Aug 13, 2026 · 34 min
Robotics founder turns attention into an entrepreneurial mission
1540: He Built Robots, Now He's Helping Humans' Relationships With Tech w/ Terry Gromes Jr.
The episode examines how entrepreneurs can address technology’s effects on attention and connection without treating technology itself as the enemy.
- 1Worthwhile ventures begin with meaningful problems, not simply lucrative opportunities.
- 2The Canary Project promotes sustainable technology habits through practical interventions rather than temporary digital fasts.
- 3Parents and adults shape healthier technology use by modeling intentional behavior and shared responsibility.
Don't miss
Terry explains why technology should be treated as a tool rather than an enemy, balancing its benefits against the need for human presence.
The brief
Terry Gromes Jr.’s work in industrial robotics led him to a harder question: what do screen-based technologies do to attention, relationships, and human connection?
His entrepreneurial answer is to pursue worthwhile problems, then build tools and communities that help people use technology intentionally rather than abandon it.
The Canary Project applies that philosophy through presentations, an app, and practical interventions designed to create sustainable technology habits instead of short-lived fasts.
Terry places parents and adults at the center of cultural change, arguing that children learn their relationship with devices from the behavior modeled around them.
The conversation widens from digital wellness to Cleveland’s industrial history, democracy, and grocery stores as examples of adaptation, shared rules, and human choice.
The episode’s central takeaway is that attention is a shared responsibility: technology can extend human knowledge and capability, but intentional use keeps people present.
Featuring
Henry Ford
ClevelandListen to the full episode and explore every guest, topic, and moment on PodLume.