We talk IoT – The Internet of Things Business Podcast

Avnet Silica
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The We talk IoT podcast keeps you up to date with major developments in the world of the internet of things, IIoT, artificial intelligence, and cognitive computing. Our guests are leading industry experts, business professionals, and experienced journalists as they discuss some of today’s hottest tech topics and how they can help boost your bottom line. You can follow We talk IoT – the Internet of Things Business podcast anywhere you get your podcasts. About the host: Stefanie Ruth Heyduck is a science and tech journalist with over 20 years of experience. She has worked for renowned magazines, research institutions, and tech companies. Also, she is an experienced communications consultant and supports her clients with digital and content strategies and new work transformations.

  1. 2D AGO

    Chips, Grit, and "Girl on Fire": Emily Yang on Leadership, Mentorship, and Moving Up – We Talk IoT #81

    The semiconductor industry has a pipeline problem. Women enter the field, but somewhere between mid-management and the executive level, they disappear. Emily Yang knows this from experience, and she’s doing something about it. In an industry where innovation is currency, Emily Yang has built a career on the belief that the best way to succeed is to lift others up. As Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing at Diodes Incorporated, she's not only driven transformative growth, but also championed mentorship and community impact, embodying perfectly this year's International Women's Day theme: give to gain. Emily discusses what effective leadership actually looks like across cultures. She explains how Diodes transformed from a discrete component supplier into a solutions-led organisation, why humanoid robotics is the emerging application she’s most excited about, and why geopolitical supply chain disruption is the challenge the industry isn’t talking about loudly enough. She also makes the case for mentorship as a structural fix, not a feel-good programme. #IWD2026 #GiveToGain #Leadership #Semiconductors #STEM #Mentorship #WeTalkIoT Summary of this week’s episode: 01:30 Emily’s career path: from customer service rep to SVP 04:30 How leadership style evolves when you’ve been on every rung 07:00 Transforming Diodes: from component sales to solution selling 09:30 Executive presence and communicating vision to a global team 11:30 Leadership philosophy: trust, advocacy, and the carrot approach 13:30 Diodes’ technology portfolio: MOSFETs, signal integrity, PCIe Gen 6 15:30 Humanoid robotics: the emerging application worth watching 18:00 Leading across cultures: what employee survey scores reveal 21:00 The Women in High Tech Mentoring Programme and why it works 24:00 On sponsors, self-doubt, and working your way up without a map 26:00 The geopolitical supply chain challenge no one discusses enough 27:30 Lessons learned: define your leadership style before someone else does 29:00 Work-life integration and closing advice to women in the industry   Show notes: Emily Yang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-yang-153a69/ You can get in touch with her: emily.yang@diodes.com Global Semiconductor Alliance — Women’s Leadership Initiative: https://designthesolution.org/about-wli/   Listen to the “We Talk IoT” Soundtrack on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/05MOV4OV2MH2in2txsAGtG?si=ad08112cb8d443f4 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-NvQ6VJYtE&list=PLLqgVFfZhDRVYmpEqbgajzDvGL4kACRDp About Avnet Silica: This podcast is brought to you by Avnet Silica—the Engineers of Evolution. Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://my.avnet.com/silica/resources/newsletter/ You can connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/silica-an-avnet-company/. Or find us at www.avnet-silica.com.

    27 min

  2. FEB 26

    AI on Tap: How NXP is Revolutionising Water Quality for Everyone – We Talk IoT #80

    Two billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water. Traditional pH monitoring relies on slow, manual lab testing – often too late to prevent contamination. In this episode, Fabrizio Librizzi, Senior Product Marketing Manager at NXP Semiconductors, explains how edge AI and analogue front-end technology are transforming water quality monitoring. Fabrizio discusses how NXP’s AI-assisted pH sensors provide real-time, rugged, and reliable data at the source – eliminating cloud dependency and enabling equity for remote communities. We explore real-world applications in agriculture (protecting crops from pH damage), municipal water systems (transparency for citizens), and industrial processes (cost savings through precise chemical dosing). Tune in to learn why edge AI is moving beyond vision and voice into environmental monitoring, and how this technology can genuinely improve lives.   #AI #EdgeAI #WaterQuality #IoT #NXP #WeTalkIoT #Sustainability   Summary of this week's episode: 01:30 The global water crisis and the limitations of traditional pH monitoring 03:45 How analogue front ends convert delicate sensor signals into robust digital data 06:20 Why edge AI is critical for remote areas with intermittent connectivity 08:10 Real-world use cases: Agriculture, municipal water, and industrial applications 10:30 The role of machine learning in spotting pollution patterns and anomalies 12:45 Technical challenges: Surge protection, probe maintenance, and multi-sensor integration 15:00 Advice for water authorities: Start small, validate data, and scale with connectivity 17:30 The future of AI in environmental monitoring—beyond pH levels   Show notes: Fabrizio Librizzi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabrizio-librizzi/ Enhancing water quality with AI-assisted pH monitoring: https://www.nxp.com/company/about-nxp/smarter-world-blog/BL-MGZN-ENH-WAT-QUAL-AI-PH-MON   Listen to the "We Talk IoT" Soundtrack on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/05MOV4OV2MH2in2txsAGtG?si=ad08112cb8d443f4 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-NvQ6VJYtE&list=PLLqgVFfZhDRVYmpEqbgajzDvGL4kACRDp   About Avnet Silica: This podcast is brought to you by Avnet Silica—the Engineers of Evolution. Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://my.avnet.com/silica/resources/newsletter/ You can connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/silica-an-avnet-company/ Or find us at www.avnet-silica.com

    21 min

  3. FEB 12

    Free as in Freedom: How OEMs Can Navigate EU Cybersecurity Rules Whilst Using Open Source - We Talk IoT #79

    The EU Cybersecurity Resilience Act is keeping OEMs awake at night. How do you use free and open-source software whilst complying with new obligations around vulnerability management, supply chain transparency, and continuous support? In this episode, Pierre Gal (Head of Product) from Witekio and Michael Röder (Senior Manager, Software and Services EMEA) from Avnet Silica tackle the urgent questions facing manufacturers: Who counts as a manufacturer under the CRA? What documentation must you maintain? And how do you manage vulnerabilities in components you didn't create? Pierre explains how Witekio's Embedded Kit provides off-the-shelf solutions based on open-source software like Yocto Linux, helping customers navigate composition, integration, and compliance. Michael shares what he's hearing from customers struggling to interpret regulatory requirements and implement risk-based approaches. From SBOM (Software Bill of Materials) to supply chain attacks, from secure by default to continuous vulnerability management, we explore the practical realities of making compliance work. The conversation cuts through the confusion to deliver actionable advice: understand your responsibilities, think in terms of composition, and don't wait for a magic bullet. Tune in to learn how to leverage the power of open-source software whilst meeting your CRA obligations – because "free as in freedom" doesn't mean free from responsibility. #CRA #cybersecurity #opensource #FOSS #compliance #IoT #wetalkiot   Summary of this week's episode: 04:14 Key Dates and Obligations of the CRA 05:27 Challenges Faced by Manufacturers 10:10 The Role of Open Source in CRA Compliance 19:58 The Concept of Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) 22:14 Real-World Example: Casino Attack Case Study 23:28 Documentation and Configuration Issues 24:04 Cybersecurity Layers and CRA Methodology 24:25 Secure by Default and Advanced Concepts 26:50 Implementation and Standard Processes 29:45 Quality, Testing, and Automation 31:53 Vulnerability Management Methodology 37:18 Critical Mistakes to Avoid with CRA 39:36 Supply Chain Attacks   Show notes: Pierre Gal (Witekio): https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierre-gal/ Michael Röder (Avnet Silica): https://www.linkedin.com/in/roednix/ Securing the Future: Understanding the Cyber Resilience Act - We talk IoT #55: https://www.podbean.eu/ew/pb-8kkkd-d4ddfc   EU Cybersecurity Resilience Act: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/cyber-resilience-act National Vulnerability Database (NVD): https://nvd.nist.gov/   OWASP Top 10: https://owasp.org/www-project-top-ten/   Listen to the "We Talk IoT" Soundtrack on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/05MOV4OV2MH2in2txsAGtG?si=ad08112cb8d443f4 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-NvQ6VJYtE&list=PLLqgVFfZhDRVYmpEqbgajzDvGL4kACRDp   About Avnet Silica: This podcast is brought to you by Avnet Silica—the Engineers of Evolution. Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://my.avnet.com/silica/resources/newsletter/   You can connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/silica-an-avnet-company/. Or find us at www.avnet-silica.com.

    43 min

  4. JAN 29

    From Hollywood to highways: How zero-latency video compression powers autonomous cars - We Talk IoT #78

    In this episode, we explore how an Emmy Award-winning video codec is transforming industries far beyond the silver screen. Dr. Siegfried Fößel from Fraunhofer IIS explains how JPEG XS – a compression standard designed for broadcast production – now enables breakthrough applications in autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, and remote healthcare. With a latency of just 32 lines end-to-end and visual lossless quality, JPEG XS solves a critical challenge: how to process high-resolution video in real time without introducing delay. When autonomous cars need to analyse multiple camera feeds in real time, when factory robots require split-second reactions, or when surgeons control remote instruments, every millisecond matters. Siegfried discusses the journey from keyboard-video-mouse extenders to ISO standardisation, the technology's adoption in sports broadcasting, and why tier-one automotive suppliers are testing it for sensor fusion. We explore how the codec integrates into FPGAs for embedded cameras, its constant bitrate advantage for IP transmission, and the future of AI-based video compression. Tune in to discover how low-latency video compression unlocks applications that weren't possible before – and what's coming next in the race to process visual data faster. #jpegxs #automotive #machinevinevision #healthcare #compression #fraunhofer #iot #wetalkiot   Summary of this week's episode: 01:30 What is JPEG XS and why it matters beyond broadcast 02:53 How JPEG XS differs from other codecs 03:39 The origin story: From KVM extender to ISO standard 05:00 The trade-off: Compression ratio vs latency 06:47 Autonomous vehicles: Processing 10 cameras without loss 08:27 Beyond self-driving: Electronic mirrors and driver monitoring 09:42 Industrial automation: Real-time quality control and robotics 11:25 Factory integration: FPGA IP cores and embedded cameras 12:53 ISO standardisation and software development kits 14:14 Healthcare applications: Edition 3's lossless approach 15:49 Remote surgery possibilities 18:50 Implementation advice: When to choose JPEG XS 20:33 Looking ahead: AI-based video codecs at 10 kbit/s 22:43 The constant bitrate advantage   Show notes: Dr. Siegfried Fößel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siegfried-foessel-a158574/ JPEG XS: https://www.iis.fraunhofer.de/en/ff/amm/content-production/jpegxs.html Emmy Award announcement: https://www.iis.fraunhofer.de/en/pr/2025/pressrelease-emmy-jpegxs.html   Listen to the "We Talk IoT" Soundtrack on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/05MOV4OV2MH2in2txsAGtG?si=ad08112cb8d443f4 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-NvQ6VJYtE&list=PLLqgVFfZhDRVYmpEqbgajzDvGL4kACRDp   About Avnet Silica: This podcast is brought to you by Avnet Silica—the Engineers of Evolution. Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://my.avnet.com/silica/resources/newsletter/ You can connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/silica-an-avnet-company/. Or find us at www.avnet-silica.com.

    27 min

  5. JAN 15

    Five Eyes, Zero Cloud: Vision AI - From Crop Fields to Factory Floors - We talk IoT #77

    Artificial intelligence is moving to the edge - and it's changing how factories operate, farms grow crops, and robots navigate the world. In this episode, Monica Houston from Tria Technologies walks us through Tria's Vision AI Kit 6490, an industrial-grade edge computing board that processes five camera feeds simultaneously, runs inference locally, and handles demanding tasks like image segmentation - all without needing cloud connectivity or even a cooling fan. Monica discusses real-world deployments in agriculture (spot-treating crops to reduce pesticide use), factory robotics (autonomous mobile robots and robotic arms), and the practical challenges of moving AI from comfortable data centres to harsh industrial environments. We explore why latency matters, what happens when you can't rely on internet connections, and why power efficiency is the unsung hero of edge AI. If you've wondered whether edge AI is ready for industrial prime time, this conversation delivers the answer - with hardware in hand. #EdgeAI #IndustrialIoT #Robotics #Agriculture #Qualcomm #WeTalkIoT   Summary of this week's episode: 01:57 Monica's Background at Hackster.io and Tria Technologies 02:38 What the Vision AI Kit Actually Does 04:01 Why Edge Processing Matters for Robotics 07:46 Agricultural Use Cases: Spot-Treating Crops 09:55 Autonomous Vehicles and VSLAM Technology 12:32 Factory Floor vs Self-Driving Cars 14:09 Real-World Deployment: Robot Arms in Action 16:44 ROS 2 and Robotics Applications 17:36 Edge Impulse: Making Model Deployment Easier 19:08 The 15-Year Lifecycle Question 22:18 Power Efficiency: Why No Fan Matters   Show notes: Monica Houston: https://www.linkedin.com/in/houstonmonica/ How the Vision AI Kit 6490 could be used for agriculture:https://www.globalagtechinitiative.com/digital-farming/ai-takes-center-stage-in-agriculture/   Listen to the "We Talk IoT" Soundtrack on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/05MOV4OV2MH2in2txsAGtG?si=ad08112cb8d443f4 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-NvQ6VJYtE&list=PLLqgVFfZhDRVYmpEqbgajzDvGL4kACRDp   About Avnet Silica: This podcast is brought to you by Avnet Silica - the Engineers of Evolution. Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://my.avnet.com/silica/resources/newsletter/ You can connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/silica-an-avnet-company/. Or find us at www.avnet-silica.com.

    26 min

  6. 12/05/2025

    Game on: How rock, paper, scissors became the future of factory quality control - We talk IoT #76

    In this episode, we explore how accessible AI vision technology has become - and the surprising challenges that come with it. Luke Walsh from Brainboxes built an AI rock, paper, scissors game using open-source software and hardware costing under £1,000. The playful demo masks serious industrial applications: from catching defects in car seat stitching with 22 cameras to monitoring hazardous environments without putting maintenance engineers at risk. The conversation covers the technical realities of sub-200-millisecond latency, the stubborn resistance of factory maintenance teams, and why Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) has been the missing piece in factory automation. Luke explains how vision systems can now replace invasive sensors, monitor quality without human inconsistency, and prove their worth to sceptical teams - one tote bin at a time. Tune in to learn why the best way to deploy AI in factories is to start small, prove value fast, and never assume your training data covers every possible hand gesture. #AI #computervision #manufacturing #opensource #bias #wetalkiot   Summary of this week's episode: 01:59 What Brainboxes does 05:43 How AI recognises hand gestures in under 200 milliseconds 08:42 Three reasons to choose open source: Latest models, trained engineers, community support 10:58 Real-world applications: Quality control and OEE 13:45 The car seat stitching use case: 22 cameras, one seat, zero tolerance 16:01 Beyond quality: Monitoring hazardous environments and non-invasive throughput measurement 17:39 Winning over sceptical maintenance teams 19:22 The tote bin story: When data settles a night shift dispute 20:35 The bias challenge: When "scissors" becomes a swearing gesture 23:08 The future of industrial AI vision systems and Jevons Paradox 25:13 Advice for manufacturers: Start small, keep it simple, nail first impressions   Show notes: Luke Walsh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukewalsh/ The Brainboxes white paper about the demo: https://www.brainboxes.com/white-papers/ai-vision-systems-demo   Listen to the "We Talk IoT" Soundtrack on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/05MOV4OV2MH2in2txsAGtG?si=ad08112cb8d443f4 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-NvQ6VJYtE&list=PLLqgVFfZhDRVYmpEqbgajzDvGL4kACRDp   About Avnet Silica: This podcast is brought to you by Avnet Silica—the Engineers of Evolution. Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://my.avnet.com/silica/resources/newsletter/ You can connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/silica-an-avnet-company/. Or find us at www.avnet-silica.com.

    28 min

  7. 11/20/2025

    Billion-parameter brains in pocket-sized chips: The local AI revolution - We talk IoT #75

    In this episode, we explore how engineers are embedding powerful AI directly into hardware – no cloud connection required. Michaël Uyttersprot from Avnet Silica and Cedric Vincent from Tria Technologies reveal how they run ChatGPT-quality language models on resource-constrained embedded devices. What once demanded data centre infrastructure now fits onto chips with just 2GB of RAM. The conversation covers the technical challenges of cramming billion-parameter models into embedded systems, real-world applications from conference rooms to industrial robotics, and the three compelling reasons driving this shift: data privacy, power efficiency, and cost control. Michaël and Cedric discuss hardware platforms from AMD, NXP, and Qualcomm, explain techniques like quantisation and mixture of experts, and demonstrate applications including a vintage telephone box that lets you call avatars from different time periods. Tune in to learn why the future of AI might not be in the cloud at all – and what that means for industries from manufacturing to healthcare. #AI #LLM #embeddedsystems #IoT #privacy #wetalkiot   Summary of this week's episode: 02:48 What makes large language models special 05:27 Why run LLMs locally on embedded devices 07:42 Real-world applications: Vision LLMs and OCR 11:12 Technical deep dive: How to fit billions of parameters into tiny devices 18:52 Understanding temperature: Making AI creative or accurate 22:41 Industries moving fastest: OCR, security, and robotics 24:52 Future applications: Robotic arms and time series analysis 28:00 The biggest technical hurdle: Power consumption 30:55 Advice for engineers: Start with llama.cpp   Show notes: Michaël Uyttersprot: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micha%C3%ABl-uyttersprot-aaa971211/ Cedric Vincent: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cedric-vincent-19222910/ Tria Technologies: https://www.tria-technologies.com/   Generative AI at the Edge: https://my.avnet.com/silica/solutions/technologies/artificial-intelligence/generative-ai/ The podcast episode where the generative AI examples where discussed: https://www.podbean.eu/ep/pb-9juiy-d4dec4 How to enhance embedded systems with Generative AI and Local LLMs | Michael Uyttersprot at HWPMAX25: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL9g2wJ1a7c   Listen to the "We Talk IoT" Soundtrack on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/05MOV4OV2MH2in2txsAGtG?si=ad08112cb8d443f4 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-NvQ6VJYtE&list=PLLqgVFfZhDRVYmpEqbgajzDvGL4kACRDp The Llama song: https://youtu.be/JavZh3y1ue0   About Avnet Silica: This podcast is brought to you by Avnet Silica — the Engineers of Evolution. Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://my.avnet.com/silica/resources/newsletter/ You can connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/silica-an-avnet-company/. Or find us at www.avnet-silica.com.

    36 min

  8. 10/30/2025

    Legacy meets innovation: How Safesquare saves 30-year-old building automation - We talk IoT #74

    In this episode, we explore a hidden crisis affecting thousands of buildings worldwide with Martin Mentzel, CEO of the German company Safesquare. For thirty years, Local Operating Network (LON) technology has quietly powered building automation systems in hospitals, office buildings, and transport infrastructure. Now, critical components face end-of-life as manufacturers discontinue essential neuron chips, leaving companies scrambling for solutions. Some companies need 8,000 replacement controllers per year that simply don't exist. Hospital operating rooms, lift systems, and building HVAC networks all depend on technology becoming impossible to maintain. Martin discusses how Safesquare's babi-LON platform replaces discontinued components without forcing expensive system redesigns. We examine why LON technology has endured for three decades, the scale of the component shortage crisis, and how innovative engineering preserves critical infrastructure investments. Tune in to discover how one company transforms an industry crisis into an opportunity whilst keeping essential systems running. #LON #buildingautomation #infrastructure #iot #wetalkiot   Summary of this week's episode: 01:38 Understanding Local Operating Networks (LON) in Building Automation 03:36 The Component Shortage: A Deep Dive 06:52 Safesquare's Solution 08:06 Challenges and Costs of System Redesign 14:16 Safesquare's Journey and Vision 23:18 Future of LON Technology in Building Automation   Show notes: Safesquare: https://safesquare.eu/ Webinar: https://gateway.on24.com/wcc/eh/2397559/lp/5053037/babi-lon-for-building-automation-safesquare?partnerref=podcast Listen to the "We Talk IoT" Soundtrack on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/05MOV4OV2MH2in2txsAGtG?si=ad08112cb8d443f4 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-NvQ6VJYtE&list=PLLqgVFfZhDRVYmpEqbgajzDvGL4kACRDp About Avnet Silica: This podcast is brought to you by Avnet Silica—the Engineers of Evolution. Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://my.avnet.com/silica/resources/newsletter/ You can connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/silica-an-avnet-company/. Or find us at www.avnet-silica.com.

    28 min
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About

The We talk IoT podcast keeps you up to date with major developments in the world of the internet of things, IIoT, artificial intelligence, and cognitive computing. Our guests are leading industry experts, business professionals, and experienced journalists as they discuss some of today’s hottest tech topics and how they can help boost your bottom line. You can follow We talk IoT – the Internet of Things Business podcast anywhere you get your podcasts. About the host: Stefanie Ruth Heyduck is a science and tech journalist with over 20 years of experience. She has worked for renowned magazines, research institutions, and tech companies. Also, she is an experienced communications consultant and supports her clients with digital and content strategies and new work transformations.

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