Building Deep Tech

Episode #39: Revolutionizing Sensors for Robotics, with Klajd Lika, CEO of Bota Systems AG: Klajd shares how his family immigrated from Albania to Greece and the support and love that shaped his journey. He also talks about his education in Athens and his early work in robotics, including hydraulic systems and quadruped robots. At Bota Systems, based in Zurich, Switzerland, Klajd and his team develop innovative sensors that help robots interact with their environment precisely and easily. Their products simplify automation for industries like manufacturing and healthcare, enabling applications like surface finishing, assembly, and collaborative robotics. This conversation is packed with valuable lessons for anyone interested in robotics, engineering, or entrepreneurship, but also discussions about the struggles of being a foreigner, and how love and support can strengthen your self-image, helping you focus on what truly matters.

In this episode, I sit down with ⁠Rutav Shah⁠⁠, a first-year PhD student at the University of Texas at Austin. Rutav’s journey in robotics and machine learning started at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, where he earned his Bachelor’s in Computer Science. Now at UT Austin, he’s diving into advanced research in machine learning and robotics. Rutav shares his experiences from his time as an undergraduate researcher in the Autonomous Ground Vehicle Research Group to his current projects at UT Austin. We discuss his perspectives on AI-driven robotics, the potential of autonomous systems, and advice for those interested in the field. This episode offers insights for students, engineers, and anyone interested in the future of robotics and machine learning.

In Episode #38, I talk with Nima Gard, Director of AI at Path Robotics, which just closed its Series D with a $100M raise: We recorded this episode on Halloween—you’ll spot him in Spock ears, while I stayed costume-free. Nima shares his journey from Iran to the U.S., starting with a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering, and his move to Ohio, where he completed his Ph.D. in Geodetic Engineering at Ohio State University. Five years ago, Nima joined Path Robotics as a Senior Computer Vision Engineer—his first industry role outside academia. Since then, he’s risen to Team Lead and now serves as Director of AI. It was a great convo and I had a lot of fun, hope you too, when listening to today's episode!

Episode #37: The Future of Open-Source Robotic Arms, with Petar Crnjak, founder of Source Robotics: Today’s guest, is a Mechatronics Engineer from Zagreb University of Applied Sciences with a focus on robotics and electric vehicles. Petar’s work has led him to create useful, award-winning open-source robotic arms, which are widely used in schools and universities for learning. In robotics, Petar has developed robotic arms that are easy to use and accessible to students. His designs have earned awards and are popular in education, helping students gain hands-on experience in robotics. In this episode, we talk about his journey into robotics and EVs, with advice for students and new engineers and how open-source projects can make a real difference in education!

Robotics Software Engineer ⁠Aryan Jagushte⁠ is my guest in today's 36th episode: Aryan has been focused on robotics, working as a Robotics Software Engineer, gaining experience in the Robot Operating System (ROS) in his academic education and working on projects using ROS1 and ROS2. He has hands-on knowledge of mobile robots and applies techniques like Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) and navigation algorithms to develop autonomous robots for complex environments. Aryan is also working with aerial robotics and robotic arms. In addition to his technical work, Aryan has worked as a STEM educator, sharing his knowledge of robotics through teaching and projects. We have discussed university roadmaps, jobs, college, finding jobs on LinkedIn, friends and many more things.

In today's episode (#35), I speak with Haoru Xue, a PhD student at University of California, Berkeley, specializing in humanoid whole-body control: Haoru has had an exciting journey in robotics, working alongside top researchers at Carnegie Mellon and UC Berkeley. He’s been involved in projects like autonomous racing, where his team earned top spots in the Indy Autonomous Challenge. Beyond his research, Haoru is really focused on building robots that can make a real impact, something I can totally relate to. We also talked about his perspective on the open-source community in robotics. He shared how the vibe in the open-source world is still very much about helping each other out, even with all the competition. It’s something that really stands out in the field.

My guest today is Klas Nilsson, Founder and CTO of Cognibotics, with over 40 years in robotics! Coming from a non-academic background and always interested in math, his curiosity about machines led him to spend time first at ABB, and then many years in research at Lund University. Always striving to fill the blind spots, he transitioned from mechanical engineering to computer science. Eventually, he found enough evidence that something was missing in robotics, leading him to make another transition—this time as the founder of Cognibotics.

My guest today is Vladimir Baranov, founder of 🤖 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹, whose mission is to inspire a love of engineering in children worldwide: While there are many robotics classes for high school students, options for younger children are limited. Vladimir's project proves that kids are far more capable than we often think. With over two decades of experience across various industries, Vladimir’s passion for building and his entrepreneurial journey have been shaped by bravery, resilience, and a broad skill set. We discuss his challenges growing up, how he overcame them, what led him to the world of robotics, and why he’s dedicated to enabling as many children as possible to build robots through his courses.

⁠Jacopo Tani⁠, CEO of ⁠Duckietown⁠, an open-source robotics and AI platform that began as an MIT project in 2016, joins me today: Originally from Rome, Jacopo is a trained space engineer with a PhD, having worked at MIT and ETH Zurich on dynamic systems and control before transitioning into entrepreneurship. In this episode, he shares invaluable lessons on hard work, perseverance, mentorship, friendship, and seizing opportunities. He emphasizes the importance of staying focused on your goals while being adaptable to the path that unfolds. This is for anyone facing challenges, looking for insights on how to push through and grow along the way.

A legend in the tech world - Robert Scoble. Siri, Tesla, Instagram and others launched on his blog/show, today - he is my guest: Sitting down with him was nothing short of a wild ride! Robert's journey began in the late 70s, back when Silicon Valley was still a small community, not the tech powerhouse it is today. Always in tune with the pulse of innovation, Robert embodies the zeitgeist. He launched his tech blog in the late 90s and was among the first to see Tesla, Flipboard, Instagram, Siri, Uber, and many other technologies. Listen to this energetic, living almanac of tech history in the newest episode of Kinematic Conversations.