Coworking: Mario Queiroz aims to make it painless to use tech that eases pain

Coworking is a weekly segment where we spotlight Tech Brew readers who work with emerging technologies. Click here if you’d like a chance to be featured.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in tech?

As chief product officer, I lead the definition of Hinge Health’s product vision and strategy, software and hardware development, user experience design, and consumer marketing. My job is to work with a talented group of inventors, designers, clinicians, and technologists to build a product that puts a physical therapist in your pocket. Basically, we help people experiencing muscle or joint pain by connecting members with physical therapists and health coaches who help design a personalized program that is accessible from a phone.

What’s the most compelling tech project you’ve worked on, and why?

Beyond my work at Hinge Health, one of the most exciting projects I ever worked on was the invention, development, and mass-market success of Chromecast at Google. In addition to the product being innovative in terms of technology, simplicity, and user value, it was also the seed of Google’s consumer hardware business.

What technologies are you most optimistic about? Least? And why?

Like many of my friends and colleagues in the industry, I’m optimistic about AI and LLM-powered products. We’re at the beginning of this disruptive technology cycle, and we can already see the benefits it brings to user interface, broad applicability, ease to learn and implement, etc.

I’m most pessimistic about social media and its negative mental health impacts, especially among young people and, in particular, girls. A big part of the social media appeal is to compare oneself with others, and that’s a known source of unhappiness.

What’s the best tech-related media you read/watch/listen to?

I visit Techmeme multiple times a day, and my two favorite books are Zero to One and Play Bigger.

What’s something about you we can’t guess from your LinkedIn profile?

I love to travel for adventure, learning, and to have fun around the world. My wife and I have traveled extensively with our daughters from when they were young to now (they’re in their 20s!). We’ve explored safaris in South Africa, gone dog sledding in northern Sweden, dipped our feet in the Indian Ocean in Indonesia, explored the medina of Marrakesh, and even lived in London, Barcelona, and Stuttgart.

What do you think about when you’re not thinking about tech?

I occupy a lot of my cycles meditating or listening to history podcasts, especially while running, swimming, or biking. Some of my favorite podcasts are about the history of coffee, the development of the English language, the origin of dogs and their relationship with humans, and the story of the Wright brothers.