This blog post provides a summarized version of our conversation with Maia Hirsch, featuring key highlights with slight alterations for readability. To listen to the full discussion, check out our podcast on Spotify and Amazon Music.

At the intersection of robotics and fashion stands Maia Hirsch, a pioneering researcher and PhD student whose work reimagines how wearable technology can enhance human connection, creativity, and capability. In our conversation on the She Builds with AI podcast, Maia shared her journey from Venezuela to New York, how her diverse cultural background shaped her approach to engineering, and why she believes the future of robotics is soft, wearable, and deeply human.

From Caracas to New York: A Global Journey Shaping an Engineer

Maia’s path has been anything but linear. Born in Venezuela, she moved across countries and languages — from Miami to Panama to Israel and now New York. Each transition built resilience and shaped her worldview.
When she arrived in the U.S. without speaking English, numbers became her refuge. Math and science offered a universal language, setting her on the path to engineering. This interplay between cultural adaptation and technical curiosity still fuels her innovative approach today.

Engineering Meets Artistry

Though grounded in robotics, Maia never lost her artistic side. A chance internship with a fashion designer reignited her passion for creativity and sparked the question: Could engineering and fashion merge?
Her answer came through wearable robotics. From 3D-printed dresses to garments powered by soft robotics and smart fabrics, Maia’s work demonstrates that engineering doesn’t need to sacrifice beauty — it can be expressive, playful, and inspiring.

The “Peace Offer” Dress: Technology as Connection

One of Maia’s most viral creations, the Peace Offer dress, blooms open when its wearer shakes hands with someone. The piece, both symbolic and interactive, highlights her belief that technology should bring people together rather than isolate them.
The unexpected reaction? People asked to buy or rent the dress for events. What started as an experiment revealed a surprising readiness for interactive fashion tech, especially among younger generations.

Wearables as Extensions, Not Replacements

In a world often worried about robots replacing humans, Maia’s philosophy is refreshingly different: she sees robotics as extensions of human potential, not substitutes.
Her research focuses on soft robotics and fabrics that adapt to the body’s natural movements, imagining wearables that could:

• Adjust temperature and comfort in real time
• Support healthcare through continuous biometric monitoring
• Protect astronauts in space environments
• Even respond to emotional states with sensations of calm or comfort

Inspiring the Next Generation

Beyond the lab, Maia is deeply committed to empowering young women in STEM. Having often been one of the few women in her classrooms, she uses her platform to show that engineering doesn’t mean giving up identity or creativity.
Her efforts have already sparked change — from inspiring girls at exhibitions to speaking at the presidential palace in Panama about women in STEM. For Maia, visibility matters: “If they can see someone like me doing it, they know they can too.”

A Vision of the Future

Looking 50 to 100 years ahead, Maia envisions wearable robotics as part of everyday life — clothes that adapt to environments, emotions, and even social interaction. Her optimism centers on soft, malleable technologies that blend seamlessly with the human body, creating a future where technology enhances our humanity rather than competing with it.

Closing Thought

Through her boundary-breaking research, Maia Hirsch is showing us that engineering can be as expressive as it is functional. By merging robotics with fashion and focusing on human connection, she’s not only advancing technology but also reshaping our imagination of what’s possible — and who belongs in the space of innovation.

🎧 Listen to the Full Episode

This conversation is full of insights on fashion, robotics, powerful women, and creativity.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Amazon Music and share it with someone who needs that spark of inspiration and vision.

✨ Stay Connected with Maia

🔗 Website: https://www.maia-hirsch.com/
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maia-hirsch/
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maiahirschlab/ 

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She Builds with AI  is a podcast that spotlights women who are shaping the future with AI and Emerging Technology all over the world.