RobotBuildersClub.org
Claim This Podcastby Ali Afzal
Podcast Overview
<p>RobotBuildersClub.org is a podcast, knowledge base and community for founders, engineers, and operators building real robots in the real world.</p><p>Each episode features candid conversations with people turning ideas into machines covering the full journey from early prototypes and architecture decisions to manufacturing, scaling, and deployment. We dig into what actually breaks, what teams get wrong, and the hard-earned lessons that don’t show up in pitch decks.</p><p></p><p>If you’re building hardware at the intersection of robotics, AI, and manufacturing, or thinking about making the leap this is your club.</p>
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Publishing Since
1/24/2026
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Recent Episodes
July 2, 2026
Human Side of Robotics
<p>In this episode, our host Ali Afzal, explores with Lindsay Ouellette, the crucial human factors influencing robotics adoption, public perception, and social impact. Lindsay, a researcher blending psychology and robotics, shares her unique perspective on how societal narratives, psychological biases, and cultural differences shape our interaction with robots.</p><p><b>Key Topics:</b></p><ul><li>The gap between robotic portrayals and reality</li><li>How media, science fiction, and marketing influence public perceptions of robots</li><li>The psychological underpinnings of robot abuse and moral behavior</li><li>Strategies for better community engagement and transparent communication in deploying robotics</li><li>The importance of behavioral science in designing robots that foster trust and acceptance</li><li>The role of gender, leadership, and societal values in shaping the future of AI and robotics</li><li>Practical insights for founders: hiring psychologists, nudging behaviors, and storytelling</li><li>Optimism for AI and robotics to improve human lives amid challenges</li></ul><p><b>Timestamps:</b></p><p>00:00 - Introduction</p><p>02:05 - Lindsay's research focus: human-robot interaction</p><p>04:07 - Robots are Porn?</p><p>05:31 - Disconnection caused by the spectacle: if robots are not sexy, they are less valued</p><p>07:20 - Are industry promises honest or exaggerated? The end game of humanoid robots</p><p>08:36 - Lindsay's journey: from yoga and dance to understanding power, abuse, and robots</p><p>11:16 - Why people kick robots: environmental factors and moral behavior insights</p><p>13:36 - The "say-do" gap: moral self-perception vs blatant behavior</p><p>15:08 - The impact of sensationalized content and social media algorithms</p><p>16:59 - What abuse reveals about our collective moral character</p><p>18:23 - The normalization of everyday aggression through interactions with robots and AI</p><p>20:23 - How deployment strategies influence public perceptions and trust</p><p>22:11 - The significance of infrastructure, community engagement, and transparency</p><p>23:03 - The legal recognition of delivery robots as pedestrians in Pennsylvania</p><p>24:39 - Cultural differences: Eastern acceptance and reverence for technology vs Western skepticism</p><p>33:08 - Key advice for robotic startups: hire behavioral scientists, understand variability, shape behavior</p><p>39:37 - Optimism about AI and robotics: leveraging technology ethically for societal good</p><p>44:58 - The role of gender and leadership in shaping the future of human-robot interaction</p><p>50:58 - The importance of inclusive, human-centered design and storytelling in robotics</p><p>52:43 - Future visions: a society where technology enhances human well-being and community</p><p>55:40 - Closing thoughts on values, reverence, and cultural evolution in the age of AI<b>Resources:</b></p><ul><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.amazon.com/Nudge-Improving-Decisions-Society-Thaler/dp/014311526X" target="_blank">Book: Nudge by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://socialrobotlady.substack.com/" target="_blank">Lindsay Ouellette - Substack</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/conhome/1000144/all-proceedings" target="_blank">Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) research articles</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bostondynamics.com/atlas" target="_blank">The Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optimus_(robot)" target="_blank">Tesla Optimus robot</a></li></ul><p><b>Connect with Lindsay:</b></p><ul><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-ouellette/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li></ul>
June 11, 2026
What Robotics Hiring Trends Reveal About the Future?
<p>In this <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://RobotBuildersClub.org" target="_blank">RobotBuildersClub.org</a> podcast episode, Greg Toroosian, CEO of Samson Rose discusses with our Host, Ali Afzal, what the hiring trends reveal about the evolving state of robotics, and offers practical advice for aspiring roboticists and startup founders. </p><p></p><p>Keywords</p><p>robotics, talent acquisition, startup hiring, automation, AI, hardware, industry trends, networking, career advice</p><p><br />Key topics</p><p>Robotics industry growth and verticals</p><p>Talent acquisition and hiring trends</p><p>Startup challenges and founder advice</p><p></p><p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Introduction and Context of Robotics Hiring</p><p>03:12 Current Trends in Robotics Talent Acquisition</p><p>09:37 Greg's Journey into Recruitment and Robotics</p><p>15:04 The Growth of Robotics and Its Impact on Industries</p><p>18:42 Skills in Demand and Hiring Trends</p><p>22:47 Navigating the Job Market for New Graduates</p><p>30:06 Challenges in Talent Acquisition for Startups</p><p>34:40 Attracting Talent in Startups</p><p>37:01 Common Hiring Mistakes in Robotics</p><p>39:31 The Impact of Podcasting on Networking</p><p>49:35 The Future of Robotics and Automation</p><p>54:56 Rapid Fire Insights on Robotics</p><p></p><p><b>Links:</b></p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://machineminds.buzzsprout.com/" target="_blank">Machine Mind Show</a></p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.samsonrose.com/" target="_blank">Samson Rose </a><br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregtoroosian/" target="_blank">Greg Toroosian</a></p>
May 15, 2026
Deploying Robots Successfully
<p>Today on <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://RobotBuildersClub.org" target="_blank">RobotBuildersClub.org</a> Podcast discover how robotic companies are managing deployment success and operational excellence across industries. Richard Petrazzini, CEO of Robotic Crew, shares insights on supporting robotic fleets at scale, industry trends, and the tech evolution from task-specific robots to humanoids.</p><p></p><hr /><p>In this episode:</p><ul><li>The critical shift from robot deployment to operational reliability and scalability</li><li>Mistakes that cause field failures and how to prevent them through better support systems</li><li>Why the handoff process from product development to operational support is vital</li><li>The expanding global landscape: where the most innovation is happening in robotics</li><li>Why robotics will increasingly be integrated into every business, becoming the new standard</li><li>The path toward humanoid robots and the breakthroughs needed to get there<p></p></li></ul><hr /><p>Timestamps:</p><ul><li>00:00 - Robotics success metrics beyond shipping</li><li>02:00 - Keeping robot fleets operational at scale</li><li>03:45 - Why robots fail in the field</li><li>05:00 - The importance of post-deployment support</li><li>08:00 - From product mindset to service mindset</li><li>09:45 - Global robotics deployment challenges</li><li>13:30 - Applying diagnostics lessons to robotics</li><li>16:45 - Privacy, trust, and user engagement</li><li>18:10 - Managing increasingly complex robot fleets</li><li>19:50 - Vendors, end users, and future command centers</li><li>22:00 - IT infrastructure parallels in robotics</li><li>24:13 - Fleet management and modular robotics systems</li><li>27:00 - Robotics innovation across the US, Europe, and LATAM</li><li>29:00 - The growing robotics talent gap</li><li>30:50 - Robotics and US manufacturing resurgence</li><li>33:00 - Adaptability and resilience in tech progress</li><li>34:05 - Focused robots vs humanoids</li><li>35:50 - Teleoperation and robotic perception</li><li>37:30 - From task-specific robots to humanoids</li><li>40:00 - Insights from Modex and global robotics hubs</li><li>44:25 - Surprising innovations and global competition</li><li>48:20 - Why the US leads robotics innovation</li><li>52:25 - Family, opportunity, and global careers</li><li>55:00 - What to learn now: Python, economics, support ops</li><li>56:10 - Human creativity and adaptability</li><li>59:00 - Human-robot interaction in 2050</li></ul><hr /><p>Resources & Links:</p><ul><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.robotic-crew.com" target="_blank">Robotic Crew</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.modexshow.com/" target="_blank">Modex Conference</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.cmu.edu/" target="_blank">Pittsburgh Robotics (CMU)</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bostondynamics.com/" target="_blank">Boston Dynamics</a></li></ul><hr /><p>Connect with Richard Petrazzini:</p><ul><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rpetrazzini/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a><p></p></li></ul><hr />
14 total episodes available
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is RobotBuildersClub.org?
<p>RobotBuildersClub.org is a podcast, knowledge base and community for founders, engineers, and operators building real robots in the real world.</p><p>Each episode features candid conversations with people turning ideas into machines covering the full journey from early prototypes and architecture decisions to manufacturing, scaling, and deployment. We dig into what actually breaks, what teams get wrong, and the hard-earned lessons that don’t show up in pitch decks.</p><p></p><p>If you’re building hardware at the intersection of robotics, AI, and manufacturing, or thinking about making the leap this is your club.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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