recording. They explore the philosophy of 'tinkering' as a creative process, debating the merits of digital versus physical prototyping and the importance of supporting handmade art in the age of AI. The conversation highlights specific tools like the X Laser tool, Beringer Juno clone, and software like Fusion 360 and Illustrator.
Working on Wicked Problems
Noah Harlan, founder of Kiip (now part of FindHelp), explains how his software studio’s work on a flawed open-source data locker for NYC and Baltimore led to the creation of a case management platform for community-based organizations. He details the 'wicked problem' of administrative burden in social services, arguing that open-source infrastructure fails when it ignores the user experience of both frontline staff and vulnerable individuals. Harlan highlights specific failures, such as the misconception that homeless people lack phones and the bureaucratic traps that cause people to lose housing, and describes how Kiip’s simple, secure application helped a client avoid jail and secure stable housing.
Episode 166: Evolving robot bodies and brains - Rika Antonova
Rika Antonova, an Associate Professor at the University of Cambridge, explains co-evolution in robotics, where hardware and software algorithms evolve simultaneously to optimize performance. She details the use of rapid prototyping and simulation to iterate through millions of designs, highlighting the 'codesign gym' framework and collaborations with Morpher AI and Carnegie Mellon University. Antonova discusses how this approach unlocks new dexterity capabilities, such as custom silicon fingertips for delicate medical handling, funded by the Advanced Research + Invention Agency's Robot Dexterity programme.
James Bryant | A Process For Engineers to Succeed at Home & at Work
Dr. James Bryant, founder of Engineer Your Success LLC, explains his coaching methodology for helping engineers achieve professional excellence without sacrificing personal fulfillment. He details the 'Engineer's Blueprint for Success,' a four-step process involving identifying values, visualizing success, planning, and execution, emphasizing the use of calendar management to align time with priorities. Bryant discusses common obstacles like analysis paralysis and the difficulty of delegating, while offering specific strategies for developing leadership skills such as effective communication and emotional intelligence.
Kitchen to 4,000 Stores: The Cold Email That Launched a Ghee Snack Brand
Darin Alpert, founder of Gheelish, explains how his background in enterprise software and creating the Find Me Gluten Free app informed his strategy to prioritize distribution over product development. He details how a cold email to Sprouts led to a nationwide launch of air-popped ghee popcorn, achieving $2 million in wholesale sales in 2025. Alpert also discusses the nutritional advantages of ghee, the upcoming protein cookie launch, and the sales science behind his outreach messaging.
536: I've Seen a Giraffe
David Such, director of Reefwing Software and author of 'Embedded AI: Intelligence at the Deep Edge' published by No Starch Press, discusses the practical application of machine learning on microcontrollers. He details his project-based approach, covering sensor fusion with Kalman and Mahony filters, the use of TensorFlow Lite and Edge Impulse, and hardware like the Raspberry Pi Pico and Syntiant chips. Such emphasizes the importance of deterministic algorithms for safety-critical tasks and the need for a 'digital cerebellum' in robotic architectures to handle low-level reflexes.
#476: Part 2: FDA Guidance: What We Should Expect in 2027
Regulatory consultant Michael Drues, Ph.D., joins host Etienne Nichols to analyze the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) guidance priorities for fiscal year 2027, covering the A-list, B-list, and under-construction categories. Drues critiques the agency's use of vague language like "intends to publish" and "resources permit," noting that only 63% of previous guidance documents were actually released, and questions why B-list items like cybersecurity are prioritized over A-list topics. The discussion highlights the distinction between wellness devices and those with medical purposes, the iterative nature of regulation, and the potential risks of relying on AI for both submission writing and review.
Can natural gas supply handle the AI boom?
Eric McGuire, director of natural gas and LNG trading analytics at Wood Mackenzie, explains how surging data center demand and massive LNG exports are creating capacity constraints in the US natural gas pipeline system. He details the interconnection process for behind-the-meter gas generation, noting that while building pipelines is faster than electric grid interconnection, regional bottlenecks in the Permian Basin and Northeast are already causing price dislocations and production shut-ins. McGuire highlights that cold weather events cause wellhead freeze-offs, leading to extreme daily price volatility and reliability challenges for data centers seeking 99.999% uptime.
Advice Line with Tara Bosch of SmartSweets
Tara Bosch, founder of SmartSweets and her new venture Snackish, joins Guy Raz to advise three founders on scaling physical product businesses. She discusses the strategic differences between launching a second company with existing resources versus starting from scratch, emphasizing the importance of product-market fit and clear vision. The episode covers specific challenges in food manufacturing, retail distribution strategies, and digital marketing for niche consumer brands.
Designing for Joy: Finding Meaning in Industrial Design with Daniela Garcia | S3E04
Industrial designer Daniela Garcia, who revitalized the Boston IDSA chapter and works with companies like G appliances and Medea, explains her design philosophy centered on 'joy' and reducing user stress. She details her workflow, which combines low-fidelity cardboard prototyping to avoid 'CAD goggles' with AI tools like Vizcom and Figma for rapid visualization and stakeholder buy-in. Garcia also discusses her wellness initiative, Shanti, and how observing nature and birdwatching informs her CMF strategies and biomimicry approaches.
#475: Rethinking FDA Guidance: Why Non-Binding Documents Define Your Regulatory Strategy
Mike Drues, president of Vascular Sciences, explains that FDA guidance documents represent the agency's 'current thinking' rather than binding law, urging manufacturers to treat them as tactical starting points rather than immutable rules. He argues that while regulations (CFR) carry legal weight, guidance can be deviated from if justified, and recommends using the pre-submission process to address these deviations early. Drues highlights the limitations of the CDRH guidance database, noting it lacks revision history, and suggests using broader search tools like Google and direct engagement with the Office of Industry and Consumer Education (OICE) to track updates and in-development documents.
361 - Men have skin too and love good packaging design! W/ Freddie Sheridan from YCODE
Freddie Sheridan, founder of YCODE, explains how his brand addresses the men's skincare gap by formulating products specifically for male skin biology, including 25% thicker skin and higher oil content. He details the design of the original matchbox-style packaging, which uses GF Smith paper and a glue dot, and the subsequent rebrand to a cleaner white aesthetic to avoid stereotypes. The episode highlights the Well Kept Advanced Eye Serum, noting its color-adaptive properties and the innovative 100% aluminum tube with a snap-off lid designed for sustainability and ease of use.
Testing Embedded Systems in the Cloud and On-Prem with Marie Meyer and Joel Schulz-Andres
Marie Meyer and Joel Schulz-Andres, founders of OnMCU, discuss their cloud-based and on-prem hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing platform designed to bridge the gap between host unit tests and physical integration. They explain the concept of 'on-target unit tests' using remote dev boards to catch peripheral errata early, and detail the significant hardware challenges they faced, including unreliable USB hubs and non-existent cable chains, when building their infrastructure. The conversation covers the trade-offs between cloud scalability and on-prem security, as well as their strategy to offer a generalized interposer box to help small-to-medium companies avoid building expensive custom test rigs from scratch.
Let the Experts Be the Experts: Leading Without Every Answer w/ Amy Mercante
Amy Mercante, General Manager of Specialty Products at PPG, discusses her transition from research chemist to business leader and her philosophy of 'letting the experts be the experts.' She explains how she flips the leadership pyramid by empowering teams closest to the work to provide recommendations rather than just data, and how she makes decisions without waiting for every fact. Mercante also details her approach to mentoring emerging leaders, emphasizing the importance of defining a 'North Star' career goal and taking calculated risks outside one's comfort zone.
When Production Overtakes Prototyping: Materialise’s Next Phase of AM
Bart van der Schuren, CTO of Materialise, explains how the company transitioned from a 1995 service bureau to a production powerhouse, recently surpassing prototyping with serial manufacturing. He details the three pillars of Materialise—manufacturing, software, and medical applications—and highlights rapid adoption in hearing aids, dental, and drones, contrasted with the slow, recertification-heavy aerospace sector. Van der Schuren argues that AI-driven automation and in-situ quality control are critical for reducing New Product Introduction (NPI) costs and scaling production in regulated industries.
10 chapters
306: From Systems of Record to Systems of Action: Putting AI to Work in Manufacturing with Sanjay Brahmawar
Sanjay Brahmawar, CEO of QAD Redzone, explains how his company uses AI agents to transform manufacturing systems of record into systems of action, focusing on amplifying human potential rather than replacing workers. He details specific use cases, including line lead agents that predict production issues and procurement agents that automate supplier communication, to address the industry's 500,000 open jobs. Brahmawar emphasizes that manufacturers can implement these solutions alongside legacy ERP systems without massive modernization, citing a 40% capacity increase for buyers and improved shop floor engagement as key outcomes.
#270 Insights from 34,000 in-store demos with Grassroots Marketing
David Heiser, Co-Founder of Grassroots Marketing, explains how his company analyzed 34,000 in-store demos across Whole Foods, Sprouts, Central Market, and Erewhon to create a data-driven report for CPG brands. Heiser details key findings, such as Saturday being the highest-performing day and specific high-velocity regions like Southern California for Sprouts and Arizona/Florida for Whole Foods. The discussion covers practical strategies for maximizing demo ROI, including the importance of physical marketing materials like paper coupons and crafting concise five-second pitches to handle skeptical shoppers.
Unpacking Marvell's Analyst Day, OpenAI Revenue Rumors, and the Heterogeneous Rack
Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg analyze Marvell's recent Analyst Day, highlighting its strategic shift from Amazon ASIC share battles to a broader data center infrastructure play involving optical interconnects, switching silicon, and new AI infrastructure management silicon. They discuss the fragility of the AI semiconductor trade, noting that physical infrastructure bottlenecks, specifically the U.S. grid's ability to energize 20-30 gigawatts, pose a greater risk to chip timelines than end-user demand. Finally, they explore a strategic theory that TSMC is granting AMD extra wafer capacity to potentially throttle Intel's cash flow as Intel Foundry becomes a credible competitive threat.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: Tim and Karrie League (2023)
Tim and Karrie League, co-founders of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, recount their journey from a failed first theater in Bakersfield to building a national chain in Austin. They detail the operational challenges of combining movie exhibition with full-service dining, including securing liquor licenses and managing complex logistics. The episode covers their strategic expansion, a contentious legal battle with franchise partners that resulted in a merger, and their resilience through the pandemic-induced bankruptcy and subsequent acquisition by Sony Pictures.
R&D RADIO: Oil Analytics, Seed Oils and Adulterated Avocado Oil with Dr. Selina Wang of UC Davis
Dr. Selina Wang, Faculty Director of the UC Davis Olive Center, explains how her lab’s studies revealed that many commercial avocado oils and finished products like chips and mayonnaise are adulterated with cheaper oils like soybean or high-oleic sunflower oil. She details the chemical forensic methods, specifically analyzing fatty acid and sterol fingerprints, required to detect these substitutions that simple fatty acid testing might miss. Wang advises brands to test both fatty acids and sterols and to treat suspiciously low prices as a major red flag for potential fraud.
258 - Combination Product Quality: Human Factors, CDMO Scorecards, ISO 14971 vs. ICH Q9, with Ben Locwin
Ben Locwin, Vice President at Reliant Life Sciences, and Subhi Saadeh, Founder of Let's Combinate, discuss the divergent quality philosophies of pharmaceutical and medical device industries, focusing on combination products. They explain how human factors studies must account for different user types (HCP vs. lay) even with platform devices, and how CDMO scorecards often fail to reflect operational reality due to subjective weighting. The conversation details the differences between ISO 14971 and ICH Q9 risk management, emphasizing the need for FMEA as a living document updated with real-world data.
6 chapters
How Costa Rica Attracts High-Tech Investment Through Procomer, with CEO Laura López
Laura López, CEO of PROCOMER, discusses Costa Rica's strategy to attract high-tech investment, highlighting the inauguration of a second Zollner facility as evidence of a growing ecosystem. She explains how PROCOMER promotes the country by fostering clusters of suppliers, logistics partners, and OEM customers to enhance supply chain efficiency. A key focus is talent development, where PROCOMER co-finances training programs with universities and companies to ensure the workforce has the specific skills needed for medical devices, electronics, and semiconductors. This approach has driven a fourfold increase in exports and sophistication over the last decade.
How to Ask Someone to Invest in Your CPG Brand, with Fave's Ryan Raish
Ryan Raish, founder of Fave, details his journey from a 20-year CPG career at brands like Popchips and Honest Tea to launching a certified organic powdered drink mix. He explains how he self-funded two years of R&D and retailer feedback from Target before securing a pre-seed round led by Keith Belling and the Angel Group. Raish discusses using early sales on Thrive Market, Amazon, and QVC to validate the product and close a $1 million seed round, while highlighting the distinct challenges of pitching retail buyers versus investors.
Next edition Saturday
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The few moments worth your time, quoted word for word and linked to the second they’re said.