Google X Co-Founder Yoky Matsouka to join Apple

Major buzz in the tech industry today, as Apple hired robotics expert and Google X co-founder Yoky Matsouka, as reported by Fortune. Robotics being her key strength, Matsouka will be working under CEO Jeff Williams on the Company's tech related health projects. Matsouka has also worked previously as head of technology for Nest, another technology giant involved in research and development in areas like networking and fiber optics.

Japenese by birth, Matsuoka moved to the United States at 16 years, originally to pursue a tennis career. Injuries halted her efforts, and an interest in exploring the technology behind an artificial tennis playing foot took her to MIT, which kick-started her career in technology. A major accomplishment for her was when she won the 'genius' grant of the MacArthur Foundation for her research work in the field of neurorobotics.

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Matsuoka joined Google in 2009, to start the Company's research and development facility, Google X, and moved to Nest the very next year where she developed the company’s learning algorithms for automating its products. Google then bought Nest in 2014, .and last year Matsuoka announced her departure from the Company, amidst reports that had been diagnosed with a life threatening disease. She has recovered since, as this post by her on Medium suggested:

“I am spending time with my family and working on some personal projects. But I can’t imagine leaving the world of technology and what has been a passion for me. I want to work again, but also want to take time to construct this new life I have been so blessed to be given.”

Seems like working for Apple is just the change in direction she was looking for.

Feature Image Credit: nsf.gov