This talk covers why hardware is important, why it's still too difficult, and what we can do to improve it by making better tools and ecosystem support to create better tools.

1. The Future of Tools
Nick Pinkston
Oasis 2021

2. Straight Outta Pittsburgh

4. Why does
hardware matter?

7. Acceleration of Tech Adoption

8. Progression of Technological Revolutions
AI / Automation / IoT ?
6th

9. Why is hardware hard?

10. High Complexity / Dependency

11. Low Leverage Tools

13. Automation is Highly Manual

14. Manufacturing: A Complex Ecology

15. CAD: High Lock-in → No Incentive to Improve

16. Lack of Finance for New Tools

17. How do we get better
at hardware?

18. # Iterations by Field

21. Design + Debug

22. Compile

23. Run

24. Run

25. Test

26. The Future

27. Design:
Shape Creation

28. Shapr3D

29. Ford’s Gravity Sketch

30. Design:
Augmentation

31. Generative Design

33. Automated front-end development using deep learning
(Ashwin Kumar)

34. Generating custom photo-realistic faces using AI
(Shaobo Guan)

36. Design:
Shape Search

42. Simulation +
Testing

43. Finite Element Analysis

44. VR Product Testing

46. VR Training

48. Manufacturing

49. Factories → Data Centers

50. Digitize all the Processes
Subtractive
Additive
Assembly
Molding
Inspection
Painting / Coating

51. Automate Automation

52. Self-Programming Factories

53. Engineering Superpowers

54. Thank you!