Sense Think Act Podcast

In this episode, Audrow Nash talks to Ronald Katamba, CEO and founder of Jaguza Tech and Afrosoft IT Solutions. Afrosoft IT Solutions teaches people technical skills in Uganda and other countries. Jaguza Tech makes a wearable device for cows to help understand when they are sick.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please consider donating to help us keep it going:
https://donorbox.org/sense–think–act–podcast

EPISODE LINKS:
– Ronald Katamba’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katamba–ronald–515303a9/?originalSubdomain=ug}
– Jaguza’s Website: https://jaguzafarm.com/}

PODCAST INFO:
– Podcast website: https://sensethinkact.com}
– Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sense–think–act/id1582090036}
– Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/52wK4oMDvgijRk6E82tC5d}
– RSS: https://sensethinkact.com/itunes.xml}
– Full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/SenseThinkActPodcast}
– Clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChfnCpNwZzYtZ32J–pZvNDg}

OUTLINE:
– (0:00:00) Start
– (0:01:16) Introducing Ronald, Jaguza, and Afrosoft
– (0:06:02) Teaching STEM skills at Afrosoft
– (0:10:28) Story behind Jaguza app for animal health
– (0:19:39) How Jaguza does disease detection
– (0:33:34) Making a dataset of animal health
– (0:42:00) History of Jaguza
– (0:43:53) Supply chain difficulties + funding
– (0:48:54) Jaguza’s funding + looking for funding
– (0:55:35) Investor climate in Africa
– (0:57:06) More on Jaguza’s funding
– (1:02:49) Lowering the cost for a subscription model
– (1:05:36) Future of Jaguza

SOCIAL:
– Twitter: https://twitter.com/sense_think_act}
– Discourse: https://discourse.ros.org/c/sensethinkact/71}

In this episode, Audrow Nash talks to Crystal Parrot, COO of Plus One Robotics. Plus One is a San Antonio–based robotics company that uses robots for depalletizing and parcel sorting.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please consider donating to help us keep it going:
https://donorbox.org/sense–think–act–podcast

EPISODE LINKS:
– Crystal Parrott’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystal–parrott–95a4a57/}
– Plus One’s Website: https://www.plusonerobotics.com/}

PODCAST INFO:
– Podcast website: https://sensethinkact.com}
– Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sense–think–act/id1582090036}
– Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/52wK4oMDvgijRk6E82tC5d}
– RSS: https://sensethinkact.com/itunes.xml}
– Full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/SenseThinkActPodcast}
– Clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChfnCpNwZzYtZ32J–pZvNDg}

OUTLINE:
– (0:00:00) Start
– (0:27:01) Introducing Crystal and Plus One
– (0:36:04) Parcel sorting
– (0:42:18) Why use vacuum suckers?
– (0:46:56) How long will warehouse robots be in operation?
– (0:51:02) Human in the Loop
– (1:05:26) Manufacturing trends
– (1:14:25) Robot as a Service
– (1:21:07) Future of Plus One Robotics
– (1:23:25) Follow your passion and get started
– (1:24:54) Future of human–in–the–loop and avatars
– (1:29:55) Links or contact info

SOCIAL:
– Twitter: https://twitter.com/sense_think_act}
– Discourse: https://discourse.ros.org/c/sensethinkact/71}

In this episode, Audrow Nash talks to Dima Gazda, the CEO and Co–founder of Esper Bionics. Esper Bionics makes an award–winning prosthetic hand and has an exciting vision of how we can improve human health and function through bionic devices.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please consider donating to help us keep it going:
https://donorbox.org/sense–think–act–podcast

EPISODE LINKS:
– Dima Gazda’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dimagazda/}
– Esper Bionics Website: https://esperbionics.com/}

PODCAST INFO:
– Podcast website: https://sensethinkact.com}
– Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sense–think–act/id1582090036}
– Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/52wK4oMDvgijRk6E82tC5d}
– RSS: https://sensethinkact.com/itunes.xml}
– Full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/SenseThinkActPodcast}
– Clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChfnCpNwZzYtZ32J–pZvNDg}

OUTLINE:
– (0:00:00) Start
– (0:00:52) Introducing Dima and Esper Bionics
– (0:08:54) How a person uses a prosthetic device
– (0:14:24) Connecting to the human body with electrodes
– (0:27:14) Building in additional capacity for future growth
– (0:44:25) Learning what grips the user wants
– (0:53:52) Connecting the hand to a server + updates
– (0:57:41) Why not have a camera on the hand?
– (1:05:03) Haptic feedback
– (1:07:16) Comparing to similar companies
– (1:11:09) Company funding
– (1:15:23) Next 2 to 5 years
– (1:17:06) Bionics in the next century
– (1:30:57) Progression of bionic devices
– (1:33:37) Digital passports
– (1:35:30) Advice for those interested in bionics
– (1:37:29) Links

SOCIAL:
– Twitter: https://twitter.com/sense_think_act}
– Discourse: https://discourse.ros.org/c/sensethinkact/71}

In this episode, Audrow Nash talks to Davide Faconti, the creator of BehaviorTree.CPP and Plotjuggler. BehaviorTree.CPP helps you organize complex robot behaviors, and PlotJuggler makes it easier for you to understand and debug robotic applications. The ROS community has widely adopted both BehaviorTree.CPP and PlotJuggler.
In this interview, you’ll learn about these projects and how to use them to be more productive. You’ll also know how Davide thinks about side projects so that you can build projects with more impact.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please consider donating to help us keep it going:
https://donorbox.org/sense–think–act–podcast

EPISODE LINKS:
– Davide Faconti’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/facontidavide/?originalSubdomain=es}
– BehaviorTree.CPP’s website: https://behaviortree.github.io/BehaviorTree.CPP/}
– BehaviorTree.CPP’s Discourse: https://discourse.behaviortree.dev/}
– PlotJuggler’s website: https://www.plotjuggler.io/}

PODCAST INFO:
– Podcast website: https://sensethinkact.com}
– Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sense–think–act/id1582090036}
– Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/52wK4oMDvgijRk6E82tC5d}
– RSS: https://sensethinkact.com/itunes.xml}
– Full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/SenseThinkActPodcast}
– Clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChfnCpNwZzYtZ32J–pZvNDg}

OUTLINE:
– (0:00:00) Start
– (0:01:44) Introducing Davide Faconti
– (0:06:34) History of BehaviorTree.CPP
– (0:19:51) Explaining Behavior Trees
– (0:51:04) Orthogonality in Behavior trees
– (0:54:01) Handling events with behavior trees
– (0:57:12) Teasing BehaviorTree.CPP 4.0
– (0:59:40) PlotJuggler
– (1:10:10) Memes in PlotJuggler
– (1:14:50) Picking project scope
– (1:19:57) Business model + scaling
– (1:22:18) Thoughts on web technologies
– (1:23:32) Direction and ambitions
– (1:28:51) On having a side project
– (1:32:32) Lessons on starting open source project
– (1:36:55) Future of robotics
– (1:44:21) Links and contact info

SOCIAL:
– Twitter: https://twitter.com/sense_think_act}
– Discourse: https://discourse.ros.org/c/sensethinkact/71}

In this episode, Audrow Nash speaks to Ryan Kelly, who is the General Manager of the Association For Manufacturing Technology’s (AMT) San Francisco Tech Lab. Ryan discusses how AMT is working to grow manufacturing in the US, as well as talks more broadly about the state of manufacturing in the US and what should be done.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please consider donating to help us keep it going:
https://donorbox.org/sense–think–act–podcast

EPISODE LINKS:
– Ryan Kelly’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan–kelly–b0904642/}
– AMT’s website: https://www.amtonline.org/home}
– IMTS’s website: https://www.imts.com/}

PODCAST INFO:
– Podcast website: https://sensethinkact.com}
– Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sense–think–act/id1582090036}
– Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/52wK4oMDvgijRk6E82tC5d}
– RSS: https://sensethinkact.com/itunes.xml}
– Full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/SenseThinkActPodcast}
– Clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChfnCpNwZzYtZ32J–pZvNDg}

OUTLINE:
– (0:00:00) Start
– (0:02:29) Introducing Ryan and AMT
– (0:09:17) Value of AMT
– (0:13:02) Ecosystem development
– (0:15:35) Example of helping a startup
– (0:27:55) AMT membership model
– (0:29:24) Advocacy for member companies
– (0:31:47) Supporting education
– (0:39:45) Community colleges + skilled labor shortages
– (0:47:08) Using technology to help the labor shortage
– (0:53:04) Regional differences in US manufacturing
– (0:56:17) Manufacturing in the US on a global scale
– (1:07:46) Building back US manufacturing
– (1:16:43) How can individuals help US manufacturing
– (1:22:05) Starting a Manufacturing Company
– (1:29:45) Predicting US manufacturing
– (1:37:30) Links

SOCIAL:
– Twitter: https://twitter.com/sense_think_act}
– Discourse: https://discourse.ros.org/c/sensethinkact/71}

In this episode, Audrow Nash speaks to Tony Baltovski and Adrian Popielas, from Clearpath Robotics, on the TurtleBot 4. The TurtleBot 4 is an open source robotics platform for education and research.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please consider donating to help us keep it going:
https://donorbox.org/sense–think–act–podcast

EPISODE LINKS:
– TurtleBot 4 on Clearpath Robotics’ website: https://clearpathrobotics.com/turtlebot–4/}
– TurtleBot 4 on Github: https://github.com/turtlebot/turtlebot4}
– TurtleBot 4 Simulation on Github: https://github.com/turtlebot/turtlebot4_simulator}
– Clearpath Robotics’ website: https://clearpathrobotics.com/}
– Tony Baltovski’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonybaltovski/}
– Adrian Popielas’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianpopielas/}

PODCAST INFO:
– Podcast website: https://sensethinkact.com}
– Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sense–think–act/id1582090036}
– Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/52wK4oMDvgijRk6E82tC5d}
– RSS: https://sensethinkact.com/itunes.xml}
– Full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/SenseThinkActPodcast}
– Clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChfnCpNwZzYtZ32J–pZvNDg}

OUTLINE:
– (0:00:00) Start
– (0:01:31) Introducing Adrian, Tony, and TurtleBot 4
– (0:12:17) Evolution of Turtlebot Platforms
– (0:18:03) Adding a screen to the Turtlebot 4
– (0:21:43) Picking hardware and budgeting features
– (0:27:57) How the software is organized
– (0:29:38) Designing for manufacturing
– (0:38:13) Simulation
– (0:44:40) Making examples
– (0:46:45) Using ROS 2
– (0:50:15) Choosing to use a Create 3
– (0:51:46) Other challenges and testing
– (1:03:26) Putting an arm on the TurtleBot 4
– (1:04:49) Marker 7
– (1:07:47) Hopes for the TurtleBot 4
– (1:09:52) Advice

SOCIAL:
– Twitter: https://twitter.com/sense_think_act}
– Discourse: https://discourse.ros.org/c/sensethinkact/71}

We’ve made it one year – thank you to our supporters!

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please consider donating to help us keep it going:
https://donorbox.org/sense–think–act–podcast

EPISODE LINKS:


PODCAST INFO:
– Podcast website: https://sensethinkact.com}
– Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sense–think–act/id1582090036}
– Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/52wK4oMDvgijRk6E82tC5d}
– RSS: https://sensethinkact.com/itunes.xml}
– Full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/SenseThinkActPodcast}
– Clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChfnCpNwZzYtZ32J–pZvNDg}

SOCIAL:
– Twitter: https://twitter.com/sense_think_act}
– Discourse: https://discourse.ros.org/c/sensethinkact/71}

In this episode, Audrow Nash speaks to Vince Gaydarzhiev, who is President and Founder of Alcatraz AI. Alcatraz AI uses biometrics, including facial recognition, to make spaces more secure. Vince speaks about facial recognition, the problem of access control, tailgating, how access control is a similar problem to self driving cars, how the work with actors to get training data, how they use AI, updating their hardware, Alcatraz AI’s business model, and on the current economy for startups.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please consider donating to help us keep it going:
https://donorbox.org/sense–think–act–podcast

EPISODE LINKS:
– Alcatraz AI’s website: https://www.alcatraz.ai/}
– Vince’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaydarzhiev/}

PODCAST INFO:
– Podcast website: https://sensethinkact.com}
– Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sense–think–act/id1582090036}
– Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/52wK4oMDvgijRk6E82tC5d}
– RSS: https://sensethinkact.com/itunes.xml}
– Full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/SenseThinkActPodcast}
– Clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChfnCpNwZzYtZ32J–pZvNDg}

OUTLINE:
– (0:00:00) Introducing the episode
– (0:01:41) Introducing Vince and Alcatraz AI
– (0:02:21) Understanding physical access control
– (0:12:40) Challenges in scaling
– (0:15:50) Multi factor authentication
– (0:17:45) Why facial recognition?
– (0:23:11) Protecting against spoofs
– (0:30:30) Using neural networks to stop tailgaters
– (0:35:10) Supplementing security guards
– (0:40:01) Neural networks in security
– (0:47:05) Exploring using simulation to create data
– (0:49:43) Hiring actors to get data on exceptions
– (0:53:21) Understanding intent
– (0:55:37) Business model + how to deploy
– (1:02:54) Scaling limits
– (1:05:23) Patents + open source
– (1:11:10) Updating hardware and keeping old training data
– (1:14:27) Feels like running many startups
– (1:16:14) Working with standards organizations
– (1:24:26) Future plans
– (1:27:23) Advice to your past self
– (1:28:34) Finding a product customers love
– (1:29:28) On the current economy for startups
– (1:31:51) Links + contact info

SOCIAL:
– Twitter: https://twitter.com/sense_think_act}
– Discourse: https://discourse.ros.org/c/sensethinkact/71}

In this episode, Audrow Nash speaks to Ben Raana, who is a software engineer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). MBARI uses robots to monitor and explore the oceans to better understand climate change and other topics. Ben speaks about how robotics is enabling ocean research, the challenges of putting a robot in the ocean, how their robot platform works, and how they are working towards long–term deployments.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please consider donating to help us keep it going:
https://donorbox.org/sense–think–act–podcast

EPISODE LINKS:
– MBARI’s website: https://www.mbari.org/}
– MBARI’s Github: https://github.com/mbari–org}
– LRAUV Simulation Repository: https://github.com/osrf/lrauv}
– Ben’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben–yair–raanan–76330a133/}

PODCAST INFO:
– Podcast website: https://sensethinkact.com}
– Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sense–think–act/id1582090036}
– Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/52wK4oMDvgijRk6E82tC5d}
– RSS: https://sensethinkact.com/itunes.xml}
– Full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/SenseThinkActPodcast}
– Clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChfnCpNwZzYtZ32J–pZvNDg}

OUTLINE:
– (0:00:00) Start
– (0:01:15) Introducing Ben and MBARI
– (0:06:16) Understanding human impact on the ocean
– (0:17:24) Using robots for scalability
– (0:32:38) Collecting ocean data
– (0:49:19) Describing their ocean robots
– (0:51:49) Power management
– (0:53:52) Varying the buoyancy
– (0:55:57) Their robot’s cost
– (0:58:09) Communicating with the robot
– (1:00:49) Failure management + safety precautions
– (1:05:32) Growing the fleet
– (1:14:06) Simulation with Gazebo + open source
– (1:26:42) Future of missions
– (1:32:12) Advice for those looking to contribute to ocean research

SOCIAL:
– Twitter: https://twitter.com/sense_think_act}
– Discourse: https://discourse.ros.org/c/sensethinkact/71}

In this episode, Audrow Nash speaks to Dan Mantz, who is the CEO of the Robotics Education and Competition (REC) Foundation. The REC Foundation is a nonprofit that works with VEX Robotics to build interest in STEM related career opportunities. Dan speaks about the different competitions REC facilitates, why REC is a nonprofit, how REC works with VEX Robotics, on the importance of soft skills, on workforce gaps, and on the future of education.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please consider donating to help us keep it going:
https://donorbox.org/sense–think–act–podcast

EPISODE LINKS:
– REC Foundation’s website: https://www.roboticseducation.org/}
– Dan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmantz/}
– Dan’s email: mailto:[email protected]}

PODCAST INFO:
– Podcast website: https://sensethinkact.com}
– Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sense–think–act/id1582090036}
– Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/52wK4oMDvgijRk6E82tC5d}
– RSS: https://sensethinkact.com/itunes.xml}
– Full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/SenseThinkActPodcast}
– Clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChfnCpNwZzYtZ32J–pZvNDg}

OUTLINE:
– (0:00:00) Start
– (0:01:34) Introductions
– (0:06:01) Funding with the museum model
– (0:12:17) What REC does day–to–day
– (0:15:19) On being a Nonprofit
– (0:16:33) Nonprofit versus for profit
– (0:21:03) Different programs for different ages
– (0:25:12) Mission and vision
– (0:26:08) Game design
– (0:29:42) Hardware
– (0:35:32) Software
– (0:37:33) Working with VEX
– (0:40:35) Preparing competitions in advance
– (0:43:26) Drone competitions
– (0:46:04) STEM workforce gaps + Industry 4.0
– (0:50:40) Soft skills and communication
– (0:57:24) COVID and simulation
– (1:00:20) Why hands on?
– (1:03:17) Open source?
– (1:08:28) Dan’s background
– (1:14:49) REC and existing education programs
– (1:19:28) Adding REC into main curriculum
– (1:25:08) Future of education
– (1:27:06) Resources and links

SOCIAL:
– Twitter: https://twitter.com/sense_think_act}
– Discourse: https://discourse.ros.org/c/sensethinkact/71}