Simone Giertz

Giertz named the Disney cartoon character Gyro Gearloose as one of her earliest inspirations.{{Cite web |date=2020-08-09 |title=How To Build The Best Bad Robots {{!}} WBEZ Chicago |url=https://www.wbez.org/stories/how-to-build-the-best-bad-robots/342ffca7-1fa5-46e7-8749-83341b942f23 |access-date=2021-10-01 |archive-date=2020-08-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809021348/https://www.wbez.org/stories/how-to-build-the-best-bad-robots/342ffca7-1fa5-46e7-8749-83341b942f23 |url-status=live }}

At the age of 16, Giertz spent a year in China as an exchange student. She stayed in Hefei, where she learned basic Mandarin. During her stay in China she also made an appearance on a Chinese sitcom called Huan Xi Long Xia Dang ({{zh|欢喜龙虾档}}, the Happy Lobster Restaurant), where she played Catherine, an American girl who married a Chinese man.{{cite web |title=THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE: When I was on a Chinese sitcom |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apNOankkG3A |website=YouTube | date=24 June 2016 |accessdate=Jun 24, 2016}}

She studied engineering physics at the Royal Institute of Technology (Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan), a research university in Stockholm, Sweden, but dropped out after a year.

She started creating self-described "shitty" inventions after studying at Hyper Island in Stockholm, where she was inspired by the local open-source hardware community.{{Cite web |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/victoriasanusi/queen-of-shitty-robots |title=This is Simone Giertz, aka the "Queen of Shitty Robots", a 25-year-old inventor from Stockholm, Sweden. |last=Sanusi |first=Victoria |work=BuzzFeed News |quote=She said she came up with the idea of making ridiculous inventions while studying at an advertising school called Hyper Island. She came across an open-source hardware community and "immediately fell in love with it". |date=May 20, 2016 |accessdate=April 18, 2018}} Giertz's interest in electronics began in 2013; she made a toothbrush helmet for a children's show pilot episode on electronics, which was uploaded to YouTube after not being picked up, starting her YouTube career.

Giertz has previously branded herself as "the queen of shitty robots" on her YouTube channel, where she employs deadpan humor to demonstrate mechanical robots of her own creation to automate everyday tasks; despite working from a purely mechanical standpoint, they often fall short of practical usefulness, for comic effect.{{cite news |last1=Jamieson |first1=Amber |title=Meet the queen of useless robots: 'The internet is a weird place' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/mar/17/youtube-queen-robots-simone-giertz-inventor |accessdate=20 March 2016 |work=The Guardian |date=17 March 2016}} Giertz's creations have included an alarm clock that slaps the user,{{cite news |url=http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/15/new-alarm-clock-wakes-you-up-with-a-slap-in-the-face-5503194/ |title=New alarm clock wakes you up with a slap in the face |date=15 November 2015 |accessdate=22 August 2016 |first=Jimmy |last=Nsubuga |work=Metro}} a lipstick applier,{{cite news |url=http://www.dailydot.com/unclick/lipstick-robot-simone-giertz/ |title=This brilliant woman made a lipstick robot |date=7 January 2016 |accessdate=22 August 2016 |work=The Daily Dot |author=Hannah Withers}} and one that shampoos the user's hair.{{cite news |url=http://www.techinsider.io/simone-giertzs-shitty-robots-youtube-interview-2016-6 |title=This self-taught engineer invents robots designed to fail hilariously at their jobs |date=1 June 2016 |accessdate=22 August 2016 |first=Nina |last=Godlewski |work=Tech Insider}} When building her robots, Giertz would often not aim to make something useful, instead coming up with excessive solutions to potentially automatable situations.{{cite news |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/2082014-the-many-reasons-why-we-love-useless-robots/ |title=The many reasons why we love useless robots |date=22 March 2016 |accessdate=22 August 2016 |work=New Scientist |first=Aviva |last=Rutkin}} Giertz showcased several of these robots on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.{{Citation |title=Simone Giertz is Queen of Crappy Robots | date=3 September 2016 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O61wJPNJgZQ |language=en |access-date=2019-10-02}}

In 2016, Giertz joined Tested.com, collaborating with Adam Savage on her first project, the Popcorn Feeding Helmet.{{Cite web |url=http://makezine.com/2016/04/07/simone-giertz-joins-tested-builds-popcorn-helmet/ |title=Simone Giertz Joins "Tested," Builds Popcorn Feeding Helmet |website=Make: DIY Projects and Ideas for Makers |date=7 April 2016 |access-date=2016-04-07}} In 2017, she hosted the comedy TV show Manick with Nisse Hallberg on Swedish TV6. The basic premise of the show is that the hosts invent funny creative solutions to everyday problems. In April 2018, she created a robot to promote season 2 of HBO's Westworld.Bonnie Burton, [https://www.cnet.com/news/homemade-hbo-westworld-robot-evan-rachel-wood/ This homemade Westworld robot will give you nightmares], Cnet.com, 19 April 2018{{cite web |language=fr |url=http://actu.digital/2018/04/25/simone-giertz-cree-un-robot-westworld-style/ |title=Simone Giertz crée un robot Westworld-style |website=Actu.digital |date=25 April 2018}}{{cite web |language=es |url=https://www.cinemania.es/serie/esta-youtuber-demuestra-que-westworld-podria-ser-aun-peor/ |title=Esta youtuber demuestra que 'Westworld' podría ser aún peor] |website=Cinemania.es |date=20 April 2018}} Around this time Giertz had abandoned the concept of the "shitty robots", later explaining that it was no longer something she wanted to do, as she felt that the joke had played out.{{cite magazine |language=en |url=https://www.wired.com/story/simone-giertz-build-what-you-want/ |title=Why the 'Queen of Shitty Robots' Renounced Her Crown |magazine=Wired |date=12 October 2019}}

In 2018, Simone Giertz presented at a TED conference. Her presentation was on "Why you should make useless things". She encouraged people to ask questions through creation, illustrating her ideas by presenting her own projects and robots.{{Citation |title=Why you should make useless things {{!}} Simone Giertz | date=9 May 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0bsKc4tiuY |language=en |access-date=2021-06-30}}

In June 2019, Giertz announced that she and various other YouTube makers, including Laura Kampf, had converted a Tesla Model 3 into a pickup truck.{{Citation |last=Simone Giertz |title=I TURNED MY TESLA INTO A PICKUP TRUCK |date=2019-06-18 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKv_N0IDS2A |access-date=2019-06-19}} The truck was built in response to both wanting an electric vehicle to avoid ever owning a gasoline-powered car and a pickup truck for practical reasons, but not being able to wait for the at-the-time only proposed Tesla pickup. The accompanying parody commercial and 31-minute video describing the build process went viral and received significant news coverage.{{cite web |last1=Hawkins |first1=Andrew J. |title=YouTuber Simone Giertz transformed a Tesla Model 3 into a pickup truck |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/18/18682633/simone-giertz-tesla-model-3-pickup-truck-youtube-diy |website=The Verge |accessdate=19 June 2019 |date=18 June 2019}} She was subsequently invited to the unveiling of the Tesla's official pickup truck, the Cybertruck.{{cite web |last1=Giertz |first1=Simone |title=Driving my car around is... weird {{!}}{{!}} TRUCKLA UPDATE + CYBERTRUCK |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCKjmfsgBBY |website=YouTube |date=27 November 2019 |accessdate=10 December 2019 |language=en}}

In August 2019, Giertz traveled to New Zealand to work on a mantis shrimp costume with Weta Workshop.{{Citation |title=Making a mantis shrimp costume | date=9 August 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmoPYnwPKKY |language=en |access-date=2019-10-02}}

In June 2020, Giertz voiced a cartoon robot named CGO in Adventure Time: Distant Lands.{{cite web |last1=Tangalin |first1=John |title='Adventure Time: Distant Lands' Part I Spoiler Review – "BMO" |url=https://www.thecinemaspot.com/2020/06/20/adventure-time-distant-lands-part-i-spoiler-review-bmo/ |magazine=The Cinema Spot |accessdate=June 26, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627023024/https://www.thecinemaspot.com/2020/06/20/adventure-time-distant-lands-part-i-spoiler-review-bmo/ |archivedate=June 27, 2020 |date=June 20, 2020 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Trumbore |first1=Dave |title='Adventure Time: Distant Lands – BMO' Review: Come Along on a Far-Out New Story |url=https://collider.com/adventure-time-distant-lands-bmo-review/ |magazine=Collider |publisher=Collider Cryptomedia, Inc. |accessdate=June 26, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626234032/https://collider.com/adventure-time-distant-lands-bmo-review/ |archivedate=June 26, 2020 |date=June 25, 2020 |url-status=live}}

In May 2022 she started a product design company Yetch with an online shop.{{cite news |last1=Hicks |first1=Jasmine |title=Simone Giertz's online store sells cool inventions 'you didn't know you didn't want' |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/5/3/23055713/simone-giertz-yetch-inventor-creator-youtube |access-date=4 May 2022 |work=The Verge |date=3 May 2022 |language=en}} Around this time, she reflected in an interview with Fast Company that, "I'm a recovering self-deprecator. It's such a defense mechanism on the internet as well—like, the way you survive being an online creator is beating everyone to the joke and to the insult. I've been really trying to practice not talking myself down and talking down my skills." This change included a shift away from intentionally "shitty robots".{{cite news |last1=Ifeanyi |first1=K. C. |title=This woman custom made a Tesla truck, and she's just getting started |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90762478/youtube-queen-simone-giertz-yetch-inventing-products-tesla-truckla |access-date=23 June 2022 |work=Fast Company |date=22 June 2022}}

Giertz has an honorary doctorate from the University of Skövde, received in 2025.{{cite web |title=Inventor Simone Giertz Honorary Doctor at the University of Skövde |url=https://www.his.se/en/news/2025/february/inventor-simone-giertz-honorary-doctor-at-the-university-of-skovde/ |website=University of Skövde |access-date=10 April 2025 |location=Högskolevägen, Skövde, Sweden |date=24 February 2025}}

Giertz lived on a houseboat in Sweden from 2012 to 2016.{{Citation |title=Why I'm selling my houseboat | date=3 November 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX9DIEPQnr4 |language=en |access-date=2021-10-01}} From 2016 to 2020, Giertz lived in San Francisco.{{Cite web |last=Giertz |first=Simone |date=2016-06-11 |title=Can't believe I'm finally moving back to San Francisco. Good day today. |url=https://twitter.com/simonegiertz/status/741644065075265536 |access-date=2022-05-03 |website=Twitter}} She announced on her channel in 2020 that she now lives in Los Angeles with her rescue dog Scraps.{{Cite web |last=Giertz |first=Simone |date=2020-09-23 |title=Getting rid of a medical doll is weird |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXDtJFFNXUg |access-date=2022-05-03 |website=YouTube |at=at 9:30}}{{cite web |last1=Giertz |first1=Simone |author1-link=Simone Giertz |title=I've been keeping a tiny secret. (no I'm not pregnant) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNgOI9uvUYc |website=youtube.com |language=en |format=video |date=May 21, 2020}}

The Giertz family surname is of Low German origin. She is the daughter of television producer Nicola Söderlund and novelist and TV host Caroline Giertz, who Giertz describes as a "ghostbuster" due to her mother's work on paranormal reality TV show Det Okända. Giertz is a descendant of Lars Magnus Ericsson, founder of Ericsson.{{cite web |title=Simone Giertz: "The Making of Sh*tty Robots" - Talks at Google |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW5qLcitPro |website=YouTube| date=19 April 2017 }}

On April 30, 2018, Giertz announced via YouTube that she had been diagnosed with a noncancerous brain tumor.{{cite web |last1=Giertz |first1=Simone |title=I have a brain tumor. |website=YouTube |date=30 April 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpa4kp4lK60}} After surgery to remove the grade I meningioma on May 30, 2018, she has continued to post humorous and upbeat accounts of her post-surgery progress, including photos of her "potential super-villain scar"{{Cite web |url=https://mashable.com/2018/06/04/simone-giertz-photo-update-brain-surgery/ |title=YouTuber Simone Giertz posts photo of 'super villain scar' after brain surgery |last=Bryan |first=Chloe |work=Mashable |quote=In true Simone Giertz form, Simone Giertz underwent brain surgery last Wednesday, and she's already cracking jokes. The YouTuber and "Shitty Robots" creator, who announced she had a non-malignant brain tumor in April, shared her first post-op photo update on Monday, uploading a picture of her surgical scar to Twitter. |date=June 4, 2018 |accessdate=July 12, 2018}} and a public address video on her Patreon account.{{cite web |last=Giertz |first=Simone |title=You have one new message |url=https://www.patreon.com/posts/you-have-one-new-19247990 |date=June 4, 2018 |accessdate=July 14, 2018}} On January 18, 2019, Giertz reported that her tumor had returned.{{cite web |last=Giertz |first=Simone |title=My brain tumor is back |website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x5XRQ07sjU |date=January 18, 2019 |accessdate=January 18, 2019}} After a course of radiation treatments, Giertz again returned to production on May 29, 2019, describing her ordeal and presenting a project which converted her head alignment mask into a "work of art" (a lamp).{{cite web |last=Giertz |first=Simone |title=My experience with radiation therapy |website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcCxs-YoAI8 |date=May 29, 2019 |accessdate=June 30, 2019}}

In an interview on the Mythical Kitchen YouTube channel posted in January, 2025, Giertz revealed that she was dating someone named Brian, which happens to be the same name she gave to her brain tumor. She is also a vegan and "deeply identifies as an atheist".{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs9A20wRUxI |title=Simone Giertz Eats Her Last Meal |date=2025-01-16 |last=Mythical Kitchen |access-date=2025-01-16 |via=YouTube}}

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Category:1990 births

Category:21st-century Swedish inventors

Category:21st-century Swedish scientists

Category:21st-century Swedish women scientists

Category:21st-century women inventors

Category:Living people

Category:Swedish expatriates in the United States

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Category:Swedish YouTubers

Category:Women roboticists

Category:YouTubers from San Francisco

Category:People from Stockholm