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Lex Fridman Podcast
#372 – Simone Giertz: Queen of Sh*tty Robots, Innovative Engineering, and Design
Apr 16, 2023
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02:04:05
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Quick takeaways
- Simone gained recognition as the 'queen of shitty robots' through her humorously flawed inventions, building a career around fun and entertaining projects.
- Simone's creative process involves finding over-the-top solutions to everyday problems, such as the toothbrush helmet that brushed your teeth.
- Shifting from shitty robots to functional product design, Simone faced engineering challenges, like aligning bubble wrap correctly to create a music box that played tones into a pan flute.
- Simone encourages exploring unconventional paths and contexts for creative pursuits, emphasizing the importance of finding joy and enthusiasm in the process.
- While Simone doesn't have an emotional attachment to her robots, she recognizes the potential for people to form connections with interactive objects, urging advancements in creating robots that people can genuinely love and develop bonds with.
Deep dives
Summary
1. Creating humorously flawed robots and inventions became Simone Yetch's signature style. Posting on Reddit's r/ShittyRobots, she gained recognition as the "queen of shitty robots" and embarked on a career building fun and entertaining projects.
Summary
2. Simone's creative process involves identifying everyday problems and finding ridiculous, over-the-top solutions. One early example was a toothbrush helmet that brushed your teeth for you. The projects were often characterized by their humorous and unconventional nature.
Summary
3. Over time, Simone shifted her focus to product design and building functional, well-designed objects. One challenging project involved creating a large music box that played tones into a pan flute by popping bubble wrap. Balancing reliability and aligning the bubble wrap correctly posed significant engineering challenges.
Summary
4. Simone finds joy in the process of building and exploring different ideas, even if they may seem unconventional to others. She encourages individuals to consider alternative paths outside of academia and to explore different contexts for their creative pursuits.
Summary
5. While Simone doesn't have an emotional attachment to her robots, she recognizes the potential for people to form connections with interactive objects. She believes that there is room for advancement in creating robots that people can genuinely love and develop bonds with, much like pets or companions.
Simone Yatch's Journey in Design and Robotics
Simone Yatch discusses her journey in design and robotics, highlighting her work with shitty robots and her passion for creativity and engineering. She emphasizes the importance of finding joy and enthusiasm in your work rather than focusing on duty or societal expectations. Simone reflects on her experiences in China and Kenya, the challenges she faced, and the importance of finding home in relationships and community. She also shares advice on defining success on your own terms and maintaining integrity in the digital age.
The Impact of Simone Yatch's Work
Simone Yatch reflects on the impact of her projects, such as Truckla and the Everyday Calendar. She discusses the joys and challenges of building and creating, highlighting the importance of enthusiasm and finding the right fit in your work. Simone acknowledges the power of community and teamwork, sharing her desire for collaborative projects. She also encourages young people to define what brings them joy and to prioritize their own sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.
Lessons from Simone Yatch's Personal Journey
Simone Yatch shares personal experiences that have shaped her perspective on life and work. She discusses the challenges of moving abroad and the search for home and belonging. Simone highlights the importance of relationships and finding substantial joy in life. She also emphasizes the need to understand one's strengths and weaknesses, and to explore different paths and experiences to find the right fit. Simone encourages young people to prioritize enthusiasm and authenticity in their pursuits.
The Duality of Technology and Ethics
Simone Yatch reflects on the potential of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics. She acknowledges the power and benefits, but also the ethical concerns and potential dark sides. Simone discusses the importance of responsible use and the need to approach technology with thoughtfulness and caution. She shares her concerns about societal impact and the potential for misuse. Simone encourages individuals to consider the consequences of their actions and to prioritize integrity and community in the face of technological advancements.
1.
Introduction
2min
2.
The Meaning of Life
2min
3.
The Importance of Honoring Your Life
2min
4.
The Power of Drinking an Athletic Greens Drink
2min
5.
Simone Yetch: The First Cool Thing You Built
2min
6.
How I Built an iPhone Case With Retractable Guitar Strings
3min
7.
How to Build an iPhone App
2min
8.
The Importance of Tightness in Guitars
2min
9.
The Story of the Coat Hanger
2min
10.
The Importance of Making Things Work for You
2min
11.
The Importance of Forks in Human Behavior
3min
12.
The Power of Humility
3min
13.
How to Succeed in Life
2min
14.
The Queen of Shitty Robots
2min
15.
How I Built a Brush Helmet
2min
16.
The Challenges of Creating a Toothbrush Helmet
3min
17.
The Challenges of Being a Robot in the Early Days
2min
18.
The Value of a Feasible Robot
2min
19.
The Importance of Close Relationships With Robots
2min
20.
The Future of Dating
2min
21.
The Importance of Love in Technology
3min
22.
The Power of Parenting
3min
23.
How to Make a Music Box Out of Bubble Wrap
2min
24.
The Joy of Popping Bubble Wrap
2min
25.
The Importance of Understanding Bubble Wrap
4min
26.
The Benefits of College
2min
27.
The Most Fun Robot to Make
2min
28.
How to Make a Good Joke
2min
29.
The Power of Consciousness
2min
30.
The Most Embarrassed Podcaster I've Been On
2min
31.
How I Found Out I Had a Brain Tumor
4min
32.
The Fear of a Brain Tumor
2min
33.
The Importance of Surgery for Dementia
2min
34.
The Scariest Part of Surgery
6min
35.
The Everyday Calendar
2min
36.
The Importance of Being a Good Product Developer
3min
37.
The Importance of Quality Control in Product Development
3min
38.
The Power of Reputation
2min
39.
The Importance of Product Development
6min
40.
How to Make a Robotic Truck
2min
41.
The Challenges of Making a Car That Looks Good
2min
42.
How to Sexualize Robots
3min
43.
Chatbots and Artificial Intelligence
3min
44.
How to Anamorphize a Robot
1min
45.
The Bubble Wrap Music Box
3min
46.
The Differences Between Sweden and China
3min
47.
The Importance of a Home
3min
48.
How to Have a Career You Can Be Proud Of
4min
49.
The Meaning of Life
6min
Simone Giertz is an inventor, designer, engineer, and roboticist famous for a combination of humor and brilliant creative design in the systems and products she creates. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
– MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/lex to get 15% off
– InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/lex to get 20% off
– Athletic Greens: https://athleticgreens.com/lex to get 1 month of fish oil
EPISODE LINKS:
Simone’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@simonegiertz
Simone’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/SimoneGiertz
Simone’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonegiertz
YETCH Store: https://yetch.store
PODCAST INFO:
Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8
RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/
YouTube Full Episodes: https://youtube.com/lexfridman
YouTube Clips: https://youtube.com/lexclips
SUPPORT & CONNECT:
– Check out the sponsors above, it’s the best way to support this podcast
– Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman
– Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman
– Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman
– Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman
OUTLINE:
Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
(00:00) – Introduction
(06:49) – Early creations
(23:42) – Sh*tty Robots
(38:40) – Robots and human connection
(40:55) – Dating AI
(44:14) – Proud parent machine
(46:05) – Creative process
(47:31) – Bubble wrap music box
(52:53) – Education
(58:27) – Difficult projects
(59:56) – TED talk
(1:06:13) – Brain tumor
(1:14:51) – Fear of death
(1:19:15) – Mass production
(1:34:40) – Truckla
(1:39:29) – Weapons
(1:43:29) – Consciousness
(1:45:33) – MMA
(1:49:36) – China, Kenya, and USA
(1:54:29) – Advice for young people
(1:58:21) – Meaning of life
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