The Robot Report Podcast

AI at the Edge: How perception and AI are shaping mobile robotics Nov 22, 2024

In this episode, co-hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman cover the leading robotics news stories from the week. In the featured interview this week, Oitzman catches up with Amir Bousani, CEO of RGO Robotics, and Jacob Petersen, Chief Commercial Officer from Wheel.Me Robotics. We discuss the importance of perception for autonomous mobile robots, and discuss Wheel.Me's partnership and decision to leverage RGO Robotics perception engine in their platform. Learn more: https://www.rgorobotics.ai/ https://www.wheel.me/en-us This week, Collaborative Robotics publicly unveiled its Proxie mobile manipulator. We also get an update on Proxie from Brad Porter, founder and CEO of Collaborative Robotics. – SPONSOR – The show this week is sponsored by RGO Robotics - RGo Robotics' Perception Engine is revolutionizing the AMR business through advanced Vision AI perception technology. Unlike traditional solutions, RGo’s software enables AMRs to adapt to changing environments and navigate complex spaces with unprecedented accuracy and the commissioning process is shorter and simpler. To learn more about RGO’s solutions goto: https://www.rgorobotics.ai/?utm_source=therobotreport&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_id=n Submissions for presentations and registration are now open for the 2025 Robotics Summit: https://www.roboticssummit.com/

The ABB Edge: Using AI and Robotics to Transform Industries Nov 16, 2024

Cohosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman catch up on the latest robotics news of the week, including Mike recent visit to the Stanford Robotics Center. In the featured interview, Mike Oitzman speaks with Marc Segura, the President of ABB Robotics Division, about the latest developments in robotics, particularly focusing on AI integration, market trends, and the future of mobile and collaborative robotics. They discuss the impact of AI on robotics, the current state of the robotics market in the US compared to the rest of the world, and the potential of humanoid robots versus mobile manipulators. The conversation also touches on the evolution of collaborative robotics and its applications in various industries. – SPONSOR – The show this week is sponsored by RGO Robotics - RGo Robotics' Perception Engine is revolutionizing the AMR business through advanced Vision AI perception technology. Unlike traditional solutions, RGo’s software enables AMRs to adapt to changing environments and navigate complex spaces with unprecedented accuracy and the commissioning process is shorter and simpler. To learn more about RGO’s solutions goto: https://www.rgorobotics.ai/?utm_source=therobotreport&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_id=n Submissions for presentations and registration are now open for the 2025 Robotics Summit: https://www.roboticssummit.com/

Who Let the Robodogs Out? Meet Swiss-Mile's wheeled quadruped Nov 08, 2024

In this episode, cohosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman cover the leading robotics news stories from the week. From the news this week, check out the XPENG Iron humanoid robotics in this YouTube video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3wKyFE9HjM In the featured interview this week, Mike Oitzman and Eugene Demaitre interview Marko Bjelonic, CEO and co-founder of Swiss-Mile, discussing the innovative quadruped robot that combines wheels and legs for enhanced mobility. They explore the evolution of the robot from academic research to a commercial product, the engineering challenges faced, and the unique functionalities that set it apart. The discussion also covers potential applications in security and logistics, the importance of autonomy in robotics, and the future direction of Swiss Mile as a technology-focused company. Link: https://www.swiss-mile.com/ – SPONSOR – The show this week is sponsored by RGO Robotics - RGo Robotics' Perception Engine is revolutionizing the AMR business through advanced Vision AI perception technology. Unlike traditional solutions, RGo’s software enables AMRs to adapt to changing environments and navigate complex spaces with unprecedented accuracy and the commissioning process is shorter and simpler. To learn more about RGO’s solutions goto: https://www.rgorobotics.ai/ Submissions for presentations and registration are now open for the 2025 Robotics Summit: https://www.roboticssummit.com/

New Atlas video; Climbing to new heights in warehouse automation with BionicHive Nov 01, 2024

In this episode, co-hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman discuss the latest video from Boston Dynamics showing Atlas electric humanoid in an autonomous material movement demo. The video shows the Atlas moving automotive parts from one storage bin to another bin. The hosts discuss the unique aspects of this video and how Atlas appears to move differently from the other competitive humanoid robots in recent demonstration videos. Submissions are now open for the 2025 RBR50 innovation awards. This awards programs celebrate robotics innovation in calendar year 2024, and open to any company worldwide who’s producing robotics or automation solutions. To learn more about the program and submit a nomination form, goto: https://www.therobotreport.com/2025-rbr50-robotics-innovation-awards-open-for-nominations/ In our feature interview this week, Mike Oitzman and Gene Demaitre sit down with Gili Ovadia, VP of Business Development at BionicHive to learn more about their unique warehouse automation solution. The BionicHive Squid mobile robot can drive along the floor of the warehouse, and climb into the warehouse racking to put or get boxes/totes from storage locations on higher shelves. We learn how the system works and discuss where BionicHive is deploying these automate storage solutions. You can learn more about BionicHive at: https://bionichive.com/ – SPONSOR – The show this week is sponsored by RGO Robotics - RGo Robotics' Perception Engine is revolutionizing the AMR business through advanced Vision AI perception technology. Unlike traditional solutions, RGo’s software enables AMRs to adapt to changing environments and navigate complex spaces with unprecedented accuracy and the commissioning process is shorter and simpler. To learn more about RGO’s solutions goto: https://www.rgorobotics.ai/

Practical Applications of Embodied AI and Humanoid Robots Oct 23, 2024

In this week's show, Dr. Russ Tedrake from Toyota Research Institute, and Scott Kuindersma from Boston Dynamics discuss their collaboration on humanoid robotics and the integration of AI through large behavior models. They explore the challenges and opportunities in developing general-purpose robots, the importance of human involvement in learning processes, and the role of data in enhancing robot capabilities. The discussion also touches on practical applications, deployment strategies, and the significance of rigorous research in advancing robotics technology. Cohosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman also review Mike's takeaways from the FIRA 2024 ag-robotics event earlier this week. The show this week is sponsored by Zebra Robotics Automation - It’s time to switch to Zebra Robotics Automation. The company’s cutting-edge Zebra Symmetry Fulfillment solution is engineered to reduce your costs per unit and give you that unbeatable competitive edge. Don’t settle for less—maximize your profits with Zebra Robotics Automation. To learn more about Zebra's solutions goto: www.zebra.com/fulfillment

RoboBusiness 2024 recap Oct 19, 2024

On the show this week, co-hosts Steve Crowe, Mike Oitzman and Gene Demaitre review the significant highlights from RoboBusiness 2024 which took place this week in Santa Clara CA. The editors discuss the news from the week and highlights of the keynote sessions. The show this week is sponsored by Zebra Robotics Automation - It’s time to switch to Zebra Robotics Automation. The company’s cutting-edge Zebra Symmetry Fulfillment solution is engineered to reduce your costs per unit and give you that unbeatable competitive edge. Don’t settle for less—maximize your profits with Zebra Robotics Automation. To learn more about Zebra's solutions goto: www.zebra.com/fulfillment

Navigating Robotics Through the Political Landscape Oct 11, 2024

In this conversation, Dr. Henrik Christensen discusses the intersection of robotics and federal policy, emphasizing the need for more attention and funding for the robotics sector. He highlights the challenges of reshoring manufacturing, the implications of political campaigns on robotics, and the importance of tariffs and immigration reforms. The discussion also covers the impact of recent legislation like the Build Back Better Act and the CHIPS Act on the robotics industry, as well as the future of semiconductor manufacturing and international partnerships in robotics. Takeaways - Robotics needs more federal attention similar to AI. - Reshoring manufacturing is crucial for economic growth. - The Midwest's manufacturing sector is vital for the US economy. - Federal funding for robotics has decreased while AI funding has increased. - Small and medium-sized companies are essential for manufacturing exports. - Tariffs may negatively impact the robotics industry. - The US must rebuild its semiconductor manufacturing capabilities. - International partnerships in robotics are necessary for innovation. - Investment in defense and energy production is likely to increase. - Immigration reform is needed to address labor shortages. The show this week is sponsored by Zebra Robotics Automation - It’s time to switch to Zebra Robotics Automation. The company’s cutting-edge Zebra Symmetry Fulfillment solution is engineered to reduce your costs per unit and give you that unbeatable competitive edge. Don’t settle for less—maximize your profits with Zebra Robotics Automation. To learn more about Zebra's solutions goto: www.zebra.com/fulfillment

Inside 1x's plan to test humanoids in homes Oct 04, 2024

On the show this week, we feature a recent conversation with 1X Founder and CEO, Berndt Børnich, and learn all about the company's plan to begin testing of the NEO Beta humanoid in homes. In this conversation, Bernt discusses the launch of 1X's humanoid robot, NEO, and the mission to address labor shortages through robotics. He emphasizes the importance of designing robots for home environments to gather diverse data for AI training, ensuring safety and compliance, and navigating regulatory challenges. The discussion also touches on public perception of robots and the future of humanoid robotics in society. To learn more: https://www.1x.tech/ The show this week is sponsored by Zebra Robotics Automation - It’s time to switch to Zebra Robotics Automation. The company’s cutting-edge Zebra Symmetry Fulfillment solution is engineered to reduce your costs per unit and give you that unbeatable competitive edge. Don’t settle for less—maximize your profits with Zebra Robotics Automation. To learn more about Zebra's solutions goto: https://www.zebra.com/fulfillment

Drone Week: Innovation in agriculture and hydrogen-fueled drones Sep 27, 2024

It's drone week on the podcast, and we feature two interviews from the world of aerial robotics. Today, we talk with Hylio Drones CEO and Co-founder Arthur Erickson. He and his fellow University of Texas, Austin co-founders are focused on the ag-spraying industry and are the largest U.S.-based ag-spraying drone company. The company manufactures its drones entirely in the U.S., and has a healthy pipeline of clients. Learn more: https://www.hyl.io/ The second featured interview is with Heven Drones CEO and co-founder Bentzion Levinson. Heven (pronounced "heaven") Drones are innovating in the drone market by using hydrogen fuel cells instead of lithium-ion batteries to achieve fight times of up to eight hours. Heven is deploying its drone platform into use cases such as infrastructure inspection, security, long-distance package delivery, and military applications. Learn more: https://hevendrones.com/

Kinisi Robotics on the potential of wheeled humanoids Sep 20, 2024

This week we connected with Bren Pierce, CEO and founder of a young startup that recently decloaked to bring a new wheeled humanoid robot platform to market. Pierce was a co-founder and chief robotics officer at Bear Robotics, and his latest venture is looking at the applications of a wheeled humanoid solution. Pierce is considering deploying this new robot into warehousing and service robotics applications. Imagine a robot that can serve food and bus the tables in a restaurant. Pierce fully understands how to build robotics for this market, and believes that a wheeled robot with two arms is the right solution. Learn more at:https://www.kinisi.tech/ In this episode cohosts Mike Oitzman and Gene Demaitre also review the top robotics news stories of the week. Please like and subscribe to ensure that you don't miss an episode.

Yarbo brings robots to the backyard Sep 13, 2024

In this episode, we learn all about Yarbo robotics from cofounder Kenneth Kohlmann. Yarbo made its mark with the launch of its first robotic snow blower in 2018, and has now extended the product line with additional attachments including a mower deck and leaf blower. The company has plans to extend the utility of the robotic base with more attachments in the future. Learn more at: https://www.yarbo.com/us

Unpacking Amazon’s unique Covariant AI deal Sep 07, 2024

Cohosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman discuss the latest robotics news from the last week, including a review of the July funding report, which topped $1.3B. 1X also unveiled the NEO Beta humanoid model and prepares for pilot deployments into test home environments. The recent news of the Covariant AI acquisition or acqui-hire by Amazon is an interesting strategic move by the retailing giant. Both companies declined to comment on the details of the acquisition, so we asked ex-Amazon robotics leader and current CEO and founder of Collaborative Robotics, Brad Porter, to join us on the show to share his insights into the state of AI development and why this is an exciting move by Amazon. To learn more about Collaborative Robotics, goto: https://www.co.bot/

Ask an Expert: Versaflex conveyors with mk North America Sep 03, 2024

On the show today, we sit down with Michael Zampano, product engineer from mk North America, and learn all about flexible conveyance, a critical part of many robotic workcells. You'll learn about the Versaflex AP10, a flexible pallet conveyor solution. The Versaflex can be configured to fit the part-feeding requirements of any industrial robotic work cell. The solution is highly durable and can be reconfigured as the production evolves. To learn more about the Versaflex solution go to: https://www.mknorthamerica.com/Products/versaflex-pallet-conveyors/ About Ask an Expert - this series features in-depth discussions with product experts about how those solutions are changing the landscape of automation and robotics. If you'd like to feature an expert from your company on a future episode of "Ask an Expert" - contact our executive producer: Courtney Nagle - cnagle@wtwhmedia.com

Counting inventory with Nokia AIMS smart drone technology Aug 30, 2024

Catch up on the latest robotics news of the week, including Boston Dynamics Atlas doing pushups; Fanuc launches new R50i robot controller; Waymo starts airport pickup in Phoenix. The featured interview this week is with Paul Heitlinger, General Manager of Nokia AIMS (autonomous inventory management system). We learn about the new Nokia AIMS inventory counting solution, the technology behind it, and why Nokia is in the warehouse management space now. Links from the show: https://www.nokia.com/industries/manufacturing-and-logistics/aims/

Driving the transformation of the robotics industry Aug 16, 2024

This episode dives into the heart of the robotics industry with a special treat: the keynote fireside chat from the 2024 Robotics Summit. Join us as we listen in on Steve Crowe's insightful conversation with Ujjwal Kumar, Group President of Teradyne Robotics. They delve into the landscape of robotics, discussing Teredyne's collaborative robotics divisions UR and MiR, and sharing Ujjwal's unique perspective on the industry's future. Catch up on the latest news in the robotics industry this week, including an update on Serve Robotics newest merchant: Shake Shack, and a conversation with Serve Robotics President and COO, Touraj Parang about the expansion of service earlier in the week,

New dimensions in warehouse automation Aug 09, 2024

On the show today, we have a conversation with Chris Walti, CEO and co-founder of Mytra AI. Mytra decloaked and unveiled its pallet-based ASRS-like storage array for warehousing last month. The solution is unique for the payload size (3000 lbs) that the Mytrabots move through the storage array. The company is beginning to deploy pilot projects with early access customers and Chris discusses the ideal applications for the system. To learn more, check out the story on therobotreport.com or at mytra.ai

The State of Warehouse Automation Aug 01, 2024

On the show today, we hear a replay of the State of Warehouse Automation Panel from the 2024 Robotics Summit, this was an esteemed panel moderated by Eugene Demaitre and featuring the voices of Tim Tetzlaff Vice President, Global Head of Accelerated Digitalization | DHL Supply Chain, John Santagate VP of Robotics | Körber Supply Chain, and Adrian Stoch Chief Automation Officer | GXO. The second feature on the show today is the last in our series of interviews recorded during the recent robotics summit, this one with Carlos Bielicki VP of Sales from Performance Motion Devices in an interview with Chris Lueke, host of the Manufacturing Happy Hour.

Advancing the World of Construction Robotics Jul 26, 2024

This week we connect with Mike Pivac, CEO of FBR. The Australian robotics company recently brought the latest generation of its HadrianX autonomous bricklaying robot to the U.S. for early market trials during the next 6 months. We talked with Pivac about the market needs that fueled the creation and evolution of HadrianX over the last decade. This innovative robot can lay up the brick walls for a residential home autonomously in a single workday. This episode also features an interview with Chris Luecke (The Manufacturing Happy Hour) and Joe Martino (Maxon Group) about the features and use cases for Maxon motion solutions.

Making robots easier to program and deploy Jul 19, 2024

In this episode, we learn how Jacobi Robotics is improving the programming and deployment of industrial robots from CEO and co-founder Max Cao. You'll learn how Jacobi is using AI to simplify the robot programming process. The company has released its first application specifically for palletizing. Later on in the show, Jake Hall, the Manufacturing Millenial, sits down with Jan Hennecke, product manager for Igus at the recent Robotics Summit to learn all about Igus' low-cost and easy-to-program robotics product line.

Pushing the limits of warehouse inventory management Jun 28, 2024

On today's episode, we catch up with Oana Jinga, co-founder, Chief Commercial and Product Officer for Dexory to learn all about the Dexory warehouse inventory management solution. Also on this episode, we feature a conversation between editorial director Gene Demaitre and Garret Place, Business Development for robotic perception at ifm.

Advancing the capabilities and standards of indoor and outdoor autonomous systems Jun 14, 2024

Stratom President and CEO Mark Gordon joins us today on the podcast. Stratom is a military contractor that makes robots for various divisions of the US armed forces. The company has also expanded to the commercial sector with its field robotics solutions, including applications such as mining and construction. Listen in as our friend Aaron Prather from ASTM sits down with Meghan Ziemba of Mavens of Manufacturing to continue our interview series from the Robotics Summit this spring.

Gathering warehouse inventory data - plus a look at Electrocraft motion solutions Jun 07, 2024

On the show today, we talk to Sankalp Arora, CEO and co-founder of Gather.ai, and learn about Gather’s view of warehouse inventory management using drones. The second feature on the show today is an interview with Jake Hall, the Manufacturing Millenial, and Scott Sizemore, Director of Commercial Marketing at Electrocraft. Links: https://www.gather.ai/ https://www.electrocraft.com/

The inside scoop on food manufacturing with Chef Robotics May 31, 2024

On the show this week, we get the inside scoop on automating food manufacturing with Chef Robotics founder and CEO Rajat Bhageria. He takes us through the evolution of the Chef Robotics roadmap and the complexities of handling a variety of precooked food items with a robot. Check out Chef Robotics: Also on the show this week, Meaghan Ziemba, host of Mavens of Manufacturing interviews Joyce Sidopoulos, co-founder and COO of MassRobotics. This interview was recorded live at the recent Robotics Summit event in Boston. https://www.massrobotics.org/ https://www.mavensofmanufacturing.com/

Configuring the future of robotics May 22, 2024

In this episode of The Robot Report Podcast, Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman discuss the news of the week, then we hear recent interviews with Mike Oitzman and Ting Ming Ling, founder and CEO of OTSAW. Then we hear Eugene Demaitre interview Etienne Lacroix, CEO and founder of VENTION at the recent Robotics Summit. Links from the show: https://vention.io/ https://otsaw.com/camelloplus/ https://sfstandard.com/2024/05/20/waymo-foils-downtown-robbery-after-crash-cops-say/

2024 Robotics Summit recap / Interviews with RBR50 Winners May 15, 2024

In this episode, Steve Crowe, Mike Oitzman and Eugene Demaitre discuss highlights from the 2024 Robotics Summit and Expo that took place in Boston earlier in the month. Also featured in this episode are interviews with Agility Robotics co-founder and Chief Robotics Officer, Jonathan Hurst, along with Brightpick co-founder and CEO, Jan Zizka. Agility Robotics was the inaugural RBR50 2024 Robot of the Year winner, and Brightpick was the inaugural RBR50 2024 Application of the Year winner. See all of this years winners here: https://www.therobotreport.com/rbr50-2024/ Keep up with the latest robotics news and information here on our network of websites: https://www.therobotreport.com/ https://mobilerobotguide.com/ https://www.cobottrends.com/

From the barn to the bar: AI powered robots Apr 19, 2024

In this episode, we talk to Matt Casella from Richtech about the Adam bartending robot, and then to Chris Padwick from John Deere about creating vision models for spraying weeds in the field. Both interviews occurred during the NVIDIA GTC24 event in March, and both companies leverage NVIDIA technology in their robotic solutions. We also cover the breaking news from the week, including the launch of the new Boston Dynamics Electric Atlas Richtech Robotics: https://www.richtechrobotics.com/ John Deere Autonomous Solutions: https://www.deere.com/en/sprayers/see-spray/ Boston Dynamics Electric Atlas: https://bostondynamics.com/atlas/

2024 RBR50 Innovation Awards Apr 12, 2024

This week, the entire The Robot Report editorial staff is on the show to discuss the highlights of the 2024 RBR50 Innovation Awards that were announced earlier this week. Host Steve Crowe discusses the awards with Mike Oitzman, Eugene Demaitre, and Brianna Wessling. You can view all of the award winners and the writeups of their 2024 winning innovation on The Robot Report website: https://www.therobotreport.com/rbr50-2024/ All of this year's winners will be honored at the inaugural RBR50 Gala at the 2024 Robotics Summit and Expo, in Boston, on May 1. There's still time to register: https://www.roboticssummit.com/ Plus, you'll be able to see many of the innovations live at the RBR50 pavilion on the expo floor. Congrats to all of this years honorees.

Team and TAM, the keys to investing in robotics Mar 29, 2024

Our featured guest on the show this week is Jamie Lee, Managing Partner at Tamarack Global. Tamarack Global emerged on our radar last month as one of the investors who participated in the recent series B funding round for Figure AI. After meeting Jamie Lee for research for those news stories, we invited Jamie to come onto the podcast and share his investment thesis and the reasons why they are so bullish about humanoids, Figure AI, and especially Figure CEO and founder Brett Adcock. The heart of Tamarack's investment philosophy centers around investing in strong leaders who hire strong teams and build solutions for very large markets. But you'll also learn about Jamie's pragmatic philosophy for evaluating proposals and some of the danger signals that he looks for when evaluating a potential investment. Tamarack Global: https://www.tamarackglobal.com/ The Robot Report: https://www.therobotreport.com/

NVIDIA GTC24 and R-24 recap Mar 22, 2024

In this episode, cohosts Mike Oitzman and Gene Demaitre recap their attendance at the NVIDIA GTC24 event in San Jose CA, and Gene's recent trip to Denmark to attend the R24 robotics event. You'll get to hear about takeaways from the sessions that they attended, the vendor demos and robotics solutions that were at these recent shows. NVIDIA keynote story: https://www.therobotreport.com/nvidia-announces-new-robotics-products-at-gtc-2024/ R24 recap story: https://www.therobotreport.com/odense-robotics-culture-of-collaboration-can-overcome-economic-challenges-says-ceo/

MODEX 2024 recap Mar 15, 2024

This week host Steve Crowe reviews what he saw and learned while attending MODEX in Atlanta GA earlier in the week. Steve highlights the new products and new features for the many automation providers at the show. He also shares some side conversations and checks the pulse of the warehousing and material handling industry. Don't miss this episode if you weren't able to attend the show yourself.

Cutting Edge: AI-Powered Landscaping with Electric Sheep Mar 08, 2024

Nag Murty, CEO and cofounder of Electric Sheep, and Michael Laskey, CTO of Electric Sheep join the show this week to discuss how Electric Sheep is disrupting the commercial landscaping industry with autonomous mobile robots and a unique business model. The company is leveraging AI to enable autonomous mowers to cut the grass while simplifying the deployment process in the field. Electric Sheep is also vertically integrating the market segment through the acquisition of commercial landscaping businesses, then training the field workforce and integrating the autonomous mowers in the daily workflow for the field teams while learning and adapting the product.

Harvesting innovation: The story behind Tortuga's autonomous harvesting robots Feb 29, 2024

Eric Adamson, CEO and co-founder of Tortuga, joins us in this episode to discuss agricultural robotics. Tortuga is one of the agtech companies leading the charge to transform greenhouse farming with their autonomous harvesting robots. Eric discusses the difficulties and successes of developing robots for use in greenhouses, shedding light on the processes involved in harvesting strawberries, grapes, and tomatoes. This episode offers an intriguing look into how technology and agriculture are influencing the future of food production, from overcoming design limits to investigating creative alternatives. We also catch up on the news of the week, including the announcement of $675M in a Series B investment round taken by humanoid developer Figure.

Warehouse automation update with Fetch Robotics and Anyware Robotics Feb 22, 2024

On the show this week, we have a conversation with Thomas Tang, CEO and co-founder of Anyware Robotics. Anyware Robotics is launching an autonomous trailer unloading solution, that will make its debut at MODEX 2024. We also catch up with Matt Wicks, Sr Director and robotics automation business leader with Zebra Technology. Matt is responsible for the Fetch Robotics products at Zebra, and brings us up to speed on the AMR portfolio.

3 Laws robot safety and the evolution of bipedal locomotion Feb 16, 2024

On the show today, we interview Dr Aaron Ames, Professor of Mechanical and Civil Engineering and Control and Dynamical Systems at CalTech. Dr Ames is also a cofounder and Chief Scientist of 3Laws - a company, providing safety-critical controls architecture for robotics companies. We talk about the last decade of development for bipedal locomotion and the recent evolution of humanoid robots since Dr Ames has been researching and investigating this interesting research area since his postdoc days. You'll also learn about the core technology that's driving robotic safety algorithms and why 3Laws came together to deliver a solution for any robotic system. You can learn more about 3Law on the web at:3lawsrobotics.io

A look at Zipline's future & the design of the Zip's Droid Feb 07, 2024

In this week's episode of the podcast, co-hosts Mike Oitzman and Gene Demaitre discuss the current state of Zipline with Keenan Wyrobek, who is the Chief Technology Officer and also one of the firm's co-founders. Additionally, we learn some more details on the design of the new ZIP delivery "Droid" from the chief droid engineer, Stephen Killian. Gene attended the Manifest, logistics tradeshow in Las Vegas earlier this week, and gives us an update on what he saw at the show.

What's next for iRobot? Feb 01, 2024

In this episode, co-hosts Steve Crowe, Mike Oitzman and Gene Demaitre discuss the recent news about the termination of the proposed acquisition of iRobot by Amazon. As a result of the terminated deal, iRobot CEO and cofounder Colin Angle is stepping down from his role as CEO, and the company has laid off 31% of its employees. The companies signed the proposed acquisition agreement on Aug. 4, 2022, and the Seattle-based e-commerce giant would have acquired the Bedford, Mass.-based robotic vacuum vendor for up to $1.7 billion in cash. That amount was lowered to $1.42 billion after iRobot acquired new debt, and it laid off 10% of its staff, or about 140 employees. We discuss potential reasons why the deal failed, and what might be next for iRobot. You can read the complete news story about this on The Robot Report at www.therobotreport.com If you like the show, please like and subscribe and share this with another colleague who might be interested.

Update on AgTech automation at CNHI Jan 26, 2024

On the show this week, cohosts Mike Oitzman and Gene Demaitre catch up with Marc Kermisch, CDO at CNHI. Marc takes us through the latest update on autonomy and the digitization of agriculture data to help farmers and growers improve yields and efficiency on the farm. We also recap the latest robotics news and walk through an update from robotics and automation companies who attended the 2024 CES show.

2023 year in review: GenAI, humanoids dominate robotics industry Dec 21, 2023

On the show this week, Steve Crowe, Gene Demaitre, and Mike Oitzman sit down and review their favorite robotics news stories from 2023. This episode also features appearances by Ken Goldberg, Ash Sharma, Aaron Prather, Kevin Lawton, and Jeff Linnell - all sharing their thoughts on the top news stories of the year. At the top of the list of news stories are the impact that GenAI and humanoid robots have made this year along with a snapshot of the state of the robotics industry.

RoboBusiness Pitchfire winner Glidance helping sight-impaired individuals regain their independence Dec 15, 2023

In this episode, we learn about the innovative solution from Glidance, the 2023 RoboBusiness Pitchfire pitch contest winner. Cohosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman sit down with Glidance cofounder and CEO Amos Miller to learn all about the genesis of the company and their physical guidance robotic solution from Glidance. The device guides sight-impaired individual by perceiving the world around them and leading them on a safe path to their destination. This device is easy to use and quick to learn and Amos is promising to restore the independence of sight-impaired individuals. Amos lost his sight to retinitis pigmentosa in his 20s. While guide dogs are a tremendous solution and companion for blind individuals, unfortunately, the need far outstrips the number of available guide dogs in any given year. The Glidance solution has the opportunity to help blind individuals regain independence and agency, especially those who lose their sight late in life. The Glide unit goes into beta testing in the middle of 2024 and promises to be as affordable as a new cell phone. To learn more about Glidance, check out their website: glidance.io

Inside the state of warehouse automation Dec 08, 2023

Today's episode is a deep dive into warehouse automation. We discuss the role humanoids are hoping to play in logistics, including how GXO is testing the Digit humanoid from Agility Robotics. We also discuss the state of mobile robots with John Santagate, the Vice President of Robotics at Körber Supply Chain. We also talk about artificial intelligence and the growth of picking robots with Peter Chen, Co-Founder and CEO of Covariant.

The Future of Surgery: The long path to market for surgical robots with Adam Sachs from Vicarious Nov 30, 2023

On this episode of the podcast, we check in with Adam Sachs, cofounder and CEO of Vicarious surgical robots. Adam comes back to the show with an update on the long journey to market for surgical robots. Adam last joined us in Episode 56, back in September 2021 when Vicarious first launched the Vicarious Surgical robot into pilot implementations. The Vicarious Surgical robot utilizes a single port requiring a 1.5 cm incision — smaller than the size of a dime — for the insertion of the camera and two robotic instruments, transporting surgeons to a new world of visibility and maneuverability. To learn more about Vicarious Surgical goto: www.vicarioussurgical.com Also on this episode, cohosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman discuss the recent news from General Motors, owner of Cruise about the future of Cruise robotaxi service, and the other major news about the EU response to the Amazon iRobot proposed merger. If you like the show, please subscribe and tell a friend about it, this helps us grow our audience. Thanks.

Tangram launches new HiFi 3D sensor; Next Generation Robotics on the cutting edge of optimization Nov 21, 2023

In this podcast episode, we learn about the new Tangram Vision HiFi 3D sensor with Adam Rodnitzky and Brandon Minor from Tangram Vision. The company recently launched a Kickstarter for their new hardware product and the specs on this new sensor are promising to disrupt the depth sensor market for price and performance. Listen to the interview to learn more about this new product and search “HiFi 3D Sensor” on Kickstarter to see the complete product specs and get in the queue for your own camera. Also on this episode, we sit down with David Pepper, cofounder and CEO of Next Generation Robotics, to learn how they innovate by offering “optimization as a service” for expanded capabilities in fleet management and inventory movement within warehouses. The company has been developing its algorithms and setting up a cloud-based service for robotics vendors and warehouse management software (WMS) providers to tap into optimization algorithms for their specific workflows. The service is now available for use. Finally, cohosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman discuss the news of the week, focusing on Kyle Vogt's departure from Cruise and what this means for the autonomous robotaxi market. If you like the show, please subscribe and tell a friend about it, this helps us grow our audience. Thanks.

Motion control with GAM Enterprises and wireless power with CaPow Nov 17, 2023

This episode features a double header of interviews, a recap of news from the week, and the reintroduction of Eugene Demaitre as a cohost of the show. We welcome Eugene Demaitre back to the show as he rejoins the editorial staff as editorial director at The Robot Report and WTWH Media. Eugene co-founded this podcast together with Steve Crowe. This week's first interview is with Craig Van den Avont, President at GAM Enterprises. GAM manufactures motion drives and other custom motion control solutions. The second interview is with Mor Peretz, CEO and co-founder of CaPow. CaPow is a startup innovating with wireless power delivery for AMRs and AGVs. Their unique solution can continuously deliver wireless power, enabling mobile robots' unique operation without a traditional battery onboard. The show is longer than normal this week, but both companies deliver unique value and innovation to their clients. For more information check out: GAM Enterprises: gamweb.com CaPow: capow.energy Show schedule: 28:19 - Interview with Craig Van den Avont - President at GAM Enterprises. 1:01:19 - Interview with Mor Peretz, CEO and Cofounder of CaPow

Eaches picking with Brightpick mobile manipulators at Brightpick Nov 09, 2023

On the show today we recap the October funding stories and other robotics news stories of the last week, and then talk to Joyce Sidopoulis and Marita McGinn from MassRobotics about the upcoming 2024 MassRobotics Accelerator program (applications close Nov 30). For our featured interview, we talked to Brightpick CEO Jan Zizka about the capabilities and application of the new Brightpick mobile manipulator for eaches picking with the warehouse. For links to all of the stories with reference on the show today, check out the show notes on therobotreport.com

Kate Darling on the Future of Robotics and AI Ethics Oct 24, 2023

In this episode, we recap the recent RoboBusiness 2023 event and the recent news of Agility Robotics humanoid testing at Amazon. Our featured interview on this episode is with Dr. Kate Darling, who is joining Marc Raibert in her dream job at the Boston Dynamics AI Institute to head up their AI and ethics research group. We talk to Kate about everything from AI and humanoid robots to her kids' love affair with the Marty Robot at the local Stop and Shop supermarket. Note: This is a long episode, but there was so much to talk about with Kate, that we didn't want to cut anything out.

RGO Robotics and Verizon on the future of robotics perception and AI compute on the edge Oct 11, 2023

On the show this week, we check in with RGO Robotics cofounder and CEO Amir Bousani and Simon Jensen-Fellows from Verizon for an in-depth conversation about how AI is quickly evolving and how this will impact the perception and autonomy capabilities of mobile robots. Simon informs us on how Verizon's 5G network can support the edge computing and communication needs of the mobile robotics industry in the future. It's a look at how the architecture of the cloud and the edge is evolving to meet the growing needs of mobile robotics. We also cover the news of the week, including the announcement of a new funding round for mobile robotics software provider Formant, and we have a quick interview with Formant cofounder and CEO Jeff Linnell.

Daniel Theobald on funding early startups and the future for ag robotics Oct 02, 2023

On this episode, we sit down with Vecna Robotics Founder and Chairman Daniel Theobald and talk about the perils of funding early-stage robotics startups and the experience that Daniel will bring to the Robotics Startup Workshop on October 18 at RoboBusiness 2023. Daniel also takes us behind the scenes at his latest venture at Twisted Fields on the California coast, his personal farm and ag-robotics test ground. It's a great conversation with one of the mobile robotics industry luminaries.

TRI using generative AI to teach robots; Four Growers on developing harvesting robots Sep 22, 2023

This week's podcast focuses heavily on the agricultural robotics industry. Mike shares his insights from FIRA USA and we sit down with Brandon Contino, CEO and co-founder of Four Growers, a startup building robots to harvest foods grown in greenhouses. Brandon talks about the technical and business challenges related to the robot and how focusing on greenhouses helps product evolution, We also recap the stories of the week, including how Toyota Research Institute is using Generative AI to help robots learn dexterous manipulation behaviors. TRI is looking to build Large Behavior Models for robots, akin to Large Language Models (LLMs) for conversational AI.

Agility Robotics' Melonee Wise on role of humanoids Sep 14, 2023

Our guest this week is a long-time friend of the show and industry innovator Melonee Wise. Melonee was a co-founder of Fetch Robotics (acquired by Zebra in 2021), and an early pioneer of mobile robotics at Willow Garage. Melonee recently joined Agility Robotics in the role of CTO, where she is leading the technical roadmap. She brings a breadth of experience in commercializing mobile robotic solutions. The interview with Melonee starts at 23:51. In addition, catch up on the latest news in the robotics world with hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman.

Outrider CEO on yard automation; Here come GPT-based cobot arms Sep 01, 2023

Andrew Smith, CEO and co-founder of Outrider, takes us inside the company's efforts to commercialize yard automation. Outrider turns electric yard trucks into autonomous vehicles that couple tractor to trailer using its patented robotic arm and precisely maneuver between dock doors and parking spots. We also recap the tops stories of the week, including new GPT-based cobot arms, declining robot sales in North America and more. https://www.robobusiness.com/ https://www.outrider.ai/ https://www.therobotreport.com/doosan-microsoft-plan-to-build-gpt-based-robots/ https://www.therobotreport.com/a3-north-american-robot-orders-drop-for-2nd-quarter-in-a-row/ https://mobilerobotguide.com/2023/08/30/pudu-robotics-launches-open-platform-for-remote-management-of-amrs/

Shaping the Future: Apptronik CEO Jeff Cardenas and the Apollo Humanoid Aug 23, 2023

The humanoid robot market is quickly maturing. Our guest this week is Apptronik CEO and cofounder Jeff Cardenas. He tells the in-depth story about the development of legged robotics and humanoids at Apptronik and the launch of the company's first commercial humanoid robot, Apollo. With the launch of Apollo, Apptronik became one of the early innovators in the race to create a general-purpose humanoid robot. It turns out that the company has a rich history in legged robotics, having worked on the first generation of NASA Valkyrie robot, and multiple generations of exoskeletons since its founding in 2015.

ANYbotics ANYmal quadruped with Enzo Wälchli Aug 16, 2023

In this episode, cohost Mike Oitzman sits down with ANYbotics Chief Commercial Officer Enzo Wälchli to learn all about the swiss designed quadruped robot. The ANYmal is designed to be explosion-proof and operate in extreme environments including inspection tasks for oil and gas processing facilities, offshore oil rigs, processing plants, manufacturing facilities and anywhere else that require a nimble mobile platform to operate. ANYbotics is expanding into North America, and Wälchli discusses how the company is approaching this expansion and building its distribution and support network. The company has been selling solutions in Europe since the launch of ANYmal in 2019. The company spun out of ETH Zurich in 2016.

Trends in warehouse automation Aug 10, 2023

This week, cohost Mike Oitzman catches up with a longtime friend and fellow podcaster Kevin Lawton, host of The New Warehouse Podcast. We talk about the state of automation in the warehouse and how the market is evolving. Be sure to check out The New Warehouse Podcast for everything related to warehouse operations and technology.

Aerobotix integrates robots that inspect, prepare, and paint combat aircraft Aug 03, 2023

On the show this week we review the robotics industry news, including a story about the Ocado acquisition of 6 River Systems and the fire sale price that Ocado paid for the assets of 6 River Systems from Shopify earlier this year. The featured interview is a conversation with Aerobotix VP of Sales, Chris Kolb. Aerobotix builds and integrates robotic inspection, sanding, and painting systems for US military aircraft maintenance. The systems installed by Aerobotix even painted the US Air Force aircraft filmed for the original Top Gun Maverick movie.

Marc Raibert on the future of robotics Jul 25, 2023

This week we feature the Robotics Summit 2023 keynote fireside chat between Steve Crowe and Marc Raibert. Marc founded Boston Dynamics and led the company as CEO for 30 years until he left last year to found the AI Institute. Steve and Marc talk about the amazing innovation at Boston Dynamics and why Marc decided to switch gears and move to the AI institute. It's a memorable conversation that we wanted to feature on the podcast both for listeners who were unable to attend and as a recap for those who did attend the recent Robotics Summit in Boston.

ABB Robotics President Marc Segura discusses current and future of robotics Jul 07, 2023

On the show this week, we talk to Marc Segura, President of the ABB Robotics Division. Marc is an industry veteran with 25+ years at ABB. On the show, he gives us his perspective on the current state of the robotics market, the roadmap for ABB products and the future of mobile robots. Marc introduces us to the new lineup of ABB industrial robots with changeable link sizes, enabling 22 variants of four base models.

Victor Splittgerber discusses European AMR market and recaps Logimat Show Jun 23, 2023

In this episode, we recap the recent LogiMat tradeshow in Europe with Waku Robotics founder and CEO Victor SplittGerber. Victor also brings us up to speed on the European AMR market and the evolution of the Lotsofbots online mobile robot database that Waku Robotics developed and maintains.

Relay Robotics launches expanded cargo Relay2 robot Jun 09, 2023

In this episode, we talk to Relay Robotics CEO Michael O'Donnell and CTO Steve Cousins about the features of the newly launched Relay2 delivery robot. O'Donnell discusses how the hotel foodservice market has changed during the pandemic and why third-party food delivery apps like Doordash have upended the room service market for hotels. The result is a renewed opportunity for a larger payload Relay robot to become an important addition to a hotel's service offerings for travelers. Cousins discusses the evolution of the elevator interface integration and the removal of the mechanical elevator-pushing interface that was a key part of the Relay1 robot.

Roberta Nelson Shea: 2023 Joseph Engelberger Robotics Award winner Jun 02, 2023

This week we have the pleasure of interviewing Roberta Nelson Shea who was the 2023 Joseph F Engelberger Robotics Application Award winner. Roberta tells us some great stories from her career leading the development of worldwide robotics safety standards.

Figure raises $70M to build humanoid robots May 24, 2023

In this episode, we talk to Figure CEO and cofounder Brett Adcock about his vision for building general-purpose humanoid robots. The company recently closed its series A for $70M and is a year into the design and development of its first humanoid robot. This episode is sponsored by Cloud Ground Control.

Cloud based robotic fleet management and control May 19, 2023

In this episode, we go into detail about cloud-based control of remote fleets of outdoor robotics with an interview with Xavier Orr, CEO, of Advanced Navigation along with one of its customers: Michael Arens, co-founder and CEO of Clean Earth Rovers. Advanced Navigation has a portfolio of guidance sensors, a plug-and-play cellular modem, and the new Cloud Ground Control software.

Fox Robotics trailer unloading and Canvas wall finishing robots May 16, 2023

This week, we recap the 2023 Robotics Summit event that took place last week in Boston. On the show, Mike Oitzman interviews Fox Robotics' new CEO Marin Tchakarov during a recent visit to Austin TX, and Mike also interviews Canvas Robotics' CEO and co-founder Kevin Albert about the innovation of using robots to help to finish dry wall at construction sites. This episode is sponsored by Cloud Ground Control, learn more at: https://www.cloudgroundcontrol.com/

Christine Boles discusses key robotics technology from Intel May 04, 2023

Our guest this week is Christine Boles, Vice President in the Network & Edge Group (NEX) and General Manager of Intel’s Federal and Industrial Solutions. Robotics at Intel falls under Federal and Industrial Solutions, so Christine plays a pivotal role in developing Intel’s solutions roadmap for robotics developers. We talk to her about the key technologies available today from Intel, including software, hardware and sensors essential for robotics development. We’ll also learn what new technologies will be coming out from Intel in the near future.

Bonus Edition - 2023 RBR50 Review Apr 21, 2023

In this episode, co-hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman review some of their favorite 2023 RBR50 Innovation Award honorees, discussing innovation trends in robotics and what stands out as the state of the art in robotics development across the entire industry, from space robotics to your local grocery aisle.

Autonomous vehicle technology deep dive at John Deere and Zoox Apr 18, 2023

In this episode, we review John Deere AgTech presented at the 2023 John Deere Technology Summit, and interview Jorge Heraud, VP of Autonomy at John Deere. Later in the episode we discuss the sensor and perception stack being developed to operate the Zoox autonomous vehicle with two of Zoox's technology leaders: RJ He and Ryan McMichael. If you love autonomous vehicles, this episode looks at the current state of AV technology in two of the key use cases.

ProMat 2023 robotics recap Mar 23, 2023

This week, Steve and Mike recap all of the robotics-related technology on display at the 2023 ProMat tradeshow. Steve went to the show and shares his discoveries and some of the conversations with industry leaders. Mike reviews news from the NVIDIA GTC keynote and robotics-related news from NVIDIA.

Silicon Valley Bank closed by FDIC Mar 10, 2023

In the news today, we talk about the breaking story about the impact of Silicon Valley Bank being closed and put into receivership by the FDIC and the impact that this is likely to have on technology startups and the VCs that support their growth. This rapidly evolving situation is likely to have repercussions for the tech industry the remainder of the year. Unrelated to the SVB story, we also interview Rylan Hamilton, co-founder and CEO of 6 River Systems about his start in robotics with Kiva Systems and how he started and built 6 River Systems into a leading AMR manufacturer that's now a major part of the Shopify family.

Dejan Pangercic on ROS based autonomous vehicle software Mar 03, 2023

Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman discuss the uncloaking of Figure.AI, a new humanoid robot. They also discuss the latest with ChatGPT and what the latest release brings for roboticists. Our guest on the show today is Dejan Pangercic, co-founder and CTO of APEX.ai, an autonomous vehicle software company that has built a hardned OS around ROS 2. Dejan takes us through the features of the software and why it is an important solution for developers of autonomous vehicles today.

Ted Larson from OLogic shares robot development stories Feb 25, 2023

This week, co-hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman talk to industry veteran Ted Larson, the co-founder and CEO of OLogic. Ted, and OLogic have helped many robotic entrepreneurs through the design & development process of complex systems. Ted shares some of his favorite stories and valuable tips related to the complexities of developing successful robotic solutions.

Robots and automation at the World Ag Expo 2023 Feb 20, 2023

This week cohosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman explore the various robotic and automation solutions that were on display at the 2023 World Ag Expo in Tulare, CA. The episode features interviews with representatives from Monarch Tractor, Agtonomy, Carbon Robotics and Farmwise. Mike also discusses new solutions from Tevel Aerobotics, Farm-NG, Amos Power, Nexus Robotics, Bluewhite, Beewise, and Guardian Agriculture.

ASTM's Aaron Prather on standards and evaluating new robots Feb 09, 2023

Cohosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman review the news of the week, including a wayward Marty robot "out for a fresh air break". Joining us on the show this week is Aaron Prather, who is one of the robotics industries best known influencers. Aaron is a frequent speaker and discusses his new role at ASTM and reflects on his prior experience evaluating new robotics and automation for logistics and warehouse workflows in his previous role at FedEx. If you work for a young robotics startup, this is a great conversation to learn how to prepare for and deliver on the needs of your early clients.

Editors Pick: Best Robots of CES 2023; Boston Dynamics Atlas video review Jan 21, 2023

This week, co-hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman review the latest Boston Dynamics Atlas video and how Atlas is getting more agile through simulation. Mike Oitzman reviews his recent trip to CES 2023, and features interviews with Aeolus Robotics Head of Product, Dan Haddick. Next we talk to Robosen Chief Marketing Officer Tony Crisp about the capabilities of Optimus Prime toy robot, and what's next on their roadmap. Finally, Mike recaps the recent IAC @ CES autonomous car race and interviews IAC founder Paul Mitchell.

2022 in Review: The Year in Robotics Dec 21, 2022

Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman recap the top moments and biggest stories that happened in the robotics industry during 2022. Thanks again to all our listeners and guests for another great year!

Developing policies for cops using robots with lethal force Dec 09, 2022

This week we discuss the issue of police officers using robots with lethal force in emergency situations. After an initial 8-3 vote approving such a measure, San Francisco's board of supervisors reversed course this week and temporarily banned its police officers from using robots with lethal force. To break this all down, we're joined by Paul Scharre, Vice President and Director of Studies at the Center for a New American Security. Paul previously worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense where he played a leading role in establishing policies around unmanned and autonomous systems and emerging weapons technologies.

Nic Radford on developing underwater robots; Celebrating 100 episodes Dec 01, 2022

To celebrate our 100th episode, we look back at our favorite guests and moments. We also look ahead at what's next for the show. Nic Radford, founder and CEO of Nauticus Robotics, joins the show to discuss his team's development of underwater robots. Leveraging experience developing space robots for NASA, Nauticus' underwater robots can perform inspection and maintenance tasks and much more.

A conversation with the founders of RobOpsCon; a robo dog fight breaks out over patents Nov 18, 2022

In this episode, cohosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman talk to the co-founders of the Robotics Operations Group, affectionately known as "ROG" about the recent inaugural RobOpsCon. The mission of ROG is to develop and share best practices for the operation at scale of autonomous robots. Guests Florian Pestoni and Joe Wieciek talk to Mike about the growth of the group and the planning for the recent conference. For more information check out: robops.org We also talk about the news from the week, including a recent patent fight between "Robo dog" vendors Ghost Robotics and Boston Dynamics.

Inside Samantha Johnson's quest to build robots for deafblind people Nov 11, 2022

Samantha Johnson, founder and CEO of Boston-based startup Tatum Robotics, describes the company's anthropomorphic robotic system designed to sign tactile sign languages for people with deafblindness - they can't hear or see. Johnson dives into the challenging system design and the opportunities for such technology. Samantha also discusses her passion for helping the deafblind community, educating us about some of the daily challenges of those living with deafblindness.

Argo AI shuts down; Covariant CEO discusses new RaaS performance Oct 28, 2022

In this episode, we discuss the news of the shutdown of Argo AI and the state of autonomous driving, including the upcoming IAC race event. Mike interviews Covariant.AI CEO, Peter Chen, and they discuss the new CovariantOne RaaS solution, that's based on performance SLAs for the Covariant warehouse solution.

Viam opens beta of new robotics platform; Amazon/FedEx end testing of delivery robots Oct 14, 2022

In this episode, we talk to Eliot Horowitz, founder and CEO of Viam Inc. Viam launched the open beta of its new robotics platform. Viam provides an open-source robot architecture that turns complex functionality into simple APIs, with an integrated cloud service to orchestrate production deployments. Co-hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman also discuss news of the week, includes the end of delivery robot testing with Amazon and Fedex.

Tesla Optimus demo; Markus Schmidt from Swisslog on the future of warehouse automation Oct 04, 2022

This week, cohosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman discuss the recent unveiling of the Tesla Optimus bipedal robot at the Tesla AI Days 2022 event. We also learn about the latest in warehouse and logistics automation in an interview with Swisslog USA President, Markus Schmidt.

Victor Darolfi, CEO of RoboTire, puts robots in the auto shop Sep 23, 2022

This week, we talk with RoboTire CEO Victor Darolfi about automating tire-changing in auto shops. Victor explains the challenges of combining vision and robots to automate dirty, back-breaking work.

RoboBusiness and Field Robotics Forum Preview Sep 13, 2022

Co-hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman are joined by Dan Kara to preview and discuss the upcoming RoboBusiness and Field Robotics Engineering Forum. The events take place October 19-20, 2022 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. To register, go to robobusiness.com

Commercial UAV update; Product leadership at Bershire Grey with Kishore Boyalakuntla Sep 09, 2022

Cohosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman discuss the latest news about commercial UAVs, the recent FTC investigation of Amazon's pending acquisition of iRobot and Mike interviews Kishore Boyalakuntla, VP of products at automation provider Berkshire Grey

AI: chipset bans and keeping humans in the loop Sep 02, 2022

Michael Kohen, founder and CEO of Spark AI, joins the show. Michael discusses situations in which AI and machine learning still come up short for robotics systems and how his company's human-in-the-loop system helps solve edge cases in real-time. He shares specific real-world examples, including details about Spark AI's partnership with John Deere and its autonomous tractors. The podcast also discusses the top stories of the week, including the US government imposing restrictions on AMD and NVIDIA selling certain AI chipsets to China. We breakdown what this could mean for robotics.

Airports test self-driving passenger pods; Chili's pauses robotics pilot Aug 26, 2022

Jessica Yip, co-founder and chief operating officer of Canadian startup A&K Robotics joins the podcast. She discusses A&K's autonomous, electric pods that are being tested at airports to move passengers with mobility issues around concourses. The podcast also recaps the stories of the week, including Chili's pausing a robotics pilot, Locus scoring a major win with GEODIS and more.

Joe Speed update on Indy Autonomous Challenge; Skyline Robotics automates skyscraper window cleaning Aug 19, 2022

This week we get an update on the technology embedded within the Indy Autonomous Challenge racecars in a conversation with Joe Speed, plus we learn how Skyline Robotics is deploying robots to clean skyscraper windows in New York City.

The state of robotics investment Aug 12, 2022

Peter Finn, managing director of Cowen’s Industrials investment banking group, joins the podcast to discuss the state of investment into the robotics industry. Peter discusses how inflation, higher interest rates, and other world issues have impacted how investors are approaching robotics companies. He also shares the trends he's seeing, markets he's excited about, investment advice and thoughts about Amazon’s pending acquisition of iRobot.

Amazon to acquire iRobot; Robotics at DHL with Sally Miller Aug 05, 2022

This week our guest is Sally Miller, Chief Information Officer for DHL Supply Chain North America. Sally discusses the deployment of robotics at DHL North America, and how DHL likes to work with vendors to innovate and optimize their logistic workflows. This episode is sponsored by Weintek USA, maker of HMIs. For more information check out: http://www.weintekusa.com or call +1.425.488.1100

Jenga robot creator reviews chess-playing robot flaws Jul 29, 2022

Nima Fazeli, assistant professor of robotics at the University of Michigan and director of the Manipulation and Machine Intelligence Lab, joins the program to discuss the flaws of the chess-playing robot that broke a 7-year-old's finger during a tournament in Russia. Fazeli helped develop a Jenga-playing robot while at MIT. Mike and Steve also hit on the top stories of the week, including researchers using dead wolf spiders as mechanical grippers and another strong quarter for Teradyne's robotics group. Show Notes https://www.mmintlab.com/ https://www.therobotreport.com/mit-robot-uses-vision-touch-learn-jenga/ https://www.therobotreport.com/why-im-saying-no-to-necrobotics/ https://www.therobotreport.com/teradynes-robotics-group-101m-q2-2022/ https://www.therobotreport.com/locus-robotics-completes-soc-2-certification/ https://www.robobusiness.com/ https://www.fieldroboticsforum.com/

Inside the development of Labrador Systems' assistive robots Jul 21, 2022

Mike Dooley, co-founder and CEO of robotics startup Labrador Systems, joins the podcast. We discuss how Labrador built autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for home environments to help the elderly and those with mobility issues. Mike also discusses how his days at Evolution Robotics and iRobot helped shape some of the decisions being made at Labrador Systems. Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman also dive into the recent layoffs and shutdowns that have impacted numerous robotics companies.

Brian Gerkey from Open Robotics discusses the development of ROS Jul 01, 2022

Our guest this week is Brian Gerkey, CEO and co-founder of Open Robotics and one of creators of ROS. Brian tells us about the development and evolution of the Robot Operating System (ROS) and why open source software has played such a pivotal role in the growth of the robotics industry and in the acceleration of robotics research in university and corporate robotic labs around the world.

Anders Beck introduces the UR20; California bans autonomous tractors Jun 24, 2022

This week, hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman discuss the recent ban of autonomous tractors in California and what this means for the AGTECH industry to be able to test new solutions in California. Featured interview this week is Anders Beck, VP of Innovation and Strategy at Universal Robots. Anders introduces us to the new UR20 robot that was launched at Automatica 2022 this week. Special music this week is Tennessee Mines by Sam Hill, embedded with a CC Attribution-NonCommercial-sharealike 3.0 license.

Niels Jul Jacobsen, CEO, Capra Robotics; Spider-Man Robot Fail Jun 17, 2022

Niels Jul Jacobsen, CEO of Danish startup Capra Robotics, joins the show to discuss the company's innovative mobile robotics platform. He also shares lessons learned from scaling and selling Mobile Industrial Robots, an AMR developer he founded in 2013. Capra Robotics Website - https://capra.ooo/ https://www.therobotreport.com/watch-disneylands-spider-man-robot-crash-into-building/ https://www.therobotreport.com/watch-ghost-robotics-quadruped-go-swimming/

Jeremiah Robison from Cionic creates bionic clothing to help patients walk better Jun 10, 2022

In this episode, cohosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman learn the incredible story behind the bionic clothing company Cionic. The company was founded in 2018 by serial entrepreneur Jeremiah Robison who joins us on the show this week to discuss his mission to build bionic clothing that can analyze and augment human movement, enabling the body to move with more freedom and control.

Scythe Robotics CEO Jack Morrison discusses autonomous mowing Jun 03, 2022

In this episode, co-hosts Steve and Mike interview Scythe Robotics co-founder and CEO Jack Morrison. They discuss the market for autonomous landscaping, the features of the Scythe autonomous mower and Scythe's unique RaaS-based business model for commercial landscapers. Steve and Mike also discuss robots realism in the movies, the upcoming Automate Show and the launch of Epson's new flagship SCARA robot product line.

State of robotic perception with RGo Robotics' Amir Bousani May 27, 2022

Amir Bousani, co-founder and CEO of RGo Robotics, joins the show to discuss the state of perception for mobile robots. RGo Robotics recently exited stealth mode with $20 million in funding to scale its perception platform.

Robotics Summit 2022 recap May 18, 2022

This week, hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman are joined by WTWH VP of Robotics, Dan Kara and Jake Hall (AKA the Manufacturing Millennial) to recap the 2022 Robotics Summit that occurred last week in Boston. The event brought together a who's who of industry leaders to learn about new innovation and the technology that's supporting the growth of the robotics industry.

Agility Robotics gets a boost from Amazon; The US Alliance of Robotics Clusters is born May 07, 2022

This week, hosts Steve and Mike discuss the recent Cascadia connect event in Pittsburgh, where the announcement was made launching the the new US Alliance of Robotics Clusters. Mike had the opportunity to talk to Silicon Valley Robotics director Andra Keay and Pittsburgh Robotics Network director Joel Reed about the goals of the new organization. Mike also visiting Pittsburgh robotics company Agility Robotics and had the opportunity to catch up with co-founder and CEO Damion Shelton,

A Review of the 2022 RBR50 Innovation Awards Apr 25, 2022

In this episode, Steve and Mike are joined by Dan Kara and the three of them discuss the 2022 RBR50 honorees, including some of the most innovative and memorable solutions in this years cohort of award winners.

Willy Pell from Blue River Technology brings AI to the farm Apr 15, 2022

In this episode, we interview Willy Pell, VP of Autonomy, from Blue River technology. Willy goes deep on how AI and machine learning are core to the automation of John Deere tractors and discusses how important this is to the future of agriculture. Blue River Technology was acquired by John Deere in 2017 and is now a core part of the next generation of John Deere tractors, implements and making farming easier. Willy talks about the parallels between autonomous driving the autonomous control of farming equipment.

MODEX Recap; Family-owned business turns to cobots for help Apr 08, 2022

Welcome to Episode 74 of The Robot Report Podcast, which brings conversations with robotics innovators straight to you. Join us each week for discussions with leading roboticists, innovative robotics companies, and other key members of the robotics community. In today's episode: Steve and Mike discuss the product announcements and serendipitous discoveries at the recent MODEX tradeshow in Atlanta Georgia. Mike highlights his favorite new products that debuted at the show. We also interview Brian Tu, Chief Revenue Officer of DCL Logistics, who are a Universal Robots customer that deployed the UR robots to help improve the efficiency of the logistics operations in their distribution center.

Black I Robotics launches mobile heavy lift robot arm Mar 25, 2022

Mike talks to Black I Robotics founder and CEO Brian Hart, to discuss the introduction of the new Black I Fullscope Mobile Heavy Lift Arm. This new robotics solution is designed to be mounted on top of an AMR/AGV and deployed in a warehouse to autonomously pick up/drop off heavy items. The robotic arm is being shown publicly for the first time at MODEX in Atlanta next week. Steve and Mike also discuss the latest news stories from the last week.

Mark Messina on the future of warehouse automation Mar 18, 2022

Steve and Mike discuss the latest robot news from the last week, including the acquisition of Matrox by Zebra Techolologies, a new Realsense camera from Intel, the new Techmetics TRV AMR, the new Robotnik Robout heavy payload AMR and the deployment of BreezyOne Robot at Houston Airports. Our guest on the show today is Mark Messina, who as recently hired as CEO, Americas for warehouse solutions provider Addverb Technologies. Addverb is one of the largest warehouse solutions providers in Asia and are beginning its expansion into the Americas under the leadership of Mr Messina.

Cruise's VP of robotics on SF robotaxi operations Mar 03, 2022

In today's episode, Steve and Mike interview Rashed Haq, VP of Robotics for Cruise. Rashed discusses the current deployment of Cruise autonomous taxi's in San Francisco and what the company expects to learn from the experience as it gradually expanding its operating scope. Potentially passengers can now signup to be a part of the beta program and ride one of the robotaxis on the Cruise website.

OTTO Motors future in automotive; MARS Perseverance anniversary Feb 17, 2022

OTTO Motors CEO Matt Rendall joins us to discuss the growth and evolution of OTTO Motors, the current state of the material handling business and how simulation plays a big role in selling and supporting AMRs. We also celebrate the one year anniversary of the MARS 2020 mission.

Savioke Relay+ rides the elevator; World Ag Expo Robotics Feb 10, 2022

On this weeks episode we interview Savioke Robotics founder and CEO Steve Cousins about the new features and capabilities of the recently released Relay+ robot. Relay+ includes a new mechanical actuator to interact with the elevator without the need for a wired integration. Steve Crow and Mike Oitzman also review the most interesting robotics solutions on display at the 2022 World Ag Expo, including apple picking drones, dairy cow inoculating robots and a mummy shooting mobile robot.

Open source visualization and debugging for robotics Jan 28, 2022

Adrian Macneil, co-founder and CEO of Calif.-based startup Foxglove, discusses open source visualization and debugging tool for robotics. He discusses the company's spin-out from autonomous driving company Cruise, how its solutions differ from RViz, challenges of robotics development and the keys to running his startup.

APEX.AI discusses autonomous vehicle OS's; Nearly $1B in funding announcements Jan 21, 2022

In this weeks episode Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzmanreview the large number of recent robotics funding announcements over the past week. Mike interviews Jan Becker and Joe Speed from APEX.AI and they discuss the importance and evolution of real-time operating systems and technology stacks for autonomous vehicles. They also discuss the Autonomous Challenge at CES event.

Steve Crowe, Dan Kara and Mike Oitzman look to the year ahead in robotics Jan 12, 2022

In this episode, co-hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman are joined by Dan Kara and the team discusses their thoughts about what's coming in 2022 in the world of robotics. You'll get three unique perspectives on the latest trends and happenings in industrial robotics, mobile robots and autonomous vehicles.

Steve Crowe, Mike Oitzman and Dan Kara review the top robotics stories of 2021 Dec 22, 2021

For the last episode of 2021, the editorial staff of Steve Crowe, Mike Oitzman and Dan Kara review and discuss the top robotics stories of 2021. Thank you to all of our faithful audience for a great year. If you have feedback or input, leave us a voicemail at therobotreport.com/voicemail

Massrobotics and AWS Robotics join forces; New Savioke Relay+ Dec 17, 2021

Welcome to Episode 64 of The Robot Report Podcast, which brings conversations with robotics innovators straight to you. Join us each week for discussions with leading roboticists, innovative robotics companies, and other key members of the robotics community. In today's episode, Steve and Mike interview Fady Saad from Massrobotics and Eric Anderson from AWS Robotics about how Massrobotics and AWS are enabling young robotics startups to accelerate their growth and development. We learn about the new startup incubator program starting in 2022 and how your company can participate. Also on the show, we hear from Savioke CEO Steve Cousins about how a new feature in the Savioke Relay+ is delighting customers and setting the standard for social robotics interactions in the field.

Esben Østergaard: EU AI Act will stifle robotics innovation Dec 08, 2021

Welcome to Episode 63 of The Robot Report Podcast, which brings conversations with robotics innovators straight to you. Join us each week for discussions with leading roboticists, innovative robotics companies, and other key members of the robotics community. In today's episode, Steve and Mike interview robotics innovator Esben Østergaard, CEO of Reinvest Robotics and cofounder of Universal Robots. We discuss the potential impact of the pending EU AI Act and Machinery Directive. These directives are likely to impact the growth of AI startup in the EU and burden them with rules that will hamper innovation. Esben offers his thoughts about innovation and how successful robotics startups need a competitive playing field to be successful. Could this be the death of robotic and AI innovation in the EU? Listen in to learn more. Here's a link to Esben's recent blog about the impact of the EU AI Act and Machinery Directive. “The approach of the current machinery directive is sufficient. The problem is with governance. We recommend focusing on ensuring that products on the market actually comply with the current EU law, not creating new regulations,” said Østergaard. Steve and Mike also review the latest robotics news stories from the last week, including the following stories reported on The Robot Report: - Robotics Summit & Expo 2022 call for speakers - MiR is building autonomous pallet jacks - Knightscope IPO taking security robots public - Serve Robotics closes $13 million funding round - Nuro, Waymo bring autonomous deliveries to California

Dexterity founder Samir Menon; 2 SPACs fall apart due to China tech crackdown Nov 17, 2021

Samir Menon, founder and CEO of Dexterity Inc. joins the program this week. We discuss Dexterity's rapid growth and its approach to developing full-stack robotic picking for logistics, supply chain, and warehousing applications. Mike and Steve also discuss some recent trending stories, including China's role is ending a potential autonomous vehicle SPAC. https://www.therobotreport.com/spac-merger-plus-autonomous-trucks-called-off/ https://www.therobotreport.com/gatik-autonomous-box-trucks-milestone-walmart/ https://www.therobotreport.com/autonomous-racing-goes-head-to-head-at-the-autonomous-challenge-ces-in-las-vegas/

Decommissioning chemical missiles with robots Nov 04, 2021

Today’s episode recaps a major week for autonomous vehicles. Cruise co-founder, CTO and president Kyle Vogt hailed the first driverless robotaxi ride in SF, Waymo started to map New York City and Nuro raised another $600M for its autonomous delivery vehicles. And we don’t even mention Aurora debuting on the Nasdaq, FedEx testing autonomous delivery in China, and Autobrains raising $101 million for its unsupervised AI for autonomous vehicles. You'll also hear from James DeSmet, president and CEO of CRG Automation. The company built a robotic system to help decommission a stockpile of 70,000 chemical missiles at a base in Kentucky. James walks us through the challenges of the project. Our favorite quote from the interview: “We’re just packaging a very dangerous chemical weapon instead of a Twinkie. It’s a little different, but it’s the same.” You can check out videos of the system in action over at CRG Automation’s YouTube channel.

Interview with IAC race winner Team TUM Oct 26, 2021

In today's episode, Steve and Mike interview Alex Wischnewski, team lead for Technical University of Munich [TUM], and the winning race team at the 2021 Indy Autonomous Challenge. Alex discusses how the team came together for the competition and the stress of race day when they had to make changes to the race parameters to balance speed with safe operations. The Indy Autonomous Challenge turned out to be more difficult than anyone anticipated, and Alex provides a first hand view of pushing autonomous vehicles to the limit. Steve and Mike also cover the latest robotics news stories from the last week.

Is Softbank Robotics Europe for Sale?; Melonee Wise on Fetch's New AMRs Oct 22, 2021

Mike caught up with Melonee Wise, founder of Fetch Robotics and VP of robotics automation at Zebra Technologies, at the AMRs and Logistics Conference. They discussed the new Fetch FlexShelf, FlexShelf Guide, RollerTop Guide autonomous mobile robot solutions that came out this week, as well as the state of logistics automation. We also discuss the news of the week, including Softbank reportedly negotiating the sale of its French robotics business, Softbank Robotics Europe, to German distributor United Robotics Group. We also discuss the new AMR solutions from Fetch Robotics, the historic IPO of AutoStore on the Oslo Stock Exchange and a couple of food-related automation items. Show Notes https://www.therobotreport.com/report-softbank-negotiating-sale-of-french-robotics-business/ https://www.therobotreport.com/fetch-robotics-adds-3-amrs-person-to-goods-workflows/ https://www.therobotreport.com/autostore-stock-surges-debut-oslo-stock-exchange/ https://www.therobotreport.com/spyce-closes-original-robotic-restaurant-in-boston/

AMRs & Logistics Conference Recap; Pitney Bowes on Autonomous Sorting Oct 16, 2021

This week, Steve and Mike recap the Autonomous Mobile Robots and Logistics Conference that took place in Memphis. They also talk to Stephanie Cannon of Pitney Bowes, which is deploying robotics systems from Ambi Robotics throughout the U.S to support its e-commerce network. We also discuss the news of the week, including Waymo's self-driving cars repeatedly hitting a dead-end in San Francisco, and the outrage sparked by a commercial quadruped that was outfitted with an unmanned rifle.

Jon Hirschtick from Onshape/PTC; Favorite robotics startups of 2021 Oct 07, 2021

Our guest this week is Jon Hirschtick from PTC. Jon has started (and sold) two popular product development companies in his career: SolidWorks and Onshape. We also cover the robotics news from the week, PLUS a special discussion about our favorite startups for 2021. Timestamps News recap: 0-18:18 Interview with PTC's Jon Hirschtick: 20:57-1:04:40 Voicemails/Favorite Robotics Startups: 1:04:43-1:36:37

Amazon Astro underwhelms robotics community; Vicarious Surgical CEO Adam Sachs Sep 30, 2021

Amazon introduced its much-anticipated home robot this week, and it's underwhelmed the robotics industry. Mike and Steve share their thoughts on why Astro's future doesn't look bright. Listeners also call in to share their thoughts on the home robot. We also sit down with Adam Sachs, CEO and founder of Vicarious Surgical. Adam discusses the company's next-gen surgical robotics system, the challenges and keys to building it, and debuting on the NYSE. https://www.vice.com/en/article/93ypp8/leaked-documents-amazon-astro-surveillance-robot-tracking

Inside Locus Robotics’ acquisition of Waypoint Robotics Sep 20, 2021

Steve and Mike talk to Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics and Jason Walker, CEO of Waypoint Robotics to discuss the big news of the day: the acquisition of Waypoint Robotics by Locus Robotics. The acquisition will pay immediate dividends for Locus customers who want a higher payload AMR for moving inventory within their warehouse. Rick and Jason share their stories about how the acquisition came together and what it means for both Locus Robotics customers and Waypoint Robotics customers.

Four robot companies pull in $531M in funding; Interview with Photoneo CTO, Tomas Kovacovsky Sep 14, 2021

In episode 54, Steve and Mike discuss recent funding news for four robotics companies totally $531M; iRobot J7+ poop avoidance algorithms; cost of the recent Ocado ASRS fire. We also interview Photoneo CTO, Tomas Kovacovsky, about 3D vision, 3D cameras and what it takes to build a robust, industrial camera/vision solution.

George Konidaris on Realtime Robotics future; Intel LiDAR update Sep 03, 2021

In episode 53 of The Robot Report Podcast, Steve and Mike discuss the Carbon Robotics funding; an update on the Intel LiDAR EOL; Attabotics patent case; Agility Robotics, Digit video. We also talk to Realtime Robotics founder and CTO George Konidaris about robot perception, safety and control.

RightHand’s Yaro Tenzer on robotic piece-picking; Waymo’s SF expansion Aug 27, 2021

In episode 52 of The Robot Report podcast, hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman discuss the recent news about Waymo expansion of driverless taxi service into San Francisco. Also featured in this episode is a conversation between Steve and Yaro Tenzer, CEO of RightHand Robotics. Steve and Yaro discuss the technology and capabilities of the RHR bin-picking and singulation solution for warehouse fulfillment applications.

Latest on Intel RealSense; Tesla Bot; Stratom supports the troops Aug 20, 2021

Steve and Mike discuss the breaking news this week about the end of life for Intel RealSense cameras. Tesla unveiled plans to build a humanoid robot. We talk to Stratom CEO Mark Gordon about the autonomous solutions that help US troops to accomplish their mission in the field.

The Future of Autonomous Tractors Aug 13, 2021

John Deere recently acquired startup Bear Flag Robotics for $250 million. Founded in 2017, Bear Flag Robotics retrofits its autonomy stack onto existing tractors. Dan Leibfried, Director, Autonomy and Automation, John Deere, and Igino Cafiero, Co-founder & CEO, Bear Flag Robotics, join the show to discuss the future of autonomous tractors and agricultural robotics. Mike also updates us on his trip to ATX West, we dive into our latest investments recap and we celebrate our 50 episode! http://www.therobotreport.com http://www.roboticsbusinessreview.com http://www.mobilerobotguide.com http://www.cobottrends.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0TB8KlrIx4 https://www.therobotreport.com/july-2021-robotics-investments-and-acquisitions/ https://mobilerobotguide.com/2021/08/05/john-deere-buys-developer-of-autonomous-tractors/

State of hiring in the robotics market with Jeff Chapman Aug 03, 2021

We talk to Jeff Chapman, the founder of The Chapman Group, about the current state of hiring within the North American robotics industry. Jeff is one of the "most connected" individual's within the robotics and automation industry and currently helps companies find talent and he helps individuals find the right opportunity. Tune into to learn what's Jeff's from his unique perspective on the industry.

Inside ABB’s acquisition of ASTI Mobile Robotics Jul 27, 2021

We talk to Sami Atiya, CEO of ABB Robotics and Verónica Pascual, CEO of ASTI to get their insights on the recently announced acquisition of the Spanish mobile robotics company: ASTI Mobile Robots. The two companies have deployed their solutions to multiple, mutual customers in Europe in recent years. The combination of companies and products will establish the worldwide ABB mobile robotics development center in Borgas Spain (the current location of ASTI), while extending the reach of ASTI from 20 countries to 50+ countries. ASTI CEO Verónica Pascual will take on the role as leader of the new ABB mobile robotics division.

Claus Risager on disinfection robots and growing Blue Ocean Robotics Jul 16, 2021

Claus Risager, CEO and co-founder of Blue Ocean Robotics, discusses the evolution of the Danish company and its early entry into disinfection robots. He also tries to sell us on the benefits of telepresence robots. We also discuss the bigger stories in the robotics industry of late, including the future of Fetch Robotics after the Zebra acquisition, Aurora taking its self-driving tech public via SPAC, the shutdown of Abundant Robotics and the Ingenuity Helicopter completing another historic flight on Mars. https://mobilerobotguide.com/2020/04/01/robotic-solutions-for-covid-19/ https://mobilerobotguide.com/2021/07/08/a-bright-future-for-fetch-robotics-following-zebra-acquisition/ https://www.therobotreport.com/aurora-taking-autonomous-vehicle-tech-public-via-spac/

Softbank distancing itself from Pepper, AutoStore's Mike Demko, robotics industry services Jun 25, 2021

This week, Mike Demko, head of AutoStore’s MFC business line, joins the program to discuss the growth of e-commerce and the role automation is playing. We also hear from Jason dePreaux, a market analyst for Interact Analysis, who discusses the robotics industry services market. https://roboweeks.com/ https://www.therobotreport.com/softbank-robotics-europe-cutting-workforce-40-in-shake-up/ https://www.therobotreport.com/hyundai-completes-acquisition-controlling-stake-boston-dynamics/ https://mobilerobotguide.com/2021/06/15/dusty-robotics-raises-16-5m-in-series-a-funding/ https://www.therobotreport.com/weride-raises-310m-funding-autonomous-vehicles/ https://www.interactanalysis.com/the-warehouse-automation-service-market-may-2021/

A Review of the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards Jun 18, 2021

This week we break down the winners of the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards, which honor technology, business, and market innovations for the global robotics industry. We discuss how we picked the 50 winners, what we consider to be innovative, and share our personal favorite winners. https://www.roboticsbusinessreview.com/2021-rbr50-robotics-innovation-award-honorees/ https://www.roboticsbusinessreview.com/2021-rbr50-robotics-innovation-awards-digital-edition/

Find out whats going on in the world of robot operations Jun 11, 2021

In this episode we sit down and learn about the Robot Operations Group with co-founders Florian Pestoni and Joe Wieciek. In the second half of the show we discuss one vendor's experience as part of the working committee for the recent R15.08 Safety Standard when we talk to Mike Bearman from Vecna Robotics.

Passenger of confused Waymo robotaxi discusses what went wrong May 19, 2021

Joel Johnson, the passenger inside the Waymo One robotaxi that was confused by construction cones, takes us inside what went wrong. He also talks about his overall experience with Waymo One, which includes 147 rides to date. We also catch up with Tom Ryden, executive director of MassRobotics, who takes us inside the develop of the group's new mobile robot interoperability standard.

Surging North American robot shipments; wireless charging future May 13, 2021

A3 president Jeff Burnstein returns to discuss the growth of robot shipments in North America for the first quarter of 2021. He discusses the impact COVID-19 had on the growth, the surge in non-automotive orders, and much more. We also catch up with WiBotic to discuss the benefits of wireless charging for autonomous mobile robots. CEO Ben Waters shares some startup advice and the future of wireless charging in space.

Ken Goldberg on robotic grasping; Carbon Robotics’ new weeding robot Apr 16, 2021

Ken Goldberg and Jim Liefer from Ambi Robotics join the program to discuss the company's approach to piece-picking robots and how Sim2Real AI is playing a major role. We also break down WTWH Media's acquisition of Mobile Robot Guide and how it'll educate potential buyers about the benefits of mobile robotics systems. We also chat with Paul Mikesell, founder and CEO of Carbon Robotics, who takes us inside the development of the company's third-generation weeding robot.

The Evolution of RE2 Robotics Apr 08, 2021

Jorgen Pedersen, president and CEO of RE2 Robotics, and Travis Schneider, business development manager of RE2 Robotics, discussed the evolution of the company, which was founded in 2001. RE2 was focused nearly 100% on defense work in 2016, but now the defense sector accounts for less than one-third of its business. We also discuss the company's new Sapien line of intelligent robotic arms and adding more autonomy to its manipulators.

Boston Dynamics' VP of Product Engineering on Developing Stretch Apr 03, 2021

Kevin Blankespoor, VP of product engineering at Boston Dynamics, takes us inside the development of Stretch, the box-moving robot the company introduced this week. Blankespoor describes the evolution of the product design, the many system integration challenges, plans to improve the Pick vision system going forward, similarities between Atlas, Spot and Stretch, and much more.

Agribotics with Suma Reddy; Space Lasers; The Truth About Tesla FSD Mar 13, 2021

Suma Reddy, CEO of agriculture robotics startup Future Acres, discusses the challenges farmers are facing today and how automation can help. I also discuss the most interesting stories of the week, including laser sounds from Mars, the truth about Tesla's "Full Self-Driving" beta software and rumors surrounding Amazon's secretive home robot Vesta.

Juan Aparicio, Enrico Krog Iversen on improving robotics ease of use Mar 05, 2021

Enrico Krog Iversen, CEO of OnRobot, discusses advancements in end of arm tooling and what's next for the industry. Juan Aparicio, VP of Product at READY Robotics, talks about simplifying programming interfaces to democratize the use of robotics.

Investor's Perspective on State of Robotics; Apologizing to Boston Dynamics Feb 27, 2021

Kevin Dunlap of Calibrate Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm, joins the program to discuss the SPAC craze, recent robotics investments, and his thoughts about the state of the industry. I also hit on the robotics stories of the week, including Motional testing Level 4 robotaxis in Las Vegas, NASA's video of the Perseverance Rover landing and more.

Rick Faulk on Locus Robotics' potential IPO; Robots Have Landed on Mars Feb 19, 2021

Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics, discusses the company's $150 million Series E funding round and new unicorn status. He also explains why Locus should be a publicly-traded company. Will Wilder, CEO of Wilder Systems, joined the show to discuss the cobot system his team built that automates rapid COVID-19 testing results. He said the system is being adapted to help test for other viruses, such as Ebola and Zika. We also celebrate the incredible team at NASA JPL for putting robots back on Mars.

Tertill CEO Helen Greiner; Can Aurora catch Waymo? Feb 12, 2021

Helen Greiner, CEO of Tertill, a Boston-based startup developing gardening robots, joined the show to talk about how she will help the startup scale. She also discussed the challenges of developing consumer robots and how her experience co-founding iRobot will help. We also talk drone delivery and what went wrong at her commercial drone company CyPhy Works.

Designing robot arms to survive lunar nights; Waymo 'no plans' to expand in Ariz. Feb 05, 2021

Tom McCarthy joins the show to discuss how Motiv Space Systems is developing a robotic arm to survive the extreme cold of the Moon’s South Pole. The COLDarm can survive temperatures as environments as cold as –279°F. COLDarm could be headed to the Moon in 2024. I also talk to Ben Upcroft, VP of Technology at Oxbotica, a company developing autonomy software for all sorts of autonomous vehicle applications, both off-road and on-road. We discuss the keys to infrastructure free navigation, the acceleration of innovation in the autonomous vehicle space and why Level 5 robotaxis might never arrive. And I discuss how Spot Arm will improve Boston Dynamics' Spot quadruped and the disappointment of Waymo not expanding its robotaxi service in Arizona.

Jeff Burnstein on robot sales growth; Softbank’s evolving robotics play Jan 28, 2021

For the first time, yearly orders of robots from non-automotive sectors surpassed automotive robot orders, as sales of robotic units in North America increased 3.5% in 2020 from 2019. A3 president Jeff Burnstein takes us inside the numbers and what it means for the future of robotics. We also introduce you to Canvas, a startup that recently exited stealth mode. It's trying to automate drywall finishing using robotics. We learn about the challenges and opportunities for Canvas' system. We recap the top stories of the week, including Softbank's ever-changing robotics strategy, AutoX launching a fully driverless robotaxi service in China, and Amazon launching a new robotics upskilling program.

FAA’s landmark approval for American Robotics & its impact on drones Jan 22, 2021

American Robotics became the first drone company approved by the FAA to operate automated drones without human operators on site. Reese Mozer, CEO & co-founder of American Robotics, joined the podcast to discuss the implications for the company and the industry. He takes us through the technical capabilities of the company's drones, how humans will remain in the loop, and what types of missions its drones will now carry out. I also comment on the week's top robotics stories, including Marc Raibert weighing in on Atlas' dance skills, President Trump pardoning Anthony Levandowski, and Cruise raising another $2 billion and sending its autonomous vehicles over to Japan.

Teradyne's acquisition strategy & the future of cobots Jan 15, 2021

Greg Smith, president of Teradyne’s Industrial Automation Group, takes us inside the company's acquisition strategy. Teradyne's industrial automation portfolio include leading companies Universal Robots, Mobile Industrial Robots, Energid and AutoGuide Mobile Robots. Teradyne is still looking for acquisitions, and Greg tells us what Teradyne looks for in companies. Was Teradyne interested in Boston Dynamics before it was acquired by Hyundai for nearly $1 billion? Greg also shared that Universal Robots sold more than 9,000 cobots in 2020 alone, and he offered a unique perspective on mobile manipulation, saying the ROI is a challenge.

How AMP Robotics is changing recycling; Festo wins GM gripper challenge Jan 06, 2021

Matanya Horowitz, founder and CEO of AMP Robotics, discusses his pick-and-place robots that improving the economics of the recycling industry. Matanya discusses the technical and business challenges involved in running the company, as well as the evolution of its custom vision system and gripper. He also tells us how the data collected by the vision system is opening up new revenue streams. I also spoke to Josh Fox, an applications engineer at Festo USA. Josh was part of the team that won the recent MassRobotics-GM gripper challenge. Josh takes us inside the challenges and details the universal end effector Festo developed to handle a variety of sheet metal parts.

Boston Dynamics talks about its big year, Hyundai acquisition Dec 16, 2020

What robotics company had a better 2020 than Boston Dynamics. Michael Patrick Perry, Boston Dynamics' VP of business development, joins the podcast discuss the company's massive year and, of course, being acquired by Hyundai Motor Group for $880 million. We also catch up with Dr. Timothy Chung, program manager for the DARPA Subterranean Challenge. Tim takes us inside the recently completed Cave Circuit Virtual Competition and shares some of the lessons that were learned.

Why did Aurora buy Uber ATG?; Robotics thriving in Pittsburgh Dec 09, 2020

Aurora's acquisition of Uber's self-driving unit takes center stage on episode 27. We break down the acquisition and try to figure out why Aurora would have purchased Uber's troubled self-driving unit. We also catch up with Joel Reed, the interim executive director of the Pittsburgh Robotics Network. Joel updates us on the status of the cluster, tells us about some interesting companies to watch, his daily sightings of autonomous vehicles, and how the cluster has handled the COVID-19 pandemic.

Autonomous submarines for ocean exploration; drone autonomy with Exyn Technologies Dec 03, 2020

Jud Kauffman and Joe Wolfel, co-founders of Austin, Texas-based startup Terradepth, are building autonomous submarines for deep ocean exploration. Its long-term goal is to build the Google Earth of the ocean. They discuss the challenges and opportunities of Terradepth's mission and how their Naval experience is playing a vital role. We also chat with Nader Elm, CEO and co-founder of Exyn Technologies. Exyn is a spin-off of the GRASP Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania that builds autonomous drones that are operating in GPS-denied environments such as mines.

Dextrous Robotics exits stealth; how robots impact the future of work Nov 18, 2020

We talk to Dextrous Robotics CEO and co-founder Evan Drumwright about its approach to automating the unloading of box trucks. This might be the next big problem for robotics companies to solve, and Dextrous is taking a unique approach. We also discuss the remake of Short Circuit and share our all-time favorite robotics movies. Other discussions include recent robotics investments, Motional's Level 4 autonomous vehicles coming to Nevada and a new study analyzes the ongoing robots vs. jobs debate.

Why Softbank is shopping Boston Dynamics; FedEx's Aaron Prather Nov 11, 2020

We break down why Softbank is reportedly looking to sell Boston Dynamics to Hyundai for upwards of $1B. Hyundai would be the third owner of Boston Dynamics in the last 7 years. What's the reason for the sale: slow commercialization from Boston Dynamics, soured investments from Softbank or both? We discuss. We're also joined by Aaron Prather, FedEx's senior advisor of technology, research and planning, to discuss FedEx's growing use of robotics, his work on mobile robot interoperability, advice for startups, and his thoughts on Boston Dynamics and more.

Inside the Bossa Nova-Walmart fallout; autonomous yard trucks with Outrider Nov 04, 2020

We break down the fallout between Bossa Nova and Walmart with Simbe Robotics' Brad Bogolea. Andrew Smith, CEO and Founder of Outrider, joins the show to discuss the challenges and opportunities of developing level 4 autonomous yard trucks.

Inside Canada’s robotics ecosystem, world’s spookiest robots, Miso’s restaurant robots Oct 28, 2020

Mike Tremblay, president and CEO of Invest Ottawa, takes us inside the new Area X.O R&D facility that hopes to advance Canadian robotics. We also list the world's spookiest robots, and catch up with Buck Jordan, President and Chairman of Miso Robotics, to discuss the expanded trials with White Castle and the future of food automation.

Fictiv’s Dave Evans on designing robots for manufacturability; inside Jibo’s revival Oct 21, 2020

Dave Evans, Founder and CEO of Fictiv, discusses the importance of a company's manufacturing and supply chain ecosystems. We breakdown case studies from Hebi Robotics and Gecko Robotics. We're also joined by Marc Alba of NTT Disruption, which is the new owner of the Jibo social robot. Marc updates us on the current status of the robot and the new direction in which it's headed.

What's next for Waymo's robotaxis, Dusty Robotics' Tessa Lau, robotic prosthetics with Coapt Oct 15, 2020

Tessa Lau, founder and CEO of Dusty Robotics, updates us on the FieldPrinter building layout robot. She discusses how the company pivoted away from its initial product idea, its custom localization, mapping and navigation technology, building relationships with builders, and scaling its field operations team. We also discuss the expansion of Waymo's driverless robotaxi program around Phoenix. Where will the service head to next and when? We discuss. Bert Swift and Blair Locke, CEO & Co-founder of Coapt, join us to discuss the state of robotic prosthetics. Bert, who lost an arm to childhood cancer, shares his story and how a robotic prosthetic has changed his life.

Demystifying China’s robotics industry, Motional talks robotaxis, TRI previews kitchen robot Oct 07, 2020

Georg Stieler gives us an inside look at China's robotics industry, we catch up with Motional CTO Laura Major on all things robotaxis, and Toyota Research Institute is developing a ceiling-mounted gantry robot for your kitchen.

Amazon’s security drone, life-size Gundam & robotic-assisted surgery Sep 30, 2020

Doug Teany, COO, Corindus Vascular Robotics discusses robotic-assisted surgery, 5G hype vs. reality, and being acquired by Siemens Medical Solutions for $1.1 billion. We also talk about Helen Greiner joining a gardening robotics startup, privacy issues with Amazon Ring's indoor security drone and more.

Sarcos’ Ben Wolff, Uber ATG low on fuel, ROS on Spot Sep 22, 2020

Sarcos Robotics' Ben Wolff joins us to discuss the challenges and opportunities of full-body exoskeletons. We talk about Uber's self-driving car division reportedly being low on cash. And Clearpath Robotics' Dave Niewinski is back to chat about developing ROS support for Boston Dynamics' Spot quadruped.

Black in Robotics’ Ayanna Howard, Monroe Kennedy III on diversity & inclusion Sep 16, 2020

Ayanna Howard and Monroe Kennedy III, academic co-leads of Black in Robotics, discuss diversity and inclusion issues in the robotics industry. They share their personal journeys, challenges they overcame, and what can be done to level the playing field for minorities in robotics and engineering fields.

Vecna’s Daniel Theobald, August robot deals, SoftBank’s Brady Watkins Sep 09, 2020

Daniel Theobald, founder & CEO of Vecna Robotics and a founder of MassRobotics, joins us to talk about his passion for agriculture and the state of autonomous mobile robots. We also recap robotics investments and acquisitions from August 2020 and check in with Brady Watkins, Senior VP & GM at SoftBank Robotics America.

Robotics investment trends with Oliver Mitchell; are Amazon drone deliveries coming? Sep 02, 2020

Oliver Mitchell, venture partner at ff Venture Capital, talks all things robotics investments. We discuss current robotics trends, how startups can deal with COVID-19, the autonomous vehicle bubble and more. And are Amazon delivery drones finally coming to the US? We discuss the impact of Amazon's recent FAA approval.

Waypoint Robotics’ Jason Walker on mobile robots; Thomas Visti’s next chapter Aug 26, 2020

We talk about all things mobile robots with Jason Walker, CEO & Co-founder of Waypoint Robotics. He discusses his affinity for ROS, how his experience as a racecar engineer prepared him for robotics, and why mobile manipulation is a trend to watch. We also catch up with Thomas Visti, who recently stepped down as CEO of Mobile Industrial Robots, to learn about his next chapter helping Danish entrepreneurs.

Qualcomm’s Dev Singh on 5G, edge robotics; do delivery robots make economic sense? Aug 19, 2020

We talk to Qualcomm's Dev Singh about the affects 5G and edge computing are having on robotics. We also touch upon Qualcomm's involvement in NASA's Mars 2020 Mission. Gene and Steve recap the latest news and robotics investments trends and talk about the economics of delivery robots with Kiwibot's David Rodriguez.

Veo on manufacturing challenges; tele-operating Spot; Amazon goes to the mall Aug 12, 2020

We talk to Veo Robotics' Patrick Sobalvarro about how robotics can help solve today's manufacturing challenges. We discuss Amazon scooping up vacant retail spaces, iRobot getting tariff relief, and a Starship delivery robot driving straight into a canal. We also take you inside our teleoperation of Boston Dynamics' Spot robot from nearly 3,000 miles away. Show Notes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKMeMb9CF8E https://www.facebook.com/search/posts/?q=Bex%20Morgan&epa=SERP_TAB

Kodiak Robotics & autonomous trucks, Anthony Levandowski going to jail Aug 05, 2020

We discuss the state of autonomous trucking with Kodiak Robotics and get its take on middle-mile logistics. We also hit on former Google executive Anthony Levandowski heading to prison for stealing trade secrets from Waymo, walking Spot from 3,000 miles away, and we catch up with The Ventilator Project.

Re-skilling coal miners; Jibo returns; Perseverance Rover heads for Mars Jul 29, 2020

On Episode 9 of The Robot Report Podcast, we talk re-skilling coal miners with Kathy Walker of the eKentucky Advanced Manufacturing Institute, and maxon's crucial role in the Perseverance Rover mission to Mars. We also discuss the return of Jibo and Boston Dynamics' partnership with Ford.

FedEx's parcel-handling robots; Waymo & Fiat; MassRobotics on startups dealing with COVID-19 Jul 22, 2020

On Episode 8 of The Robot Report Podcast, we talk with Plus One Robotics about FedEx adopting its parcel handling robots, we discuss Waymo's exclusive partnership with Fiat, and Tom Ryden of MassRobotics updates us on how startups are dealing with COVID-19.

Podcast: Hello Robot exits stealth; White Castle turns to automation Jul 15, 2020

On Episode 7 of The Robot Report Podcast, we talk with the founders of Hello Robot, which came out of stealth with the Stretch mobile manipulator. We also hear from Miso Robotics, which just launched a pilot project with White Castle, the oldest fast food chain in the world.

Baseball & robotics startups during COVID-19; ROS on Windows 10 Jul 08, 2020

On Episode 6 of The Robot Report Podcast, we profile the Pickle Robot Company, a Boston-based robotics startup developing the Dill parcel handling robot. We also discuss Softbank's dancing robots at Japanese baseball games, and discuss the benefits of ROS on Windows 10 with Clearpath Robotics' Dave Niewinski.

Podcast: First-half 2020 highlights; space robotics expert Chris Thayer Jul 01, 2020

On Episode 5 of The Robot Report Podcast, we recap the top stories of the first half of 2020. We also talk with Chris Thayer, who has worked on space robotics systems for 15-plus years.

6 River Systems talks Shopify acquisition; Gatik on autonomous vehicle development Jun 24, 2020

On Episode 4 of The Robot Report Podcast, 6 River Systems co-founder Chris Cacioppo discusses the Shopify acquisition for nearly $500 million, creating a culture of innovation, and mobile robot trends to watch. Gautam Narang, CEO and Co-founder of Gatik also joins the podcast to discuss Level 4 autonomous vehicles for middle-mile logistics, the changing investment landscape of autonomous vehicles, and why Level 5 autonomous vehicles are at least a decade away.

Boston Dynamics talks Spot launch; Universal Robots on cobot innovation Jun 17, 2020

On Episode 3 of The Robot Report Podcast, Michael Patrick Perry of Boston Dynamics discusses the commercial launch of the Spot quadruped and we catch up with Universal Robots President Jürgen von Hollen.

Paolo Pirjanian on the Moonshot of Developing a Companion Robot Jun 10, 2020

Paolo Pirjanian, Founder and CEO of Embodied, joins The Robot Report Podcast to talk about the moonshot of developing the Moxie companion robot.

The Robot Report Podcast Ep. 1: Agility Robotics on Legged Robotics Jun 02, 2020

Jonathan Hurst, Co-founder and CTO of Agility Robotics, joins the podcast to talk about the challenges and opportunities of developing legged robots. Hurst also discusses the evolution of his company's legged robots, Cassie and Digit, comparisons to Boston Dynamics, and much more.

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