What if machines could truly see and understand how we move? In this episode, I sit down with Sherry Shang, CEO and co-founder of Neural Lab, a company reimagining how we interact with technology through visual intelligence AI and gesture-based interfaces.

Sherry’s journey from Intel technologist to startup founder began with a pivotal moment during the pandemic. What started as a side project in her living room became Neural Lab—a platform that turns basic webcams into powerful tools for gesture recognition, with no specialized hardware required.

Now, Neural Lab is unlocking new ways to deliver care, boost performance, and support human potential. From sterile surgery rooms to personalized rehab and coaching, touchless interaction is creating fresh possibilities for how we live and work with AI.

Key Takeaways

Computer vision is gaining eyes: Sherry frames visual intelligence as the “missing sense” in AI—complementing language models with sight.
Entrepreneurship is about timing: Sherry waited until her kids were older to build Neural Lab, choosing to innovate on her own terms.
Gesture recognition is real—and ready: Neural Lab’s technology translates hand motions into universal commands with no need for specialized hardware.
Human-centered design is essential: From recognizing intentional gestures to modeling real-world physicality, their design is inspired by how humans naturally interact.
Healthcare leads the way: Use cases like sterile surgical environments are proving to be strong early markets for gesture control.

Additional Insights

Visual intelligence is the missing sense in AI: Sherry describes computer vision as adding "eyes" to AI, enabling machines to interpret physical space just as large language models allow them to process language.
Entrepreneurship is about timing: Sherry chose to start Neural Lab once her children were older, aligning her professional ambitions with personal priorities.
Gesture recognition is real—and ready: Their product works with any basic camera and translates 15 customizable gestures into commands for existing applications—no new hardware required.
Designing for human nuance matters: Neural Lab focuses on distinguishing intentional from unintentional gestures using cues like eye gaze and body motion—mimicking how humans communicate.
Healthcare is an urgent use case: Environments like surgery rooms benefit immediately from touchless interaction, helping maintain sterility and reduce unnecessary patient radiation.
The interface is evolving beyond the mouse: Sherry sees gesture-based interaction as a more natural, immersive input method—moving us beyond traditional tools like keyboards and mice.
Customer feedback drives innovation: From live demos to direct use-case discovery, Neural Lab adapts based on what real users need and how they react in context.
AI can coach, not just compute: Sherry envisions AI-enabled coaching in sports, physical therapy, and even surgery—delivering expert guidance in real time, at scale.

Episode Highlights

00:00 – Episode Recap

Sherry Chang shares how her journey from Intel technologist to founder of Neural Lab began with a desire to create immersive, meaningful technology—and a pivotal moment during the pandemic when gesture-based interaction suddenly became essential.

02:14 – Guest Introduction: Sherry Chang

Barry introduces Sherry Chang, CEO of Neural Lab, former Intel leader, and innovator in computer vision and immersive interaction.

06:27 – Starting Up During the Pandemic

Sherry shares how the idea for Neural Lab came to life in her living room, driven by a vision for safer, touchless human-computer interaction.

09:30 – From Prototype to Minority Report

Barry recalls early demos that felt like science fiction—using just a webcam to control computers with hand gestures.

12:00 – Designing for Intentionality

Sherry explains the challenge of recognizing intentional vs. accidental gestures—and how eye-gaze and motion patterns help filter noise.

14:57 – Gesture as Input Device

They discuss how gestures open new interaction possibilities—from whiteboards to evaluating athletic movements.

18:26 – Finding Product-Market Fit in Healthcare

Sherry shares insights from radiology conferences—surgeons see immediate value in touchless interfaces for sterile environments.

22:21 – Reimagining Clinical Workflows

Gesture-based interaction eliminates the need for voice commands or assistants in the OR—streamlining workflow and reducing risks.

25:35 – The Bigger Picture

Barry reflects on the paradigm shift—freeing people from fixed tools like keyboards to interact with tech naturally.

28:56 – Unlocking Human Potential with AI Coaching

Sherry envisions AI coaches for physical therapy, sports, even surgery—democratizing access to expert feedback and improving outcomes.

33:11 – The AI Augmentation Mindset

Rather than replacing jobs, gesture-based AI enhances human performance and creativity, enabling new ways of working.

35:21 – Closing Reflections

Barry highlights the promise of technologies like Neural Lab—empowering people to interact more intuitively with machines and unlock new capabilities.

FAQs

Q1. What is gesture recognition technology?

Gesture recognition uses computer vision to detect and interpret human body movements—like hand gestures—as input commands to control software or devices.

Q2. How does Neural Lab's gesture control work?

Neural Lab’s system uses any standard camera to detect 15 configurable gestures, translating them into commands compatible with most applications—no special hardware needed.

Q3. Is gesture recognition practical in healthcare?

Yes. Surgeons can use gestures to manipulate images mid-procedure without breaking sterility, improving workflow and reducing radiation exposure.

Q4. Can gesture-based AI help in physical therapy?

Absolutely. It enables real-time coaching, posture correction, and progress tracking for rehab patients—making at-home therapy more effective.

Q5. How is AI augmenting human potential with this tech?

By combining visual intelligence with feedback loops, gesture-based AI allows for elite-level coaching and real-time assistance in fields like sports, surgery, and workplace ergonomics.

Useful Resources

Neural Lab Official Site - https://neural-lab.com/
Connect with Sherry on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherryschang/