TechnologyScienceEducation

The Next Byte

Daniel Scott Mitchell, Farbod Moghaddam

We're two engineers on a mission to make interesting technology easy to understand. In each episode, we explore tech that is going to change the world – and keep it entertaining along the way.

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20 episodes
Avg 25 min
English

Episodes 20

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September 1 · 22 min
250. MIT’s Injectable Mini Liver Could Save Thousands of Lives
In this episode, we explore MIT's groundbreaking approach to treating liver failure by injecting tiny "satellite livers" instead of replacing the entire organ. By combining liver cells with a self-assembling hydrogel scaffold, researchers have created miniature liver tissue that can survive, receive blood flow, and support the body, offering a potential bridge for patients waiting for transplants and a future alternative to major surgery.
July 21 · 21 min
249. Harvard’s Smartwatch Makes You Run Faster & Safer
In this episode, we explore how researchers at Harvard developed an AI-powered wearable system that uses inexpensive motion sensors to estimate running forces that previously required specialized biomechanics labs. The technology could make professional-level gait analysis accessible to everyone, helping runners improve efficiency, reduce injuries, and receive personalized coaching in real time using affordable wearable devices.
July 14 · 59 min
248. Xometry’s Oscar Lovera & How AI Is Rebuilding Manufacturing
In this episode, we speak with Oscar Lovera, Chief Operating Officer, International at Xometry, about how AI and digital marketplaces are transforming custom manufacturing. Drawing on experience spanning factory operations, management consulting, e-commerce, and manufacturing technology, Oscar shares how Xometry is making manufacturing as seamless as booking travel online while connecting engineers with manufacturers around the world.
June 16 · 18 min
247. NASA’s Electric Thruster That Could Take Us to Mars
In this episode, we explore NASA’s successful test of a powerful new lithium-fed electric thruster that could one day power human missions to Mars. Learn how electric propulsion differs from traditional chemical rockets and why this breakthrough could make deep space travel faster, more efficient, and capable of carrying the massive payloads needed for astronauts.
June 2 · 14 min
246. Future of Bone Repair Starts with a 3D Printer
In this episode, we explore a new 3D printable material that can quickly transform into a strong, bone-like scaffold capable of supporting new bone growth. Learn how this breakthrough could lead to faster recovery times and improve treatments for patients with serious bone injuries.
May 19 · 17 min
245. No More 3D Print Failures Thanks To… AI?
In this episode, we explore how researchers have developed an AI system that can watch a 3D print as it’s being made, detect mistakes, and automatically correct them before the print fails. Learn how this breakthrough could dramatically reduce wasted material, improve print quality, and move manufacturing one step closer to fully autonomous production.
May 5 · 47 min
244. The Hidden Power of Engineers as Storytellers (with Mouser’s Matt Campbell & Ricky Flores)
In this episode, we speak with Matt Campbell and Ricky Flores about the secret talent hiding inside one of the world's largest electronics distributors: engineers who can truly tell a story. Both started in traditional engineering roles before moving into technical marketing, where their job is turning complex hardware into solutions other engineers actually want to use. Key takeaways: • The best technical storytellers are engineers first. You can't translate what you don't understand. • Knowi
March 31 · 21 min
243. Cycling’s “Supersuit” Moment is Here
In this episode, we explore how researchers at Harvard created a new fabric that forms golf ball-like dimples when stretched, reducing drag and potentially acting like “DRS for your body” in high-speed sports like cycling and skiing.
March 10 · 43 min
242. Mouser’s Matt Bell & The Next Generation of Automated Warehouses
In this episode, we speak with Matt Bell (VP of Outbound Operations at Mouser Electronics) about what it takes to run logistics and fulfillment at the scale of one of the world’s largest electronics distributors—and how automation can improve operations without replacing people. Matt shares his journey from starting as an order puller in 2004 to leading the strategy, processes, and technology behind Mouser’s outbound operations.
February 24 · 16 min
241. Moby Dick Finally Gets a Fitbit
In this episode, we explore how Ocean Alliance uses 3D-printed drone systems to deploy wearable tags on whales, unlocking continuous data on how these giants move, dive, and live underwater.
January 27 · 14 min
240. Swallow Confirmed: Smart Pills That “Ping” From Your Stomach
In this episode, we talk about MIT's bio-resorbable RFID smart pill that activates in ~10 minutes after swallowing to verify a dose in real time.
January 6 · 42 min
239. The Saucies: 2025 Recap & TNB Turns Five!
This episode celebrates five years of The Next Byte with a recap of 2025, highlighting standout episodes through The “Saucies” Awards, reflecting on major trends, sharing predictions for 2026, and thanking the global listener community.
Dec 30, 2025 · 19 min
238. Humanoid Robots Can Now Punch... What's Next?
In this episode, we explore the engineering behind Unitree’s newest boxing robot demo, the history of humanoid robots, and why robotics might create a new F1-esque sport in the combat sports realm.
Dec 23, 2025 · 17 min
237. Vibe Manufacturing: MIT’s AI Text-to-Manufacturing System
In this episode, we explore MIT’s new system that turns spoken ideas into physical assemblies by linking speech-to-text, text-to-CAD, CAD-to-assembly, and robotic fabrication - pointing to a future where making hardware could be as easy as prompting an AI with your voice.
Dec 16, 2025 · 17 min
236. Cold-Chain Sensing, But Without E-Waste
In this episode, we talk about the engineers that built a wireless tag that detects and remembers overheating without a chip or a battery, enabling cold-chain monitoring without creating electronic waste.
Dec 9, 2025 · 46 min
235. Arm’s Vince Jesaitis on How AI Is Moving from the Cloud to Your Pocket
In this episode, we speak with Vince Jesaitis (VP at Arm) who explains how AI is shifting from big data centers to everyday devices, and what that means for speed, security, and policy. Key takeaways: • AI will soon run on phones, cars, and earbuds without the cloud. This makes things faster, uses less energy, and is more secure. • Governments are racing to support chipmaking & AI but complex rules make building new products harder.
Dec 2, 2025 · 17 min
234. How Candy-Making Inspired the Future of Smart Textiles
In this episode, we explore how researchers used a fiber-optic style thermal drawing process (similar to stretching candy) to create liquid-metal smart fibers that sense motion with high precision, unlocking new possibilities for wearables, soft prosthetics, and touch-sensitive humanoid robots.
Nov 18, 2025 · 17 min
233. Reading a Fish’s Mind to Build Smarter Robots
In this episode, we cover how scientists mapped zebrafish brains when swimming and used that map to power a real robot fish. The robot can hold its position in flowing water using vision alone, revealing new neuron types, and proving biology can teach robots to move smarter.
Nov 4, 2025 · 26 min
232. Turbine Innovations For A Greener Future [Rerun]
In this episode, we talk about how a shift in perspective regarding wind farm power production led to a model that can increase global output by 5% and a much overdue redesign of turbine blades for hydroelectric power dams that’ll enable sustainable power production.
Oct 21, 2025 · 12 min
231. The Patch That Can Heal a Broken Heart (Literally)
In this episode, we cover ETH Zurich’s biodegradable heart patch that combines 3D printing, living heart cells, and smart materials to seal and heal damaged heart tissue - paving the way for true cardiac regeneration after heart attacks.

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