Simone Giertz: Queen of Sh*tty Robots, Innovative Engineering, and Design | Lex Fridman Podcast #372

Introduction

In this section, Lex Fridman introduces Simone Giertz and her work as an inventor, designer, engineer, and roboticist.

Simone's Background

• Simone is known for her combination of humor and brilliant creative design in the systems and products she creates.

• She has a popular YouTube channel where she demonstrates a lot of her incredible and fun designs and inventions from "shitty robots" to a Tesla Model 3 converted into a truck.

• Simone reveals her personal journey after having been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Early Building Experience

In this section, Simone talks about how she fell in love with building things.

First Cool Thing Built

• Simone chose woodworking in middle school and built a wooden spoon which gave her the sense of pride that she has built her job around.

• She feels that building gets less frustrating or more enjoyable as you gain more skills.

Limitations of Skills

• The limitations are fun but when you have an idea of something you want to make at a certain level, then you just have to compromise with the materials, tools, and skills you have.

Punch Through Design Internship

In this section, Simone talks about how she got into engineering type-stuff with Arduino boards at Punch Through Design.

Electronics Project

• Her first electronics project was an iPhone case with retractable guitar strings that allowed users to hold chords on the screen.

• She considered going to school for electronics but decided to get paid to learn instead.

Conclusion

In this section, Lex Fridman concludes the podcast by thanking Simone Giertz for joining him.

Simone's Work

• Simone is a brilliant, fun, and inspiring human being.

• She has built her job around the sense of pride she gets from showing people something that she made.

Capacitive Touch Guitar with Bluetooth Arduino Board

In this section, Simone Giertz talks about her first electronics project which involved building a capacitive touch guitar using an Arduino board and Bluetooth technology.

Building the Capacitive Touch Guitar

• Simone decided to use capacitive touch for her guitar project because it is independent of the movement of the guitar strings.

• She used a Bluetooth Arduino board made by Punched Through Design to measure the capacitive touch of the guitar strings.

• Simone built an iPhone app that interpreted the Bluetooth signals and played coherent sounds based on what type of chord she was holding on the screen.

• Despite being her first hardware project and iPhone app programming experience, Simone was able to pull off building the capacitive touch guitar.

Challenges Faced During Project

• Simone admits that ignorance was bliss as she did not realize how difficult her first project was until after completing it.

• She had to figure out how to get sensors in real-time, connect capacitor touch sensors with microcontrollers, and program an iOS app without prior experience.

• Although capacitor touch sensors are easy now, at that time they were not so simple.

Reflection on Project

• Simone reflects on how people often give up on their first projects due to difficulty but encourages others to push through challenges.

• She believes that natural pressure helped her complete the project despite having no engineering background.

Proud of You

In this section, Simone Giertz and Lex Fridman discuss the concept of a motorized arm that writes "Proud of you, son" and charges a quarter for it. They also talk about how the phrase "Proud of you" immediately communicates that it's a parent.

Motorized Arm

• The motorized arm is a funny concept.

• It's an arm with a hand that looks creepy and says "Proud of you, son."

• The arm is just a motorized arm.

• It was built by Simone Giertz in her workshop.

Proud of You

• The phrase "Proud of you" immediately communicates that it's a parent.

• Simone Giertz's motorized arm writes "Proud of you, son."

Introduction to Simone Giertz

In this section, Lex Fridman introduces Simone Giertz as an inventor, designer, engineer, and brilliant creative design in the systems.

About Simone Giertz

• Simone Giertz is an inventor, designer, engineer, and brilliant creative design in the systems.

• She has demonstrated many incredible projects on her YouTube channel.

• She has converted a Tesla Model 3 into a truck.

• She was diagnosed with a brain tumor after building her truck project.

• Simone Giertz has a new product design company called "Everyday Robots."

Building Stuff

In this section, Lex Fridman and Simone Giertz discuss the feeling of building things and how it can create a sense of pride.

The Feeling of Building Things

• The feeling of building things creates a sense of pride.

• Simone Giertz started building things in middle school with woodworking.

• She chose woodworking to bring something home.

• The limitations are fun when you want to make something at a certain level with the materials, tools, and skills you have.

Punch Through Design

In this section, Simone Giertz talks about her experience working at Punch Through Design and some cool projects she built there.

Working at Punch Through Design

• Simone Giertz worked at Punch Through Design, an SF engineering firm.

• She got the job after deciding to go to school for electronics.

Cool Projects Built at Punch Through Design

• One project was an iPhone case that could play guitar chords by pulling out guitar strings from the bottom of your iPhone.

• Another project was using capacitive touch on a Bluetooth Arduino board to measure how the guitar is vibrating without having a receiving sensor because the guitar strings move in relation to that due to not having a rigid neck.

Building an iPhone App

Simone discusses building an iPhone app that solves a fundamental problem in the human condition.

Building an iPhone App

• Simone built an iPhone app that interprets.

• Simone is excited about releasing her product, which solves a fundamental problem in the human condition.

Working on Two Different Avenues

Simone talks about working on two different avenues, one being a product business and the other being a pilot episode of a show.

Two Different Avenues

• Simone is working on two different avenues, one being a product business and the other being a pilot episode of a show.

• The pilot episode of the show is about everyday objects and why they look the way they do.

• Simone made a fruit bowl with adjustable diameter to solve her problem of having too little or too much fruit for it.

• She wants to make an episode about doorknobs because she finds them interesting.

Objects That Affect Our Behavior

Simone talks about how everyday objects affect our behavior and culture.

Objects That Affect Our Behavior

• Everyday objects like forks affect our eating behaviors by making us eat faster or slower, take bigger bites or smaller bites.

• Chopsticks work because they do food chopping in the kitchen rather than on the plate.

• Objects affect our behavior, opening and closing doors. It's an interesting take on culture and human behavior through these objects that we use every day.

Imposter Syndrome

Simone talks about imposter syndrome and how she flipped her flaws into selling points.

Imposter Syndrome

• Simone talks about how she flipped her flaws into selling points when getting a job as a filter for engineers.

• She represents the everyday person who understands deeply what everybody needs and wants.

Building a Capacitive Touch Guitar

In this section, Simone Giertz talks about her first electronics project which involved building a capacitive touch guitar that could be played using an iPhone app.

Building the Guitar

• Simone used a Bluetooth Arduino board made by Punched Through Design to measure the capacitive touch of the guitar strings.

• The microcontroller sent a signal over Bluetooth to her phone.

• She built an iPhone app that interpreted those Bluetooth signals and checked what type of chord she was holding on the screen, then played the coherent sound.

Challenges Faced

• Simone admits that she cannot believe she pulled it off because it was her first hardware project and iPhone app programming experience.

• She talks about how people often stop at their first project due to its difficulty but she did not give up.

• Simone had to figure out how to get the sensors in real-time, connect capacitor touch with microcontrollers, and program iOS apps.

Lessons Learned

• Simone got the idea for this project from strumming on her charge cord of her phone.

• She realized that producing tension in your string just with your arm is not enough to play properly.

• Despite being a non-engineering person, Simone completed this cool renegade engineering project without instructions.

Takeaways

Simone's story shows us that even if you are new to something or do not have any prior experience, you can still create something amazing if you are willing to put in the effort and not give up.

Introduction

In this section, Simone and Lex discuss the importance of showing off one's work and not taking oneself too seriously.

Showing Off Work

• Simone believes that people should show off their work.

• She thinks it is a skill that should be learned.

• Most people at MIT and universities are doing awesome stuff, and they should show it off.

Autobiographies and Shitty Robots

In this section, Simone talks about autobiographies, her autobiography, and the origin story of the Queen of Shitty Robots.

Autobiography

• Simone does not want to write an autobiography.

• She thinks she has nothing to write about since she is only 32 years old.

• Lex thinks that someone like Simone would be perfect for writing an autobiography.

Origin Story of the Queen of Shitty Robots

• The title "Queen of Shitty Robots" was self-proclaimed by Simone.

• It started because she feared rejection from others.

• She began making projects that could be translated into gifs and posted them on /r/shittyrobots on Reddit.

Communicating Science Visually

In this section, Simone discusses how scientific papers and projects can benefit from being explained visually through gifs.

Visual Communication in Science

• Scientific papers and projects should go through an exercise to see if they can be explained as a gif.

• Deepmind does a good job with this by using gifs to explain protein folding.

• Communicating science visually is important because it helps people understand even if they don't know what something is.

Toothbrush Helmet

In this section, Simone talks about her first gif and how she started building projects on the side.

Toothbrush Helmet

• Simone's first gif was a toothbrush helmet.

• She built it while working at Punch Through Design in San Francisco.

• She felt that some of her projects were too weird to represent the brand, so she started building them on the side.

Kids' Show About Electronics

In this section, Simone talks about her desire to create a kids' show about electronics and how it led to her posting her first gif online.

Kids' Show About Electronics

• Simone wanted to create a kids' show about electronics in Sweden.

• She filmed a terrible pilot episode in her bedroom in San Francisco.

• She built the toothbrush helmet for the pilot episode and emailed it to them but never received a response.

Is an Arduino involved?

In this section, the speaker is asked if an Arduino is involved in their work.

The Role of Arduino

• The speaker explains that they use Arduinos for some projects but not all.

• They mention that they have used Arduinos for a CNC project.

Exploring Bubble Wrap

In this section, the speakers discuss their fascination with bubble wrap and the effort they put into studying it.

Popping Bubble Wrap

• The speakers discuss how they spent time trying to find the best material to pop bubble wrap with.

• They explain that using a squishy material like a yoga mat between two sheets of bubble wrap increases pop reliability.

• The speakers also talk about different qualities of bubble wrap and how some types have more transference between bubbles than others.

Academic Work on Bubble Wrap

• One speaker suggests publishing academic work on bubble wrap since nobody has done it before.

• They briefly discuss the physics of two bubbles colliding and popping.

College Experience and Career Choices

In this section, one speaker talks about their experience dropping out of college and offers advice for those considering college or career choices.

Dropping Out of College

• The speaker dropped out of college after realizing they were there for the wrong reasons.

• They had a deep need to prove to themselves that they were smart but realized that physics was too specialized for them.

• The speaker advises against listening to them regarding college choices.

Choosing a Career Path

• The speaker recommends going to a workplace where people are doing the job you think you want to do before committing to it.

• They suggest splitting up the question "what do you want to do?" into two parts: what do you actually want to do and what are you good at?

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of figuring out what you want to do before committing to college, especially given the high cost in the US.

Building Stuff

In this section, Simone Giertz talks about her experience building things and how she tries to be a good role model while still being true to herself.

Balancing Crude and Wholesome

• Simone discusses how she tries to balance being crude with trying to be a good person.

• She mentions that she uses profanity in her videos but also tries to wield the power that she has in a thoughtful way.

• Simone explains that she doesn't try to cater her content towards children because people often misinterpret what she does as being for children due to the colorful and fun nature of her projects.

• She acknowledges that some parents ask her not to use profanity in her videos, but believes it's not going to mess up their kids.

Embarrassment on Podcasts

• Simone talks about how she is generally embarrassed by most things she says inside her head, which can make podcasting difficult for her.

• She mentions feeling like a disappointment when there's an awkward silence during a podcast conversation.

• Simone shares that she used to work as a journalist so she knows how to sit with silence and try to drag information out of people.

Dark Topics

• The conversation turns dark when Lex Fridman brings up the fact that Simone found out about having a brain tumor after giving a TED talk.

• Simone explains that the reason why they found out was partly because of the TED talk since her mom noticed swelling around one of her eyes while watching it online.

MRI Scan and Every Day Calendar

In this section, the speaker talks about their experience with an MRI scan and how they created the Every Day Calendar.

Creating the Every Day Calendar

• The speaker found it hard to meditate every day and wanted a way to hold themselves accountable.

• They created the Every Day Calendar as an art piece that could be hung on a wall for accountability.

• The calendar has 365 days, and tapping any of the days lights it up.

• The Every Day Calendar was turned into a Kickstarter campaign and is now sold through the Yetch Store.

• Thousands of calendars have been sold worldwide, which is mind-boggling for the speaker.

Lessons Learned from Making the Every Day Calendar

• Manufacturing something is different when making one versus 10,000 units. Quality control is crucial, and everything takes longer than expected.

• The speaker did a Kickstarter campaign in 2018 after their surgery but ended up being a year late in shipping.

• As someone who's terrified of disappointing people, creating products can be challenging because there's always a risk of manufacturing issues or delays.

• Going through health problems taught the speaker how fragile their business model is since they're running an influencer business where everything stops if they're not well enough to be on camera.

Mass Manufacturing Products

In this section, the speaker talks about mass manufacturing products and what they learned from creating them.

Challenges with Mass Manufacturing

• Manufacturing something in a cost-effective way is different from making a one-off prototype.

• Quality control is crucial, and it's challenging to trust anyone telling you that things will be okay.

• The speaker hasn't raised any capital for their product business and is doing everything independently, which makes mass manufacturing even more challenging.

• There's always a risk of manufacturing issues or delays when buying 10,000 units of a product.

Lessons Learned from Mass Manufacturing

• Creating products taught the speaker how fragile their business model is since they're running an influencer business where everything stops if they're not well enough to be on camera.

Building Robots and the Future of Technology

In this video, Simone Giertz talks about her experience building robots and her thoughts on the future of technology. She discusses the potential benefits and dangers of chatbots, algorithms, and machine learning.

Building Robots

• Simone talks about how she got into building robots.

• She explains that she wanted her robots to move in a more organic way rather than just from point A to point B.

• The most complex thing Simone has built is Truckla, which had a big impact.

Anthropomorphizing Robots

• Simone says that she doesn't anthropomorphize robots because she knows how they work.

• However, she admits that sometimes she is surprised by what machine learning can do.

Chatbots and Algorithms

• Simone thinks chatbots are exciting but also acknowledges their potential for manipulation.

• Algorithms can be used to radicalize people or get everyone to think the same way.

• Machine learning combined with advanced language models can control people's worldview in ways we're not ready for.

MMA Reporting

• Simone used to be an MMA reporter because she was really into martial arts.

The Upsides and Downsides of Choosing Different Experiences

In this section, Simone Giertz talks about the upsides and downsides of choosing different experiences in life. She also shares her thoughts on feeling at home and finding home in the people she loves.

Choosing Different Experiences

• Simone talks about how she has chosen different experiences in life.

• One of the upsides is that she can feel at home almost anywhere.

• One of the downsides is that she cannot feel fully at home anywhere.

Finding Home in People

• Simone shares that she has to find home in the people she loves.

• When asked if she feels at home, Simone responds by saying that she finds home in people.

Advice for Young People on How to Make Their Way in Life

In this section, Simone Giertz gives advice to young people on how to make their way in life. She talks about enthusiasm being a more potent fuel than duty, finding what brings substantial joy, and trying out different jobs before finding one's strengths.

Enthusiasm vs Duty

• Simone advises young people to prioritize enthusiasm over duty as it is a more potent fuel in life.

• She emphasizes that just because something is boring doesn't mean it's not important.

Finding What Brings Substantial Joy

• Simone believes that a more important question than the meaning of life is what brings substantial joy.

• For her, it's the relationships with people that bring her joy.

Trying Out Different Jobs

• Simone recommends trying out different jobs before finding one's strengths.

• She shares how trying out many different jobs helped her find what fits her perfectly and caters to her strengths and weaknesses.

The Meaning of Life

In this section, Simone Giertz shares her thoughts on the meaning of life and what brings her joy.

The Meaning of Life

• Simone doesn't believe that there's a big grand meaning to life.

• She thinks that a more important question is what brings substantial joy in one's life.

What Brings Substantial Joy

• For Simone, it's the relationships with people that bring her substantial joy.

• She wants to build more community and have more passive hangouts with people.

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Introduction

In this video, we will learn about the benefits of meditation and how it can help us improve our mental health.

What is Meditation?

• Meditation is a practice that involves training your mind to focus on the present moment.

• It has been used for thousands of years in various cultures as a way to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and increase self-awareness.

• There are many different types of meditation, including mindfulness meditation, loving-kindness meditation, and body scan meditation.

Benefits of Meditation

• Regular meditation practice can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

• It can also improve sleep quality and boost immune function.

• Additionally, studies have shown that meditation can increase gray matter in the brain, which is associated with improved cognitive function.

How to Meditate

In this section, we will learn how to meditate using mindfulness meditation as an example.

Preparing for Meditation

• Find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed.

• Sit comfortably with your back straight and your feet flat on the ground.

• Close your eyes or focus on a spot in front of you.

Mindfulness Meditation Technique

• Focus on your breath as it enters and leaves your body.

• If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your breath.

• Start with short sessions of 5-10 minutes and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable.

Conclusion

In this video, we learned about the benefits of meditation and how to meditate using mindfulness meditation as an example. Regular practice can help improve our mental health and overall well-being.

I hope these notes are helpful for studying the transcript.