The Hidden Complexity of Sleep Tech: Power, Comfort, and 8 Hours of Reliability
In today’s Coredump Session, François and Chris from Memfault sit down with Charles Taylor, co-founder of Ozlo Sleep, to explore the journey from Bose’s original Sleepbuds to the rebirth of a product designed to help people truly rest. The conversation traces how Ozlo revived this beloved idea, balancing power management, all-night comfort, and reliability in one of the most demanding consumer tech categories. Along the way, Charles shares lessons from bringing a hardware product back to life, testing technology people use in their sleep, and building a community that believes better rest starts with better engineering.Key Takeaways:Charlie's journey from engineering to entrepreneurship was accidental but rewarding.The emotional connection users have with physical products is significant.Sleep tech addresses the problem of noise disruption during sleep.Kickstarter was used not just for funding but to build a community.Firmware updates are crucial for improving user experience and product functionality.Designing sleep earbuds involves unique challenges related to comfort and size.Battery life and efficiency are critical in hardware development.Sensing technology in sleep tech can provide valuable health data.Testing and quality assurance are essential in product development.Navigating FDA regulations is complex but necessary for medical-related devices.Chapters:00:00 Intro and Teasers02:02 Meet Charlie Taylor and the Ozlo Sleep Story06:13 Why Sleepbuds Exist and Why Noise Matters07:07 Rebuilding Bose’s Discontinued Sleepbuds09:15 The Hardest Parts of Hardware: Timelines and Vendors10:39 Kickstarter as Validation and Community Building15:57 Designing for Sleep: Comfort, Power, and Miniaturization23:16 The Ear as the USB to the Body: Sensing and Health Insights26:18 Testing Sleep Tech in the Real World33:34 Firmware as the Real Product and Ozlo’s Update Strategy45:38 Moving Toward Medical: FDA and Software Therapies55:17 Customer Feedback at Scale and Prioritizing What MattersJoin the Interrupt Slack Watch this episode on YouTube [ADD Playlist YT Link from here)Follow MemfaultLinkedInBlueskyTwitterOther ways to listen:Apple PodcastsiHeartRadioAmazon MusicGoodPodsCastboxVisit our website
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#017: Building and Scaling a Startup in the Ultra-Competitive Health Wearables Market
In today's Coredump Session, François Baldassari and Chris Coleman sit down with Ultrahuman co-founder Vatsal Singhal to unpack what it takes to build and scale a hardware startup in the fiercely competitive health wearable market. From transitioning from software to hardware to building responsibly with AI and machine learning, Vatsal shares what it means to blend deep engineering rigor with a mission to improve human performance. This conversation explores the challenges, surprises, and future of health-tech innovation at the edge.Key TakeawaysHow Ultrahuman transitioned from a software-first mindset to mastering complex hardware development.Lessons learned moving from large-scale software systems to building precision-focused health wearables.Why building hardware for health requires a fundamentally different level of accountability and rigor.The role of machine learning at the edge and how it enables better, faster insights while managing battery and compute tradeoffs.How responsible use of AI in health applications shapes product design and user trust.The importance of rapid iteration cycles and adopting software methodologies in hardware innovation.Insights into how Ultrahuman’s internal teams use AI not just in engineering, but across all business functions.A look at what’s next for health-tech — and where innovation is heading in wearables and bio-sensing.Chapters:00:00 Intro & Teasers03:43 From Software to Hardware: The Leap of Faith07:49 The Harsh Realities of Hardware10:40 Iterating Fast Without Breaking People15:17 Redefining A/B Testing in Hardware21:40 Why Ultrahuman Built Its Own Factory26:56 Scaling Production Across Continents29:48 Managing Complexity: 20 Hardware Revisions in a Year35:08 Firmware Velocity & Observability with Memfault43:42 Health Tech Meets Regulation47:55 Shared Codebases & Fast Iteration Across Products50:39 Building the Machines That Build the Rings54:34 Responsible AI & The Future of Health Wearables56:35 Closing Reflections & Key TakeawaysJoin the Interrupt Slack Watch this episode on YouTube Follow MemfaultLinkedInBlueskyTwitterOther ways to listen:Apple PodcastsiHeartRadioAmazon MusicGoodPodsCastboxVisit our website
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#016: From Startup to Global Brand: Scaling Engineering at reMarkable
In today’s Coredump Session, we sit down with Nico Comier, CTO of reMarkable, to explore the journey from early-stage startup to global brand. Nico shares insights on scaling engineering teams, balancing technical credibility with leadership responsibilities, and what it really takes to bring a hardware product to market. From the pressures of product launches to the importance of customer connection, this conversation dives into the realities of building impactful technology.Key Takeaways:Nico Comier emphasizes the importance of customer impact in engineering roles.reMarkable's journey from startup to global brand involved scaling engineering teams.Cross-functional collaboration is key to successful product launches.Understanding customer needs is crucial for product development.reMarkable focuses on creating tools that help people think better.The Paper Pro Move was developed in response to user feedback.reMarkable values a hacker culture and allows device jailbreaking.Telemetry and customer feedback are vital for product improvement.reMarkable's leadership believes in maintaining technical credibility.Cross-functional teams enhance empathy and collaboration within organizations.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to reMarkable and Nico's Journey04:21 The Path to CTO: Insights and Experiences07:21 Technical Leadership and Staying Relevant10:03 Understanding Customer Needs in Tech Leadership13:00 The Launch of Paper Pro Move: A Major Achievement15:17 Preparing for Product Launch: Challenges and Strategies18:07 Balancing Agile and Waterfall in Product Development21:04 Product Decision-Making: Insights from the Paper Pro Move23:39 Navigating Challenges in Hardware Development26:30 Final Thoughts on Product Launch and Future Directions29:30 The Importance of Hypercare Post-Launch35:44 Scaling a Startup: Lessons Learned39:41 Building Cross-Functional Teams47:13 The Role of Firmware in Product Development50:48 Integrating Accessibility and Customer Feedback57:02 Leadership and Team Dynamics01:00:00 OutroJoin the Interrupt Slack Watch this episode on YouTube Follow MemfaultLinkedInBlueskyTwitterOther ways to listen:Apple PodcastsiHeartRadioAmazon MusicGoodPodsCastboxVisit our website
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COREDUMP #015: Developing kid-safe tech at Gabb: what it takes and why it’s so important
In today’s Coredump Session, we explore the rise of kids safe tech with leaders from the GABB team, creators of connected devices designed specifically for children. From designing products that prioritize child safety to integrating AI in ways that support families, this conversation unpacks the complexities of building secure, intuitive technology for the next generation. The team also shares real-world lessons on hardware partnerships, customer trust, and what it takes to innovate responsibly in the IoT space.Key Takeaways:Kids safe tech is an emerging category centered on digital safety for children.IoT connectivity is essential for building trust between parents and kids.Gabb’s mission is rooted in protecting families through intentional technology.Strong partnerships are critical to scaling hardware, firmware, and software development.AI enhances product safety by filtering content and flagging risks in real time.Security and data privacy are foundational to Gabb’s product design philosophy.Product development requires aligning launch timing, market needs, and platform strategy.Managing multiple product lines demands balance between innovation and sustainment.Kids often outpace parents in tech fluency—celebrating young users can inspire product direction.Efficient QA processes are necessary to uphold product quality and customer trust.Customer feedback and word of mouth are vital inputs for roadmap decisions.Data minimization is a core principle when designing for young users.Cross-functional collaboration drives more effective and family-first product development.Chapters:00:00 Episode Teasers & Intro04:46 Understanding Kids Safe Tech10:25 The Role of Partnerships in Product Development14:59 Navigating AI in Product Design20:20 Balancing Needs of Kids and Parents28:14 Ensuring Security in Kids Tech32:31 Celebrating Advocacy and Security Solutions33:45 Navigating Privacy in Child Analytics37:30 Product Development Cycle and Timelines41:31 Balancing Current and Future Product Development45:53 Sustaining Products Amid New Launches48:37 Customer-Centric Approach in Product Maintenance52:42 Firmware Versioning Challenges and StrategiesJoin the Interrupt Slack Watch this episode on YouTube Follow MemfaultLinkedInBlueskyTwitterOther ways to listen:Apple PodcastsiHeartRadioAmazon MusicGoodPodsCastbox
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#014: Why Your IoT Project Still Hasn’t Taken Off — And How to Fix It
In today’s Coredump Session, the team takes a hard look at why some IoT projects stall before they ever hit scale. From organizational missteps to product-market fit challenges, they explore the hidden forces that derail even technically sound products. You’ll hear candid insights on why being “connected” isn’t enough—and what it really takes to succeed in IoT today.Key TakeawaysThe biggest blockers for IoT teams aren’t always technical—they’re organizational, strategic, and systemic.Shipping a connected device doesn't guarantee product-market fit, especially if it's missing the right workflows or visibility.Engineers often build what's technically possible instead of what's valuable for the business.Collecting data from devices is table stakes—but what matters is how you use that data to drive action.Many teams lack a clear owner for post-deployment success, leading to blind spots in field performance.“Observability” should go beyond crash logs and include signals that help prioritize engineering work.Product-market fit isn’t static—it has to be reevaluated and maintained across the device lifecycle.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to IoT Challenges01:54 Afzal’s Journey in IoT & Early Expectations04:11 The 500K SIM Card Mirage08:10 Why IoT Projects Stall: Internal Resistance & Misaligned Incentives14:25 Rethinking the “IoT” Label: Lessons from Pebble17:28 When Good Tech Still Fails: The Organizational Blindspot20:43 Field Reality Check: Why Real-World Feedback is Critical26:00 Who Owns It? Accountability After Launch29:07 Designing for Fault Tolerance in Connected Devices32:52 Fragmentation in IoT: Meeting Diverse Customer Needs37:27 Niche Focus as a Winning Strategy39:57 What IoT Can Learn from AI’s Go-to-Market Playbook44:42 Drivers for Success in the IoT Space47:14 The Future of IoT: Regulation, Trust & E-Waste50:32 Final Reflections on Long-Term Ownership & Customer ImpactJoin the Interrupt Slack Watch this episode on YouTube Follow MemfaultLinkedInBlueskyTwitterOther ways to listen:Apple PodcastsiHeartRadioAmazon MusicGoodPodsCastboxVisit our website
Coredump Sessions is a podcast for embedded engineers and product teams building connected devices. Hosted by the team at Memfault, each episode features real-world stories and technical deep dives with experts across the embedded systems space.
From Bluetooth pioneers and OTA infrastructure veterans to the engineers who built Pebble, we explore the tools, techniques, and tradeoffs that power reliable, scalable devices. If you're building or debugging hardware, this is your go-to for embedded insights.
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