{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Ed Colgate: Soft Hands, Dexterous Robots | Turn the Lens Ep48","description":"Ed Colgate, Northwestern University, and Director of the HAND ERC reveals why the secret to dexterous manipulation isn't precision engineering, but something surprisingly simple: softness and large contact areas. In this conversation from Humanoids Summit 2025, Ed explains the fundamental difference between human and robot manipulation, how AI finally enables control of complex hands, and why artificial muscles might solve the chronic overheating problem. Key Topics: \u2022 Why large soft contact areas matter more than finger articulation \u2022 How softness enables sensing and control, not just collision safety \u2022 The HAND ERC: 5 universities, 33 faculty tackling robotics' hardest problem \u2022 AI-enhanced prosthetics bridging the brain-machine interface bandwidth gap \u2022 Artificial muscles using thermal, light, and electrical stimulation \u2022 The "beautiful negotiation" of dexterity between humans and environment \u2022 Why motion smoothness dramatically affects human acceptance of robots About Ed Colgate: Ed is a Professor at Northwestern University and Director of the HAND ERC (Human AugmentatioN via Dexterity Engineering Research Center), a major NSF-funded initiative bringing together MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Florida A&M, and Texas A&M. The center focuses on advanced hardware, AI control systems, and human-robot interfaces with a decade-long mission to develop dexterous robots that help people be more productive. Recorded at Humanoids Summit 2025, Computer History Museum, Mountain View, California Links & Resources: \u2022 HAND ERC: [URL] \u2022 Northwestern University Robotics: [URL] \u2022 Ed Colgate Faculty Page: [URL] \u2022 Humanoids Summit: https:\/\/humanoidssummit.com \u2022 Full show notes: [your website URL\/episode] \u2022 Video version: https:\/\/youtu.be\/rO_miJL--n4 What surprised you most about the role of softness in robotic hands? Share your thoughts on our website or social media. About This Series: Part of our comprehensive coverage from Humanoids Summit 2025, featuring 10+ conversations with leaders in embodied AI and robotics. More Humanoids Summit Interviews: \u2022 Carolina Parada (Google DeepMind) \u2022 Pete Florence (Physical Intelligence) \u2022 Jeff Burnstein (A3 - Association for Advancing Automation) This interview is co-released by Turn the Lens and Humanoids Summit. Humanoids Summit is organized and hosted by ALM Ventures. Recorded at the Humanoids Summit SV 2025, Computer History Museum, Mountain View, California.  Subscribe for more interviews on the future of work, AI adoption, robotics, and organizational change. ","author_name":"Turn the Lens with Jeff Frick","author_url":"https:\/\/www.turnthelenspodcast.com\/","html":"