Join us in this captivating episode as we sit down with Felix Alvarez, the Chief Product Officer of Vebu Labs; a leading corporate innovation studio pioneering the future of the food industry through automation. With an impressive 27-year career in the automation industry, Felix has been instrumental in creating groundbreaking products ranging from trains and submarines to toys and high-powered lasers. He even played a key role in the development of the iconic F22 Raptor.

Throughout his career, Felix has worked with multi-billion-dollar brands like HP, Motorola, Google, Meta, Amazon, and Apple, bringing his expertise to projects that have shaped modern technology. Now at Vebu Labs, he is dedicated to democratizing automation, ensuring that cutting-edge solutions are accessible to revolutionize the food industry.

Episode Highlights:

1. The seamless co-existence of robots and mankind:

One of the significant topics that Felix brought up in this conversation is the importance of keeping technology from being obtrusive to humans by "making the engineering disappear". He explains the value in ensuring the seamless integration of technology especially in food service where appetite plays a key role in keeping the industry alive.

2. The impact of laws and regulations on automation:

Felix shared some insights on how these laws and regulations play a pivotal role in shaping the responsible and ethical development, deployment, and use of automation technologies.

3. Exploring the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of automation:

Feasibility is a key consideration when implementing automation. Felix emphasizes that while automation has incredible potential, it may not be suitable for every task or process. Understanding the specific needs of a particular industry or organization is vital to identify areas where automation can bring the most significant benefits. Factors such as the complexity of the task, the required level of precision, and the availability of suitable technology all play a role in determining the feasibility of automation.

4. Automating the food industry from farm to table:

"From seed to fork" is how Felix described the vision of Vebu Labs in revolutionizing the food industry. He emphasized the importance of tracking the freshness of crops, the inventory, and how food transport contributed to the 1.7 trillion-dollar autonomous vehicle industry.