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Machine Minds

Greg Toroosian

120 episodes

4 days ago

Robotics doesn’t fail in the field because of hardware alone—it fails when humans can’t understand, trust, or effectively work with the systems they’re given. Shakir Dzheyranov, founder and CEO of HelloRobo, has built his company around that reality. With a background spanning visual arts, motion design, and product leadership at brands like Nike, Shakir brings a rare design-first lens to robotics and automation. After years in traditional design and marketing, he made a deliberate pivot into...

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Robotics doesn’t fail in the field because of hardware alone—it fails when humans can’t understand, trust, or effectively work with the systems they’re given. Shakir Dzheyranov, founder and CEO of HelloRobo, has built his company around that reality. With a background spanning visual arts, motion design, and product leadership at brands like Nike, Shakir brings a rare design-first lens to robotics and automation. After years in traditional design and marketing, he made a deliberate pivot into...

Show more...

Episodes (20/120)

Machine Minds

Designing the Human Side of Robotics with Shakir Dzheyranov

Robotics doesn’t fail in the field because of hardware alone—it fails when humans can’t understand, trust, or effectively work with the systems they’re given. Shakir Dzheyranov, founder and CEO of HelloRobo, has built his company around that reality. With a background spanning visual arts, motion design, and product leadership at brands like Nike, Shakir brings a rare design-first lens to robotics and automation. After years in traditional design and marketing, he made a deliberate pivot into...

4 days ago

51 minutes

Machine Minds

The Missing Architecture Behind Autonomous AI with Jacob Buckman

In this episode of Machine Minds, we step beyond today’s transformer-dominated AI landscape and into a deeper conversation about what’s missing on the path to truly autonomous, long-horizon intelligence. Jacob Buckman, co-founder and CEO of Manifest AI, joins Greg to explore why current AI systems struggle with long-term reasoning, persistent memory, and extended task execution—and what it will take to unlock the next paradigm. Jacob’s journey into AI began early, fueled by science fiction, p...

1 week ago

51 minutes

Machine Minds

Fixing the Last Manual Step in Modern Logistics with Chris Smith

In this episode of Machine Minds, we dive into one of the most overlooked choke points in logistics: the loading dock. Chris Smith, founder and CEO of Slip Robotics, joins Greg to unpack why loading and unloading trucks remains one of the most manual, time-consuming processes in modern supply chains—and how Slip is transforming it with autonomous, high-payload mobile robots. Chris brings a rare blend of firsthand operator insight and deep robotics experience. From continuous improvement roles...

2 weeks ago

47 minutes

Machine Minds

Unlocking Healthcare Efficiency with Physical Intelligence Solutions with Nicholas Kirsch

In this episode of Machine Minds, we look at how physical intelligence—the fusion of robotics, automation, and software—can reshape one of society’s most strained systems: healthcare. Director of Software Engineering Nicholas Kirsch joins Greg to break down why hospital pharmacies are essentially “mini warehouses,” how automation is already quietly at work behind the scenes, and what it will take to reach the vision of a fully autonomous pharmacy. Nicholas brings a rare dual perspective: a me...

3 weeks ago

52 minutes

Machine Minds

Building the Future of Robotic Workforce Enablement with Richard Petrazzini

In this episode of Machine Minds, we explore what it really takes to build the human infrastructure behind the coming wave of robots. CEO and co-founder Richard Petrazzini joins Greg to unpack how “robotic workforce enablement” can make or break uptime, customer trust, and the long-term success of robotics deployments—especially as robots leave cages, connect to the cloud, and move into human environments. Richard brings an unusually layered background to robotics: he’s a third-generation bio...

1 month ago

43 minutes

Machine Minds

Bridging Hardware Innovation and Business Strategy in Robotics with Milt Walker

In this episode of Machine Minds, we look at what really happens when hardware innovation meets business strategy in robotics. Director of Business Development Milt Walker joins Greg to unpack how manufacturers, startups, and ecosystem players can scale robotics responsibly—without getting stuck in proof-of-concept purgatory or pretending they’re “just” software companies. From functional safety to workforce gaps and reshoring, Milt explores the forces reshaping how robots get built, deployed...

1 month ago

50 minutes

Machine Minds

Building Deep Tech Ventures Through Strategic Capital with Oliver Mitchell

What does it take to guide a robotics startup from a napkin sketch to a $775 million exit? Oliver Mitchell, a venture capital partner at FF Venture Capital and author of "A Startup Field Guide in the Age of Robotics and AI" returns to Machine Minds to share hard-won lessons from the trenches of deep tech investing. From the dramatic rise and fall of Webvan to the triumph of Kiva Systems (now Amazon Robotics), Oliver reveals why product-market fit isn't found in the lab - it's discovered in re...

1 month ago

50 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 112 | Reinventing Construction with Autonomous Precision | Rishabh Aggarwal

Construction is one of the world’s most complex, risk-filled, and operationally fragmented industries — and also one of the last to benefit from automation. At Raise Robotics, CTO Rishabh Aggarwal is helping change that. From capturing diesel soot to turn into ink, to designing CubeSats at NASA, to building autonomous harvesting robots in ag-tech, Rishabh’s journey has always been about one thing: building real technology that solves real problems. In this episode, he breaks down ho...

1 month ago

48 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 111 | The Coming Shift to Lightweight AI and Global Automation | Peter Haas

From satellite missions and drone startups to international development work in Haiti, Peter Haas has carved one of the most unconventional and globally minded paths in robotics. Today, he’s combining decades of experience across academia, entrepreneurship, government, and humanitarian work to answer a pivotal question: How can robotics and AI help the half of the world living on less than $5.50 a day? In this episode, Peter shares his journey - from working on NASA’s Gravity Probe B, to co...

1 month ago

47 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 110 | The New Era of Agile Warehouse Automation | Ayman Labib

From retrofitting automation into existing warehouses to redefining how fast robotics can be deployed, SIMPL Automation is pioneering a more flexible, less disruptive path toward warehouse transformation. In this episode, Ayman Labib, co-founder and CEO of SIMPL Automation, shares how his 25+ years in manufacturing and integration led him to build a company that’s challenging the traditional timelines, costs, and risks of warehouse automation. We explore how adaptive ASRS (Automated Storage a...

2 months ago

38 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 109 | The Operating System for Robots: InOrbit's AI-Powered Robot Orchestration

Florian shares his journey from cryptography researcher to big tech product leader — at companies like Microsoft, Adobe, and Facebook — and how that experience inspired him to tackle one of robotics’ biggest challenges: making robots work together seamlessly across diverse fleets and environments. From interoperability and observability to performance and safety, this episode explores how InOrbit.AI is building the connective tissue of the robotics world — a “Google Translate for robots” tha...

2 months ago

1 hour 5 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 108 | Built for the Battlefield: Craitor’s Revolution in On-Demand Manufacturing

From printing parts in combat zones to creating a rugged, mobile printer that works on land, sea, and air — Crater’s mission is transforming logistics and supply chains for the military. Eric shares how the company was born from collaboration with the Marine Corps, what it means to innovate under pressure, and why continuous, in-motion 3D printing could change how we build and repair in the most extreme conditions. Highlights: - Eric’s early days in the rep-rap era of DIY 3D printing and ho...

2 months ago

53 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 107 | Autonomy at Bedrock: Building the Future from the Ground Up | Kevin Peterson

Kevin shares his 20-year journey from building self-driving cars and moon landers to leading autonomy at Waymo and now building machines that can literally move mountains. From lessons learned in scaling robotics startups to his philosophy on product milestones and company culture, this conversation dives deep into the realities of building technology that transforms the physical world. Highlights: - Why the best companies balance short-term sustainable business models with long-term transf...

2 months ago

56 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 106 | Trusted Counsel for Visionaries | Ryan Smith

Ryan and I dig into the legal backbone founders skip until it hurts—how to build an IP strategy that actually matches your business, when patents vs. trade secrets make sense, and why a “north star” patent plan should track where you’re going in 5–10 years, not just what you’re shipping today. We also get into the investor lens on patents (signal, diligence transparency, and moat), what happens to IP if the company pivots—or even shuts down—and why a fractional or early GC can save you 10x th...

3 months ago

45 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 105 | Inside the Mind of a Growth-Stage Investor | Manas Punhani

I sat down with Manas Punhani, Senior Associate at Woven Capital (Toyota’s growth fund), to dig into how growth investors judge traction, price risk, and help founders scale in industrial tech, robotics, and “physical AI.” We broke down what Toyota’s backing really changes, how to balance moonshots with near-term wins, and the operational details factories care about beyond pure throughput. What we cover How growth investors read “proof points,” set milestones, and think about $50M–$100M reve...

3 months ago

46 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 104 | AI & Automation Unlocking Materials Discovery | Joseph Krause

Episode 104 | AI & Automation Unlocking Materials Discovery | Joseph Krause In this episode of Machine Minds, I sit down with Joseph Krause, co-founder and CEO of Radical AI. We talk about Joseph’s path from Rice University and the Army National Guard to building Radical AI. He explains how AI and self-driving labs can speed up materials discovery, why failed experiments are critical data, and where this will first change the world—across aerospace, defense, semiconductors, and energy. ...

4 months ago

59 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 103 | Inside The Defense VC Boom | Nick Snoad

I sat down with Nick Snoad, VP at Marlinspike, to talk about the surge of capital into defense and dual-use tech—and how he actually evaluates teams, markets, and milestones at the earliest stages. What we get into: - Why dual-use matters: bigger markets, more paths to scale - How stage changes the bar: from “prove the tech and market” at seed to “execute and expand” post-A - Using non-dilutive routes (SBIRs, DIU, OTAs, TACFI/STRATFI) without losing the product roadmap - Where adoption i...

4 months ago

39 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 102 | Active Physical Intelligence Unleashed | Tara Javidi & Sam Bigdeli

How do you get AI to seek the right data in the real world instead of drowning in all of it? In this episode, I sit down with Tara Javidi (UCSD professor and AI researcher) and Sam Bigdeli (repeat founder & former semiconductor supply‑chain exec), co-founders of Kav AI, to talk about “active physical intelligence”—hypothesis‑driven, curiosity‑led AI that hunts for the signals that matter in physical systems. We cover: Why passive, data-soaks-everything AI hits a wall in the physica...

5 months ago

56 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 101 | AI Powered Compliance = Faster Certification | Akshay Chalana

In this episode I sit down with Akshay Chalana, CEO & co‑founder of Saphira AI, to unpack how "TurboTax for robot compliance” can slash the time, cost, and confusion that stall hardware roll‑outs. We cover: - Why safety & certification are the hidden blockers for robotics at scale - How Saphira’s agent‑based platform turns CAD files, schematics, and risk regs into an actionable compliance plan - Real‑world wins (industrial arms, home humanoids) and what “shift‑left safety” looks l...

5 months ago

53 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 100 | Robots Built for People | Anthony Jules

We’ve officially hit Episode 100! 🎉 I sat down with Anthony Jules, co-founder & CEO of Robust AI, to unpack how Carter—the cart-shaped AMR that workers can literally steer—delivers a 60 % productivity boost for DHL without changing the warehouse layout. Talking points Why “agency” (humans grabbing the robot’s handle) was the missing piece in previous AMRs.Vision-only navigation, no LiDAR: the leap to 4th-gen mobile robotics.Human-centric UX as the real adoption moat.Hiring for clos...

6 months ago

55 minutes