The way to improve physical intelligence is to simulate, discover, and do.

A dropped box tells the truth. That little skid and thud is a progress report one can feel. In this episode, Tough Tech Today Co-Hosts Forrest and JMill trace the full arc of “physical” intelligence: how we simulate the world, discover what to build, and then make hardware that learns while doing real work.

First, simulate: Before a wheel ever touches regolith or a gripper meets a crate, we spin up physics-rich worlds and run them by the thousands. This is not to find a perfect script, but to survive the imperfect ones. If a machine’s behavior holds up to domain randomization, messy lighting, uncertain friction… it may stand a chance on day one.

Then, discover: Imagine an autonomous lab bench where pipettes, sensors, and models conspire to explore their search space. The point is not cute demos, but rather new catalysts, sturdier materials, better routes to medicines. Humans keep the compass while the system earns its stripes by proposing and testing the next steps.

Finally, do: The shop floor is where timing and torque decide what actually works. Machine vision has been around for decades; what changes now is adaptation. Tactile data, trustworthy actuation, and feedback loops tight enough to correct mid-cycle help make open loops into closed loops. Ideally, we see waste reduce, uptime climb, and skills accumulate.

We also discuss the future of work and work-of-the-future. General-purpose agents capabilities will probably not arrive in a headline, instead percolating as a thousand small skills that survive contact with clutter, dust, heat, and schedule slips. That means building for failure an organization can recover from, staging rollouts, red-teaming the edge cases, and being clear who is on the hook when something goes wrong.

If we get this right, the wins will look, well, ordinary: fewer knobs to tune, fewer reworks, more jobs finished on time. But what is exception is that models are becoming matter, the foundation of systems that quietly improve with use. 

And what about that dropped box? It becomes a better grasp the very next cycle, with the machine’s learnings shared across a hundred robots operating among a swarm, broadcast to thousands of work cells around the world.

P.S. Thank you to our tough tech champions. We really appreciate your support. We have pay-if-you-can membership options so you can help us bring Tough Tech Today to more folks!

📺Watch:

https://youtu.be/UqRX5h1aUF8

🧠Relevant Links:

• Episode homepage
• Forrest Meyen on LinkedIn
• JMill on LinkedIn
• MIT News: Using generative AI to help robots jump higher and land safely

👏Credit Roll: 

• Producers: Jonathan 'JMill' Miller and Forrest Meyen
• Hosts: JMill and Forrest
• Editing: JMill
• Transcript: Jill
• Blog Author: JMill
• Art Direction: JMill

🔖Topic Timecodes:

00:00:00 Welcome Back: Machines and Intelligence
00:01:05 Defining “Physical AI”
00:03:10 Robots for Extreme Environments
00:06:00 Sim to Real: Digital Twins
00:09:20 Humanoids and the Future of Work
00:12:15 Manufacturing 2.0: AI for Materials
00:16:00 Ground Truth vs Synthetic Data
00:19:40 Space Ops: Millions of Sim Cycles
00:23:05 Terrain Truthing: Sand and Regolith
00:26:50 Agents That Tune the Models
00:30:30 Generative CAD, Patents, Liability
00:33:45 Guardrails, Audits, What’s Next
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Under New York City lies a patchwork of long-dormant dark fibers that are now illuminating with entangled rubidium atoms.

In our conversation with Noel Goddard, CEO of Qunnect, we learn about the tough tech testbed named GothamQ. Qunnect is pioneering the future of the telecom industry by transforming existing fiber optics into quantum networks, providing a robust, secure communication channel for the next evolution of the digital age.

Qunnect’s rubidium-based networking devices promise to safeguard communications against eavesdropping by ensuring that any attempts at interception destroy the transmitted message. This makes digital communications that are provably secure, and is gaining attention as a key component of a layered approach to quantum networking solutions that meet the needs of clients ranging from enterprise players to government agencies.

“We work in atomic vapor,” Goddard says, “we use the same vapor that they [atomic clocks for Global Positioning Systems] do. What's nice about it is that atoms are the same everywhere in the universe, so whether it's outer space, underwater, on a mountain… atoms provide a very high precision reference tool.” Quantum networking protocols require sophisticated levels of precision “which has never been seen by normal digital communications”, adding that “atoms offer a very interesting way to do that because of this ability to locally reference them” at scale. Qunnect’s networking hardware is a physical manifestation of decades of basic and applied research into quantum physics, information theory, and optics, with the GothamQ test site as the next evolution in the broadening deployment of their hardware portfolio composed of quantum sources, quantum memory, wavelength referencers, and more.

In a candid moment, Goddard acknowledges the unique challenges facing quantum science startups, including the need for substantial capital investment and the patience to develop highly complex and sensitive technologies. However, she remains optimistic about the future, highlighting the growing interest and support from government and corporate investors willing to take long-term bets on tough tech innovations.

Goddard reflects on the broader implications of quantum security. By providing a fundamentally secure communication method, Qunnect isn’t just advancing technology but also safeguarding economic and national security in an increasingly digital world.

P.S. If you're in the Boston-Cambridge area this fall, check out JMill's Tough Tech On Tap, presented by The End Effector! 

P.P.S. Thank you to our tough tech champions. We really appreciate your support. We have pay-if-you-can membership options so you can help us bring Tough Tech Today to more folks!

📺Watch on YouTube

🧠Relevant Links:

• Episode homepage
• Noel Goddard on LinkedIn
• Qunnect homepage

👏Credit Roll: 

• Producers: Jonathan 'JMill' Miller and Forrest Meyen
• Guest: Noel Goddard
• Host: JMill
• Editing: JMill
• Transcript: JMill
• Blog Author: JMill
• Art Design: JMill

Melding quantum mechanics with artificial intelligence is going to change how we understand our world.

Several years ago, a small team was pursuing a deeper understanding of the quantum sciences while tracking advancements in machine intelligence. Combining two complex and misunderstood fields of study, Fernando Dominguez Pinuaga, Vice President, and his colleagues formed SandboxAQ, a growing juggernaut in materials discovery, cybersecurity, computational simulation, and so much more. 

This episode is our first among several in which we examine the quantum sciences. Percolating in the burgeoning overlap between artificial intelligence and quantum mechanics, the potential areas of overlap can appear, to an outsider, to be disconnected or unfocused. However, as Fernando reveals in our conversation, there is a core upon which they are learning, building, and educating. With “the century of atoms” ahead, join us  as we learn about security, navigation, and the science of discovery.

Where is the money in oceanographic research?

Fundamental understanding of the watery parts of our planet (i.e. most of it) is woefully under pursued. However, just as it seems some ocean systems are almost falling apart – coral bleaching, rising tides, species extinctions – we are beginning to see more attention paid to exploring the depths.

"There will be unicorns of the ocean, very successful companies which we call ‘narwhals’,” Adam de Sala Pool told us. A Special Advisor to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, de Sala Pool has seen a similar situation before: he was an early investor into what we now call climate tech. Commercial incentives can be incredibly useful when aligned with solving global challenges, and so, with growing anticipation, we may be on the cusp of having a new generation of ocean-oriented startups that could become billion dollar companies.

“This is not for the faint of heart but [ocean investments] will eventually be as successful as clean tech has been. [Oceans] cover 70% of the planet and… everything you can do on land you will be able to do in the ocean.” Near-shore commercial activities are in the works, with farther-out prospecting for how to extend humanity’s capabilities into the depths – while becoming ever more aware of how to preserve the health and integrity of our living seas.

P.S. Thank you to our episode sponsor, The End Effector! JMill will be decoding deep tech over there, so join the mailing list to get read-in. Also check out Tough Tech On Tap!

P.P.S. Thank you to our tough tech champions. We really appreciate your support! We have pay-if-you-can membership options so you can help us bring Tough Tech Today to more folks!

🧠Relevant Links:

• Episode homepage
• Watch on YouTube
• Adam de Sala Pool on LinkedIn
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI)

• Producers: Jonathan 'JMill' Miller and Forrest Meyen
• Guest: Adam de Sola Pool
• Hosts: JMill and Forrest Meyen
• Editing: JMill
• Transcript: JMill
• Blog Author: JMill
• Art Design: JMill. Background seabed graphic credit: Center for Environmental Visualization, University of Washington

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s… technically a flying boat! 
When challenged to imagine how to electrify aviation, Billy Thalheimer, CEO and co-founder of REGENT Craft, and his team set to work looking at what has been done with hydroplanes before – and what emerging technologies are available today that change the equation for what is possible and economically achievable.

“Building with atoms is harder than building with bits. You can’t just revert to your last code push,” Mr. Thalheimer told us. “Early on, it was really just finding those investors that ‘got’ tough tech.” And such investors he did find, bringing in allied capital with hands-on operational experience running manufacturing, aviation, and maritime businesses.

REGENT Craft is settling into its expanding headquarters in Rhode Island, where the team enjoys the benefits of its specially-chosen locale: access to the U.S.A’s top naval composites experts, aerospace giants, and deep-rooted talent pools in avionics, software, and other key capabilities needed to make nontraditional vessels glide above the seas. 

With the potential to fundamentally change how goods and people are shuttled along coastal communities globally, REGENT has been carefully fusing together a team of interdisciplinary specialists. While it may not be the astronaut career Mr. Thalheimer originally envisioned, it sure is an exciting ride!

P.S. Thank you to our episode sponsor, The End Effector! JMill will be decoding deep tech over there, so join the mailing list to get read-in.

P.P.S. Thank you to our tough tech champions. Mariemma, you're our newest Pioneer! We really appreciate your support! If you’d like to follow Mariemma’s example, take a look at our pay-if-you-can membership options so you can help us bring Tough Tech Today to more folks!

The blue parts of our planet are beautiful yet stunningly punishing for even our toughest of technologies.

Dark, crushing, unexplored, and unknown – the depths of the seas are where an explorer like Jeff Smith has devoted his career to understanding. As the Vice President and General Manager of Autonomous and Undersea Systems at Saab, Inc., Smith has experience developing submersibles of nearly every shape and size, including some of the most advanced systems for remotely-operated and autonomous research vessels. 

A distinguished figure in the undersea robotics realm, Smith brings a wealth of experience from his involvement in innovative startups and contributions to significant projects supporting the US Navy and other long-standing partners in ocean exploration. His journey, inspired by childhood memories of Jacques Cousteau's adventures, has led him to a career where his passion for the seas intersects with cutting-edge technology, embodying the adage that when you do what you love, it hardly feels like work.

Our conversation with Smith offers an insightful look into the challenges and opportunities within ‘blue technologies’. He highlights the critical role of autonomy and robotics in probing and protecting over 70% of the Earth's surface covered by oceans. His work developing cost-effective undersea systems underscores the importance of practical approaches in advancing our understanding and capabilities in marine environments. Smith also shares his entrepreneurial journey, from his start with a credit card and a dream to building Riptide Autonomous Solutions (acquired by BAE Systems), a major force in the unmanned undersea vehicle space. 

This episode not only peers into the technical aspects of undersea exploration but also touches on the broader implications for environmental conservation and defense. Smith’s emphasis on the need for continued innovation, especially in battery technology and onboard machine intelligence, points to a future where autonomous undersea vehicles play a pivotal role in addressing some of the planet's most pressing challenges. This conversation with Jeff Smith not only educates but also inspires, reminding us of the vast, unexplored frontiers beneath the waves and the tough tech required to navigate them safely.

P.S. Thank you to our episode sponsor, The End Effector! JMill will be decoding deep tech over there, so join the mailing list to get read-in.

P.P.S. Thank you to our tough tech champions. We really appreciate your support! If you’d like to follow Erika’s example, take a look at our pay-if-you-can membership options so you can help us bring Tough Tech Today to more folks!

Tough Tech Today is transitioning seasons, recapping our Season 3 themes exploring the tough tech domains of biology, space, and fusion energy. We are also preparing for the show's fourth season and we are really excited for it!

Upcoming themes:

• Blue tech – The advanced technologies of the maritime industry. Incredible machines, sustainable oceans, and mysteries to solve in our planet's seas.
• Quantum sciences – A wild world where physics gets weird, we are super curious about opportunities in computing, sensing, and communication.
• Artificial Intelligence – While it was only fairly recently that "A.I." has debuted on the pop-culture zeitgeist, for years tech trailblazers have been developing incredible applications of machine intelligence to solve our world's toughest challenges.

Thank you, our Season 3 guests!

• BioTech
  • New Equilibrium Biosciences - Virginia Burger
  • Elevian - Mark Allen
  • Concerto Biosciences - Cheri Ackerman
• Space
  • Space Capital - Chad Anderson
  • Mithril Technologies - Scarlett Koller
  • Arkenstone Ventures/USAF USSF - Preston Dunlap
• Fusion
  • Proxima Fusion - Francesco Sciortino
  • TDK Ventures / Type One Energy - Tina Tosukhowong
  • Focused Energy - Thomas Forner and Pravesh Patel

P.S. Thank you to our tough tech champions. We really appreciate your support! If you’d like to level-up your support of our work, take a look at our pay-if-you-can membership options so you can help us bring Tough Tech Today to more folks!

If this company perfectly combines lasers and atoms, the reaction could be worth trillions of dollars.

Focused Energy’s Thomas Forner, CEO, and Pravesh Patel, CTO, join us to talk about making lasers. Lots and lots of lasers. But for what aim? They are pointing hundreds of directed beams at a tiny target: a millimeter-sized plastic capsule of deuterium and tritium, about the size of a peppercorn. These experiments may reveal a commercial pathway to grid-scale fusion energy. In contrast to other pursuits for nearly limitless clean energy such as stellarators and tokamaks, our third installment of the Tough Tech Today fusion series spotlights Focused Energy’s inertial approach to excite hydrogen isotopes. 

Uniquely straddling the Atlantic to tap into specialized talent pools in Austin, Texas, and Darmstadt, Germany, this team is leveraging discoveries from top fusion labs in the U.S. and Europe. The company has spun out of the Technical University of Darmstadt and combined with talent from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where the first net energy gain from nuclear fusion was demonstrated in 2022.

In a planet hungry for energy, the company aims to generate significant revenues within a few years, fast-tracking commercialization of fusion energy while tapping into early revenues streams Focused Energy is deriving from testing other organizations’ technologies, cleaning up nuclear waste, and providing other valuable services as the company matures its laser drivers, high-gain ignition facility, and, eventually, establishes a pilot power plant. It is a lot of progress for a venture that has raised $82 million to date, including closing an $11 million Series A in 2023. From maintaining a permanent presence among regulators in Washington, D.C., to working with other energy companies to ‘educate the market’ about why fusion energy is now a venture-class investment opportunity, Forner, Patel, and the Focused Energy team exemplify a multinational collaboration of some of the world’s top minds.

P.S. Thank you to our tough tech champions. We really appreciate your support! If you’d like to level-up your support of our work, take a look at our pay-if-you-can membership options so you can help us bring Tough Tech Today to more folks!

🔖Topic Timecodes:

[1:50] Focused Energy’s approach to fusion
[6:07] Differences from WX-7
[7:41] Magnetic vs. inertial fusion
[11:16] How ignition discovery changed the inertial fusion industry
[12:46] Focused’s focus
[14:18] Biggest misconception about fusion in venture capital
[17:52] Comparison of risks between fusion, fission, and autonomous driving industry
[20:57] Developing in public vs private sector
[24:48] Founding story of Focused Energy
[28:23] Working between US and Germany
[34:30] Balancing cooperation and competition
[36:16] Connections to government and politics
[40:10] What’s on the whiteboard
[41:53] Number one technology priority for Focused Energy
[43:28] How does inertial fusion work?
[48:30] Focused Energy is hiring

🧠Relevant Links:

• Episode homepage: https://www.toughtechtoday.com/fusing-atoms-with-lasers/
• Thomas Forner on LinkedIn: https://de.linkedin.com/in/forner-thomas
• Pravesh Patel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pravesh-patel
• Focused Energy homepage: https://focused-energy.world

👏Credit Roll: 

• Producers: Jonathan 'JMill' Miller and Forrest Meyen
• Guests: Thomas Forner and Pravesh Patel
• Hosts: JMill and Forrest Meyen
• Editing: JMill
• Transcript: JMill

Investors are betting big on clean energy becoming the norm.

Tina Tosukhowong of TDK Ventures joins us for a review of the major approaches to curbing carbon emissions in hard-to-abate industries. A thorough assessment led Tosukhowong to opportunities for practical, grid-scale fusion. TDK Ventures invested in Type One Energy Group, a private fusion company affiliated with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Their stellarator-based design is one of several that have emerged in recent years, with the Type One team and their thesis-driven backers like Tosukhowong of TDK Ventures being among the leaders of commercial fusion approaches in the United States.

TDK Ventures is pursuing “big ticket items that contribute to climate change”, Tosukhowong states, including  aviation, shipping, cement, steel, industrial heat, and the overall building sector. Each is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, each is foundational to our society’s operation, and each is in the crosshairs of tough tech startups looking to preserve the habitability of our planet for future generations. 

How do we harness the power of the stars to deliver clean energy on Earth?

It has been a collective goal – and, perhaps, an impending imperative – for human civilization to secure renewable energy sources for its present and future needs. The team at Proxima Fusion (https://www.proximafusion.com/about), led by co-founder and CEO Francesco Sciortino (https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesco-sciortino-aa340180/), is focused on one approach to build a fusion power plant. Their use of a “stellarator”, a wildly complex machine that until recently has been literally impossible to build, could prove the economic viability of the design and its underlying physics. 

Headquartered in the booming ‘tough tech’ center of Munich, Germany, and drawing in expertise globally, Francesco shares with us how his team of scientist-engineers are leveraging prior learnings from tokamak systems as well as integrating institutional knowledge from their stellarator’s predecessor, the famed Wendelstein 7-X reactor built by the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics.

P.S. Thank you to our tough tech champions. Special shoutout to Erika – you are our first Advocate member. We really appreciate your support! If you’d like to follow Erika’s example, take a look at our pay-if-you-can membership options so you can help us bring Tough Tech Today to more folks!


🧠Relevant Links:

• Episode homepage: www.toughtechtoday.com/harnessing-the-power-of-a-star/
• Francesco Sciortino on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesco-sciortino-aa340180/
• Proxima Fusion homepage: http://proximafusion.com/
• MIT PSFC article about Proxima Fusion: https://www.psfc.mit.edu/news/2023/from-mit-bonds-to-stellarator-breakthroughs-proxima-fusion

👏Credit Roll: 

• Producers: Jonathan 'JMill' Miller and Forrest Meyen
• Guest: Francesco Sciortino
• Hosts: JMill and Forrest Meyen
• Editing: JMill
• Transcript: Alan Yan and JMill
• Blog Author: JMill
• Art Design: JMill (stellarator icon credit Olena Panasovska)

🔖Topic Timecodes:

• [forthcoming]

📖Transcript:

Transcript is viewable here: https://otter.ai/u/cEyXpgYNFKgTPRZWbR78cvc-88A