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People B4 Machines, powered by Eclipse
People B4 Machines, powered by Eclipse, cuts through the noise—and calls BS on factory automation hype. This isn't your typical tech-first podcast. It's a wake-up call for B2B leaders who are done with buzzwords and ready to lead with a human-first edge. Each episode dives straight into what engineers and plant leaders are actually dealing with on Monday mornings—real problems, real pressures—while also looking 1 to 3 years ahead at the future of factory automation. It's not about eliminating machines—it's about redefining their role to empower the people who keep operations running. No fluff, no echo chambers. Just raw stories, bold questions, and sharp insights. If you're ready to rethink what the factory of the future should be, this is your podcast. This is People B4 Machines!
Episodes
12 episodes
Factory reset: The machines are ready — are we?
In this episode of People B4 Machines, host Amanda Cupido dives into the transformative world of factory automation with guest Adam Dorr, Director of Research at RethinkX. Together, they explore the rapid advancements in artificial int...
Silicon soulmates: Maybe your most loyal teammates
In this episode of People B4 Machines, Amanda Cupido sits down with The Manufacturing Millennial, Jake Hall, to debunk the myth that automation is a "job killer." Jake shares why now is the critical time to deploy technology to stay ahead of co...
Programming the future: Human-first automation
In this episode of People Before Machines, Amanda Cupido sits down with The Robot Queen, Vanessa Loiola, Founder and CEO of Valoy Automation, to explore human-first robotics. Vanessa debunks the myth that robots replace workers, arguing instead...
Man vs. machine? The ROI of robotics & the cultural shift needed to embrace robotics on the factory floor
In this episode of People Before Machines, Amanda Cupido sits down with Ujjwal Kumar, former Group President of Teradyne Robotics, to explore the ROI of robotics and the cultural shift needed to embrace automation on the factory floor....
Finding certainty in uncertainty in manufacturing in North America
In this episode of People B4 Machines, Amanda Cupido speaks with Kevin Bowers, Vice President of Research at the Association for Manufacturing Technology, about navigating uncertainty in North American manufacturing. Kevin shares insig...
Rethinking the course to manufacturing's future with the Software Defined Factory (SDF) as the North Star
In this episode of People B4 Machines, Amanda Cupido speaks with Prasad Satyavolu, Accenture's Americas Lead for Industry X Digital Manufacturing and Operations, about the transformative potential of the Software Defined Factory (SDF)....
Still a man’s world, but under construction
In this episode of People B4 Machines, Amanda Cupido speaks with Stephanie Hun, Director of Business Development for Flatiron Dragados Canada, about the evolving role of women in the construction industry. Stephanie shares her journey,...
Is the real factory bottleneck human or digital? Or are humans the weakest link in Industry 4.0
In this episode of People B4 Machines, Amanda Cupido explores the root causes of factory bottlenecks with Industry 4.0 expert Mike Nager, Solutions Center Director at Festo Didactic. Together, they discuss whether humans or digital sys...
Top floor to shop floor: Why is it taking so long to connect these floors?
In this episode of People B4 Machines, Amanda Cupido dives into the persistent disconnect between the top floor and the shop floor in factory automation. Joined by Jeff Burnstein, President of the Association for Advancing Automation, ...
Beyond the numbers: The next wave of industrial evolution
In the debut episode of People B4 Machines, host Amanda Cupido dives into the evolution of Industry 4.0 and the emergence of Industry 5.0 with guest Jeff Winter, a globally recognized thought leader in industrial automation. Together, ...
