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

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

April 16, 2023

Duration

1h 59m

Channel

Lex Fridman Podcast

Watch on YouTube

▶ Open ↗

📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

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
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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/ Full episodes playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOdP_8GztsuKi9nrraNbKKp4 Clips playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOeciFP3CBCIEElOJeitOr41 OUTLINE: 0:00 - Introduction 2:06 - Early creations 18:58 - Sh*tty Robots 33:56 - Robots and human connection 36:11 - Dating AI 39:30 - Proud parent machine 41:21 - Creative process 42:47 - Bubble wrap music box 48:09 - Education 53:43 - Difficult projects 55:13 - TED talk 1:01:29 - Brain tumor 1:10:07 - Fear of death 1:14:31 - Mass production 1:29:56 - Truckla 1:34:46 - Weapons 1:38:45 - Consciousness 1:40:49 - MMA 1:44:53 - China, Kenya, and USA 1:49:45 - Advice for young people 1:53:38 - Meaning of life SOCIAL:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman
• Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman
• Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/lexfridman
• Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Simone Giertz

  guest

• Lex Fridman

  host

• Narrator

  other

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Lex Fridman Podcast, featuring Simone Giertz and Lex Fridman, Simone Giertz: Queen of Sh*tty Robots, Innovative Engineering, and Design | Lex Fridman Podcast #372 explores simone Giertz on shitty robots, mortality, and meaningful design Lex Fridman talks with inventor and YouTuber Simone Giertz about her journey from 'queen of shitty robots' to thoughtful product designer and entrepreneur. Simone explains how playful, deliberately flawed robots helped her overcome perfectionism, build an audience, and explore the human–technology relationship. They dive into her battle with a brain tumor and radiation treatment, and how that reshaped her relationship with work, health, and gentleness toward herself. The conversation also covers manufacturing challenges, design philosophy, AI, community, and what it means to build a life and career around genuine enthusiasm rather than duty.

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