E255 - I've had it with these HF robots on this HF space station!

·57 min·5 clips

A surgery-performing robot called MIRA is set for tests on the International Space Station in 2024.

The episode opens with a brief update on Barry Kirby's 1202 podcast interview with Robert Bridger about publishing human factors books. The main news story covers the MIRA (Miniaturized In Vivo Robotic Assistant) surgical robot, developed by Virtual Incision, which will be tested aboard the ISS in 2024 to perform non-invasive procedures. The hosts examine the human factors implications, starting with decision-making processes and the need for clear diagnosis and stable platforms. They reference comments from Dr. Steph Cormack on autonomy and communication issues, and Ken Catchpole on surgical robot challenges like docking and zero-gravity effects. The discussion delves into latency problems for deep-space missions, where signal delays could necessitate AI-assisted autonomy. Barry Kirby raises concerns about signal failure, fail-safe procedures, and the ethical logic trees required. Nick Roome highlights the multi-faceted trust issues involving surgeons, patients, and mission controllers. A comment from Harold Thimbleby brings up developer errors and audit trails for investigations. The episode then shifts to a Q&A segment from Reddit, addressing how often UX researchers travel (varying from monthly trips to extended field deployments), strategies for accessing specialized users (through champions or databases), and what hiring managers seek in junior designers (enthusiasm, problem-solving, and communication skills). The hosts share personal updates: Barry completed a beginner's archery course, emphasizing its mental focus benefits, and Nick praised the Stitch Fix clothing subscription service for its personalized styling. The episode closes with promotional reminders for their Patreon, Discord community, and related past episodes.

As heard by us

A space-station robot story grounded in signal loss, fallback logic, and human consequences.

Human Factors Cast settles into a practical discussion of a surgery-performing robot headed for tests on the International Space Station, and it keeps returning to the questions that make the idea feel credible: how signal is confirmed, what happens when it drops, and what a…

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Why you'd press play

You get a surgery-performing robot headed for the ISS, plus the real question of what happens when the connection drops.

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