Episode Details

The conversation features Scott MacKenzie from the Industrial Talk podcast discussing the MDNM West event with Alex Mecl, CMO and co-founder of Real Hand. Real Hand offers robotic hands with human-like dexterity to solve the final 10% of automation tasks that require human interaction. They can mimic up to 21 degrees of freedom (DOF) and incorporate pressure and tactile sensors. A use case involves sorting plastic bags, which can be learned by the robotic hand in 3-6 months. The company aims to enhance physical intelligence in robots, potentially revolutionizing fields like sign language translation. Listeners are encouraged to connect with Alex Meckel on LinkedIn.

Action Items

• [ ] Visit the Real Hand booth at MD&M West to record an on-site Industrial Talk segment and take a photo if time allows.
• [ ] Publish Alex Meckel’s contact information on the Industrial Talk platform so listeners can reach out to him.

Outline

Introduction to Industrial Talk Podcast

• Scott introduces the episode of Industrial Talk, sponsored by MD&M West and the News and Brews team.
• Scott thanks the audience for their support and celebrates industry professionals for their boldness and innovation.
• The podcast aims to celebrate industry professionals worldwide, emphasizing their daily problem-solving and collaboration in manufacturing.

Introduction of Alex Mecl and Real Hand

• Scott introduces Alex Mecl, co-founder and CMO of Real Hand, a company focused on dexterity in automation.
• Alex Mecl explains the concept of Real Hand, which aims to provide human-like dexterity in automation processes.
• The company's tagline, "The Future of Dexterity," is highlighted.
• Scott describes the booth at MD&M West, showcasing real hands moving, which attracted attention.

Feedback and Demonstrations at MD&M West

• Alex Mecl shares positive feedback from the MD&M West event, mentioning the piano demo that attracted many visitors.
• The tele-ops demo also received significant attention, highlighting the company's innovative solutions.
• Scott expresses interest in visiting the booth for an on-site demonstration.
• Alex Meckel discusses the importance of having real hands in the booth to attract attention and facilitate discussions.

Background and Market Opportunity

• Alex Mecl provides his background, including his experience in software integration and AI robotics.
• The company's focus on solving the remaining 10% of automation processes that require human dexterity is explained.
• The goal is to make production lines more efficient, safer, and collaborative by integrating human-like dexterity in robots.
• The company aims to replace or enhance human involvement in automated processes, not to replace humans entirely.

Technical Details and Applications

• Scott inquires about the technical aspects of integrating human-like dexterity in robots.
• Alex Mecl explains the concept of Degrees of Freedom (DOF) and how Real Hand's hands mimic human dexterity.
• The company's hands can range from DOF 11 to DOF 21, depending on the required dexterity.
• The importance of software solutions and algorithms to train robotic hands is emphasized.

Use Cases and Real-World Applications

• Alex Mecl provides a use case involving a company that produces medical bags and struggles with stacking and sorting them.
• The company's automated process can produce 6000 bags per hour, but manual sorting is requ