Hard Reset Podcast: Robot Recycling | Episode #13

What if we had more control over how we store energy? This simple question could open up a whole world of green possibilities and allow us to divest from higher pollutant energy sources like fossil fuels. Argonne National Laboratory is reworking the battery from the ground up, to try to find a new way to store energy by using a particle accelerator to hack batteries with AI.  Creating a device for more energy to be stored in a battery that is smaller and lighter could unlock more sustainable options for tech like planes, drones, and electric vehicles.

It seems like our world is constantly on fire. If you live in California, Oregon, Washington, Canada, Australia, or anywhere else on the globe that’s regularly choked by wildfires, you’re all-too-aware of the importance of effective firefighting strategies. Dry brush, unattended campfires, and even gender reveal fireworks gone awry are enough to set a forest ablaze. 90% of all wildfires are caused by human error, but what if we had a manmade solution that could put out flames with 10 times the strength of water? Strong Water has created a cutting edge water technology that looks like slime, acts as a fire retardant, and is 100% biodegradable, non-toxic, and on-demand. In this episode of the Hard Reset Podcast, our hosts sit down to discuss how it could change our world.

An estimated 32% of the recycling we send off to sorting centers actually gets recycled. Why is this? The nature of sorting recycling by hand is time consuming, messy, and dangerous, and the human error involved in this process is enormous. Enter AMP Robotics, a Denver-based company training neural networks to speed through sorting plastic and paper with 99% accuracy by recognizing materials on a moving belt. This robotic tech could usher in a new era of sustainability, allowing us to better sort recycling in order to reuse the same items that were once fated for the landfill.

Wildfires have been growing in severity and intensity since the 1980’s. As climate change encourages hotter, drier seasons, fire is able to catch and spread rapidly, destroying the homes and ecosystems in its path.  To fight these megafires, fire scientists, machine learning experts, and data science researchers have come together at San Diego’s WIFIRE Lab in an effort to reduce these natural disasters.  By utilizing new AI computer detection technologies in tandem with indigenous practices like prescribed burns, WIFIRE is able to reduce the likelihood of wildfires before they even start.

Following an oil spill, in-situ burning is commonly used to burn oil from the surface of ocean water. But could a tiny magnetic sponge be a cheaper, more environmentally friendly solution to clean the millions of gallons of oil spilled into the ocean yearly? Scientists have created a special material by modifying polyurethane foam that can suck oil out of water to be reused.  So, how far could this tech go in solving environmental disasters? The Hard Reset Podcast hosts sit down to discuss the potential this small sponge has to create enormous ripple effects.

What if we had real-time access to everything that’s happening across the globe? Planet Labs is launching tiny satellites into space en masse to photograph our Earth at all angles, multiple times each day.  This tech could lead to a shift in the way we monitor the health of the planet and the activities of the global population. Whereas we have previously had to wait weeks or months for photographs of specific parts of the planet, we could have instant insights into the land and environmental happenings on it.  So, how could these satellites affect maps, surveillance, and the future of our planet’s climate? The Hard Reset Podcast hosts sit down to discuss.

If it feels like you need a car to get around the U.S., it's because our streets seem to prioritize the flow of traffic over people. With pedestrian deaths at a 40-year high in 2023, it’s past time to reevaluate how we structure our sidewalks.  So, how can we make our streets less dangerous, more accessible, and reclaim the hours we would’ve been sitting in traffic? The Hard Reset Podcast hosts discuss some pretty brilliant ideas to take back our streets and build stronger, safer communities.

Could this robot completely change the way the world gets around? Zoox wants to build a future where its autonomous vehicles (ahem, NOT cars) are ubiquitous.  For all of the recent advancements in autonomous tech and the hype surrounding brands like TESLA and its self-driving cars, many are still skeptical of vehicles with no human pilot.  So, is it safe? Is it really the future of transportation? The Hard Reset Podcast hosts get together to discuss how these vehicles could change the world.

What if we swapped PVC for a leather substitute that’s actually sustainable and long-lasting?  That’s the idea behind MycoWorks, a company producing an innovative leather alternative from an unlikely source: Mushrooms. More specifically, mycelium, the spindly network of fungal threads that reside underneath the soil.  So, is this new textile a truly viable alternative to cow leather, or is it just a trendy greenwashed idea? Nick Tucker and the Hard Reset Podcast hosts sit down to discuss.

There’s not much that’s radical about a fast food meal, unless it’s healthy, affordable, accessible, and can lead to generational wealth.  That’s the idea behind Everytable, a social equity franchise program born out of Southern California. Everytable’s model keeps costs low, making it easier to expand and reach more customers who live in food deserts.  Everytable also has also lowered barriers for franchisees, taking a crowdsourcing approach so that many investors at once can benefit from the success of each location. The Hard Reset podcast hosts weigh in on this new restaurant model, which may just be the exact kind of solution the US is hungry for.