In this first-ever video episode of Tech It to the Limit, co-hosts Sarah Harper and Elliott Wilson welcome special guests Leo Chen, U.S. lead at Engineered Arts, and Ameca, one of the world’s most advanced humanoid robots.

Together, they dive into how humanoid robots might augment care delivery, bring joy to elder communities, and redefine digital companionship. The conversation blends deep tech insights with punchy humor, live impressions, and even a robotic roast.

From rethinking patient intake to the ethics of AI in medicine, this episode explores the frontier of human-machine collaboration in healthcare with some unforgettable voice cloning and dance moves from Ameca along the way.

If you’re a healthcare innovator, technologist, or just curious about where robots fit into your hospital system (or podcast), this is one not to miss.

Key Takeaways

• How humanoid robots like Ameca can support—but not replace—human healthcare workers
• The role of facial expressions and physical presence in building trust with patients
• Why latency matters more than perfect accuracy in real-time robot interactions
• How Engineered Arts uses “personality prompting” instead of separate AI models
• The potential of humanoids in elder care, education, and medical simulation
• Why training LLMs locally is crucial to responsible healthcare AI adoption
• The sticky ethics of decision-making, bias, and liability in AI-driven care
• “Digital diplomats,” not bouncers—how robots can help de-escalate tense clinical moments
• Behind the scenes of Ameca’s voice cloning, personality shifts, and dance demo
• Why “bringing joy” is a valid mission statement for human-centric robotics

In this episode:

• [00:00:00] First video episode – why Ameca had to be on camera
• [00:02:27] Sarah & Elliott’s favorite “tweezer nuggets” from the interview
• [00:05:04] Meet Leo Chen and Ameca, the humanoid robot
• [00:08:22] Ameca’s dad joke debut and bedside ambitions
• [00:09:06] How humanoids can support eldercare, simulation, and intake
• [00:11:33] The power of facial expressions in human-robot connection
• [00:15:40] Where automation ends and empathy begins
• [00:18:36] Ameca’s multilingual skills and patient-facing roles
• [00:21:00] Under the hood: prompting LLMs and voice cloning
• [00:25:00] Bias, liability, and the ethics of decision-making
• [00:30:05] Emotional intelligence: simulated or sincere?
• [00:34:57] Why Ameca is a “digital diplomat,” not a robot bouncer
• [00:38:00] Funding and scaling humanoids in healthcare
• [00:41:06] Elliott gets roasted—and secretly loves it
• [00:43:00] What keeps Leo up at night about robotics
• [00:46:08] Final thoughts: accountability, humanity, and being excellent

Notable quotes:

[03:31 - 03:58] “Ethical balancing acts? That’s a human specialty… I leave the life or death calls to the flesh and blood experts.”– Ameca

[33:10 - 33:20] “We’re never going to claim Ameca is sentient. This is all meant to engage people—not pretend it has a soul.” – Leo Chen

[46:08 - 46:24] “It’s important to remember the humans. I hope we can be excellent to one another.” – Leo Chen

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Original music by: Evan O’Donovan

In this Season 3 opener, your favorite tech wonks are joined by two healthcare IT legends and the ultimate power couple: Cris Ross and Ed Marx. Elliott and Sarah delve deep into Cris and Ed’s new book, Diagnosed, which explores the multiplicity of being a CIO and a cancer patient attempting to navigate the very systems these executives helped fashion. Talk about a mind-bending, Janus-faced odyssey, which we are happy to report has a happier ending than most Roman and Greek myths.

Amazon.com: Diagnosed: An Insider's Guide for Your Healthcare Journey eBook : Ross, Cris, Marx, Ed: Kindle Store

Original music by: Evan O’Donovan

Join Sarah and Elliott as they double down on digital transformation in healthcare with Dr. Lisa Shah, Chief Medical Officer at Twin Health. From tackling chronic metabolic diseases to revolutionizing care with precision and personalized medicine, Dr. Shah shares insights that are twice as nice, powered by 3,000 data points per patient per day to create game-changing digital twins. Tune in for a conversation so good, you’ll be seeing double!

Original music by: Evan O’Donovan

Elliott and Sarah welcome their first non-human guest, ChatGPT (that’s “Cat, I Farted!” for all you francophiles. Tune in to find out of what drives the world’s most talked-about LLM up the wall in when it comes digital transformation in healthcare, what secrets its hiding in its own medical record, what are the weirdest use cases for LLMs in healthcare, and whether GPTs are prone to imposter syndrome like their human masters (for now, at least).

Nerdfighteria Wiki - Cat…I Farted.

A Rural Brain Gain Migration | UMN Extension

Original music by: Evan O’Donovan

Elliott and Sarah are joined by the World Famous Dr. John Noseworthy and John Beadle of Aegis Ventures for some brain-busting banter on how their virtual Startup Machine unites health systems and health tech developers to identify shared problems and co-create digital solutions that not only address core biz challenges, but also help hospitals achieve financial sustainability through revenue model diversification. Wow! That sounds like an online dating profile that would mos def garner a double-click from the ghost of Steve Jobs and Adam Smith.

The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers: Horowitz, Ben: 9780062273208: Amazon.com: Books

Original music by: Evan O’Donovan

Ready to soar into the future of nursing? Virtual nursing superhero Dr. Bonnie Clipper joins Elliott and Sarah for a deep dive into the evolution of digital care and the groundbreaking innovations that are transforming healthcare as we know it. From AI-driven nursing workflows to the rise of tech-savvy RNs, Dr. Clipper spills the secrets on how virtual nursing is changing the game. Plus! Who will win the battle of HealthCharade!? Will Elliott finally claim victory and head to Vegas? Tune in to find out!

• The Innovation Road Map: A Guide for Nurse Leaders - Innovation Advantage
• Virtual Nursing Academy Home
• The 8-Step Process for Leading Change | Dr. John Kotter (kotterinc.com)

Original music by: Evan O’DonovanOther music by: SoulProudMusic and PaulYudin

The man, the myth, the LEGEND, Mr. Aneesh Chopra, Chief Strategy Officer at Arcadia and first U.S. Chief Technology Officer, joins Tech It to the Limit for a lively discussion on open data and public-private partnerships that are jet fueling the transition to value-based healthcare. Plus! Aneesh shares riveting tales from the healthcare technology Folklore of Failures and reveals what happens when latte-drinking hoodie-wearing Gen Z’ers get an invite to the White House BoardRoom. Yeet!

• Obama healthcare.gov demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCQSGnZ0lTg&pp=ygUZb2JhbWEgaGVhbHRoY2FyZS5nb3YgZGVtbw%3D%3D
• Mayo Housing Index: Overview - Mayo Clinic Housing-Based Socioeconomic Status (HOUSES) Program - Mayo Clinic Research
• HTI-2 rule: https://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/page/2024-07/HTI-2_ProposedRule_Overview_Factsheet_508.pdf
• Buzzword Bingo Card: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FNBWfse2EYz2UPX6sd9PRF8Hax30Wehf1gs41SnyIoU/edit?usp=sharing

Original music by: Evan O’Donovan