The Robot Report invites you to submit a session abstract to be considered for presentation at the Robotics Summit & Expo, which will be held April 30-May 1, 2025 in Boston at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The Robotics Summit is the leading event focused on the technical issues involved with developing commercial robots.

We are seeking sessions that should be technical and educational to help attendees overcome hurdles related to commercial robotics development. Topics can be submitted based on the following tracks:

• Technologies, Tools and Platforms: Advances in the core technologies common to all classes of commercial robots
• Design, Development & Manufacturability: Technologies, tools and methodologies to simulate, prototype and build commercial robots
• Artificial Intelligence: How machine learning, generative AI, foundation models and other AI technologies impact commercial robotics development
• Healthcare Robotics: Advances in medical robotics, from surgical systems to patient care solutions, key enabling technologies, and emerging applications
• Automated Warehouse: Advances in warehouse robotics, key enabling technologies, and emerging applications

The event is also looking for technical workshops, robot demos, and off-site technical tours of local robotics organizations or universities.

Submission Form
The entry deadline for submitting speaker proposals is December 4, 2024. To apply to deliver a session at the Robotics Summit & Expo click HERE.

All speakers receive:

• Complimentary full conference registration with admission to all keynotes, sessions, panels, networking receptions and special events
• Complimentary guest registrations for up to two attendees

Co-Located Events
The Robotics Summit & Expo will be co-located with DeviceTalks Boston, the premier industry event for medical technology professionals. Both events attract engineering and business professionals from a broad range of healthcare and medical technology backgrounds.

Sponsorship Opportunities
For information about sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, download the prospectus. Questions regarding sponsorship opportunities should be directed to Colleen Sepich at csepich[AT]wtwhmedia.com.

Conference Programming
For questions regarding Robotics Summit conference programming, contact Steve Crowe at scrowe[AT]wtwhmedia.com.

Jonathan Hurst, co-founder and chief robot officer at Agility Robotics, delivered the opening keynote at Robotics Summit 2024. | Credit: Jeff Pinette

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A CRX-20iA/L robot slides a tray of cookies onto a rack. | Source: FANUC

FANUC America plans to showcase its latest packaging and processing innovations in Booth N-5332 next week at Pack Expo in Chicago. From food-grade collaborative robots to stainless industrial robots, it claimed it will demonstrate uninterrupted speed, reliability, accuracy, and dexterity—all while maintaining food safety—in real-world applications.

FANUC said its advanced automation provides high-quality solutions to common industry problems, including production, supply chain, and labor shortages. The Rochester Hills, Mich.-based company will feature industrial robots and cobots including:

• Food-grade CRX collaborative robots
• High-speed and versatile SCARA robots
• FANUC DR-3iB/6 STAINLESS food-grade delta robot
• The food-grade/cleanroom-type, long-reach LR Mate 200iD/7LC robot

FANUC to show picking, packing, and palletizing

The company asserted that its systems can deliver reliability and accuracy that minimize error, reduce product waste, and enhance overall quality control. FANUC said its demos will directly address common industry challenges.

A CRX-10iA robot picking objects from a box. | Source: FANUC

Collaborative robots

• Food-grade cobot bakery tray load and unload with iRVision: In this new dual-cobot cell, attendees can see the controlled loading and unloading of cookies on bakery trays. Demonstrating its impressive 1,418 mm (55.8 in.) of reach, the FANUC CRX-20iA/L food-grade cobot will use 3DV/400 iRVision mounted to its arm to locate and unload cookies from a tray and place them onto a conveyor, simulating a cookie-baking operation. A second CRX-20iA/L will then use a bakery tray to catch the cookies coming off the end of the conveyor and then place the now-full trays onto a cart.
• Food-grade cobot palletizing: Shown for the first time at PACK EXPO, the FANUC CRX-30iA food-grade cobot—with a 30 kg (66.1 lb.) payload and 1,756 mm (69.1 in.) of reach—will use PalletTool 3 software to efficiently palletize two pallets from a single infeed using a multi-case gripper.
• Intuitive cobot programming: In this kitting demonstration, attendees are able to use drag-and-drop icon based programming on the FANUC Tablet TP and three-button wrist to easily kit meat and cheese gift boxes with the CRX-10iA cobot. Suitable for those with little to no robotics experience, FANUC said the cobot’s ease of programming is paired with its reliable technology and sensitive contact detection that allows the CRX-10iA to work safely alongside people.

The M-710 Box Palletizer. | Source: FANUC

Industrial robots

• High-speed picking application with line-tracking tools: The DR-3iB/6 STAINLESS is FANUC’s first stainless-steel, food-grade delta robot for picking and packing primary food products. The company claimed that it sets new benchmarks for payload, speed, reach and sanitation in robotic food handling. Using iRVision and iRPickTool line-tracking software, this demonstration will pick and place randomly oriented fish fillets alongside an SR-12iA/C, showcasing high speeds and product reorientation.
• Food assembly with food-grade robots: Offering a best-in-class work envelope for both upright and invert mount installations, FANUC said its LR Mate 200iD series of tabletop industrial robots will assemble cheeseburgers in this demo. Working alongside the SR-6iA/C will be the LR Mate 200iD/7LC – both food-grade/cleanroom robots – picking and placing buns, burgers, and toppings before removing and reversing order so that the cycle can repeat.
• Automated palletizing and depalletizing: The six-axis M-710iD/50M robot, combined with two iRVision 3DV/1600 vision sensors and the FANUC iPC, will use the iPC’s AI Box Detection software to locate boxes within stock carts. Once located, the robot will depalletize boxes from one cart and utilize PalletTool to palletize them on the opposite cart. With one cart empty, the process will be repeated by depalletizing and palletizing back to the original cart. In this demo, tall stock carts highlight the advantage provided by the M-710i50-/50M’s curved arm. FANUC said its AI-driven iPC enables high-performance advanced picking in challenging lighting conditions to ensure seamless, reliable depalletizing.

FANUC to show new robotic controller

• Performance with FANUC’s new robot controller: Just announced, FANUC said its new R-50iA offers cybersecurity with a wide range of enhancements and has intelligent features designed to maximize robot performance. Attendees can learn about these and optimized efficiency demonstrated in a heavy payload palletizing cell that integrates the new controller.

Editor’s note: This article was syndicated from The Robot Report sibling site Engineering.com.

Register now

The post FANUC to display industrial, collaborative robots for food and packaging appeared first on The Robot Report.

In Episode 169 of The Robot Report Podcast, co-hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman recap the 2024 FIRA event with several interviews from vendors attending the show.

In this week’s featured interview, editor Eugene Demaitre speaks with Dr. Russ Tedrake, vice president of robotics research at Toyota Research Institute (TRI), and Scott Kuindersma, director of robotics research at Boston Dynamics. They discuss their collaboration on humanoid robotics and the integration of artificial intelligence through large behavior models.

The researchers also 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. In addition, the discussion touches on practical applications, deployment strategies, and the significance of rigorous research in advancing robotics technology.

Show timeline

• 6:30 – Advanced Farm Interview
• 15:52 – Reservoir Farms Interview
• 24:27 – Twisted Fields/Rotate8 Interview
• 31:58 – Bluewhite Interview
• 43:02 – Featured interview with Russ Tedrake of TRI and Scott Kuindersma of Boston Dynamics
  

FIRA 2024 recap

Oitzman attended the 2025 FIRA event for agricultural robotics in Woodland, Calif. It featured outdoor demonstrations in a specially cultivated field in the parking lot of the Yolo County fairgrounds.

The new Amiga-Max mobile robotic platform from Farm-ng. | Credit: The Robot Report

On the show’s first night, Advanced Farm Technologies hosted an apple harvester demo at its headquarters in Davis, Calif.

For the past two decades, apple growers have begun planting new orchards similar to vineyards, using a trellis planting method. The trees are planted closer together, and then all of the branches are trained into a 2D trellis form, where the trees are only about a 1 ft. wide by 4 ft. long by 15 ft. tall.

This creates a “flat canyon” between rows easier to drive down and the fruit gets more sunlight. It’s also perfect for automation like the Advanced Farm robots. The Advanced Farm test trellis uses 3D-printed apples on magnets attached to fake trees, but it works well for simulating an actual orchard. The podcast features an interview with Advanced Farms CEO Kyle Cobb.

Advanced Farms is testing its autonomous apple-picking robot in Washington this fall. | Credit: Mike Oitzman, The Robot Report

Reservoir Farms announced a new agtech incubator that will open in the first half of 2025 with two sites, one in Salinas and the other in the Central Valley. It provides a maker space for building, with shared machine tools plus secure storage onsite in the form of a storage container. Each site will also feature onsite cultivated fields for testing of the robots.

The company will plant whatever crop is key to the startups onsite. It is also developing partnerships with UC Merced and other local colleges and universities to provide facilities for senior projects or research labs on campus access to fields. The podcast features an interview with Reservoir Farms CEO Danny Bernstein.

At FIRA, we ran into friend of the show Daniel Theobald. He was at the expo with his Twisted Fields farm, which is also an agtech incubator. On display was a prototype robot being developed at Twisted Farms by the new company Rotate8. I met CEO Katie Bradford to learn more about the new venture. The company will be launching officially in early 2025.

Finally, we caught up with Bluewhite‘s CEO Ben Alfi, to learn more about a new partnership with CNH tractors. Bluewhite has completely productized its automation package to retrofit CNH tractors with full autonomy, and it is now training CNH local distributors to perform the retrofits in the fields or equip a brand new CNH tractor as it’s sold.

The result is that Bluewhite should begin to see full-scale deployments anywhere around the world where CNH tractors are being sold and supported.

Podcast sponsored by Zebra Robotics Automation

This week’s show is sponsored by Zebra Robotics Automation.

Are you tired of overpriced, underutilized autonomous mobile robot fulfillment solutions that drain your profits? 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, goto: https://www.zebra.com/fulfillment

The post FIRA update; Practical Applications of Embodied AI and Humanoid Robots appeared first on The Robot Report.

In Episode 168 of The Robot Report Podcast, co-hosts Steve Crowe, Mike Oitzman, and Eugene Demaitre recap the 2024 RoboBusiness event. They discuss their experiences, ranging from a ride in a self-driving robotaxi to the networking opportunities around the show.

This episode also features a review of the keynotes, including Rodney Brooks’ demonstration of Robust AI’s new robot and Sergey Levine’s explanation of how research into foundation models can benefit robotics. Another exciting moment was Torrey Smith’s live demonstration onstage of Endiatx’s swallowable PillBot.

In addition, the editors discuss insights from various panels and sessions, such as around humanoid robotics and investment trends. They describe the live demonstrations on the show floor, the startup pavilion, the Startup Boot Camp, plus the Pitchfire competition, which connected innovators with investors. Steve, Mike, and Gene also look ahead to the Robotics Summit & Expo.

Podcast sponsored by Zebra Robotics Automation

This week’s show is sponsored by Zebra Robotics Automation.

Are you tired of overpriced, underutilized autonomous mobile robot fulfillment solutions that drain your profits? 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, goto: https://www.zebra.com/fulfillment

The post RoboBusiness 2024 recap appeared first on The Robot Report.

RoboBusiness, produced by The Robot Report, wraps up today at the Santa Clara Convention Center. The two-day event will bring together more than 60 speakers, over 100 exhibitors and demos on the expo floor, 10+ hours of dedicated networking time, the Pitchfire Robotics Startup Competition, a Women in Robotics Luncheon, and more. The show will focus on investment and business topics related to running a robotics company.

The show focuses on the technical challenges of building commercial robots and the business challenges of running a robotics company. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect on Day 2. You can still register for the event.

Keynotes

Opening Keynote: Building Robotic Foundation Models
Time: 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
Location: Theater
Speaker: Sergey Levine, co-founder of Physical Intelligence and associate professor at UC Berkeley

General-purpose foundation models, such as ChatGPT, have demonstrated how general-purpose models trained on diverse datasets can outperform narrowly tailored specialist models, even on tasks those specialized models are specifically designed for. Can the same transformation happen in robotics? In this presentation, I will discuss how foundation models for end-to-end control of robotic systems can be built, how we can gather large and diverse datasets for such systems, and how they can enable new and exciting robotic capabilities.

Fireside Chat Keynote: A Conversation with Claire Delaunay
Time: 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
Location: Theater
Speaker: Claire Delaunay, the CTO of farm-ng

Renowned roboticist Claire Delaunay will share her insights into the current and future state of robotics and various enabling technologies. She’ll also discuss her career journey, what it takes to build and scale startups and products, and the future of autonomous farming.

Closing Keynote: Live Demo of Endiatx’s Swallowable Robot Pill
Time: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Location: Theater
Speaker: Torrey Smith, the co-founder and CEO of Endiatx

Endiatx develops swallowable robot pills for telemedicine. The PillBot is a virtual endoscope that gives doctors a real-time look inside the human body. Endiatx Co-Founder and CEO Torrey Smith will take us inside the robot’s development, detail its benefits, and close RoboBusiness with a live demo of PillBot on stage.

Expo Hall

The RoboBusiness exhibit hall will be open from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM on the second day of the show. It features over 100 exhibitors, including the Formant Demo Zone. The Demo Zone will feature robots from Canvas, Clearpath Robotics, Burro, Field AI, and Slalom. 

On the show floor robotics engineers will find industry-leading companies such as Harmonic Drive, Kollmorgen, Robust AI, PickNik Robotics, Bota Systems AG, Novanta, and more. 

Additionally, visitors should visit the Startup Showcase. Here, you can get a look at cutting-edge technology from companies at the beginning of their robotics journey. The showcase will include demos from Dalus AI, Copper Robotics, Summer Robotics, Open Droids, Inception Robotics, Robotics88, and dexman.ai. 

For the first time at RoboBusiness, attendees can also check out the Engineering Theater on the expo floor. On the second day of the show, the theater will feature talks from MathWorks, Future Bot Solutions, and Ati Motors. 

Conference Sessions

The agenda features five tracks covering design & development, driving business, enabling technologies, field robotics, and innovation. On Day 2, at 1:30 PM, we’ll be hosting a Robotics Investments Trends panel. This session will bring together investors and roboticists to discuss the challenges and opportunities of raising money for your robotics company. This panel will discuss the current state of robotics investments, macro trends, how the landscape has changed, what applications and technologies are finding commercial success and more.

The panel includes Ivy Nguyen, a Principal Investor at Autotech Ventures; Schuyler Cullen, the co-founder and CEO at Summer Robotics; Eric Truebenbach, the managing director at Teradyne Robotics Ventures; and Eugene Demaitre, the editorial director of Robotics at WTWH Media. 

The second day of the show will also feature talks from Applied Engineering, Jacobi Robotics, Point One Navigation, Scythe Robotics, GITAI, PickNik Robotics, Ati Motors, Formant, Blue River Technology, SKA Robotics, Tangram Vision, Outrider, Opteran, and Blue River Technology.

Networking events

For the first time at RoboBusiness, we’ll be hosting a Women In Robotics Lunch from 12:45 – 1:30 PM. Join robotics industry peers for some valuable networking, engagement, and mentorship (and food and drink, of course). Attendees will also hear from Allison Thackston, a leading roboticist who is solving some of the toughest problems in agtonomy at Blue River Technology. Pre-registration is required.

We’ll also be holding a networking break to give attendees an opportunity to follow up with speakers or other colleagues. This will take place at 12:45 PM.

The post RoboBusiness: Your Guide to Day 2 appeared first on The Robot Report.

RoboBusiness, produced by The Robot Report, kicks off today at the Santa Clara Convention Center. The two-day event will bring together more than 60 speakers, over 100 exhibitors and demos on the expo floor, 10+ hours of dedicated networking time, the Pitchfire Robotics Startup Competition, a Women in Robotics Luncheon, and more.

The show will focus on the technical challenges of building commercial robots and the business challenges of running a robotics company. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect on Day 1. You can still register for the event.

Keynotes

Opening Keynote: New Levels of Collaboration in Robotics
Time: 9:30 AM- 10:15 AM 
Location: Theater
Speaker: Rodney Brooks, the co-founder and CTO of Robust AI

Collaborative robots have been around for over a decade and are widely adopted in many industries. To date, however, the word collaborative has not carried a lot of weight; basically amounting to “don’t hit the people.”

We can do better. The future of automation depends on next-level collaboration between humans and machines.

Robust.AI CTO and co-founder Rodney Brooks will describe the imminent future where people maintain their own agency while collaborating with robots each contributing to the same task, and around those same robots that may be working on a task autonomously. Collaboration and autonomy can enhance and empower humans, without compromising on flexibility, reliability or safety.

Keynote Panel: Driving the Future of Robotics Innovation
Time: 10:30 AM- 11:15 AM 
Location: Theater
Speaker: Joan-Wilhelm Schwarze, the senior global innovation manager of the Center of Excellence Automation of Operations at DHL; John Bubnikovich, the president of ABB Robotics US; Eric Truebenbach, the managing director at Teradyne Robotics Ventures; Eugene Demaitre the editorial director of Robotics at WTWH Media; Amit Goel the head of Robotics and Edge AI Ecosystem at NVIDIA; and Mike Oitzman an editor of robotics at WTWH Media

This keynote panel will explore how collaborative efforts and technological advancements are driving the future of robotics innovation. The panelists will also talk about the challenges and opportunities the industry faces and the potential impact new technologies such as generative AI and humanoid robots could have on multiple industries.

Expo Hall

The exhibit hall will be open from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM. It features over 100 exhibitors, including the Formant Demo Zone. The Demo Zone will feature robots from Canvas, Clearpath Robotics, Burro, Field AI, and Slalom. 

On the show floor robotics engineers will find industry-leading companies such as Harmonic Drive, Kollmorgen, Robust AI, PickNik Robotics, Bota Systems AG, Novanta, and more. 

Additionally, visitors should visit the Startup Showcase. Here, you can get a look at cutting-edge technology from companies at the beginning of their robotics journey. The showcase will include demos from Dalus AI, Copper Robotics, Summer Robotics, Open Droids, Inception Robotics, Robotics88, and dexman.ai. 

For the first time at RoboBusiness, attendees can also check out the Engineering Theater on the expo floor. On the first day of the show, the theater will feature talks from VitalPath, Adromeda Surgical, Everight Position, Geisel Software, Formant, Bomello, and Bota Systems. 

Conference Sessions

The agenda features five tracks covering design & development, driving business, enabling technologies, field robotics, and innovation. On Day 1, attendees can look forward to the Robotics Startup Bootcamp. This favorite at RoboBusiness is split into two parts, the first starting at 11:45 AM and the second starting at 1:45 PM. During these sessions, hosted by the MassRobotics accelerator, a panel of robotics experts will share best practices for many of the common challenges that make or break a company. 

Another favorite of the show is the Pitchfire Startup Competition, which will be held from 4:00 – 4:45 PM. During this session, the industry’s robotics startups compete in the RoboBusiness Pitchfire Competition for a $5,000 first-place prize and eternal bragging rights. Each startup delivers a 5-minute ‘pitch’ to a panel of judges describing their solution, business model, value proposition and more. Judges pick a winner and two runners-up based on the startup they believe to be best primed for commercial success.

The first day of the show will also feature talks from Shadow Robot Company, Calibrate Ventures, FarmWise, Harmonic Drive, Calian, VitalPath, Andromeda Surgical, Everight Position, Future Bot Solutions, Adagy Robotics, ULC Technologies, Bishop-Wisecarver, Forcen, Burro, Formant, Bomello, Bota Systems, and more. 

Networking events

We’ll end Day 1 of RoboBusiness with a Networking Reception from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Attendees can mix and mingle with robotics colleagues from around the world. Sponsored by Harmonic Drive, this reception is open to all full conference pass holders, speakers, and sponsors. Pre-registration is required. It will be held on the 2nd floor pre-function and terrace. 

We’ll also be holding three networking breaks throughout the day, to give attendees an opportunity to follow up with speakers or other colleagues. These will take place at 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM, and 3:30 PM. 

The post RoboBusiness: Your Guide to Day 1 appeared first on The Robot Report.

Robotic Crew founders at RoboBusiness 2023. Source: Ricardo Petrazzini

While U.S. companies have outsourced technology work overseas for more than 20 years, quality and political concerns have brought back design, programming, and other engineering tasks back closer to home. Robotic Crew offers staffing in Latin America for robot development, as well as operations and fleet management.

 “About two years ago, we spun out of WeDevelop, a company that was providing software engineers,” said Ricardo Petrazzini, founder and CEO of Robotic Crew. “Robotics is at the stage software was at in 2005, and many vendors and integrators don’t yet realize how Latin American talent can help them.”

The Coral Gables, Fla.-based company said it can remotely handle electrical and software engineering tasks such as design and testing. It is one of two Latin American businesses offering such services, Petrazzini told The Robot Report.

“When I went to RoboBusiness 2023, I met a Ph.D. from MIT who said he was flying to China to understand how things work in factories there with people without high school training,” he recalled. “International networking is a must, and countries like Argentina are a huge untapped source of engineers.”

Register now

Robotic Crew promises to put humans in the loop

Not every vendor or end user has the resources for its own operations center, noted Petrazzini. Latin America offers an advantage over India of being in the same time zones as most North American daytime materials handling operations, helping to keep people in the loop affordably.

“We’re not providing hardware or software; we’re providing people. Within robotics, staffing for operations roles is a challenge,” he said. “We can offer good fees for a senior engineer with 10 years of experience with C++ or Python.”

Robotic Crew said it can work with any robotics operations, or RobOps, platform, such as those from InOrbit or Formant, because there’s still a need for people to manage robot fleets.

“If a company wants to operate 10,000 robots across multiple sites, having one person for four robots is prohibitive,” Petrazzini added. “Even as artificial intelligence helps us get to 1:50, you’d still need 200 people to monitor those 10,000 robots. But customers care more about uptime than the ratio of robots to staffers.”

“We can even host projects,” he said. “We have a partnership with a lab in Buenos Aires, and the client becomes the remote guy. We also have office space in Austin, and I have been traveling across the U.S.”

Petrazzini sees a global opportunity

While it has started with logistics operations, Robotic Crew has met with both startups and mature companies in aerospace, maritime, automotive manufacturing, healthcare, and integration and consulting. It has been in talks with a company working in kitchen robotics.

“We’re having three to four discovery calls per week, and our goal is to become the best-known RobOps staffing company to the U.S.,” said Petrazzini. “We also offer a good deal for engineers in Latin America, compared with their salaries at a petrol company or a multinational.”

He plans to be at RobOpsCon and RoboBusiness 2024 next week in Silicon Valley.

“InOrbit was one of the first companies I met at last year’s show, and since then, a lot of people have been asking me about RobOps,” Petrazzini said. “The geopolitical rivalry between the U.S. and China has forced robotics suppliers and operators to rethink how they do things, providing an opportunity for Latin America.”

The post Robotic Crew offers nearshore robotics development, operations talent appeared first on The Robot Report.

The past year has been eventful for robotics developments, with economic headwinds, new applications, and excitement around humanoids and AI. John Bubnikovich, president of ABB’s Robotics Division in the U.S., will be among the panelists discussing the future of robotics innovation at RoboBusiness in California next week.

In that keynote panel, Bubnikovich will join NVIDIA’s Amit Goel, DHL’s Joan-Wilhelm Schwarze, and Teradyne Ventures’ Eric Truebenbach in analyzing the drivers of innovation and how to scale automation.

As one of the world’s largest producers of industrial automation, as well as collaborative and mobile robots, ABB Robotics is in a good position to observe the latest trends. Bubnikovich provided The Robot Report with a sneak peek at the perspectives he’ll share at RoboBusiness.

Bubnikovich offers advice for robotics startups

What’s the biggest trend in robotics at the moment?

I believe the biggest trend in robotics is how many end users are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to make their robotic systems smarter and more adaptive.

At ABB Robotics, we define four areas for industrial applications of AI-powered robotics: 

• Generating insights: AI can analyze large datasets and generate meaningful insights that form the basis for decision-making. 
• Optimization: From macro-level energy management to micro-level path planning for robot movements, AI optimizes operations and increases efficiency.
• New capabilities: With AI robots can perform a broader range of complex tasks that were previously difficult to automate. By leveraging data and algorithms to optimize processes, robots execute tasks faster and more precisely, with greater in dynamic and unstructured environments. 
• Human-machine collaboration: AI makes robots and automation more accessible and user-friendly, enabling people without programming knowledge to guide and control a robot or machine.

What advice do you have for ensuring product-market fit, especially in a tight and competitive market?

Robotic OEMs, and in many instances their system integrator (SI) partners, must get as close to their customers and potential customers as possible, in order to truly understand their needs, and the performance metrics they are hoping to achieve. 

The incredible advancements in robotic technology over the past few years have opened up automation to a far wider range of industries and applications. Many of these are relatively new, with little in the way of prior models to emulate.

OEMs and SIs must be consultative and work closely with customers to achieve the best results. Patience is also a virtue, as the time it takes to specify, test, and install a robotic system in a new application can be very time consuming.

Tools like ABB’s RobotStudio offline simulation programming software is a valuable resource to test the design and performance of a potential robot system before any commitment is made.

What advice do you have for young robotics startups?

Make sure there is a viable market for your specific technology, and focus on becoming the best possible solution for companies that need what you have to offer. Seek to collaborate with end users in your target industry segment, and work with them to test and validate your offering.

Be nimble and flexible so you can quickly modify your technology as your earn more about what your potential customers want and need.

Cultivate a solid foundation of investors, but communicate a realistic growth and profitability schedule. Pursue product expansions only after you have fully refined your core technology and have established the infrastructure to support your growing customer base. 

What are you looking forward to about RoboBusiness?

I am looking forward to participating in the keynote panel with such an esteemed group of industry leaders, and I am eager to establish a rapport with them and the many other robot cognoscenti who will be attending the event.

I’m also excited to see the new technology concepts from both the startups and more advanced-stage entities that will be displaying their latest developments in the exhibit area. Though ABB is a long-tenured robot OEM, we continue to embrace an entrepreneurial spirit, and being among such robotics industry innovators for a couple of days will be inspiring!

Join ABB Robotics and more at RoboBusiness 2024

In addition to robotics innovation and enabling technologies, RoboBusiness will focuses on investment and business topics related to running a robotics company. Other keynotes at the event will feature:

• Rodney Brooks, co-founder and chief technology officer at Robust AI, as well as co-founder of iRobot and Rethink Robotics
• Sergey Levine, co-founder of Physical Intelligence and an associate professor at UC Berkeley
• Claire Delaunay, chief technology officer at farm-ng
• Torrey Smith, co-founder and CEO of Endiatx

RoboBusiness will also include more than 60 speakers, over 100 exhibitors and demos on the expo floor, 10+ hours of dedicated networking time, the Pitchfire Robotics Startup Competition, a Women in Robotics Luncheon, and more.

RoboBusiness will be co-located with DeviceTalks West, which focuses on the design and development of medical devices. Thousands of robotics practitioners from around the world will convene at the Santa Clara Convention Center, so register now to ensure your spot!

Register now

The post ABB Robotics previews innovation drivers to be discussed at RoboBusiness appeared first on The Robot Report.

Bota Systems will be showing its latest SensONE T80 force-torque sensor at RoboBusiness. | Source: Bota Systems

Bota Systems AG will be showing off its comprehensive range of force-torque sensors, including its latest sensor specifically designed for larger collaborative robots, at RoboBusiness next week in Santa Clara, Calif. The company will be exhibiting in Booth 613 on the show floor. 

Zurich-based Bota Systems specializes in cutting-edge sensors for robots and cobots. The company said its sensors are designed for humanoid, industrial, and medical robots — improving functions in fields such as welding and minimally invasive surgeries.

Force-torque sensors can give robots a sense of touch, enabling them to accurately and reliably perform tasks which were previously only possible with manual operators, said Bota Systems.

“At RoboBusiness, we will showcase our latest advancements in force-torque sensing technology,” Klajd Lika, CEO of Bota Systems, told The Robot Report. “Advancements in AI and machine learning promise to simplify robot programming, potentially increasing adoption even among users without robotics backgrounds, though challenges remain.”

“Robotics data, primarily from sensors measuring motion, is limited,” he added. “By capturing data that gives us information about the dynamic state of the robots, such as internal and external forces and tactile data, we can enhance training and inference efficiency.”

“We look forward to discussing how our technology will be shaping the future of robotics and why it is the ‘native language’ of robots that is hiding unlimited potential, at this year’s event,” said Lika.

See innovative sensors firsthand

RoboBusiness attendees will have an opportunity to see Bota Systems’ latest SensONE T80 force-torque sensor. It is the latest in the company’s SensONE line of lightweight six-axis force torque sensors for collaborative robots.

“This sensor is engineered to cover high sensitivity on the full payload range of large cobots, offering new possibilities for high-demand applications such as heavy palletizing and welding,” said Martin Wermelinger, head of robotics at Bota Systems. “We look forward to demonstrating how it will drive greater precision and efficiency in these and other complex tasks.”

Bota Systems said its SensONE sensors enable human-machine interaction and can provide force, vision, and inertia data. They can be used in a variety of industrial applications, including rehabilitation with robotic systems, precision assembly, product testing, polishing and grinding, and robotic-assisted surgery. 

Meet with Bota Systems and more at RoboBusiness

In addition to perception and other enabling technologies, RoboBusiness will focus on robotics innovation, and business and investment topics related to running a robotics company. Keynotes at the event will feature:

• Rodney Brooks, co-founder and chief technology officer at Robust AI, as well as co-founder of iRobot and Rethink Robotics
• Sergey Levine, co-founder of Physical Intelligence and an associate professor at UC Berkeley
• Claire Delaunay, chief technology officer at farm-ng
• Torrey Smith, co-founder and CEO of Endiatx
• A panel on driving robotics innovation with ABB, DHL, NVIDIA, and Teradyne

RoboBusiness will include more than 70 speakers, over 100 exhibitors and demos on the expo floor, 10+ hours of dedicated networking time, the Pitchfire Robotics Startup Competition, a Women in Robotics Luncheon, and more.

RoboBusiness is co-located with DeviceTalks West, which focuses on the design and development of medical devices. Thousands of robotics practitioners from around the world will convene at the Santa Clara Convention Center, so register now to ensure your spot!

The post Learn about Bota Systems’ force torque sensors at RoboBusiness 2024 appeared first on The Robot Report.

From left to right, top row: John Lanza, Mark O’Toole, Ben Waters, Daniel Theobald, and Joyce Sidopoulos. Bottom row: Ninaad Sridharan, Syed Saquib, Niamh Donnelly, Marita McGinn, and Jeff Linnell.

The Robotics Startup Bootcamp, hosted by the MassRobotics Accelerator, returns to RoboBusiness this year. Spanning two sessions on the first day of the event in Santa Clara, Calif., it will cover topics ranging from the basics every entrepreneur should know at the start of their journey, to the keys to scaling and growing a startup. 

During the first part of the bootcamp, which will take place at 11:45 a.m. PT on Oct. 16, experts will share best practices for many of the common challenges that can make or break a company. Experts will speak about topics such as customer discovery, developing a sales pipeline, intellectual property and trademarks, Media and Marketing 101, working with corporate partners, and how to fund a startup. 

Speakers during the first part of the bootcamp include:

• John Lanza: Lanza is a partner at Foley Hoag LLC, which offers business-focused counsel on acquiring, transferring, and protecting intellectual property rights. With extensive experience advising both startups and established companies in a wide range of industries, he helps clients successfully navigate diverse business challenges. Lanza has been an adjunct professor and frequent guest lecturer, contributing insights on intellectual property and commercialization at Suffolk University School of Law, Boston University School of Law, Northeastern University School of Law, and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
  
• Mark O’Toole: Marketing 101 founder O’Toole helps companies build compelling brands and brand stories, develop aspirational rallying cries, create defined and clear messaging, and find the most appropriate channels through which to tell these stories. With deep public relations and marketing experience spanning startups and mature businesses alike, O’Toole is a relentless promoter on behalf of his clients.
• Ben Waters: With more than 10 years of experience working in electrical engineering and robotics, Waters is co-founder and CEO of WiBotic, which develops wireless charging systems for robots of all shapes and sizes. He has a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Washington, where he worked on wireless power technologies for implanted devices. At WiBotic, Waters leads a team of engineers, designers, and business developers dedicated to solving the challenges of powering autonomous robots.
• Daniel Theobald: Theobald is the founder and chairman of Vecna Robotics, a flexible, intelligent materials handling automation provider. He has been at the forefront of robotics for more than 20 years, working closely with DARPA, DoD, NASA, NIH, USDA, and many others to advance the use of robots and AI software to improve supply chain automation. In addition to founding Vecna, Theobald also co-founded MassRobotics, and Twisted Fields, an organic research farm dedicated to the advancement of automation in agriculture.
• Joyce Sidopoulos: Sidopoulos is co-founder and chief of operations at MassRobotics. In her role, she works on initiatives to expand the breadth and depth of the robotics ecosystem and develops high impact programs, highlighting startups technology, matching startups with funders and customers, engaging with robotics adoption, connecting talent to employers and working with academia to commercialize research. Sidopoulos is also a mentor and judge at accelerator and university entrepreneurship programs.

Second part of bootcamp focuses on scale

The Robotics Startup Bootcamp Part 2 will include fireside chats with founders who have raised funds and scaled their businesses. Discussions will include the role of accelerators, fundraising, hiring and team growth, and scaling to net positive revenue. Speakers during this part of the bootcamp include:

• Ninaad Sridharan: Sridharan is the co-founder of brd BOT, the robotic “kitchen in a box” for fried foods. Prior to this venture, he was a hardware engineer at Intuitive Surgical, designing robotic catheters for reprocessing compliance.
  
• Syed Saquib: Saquib is co-founder and CEO of brd BOT. He got his start in food tech working at KiwiBot, a sidewalk delivery platform.
  
• Niamh Donnelly: Donnelly is co-founder and chief robotics officer at Akara. The company develops robots and AI tools to help hospitals reduce costs and maximize utilization of their operating rooms. Before starting Akara, Donnelly was a robotics researcher at Trinity College Dublin, where her research featured on the cover of Time magazine. In 2023, she was awarded the prestigious EU Women Innovators Award by the European Commission for her work in robotics.
  
• Marita McGinn: McGinn is the director of the MassRobotics Accelerator, a program committed to supporting and advancing robotics technology entrepreneurs. She is a longstanding supporter of early stage startups. Previously, McGinn was a technology banker at Silicon Valley Bank, built corporate accelerator programs for the U.S. Air Force and Barclays, and spent time coaching startups on their sales processes.
• Jeff Linnell: Linnell is the founder and CEO of Formant, a cloud robotics platform for businesses. As a serial entrepreneur, he has founded multiple companies spanning the domains of web technologies, 3D animation, post-production, and augmented reality. Before founding Formant, Linnell served as head of robotics at Google X. He previously founded Autofuss, a design/production company, and Bot & Dolly, an engineering studio specializing in automation, robotics, and film.

About RoboBusiness 2024

In addition to startups, RoboBusiness focuses on enabling technologies, robotics innovation, and business and investment topics related to running a robotics company. Keynotes at the event will feature:

• Rodney Brooks, co-founder and chief technology officer at Robust AI, as well as co-founder of iRobot and Rethink Robotics
• Sergey Levine, co-founder of Physical Intelligence and an associate professor at UC Berkeley
• Claire Delaunay, chief technology officer at farm-ng
• Torrey Smith, co-founder and CEO of Endiatx
• A panel on driving robotics innovation with ABB, DHL, NVIDIA, and Teradyne

RoboBusiness will include more than 70 speakers, over 100 exhibitors and demos on the expo floor, 10+ hours of dedicated networking time, the Pitchfire Robotics Startup Competition, a Women in Robotics Luncheon, and more.

RoboBusiness is co-located with DeviceTalks West, which focuses on the design and development of medical devices. Thousands of robotics practitioners from around the world will convene at the Santa Clara Convention Center, so register now to ensure your spot!

The post Learn how to start and scale your business at RoboBusiness’ startup bootcamp appeared first on The Robot Report.

Here are the top 10 most popular stories on The Robot Report this past month. Subscribe to The Robot Report Newsletter or listen to The Robot Report Podcast to stay up to date on all the robotics developments you need to know about.

10. 6 robotics startups competing in RoboBusiness Pitchfire

The Pitchfire Startup Competition has been an opening-day highlight for years at RoboBusiness, which will run on Oct. 16 and 17 in Santa Clara, Calif. Pitchfire, which will be 4:00 to 4:45 p.m. PT on Day 1 at the Santa Clara Convention Center, is a must-attend event for investors, robotics entrepreneurs and innovation leaders alike. Read more.

9. North American robot sales decline 8% in first half of 2024

Significant declines in the automotive component and semiconductor industries led to another drop in North American robot sales, according to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). In the second quarter of 2024, 7,123 robots were ordered in North America, which A3 said is a decline of 9.7% compared with Q2 2023. Read more.

8. Robotics investments top $1.3B in July

Robotics companies raised approximately $1.3 billion in July 2024. That figure is a result of 47 investments for producers of robots and robotics enabling technologies. July’s total is slightly more than the 12-month trailing investments average of $1.2 billion. Read more.

7. Unpacking Amazon’s unique Covariant AI deal

In Episode 162 of The Robot Report Podcast, co-hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman review recent robotics transactions. In addition, 1X Technologies in September 2024 announced the NEO Beta humanoid model and prepared for pilot deployments into test home environments. Read more.

6. BlackBerry QNX provides guidance on minimizing jitter, latency in robotics

Robots need to precisely synchronize for manufacturing applications such as assembly, welding, and materials handling. BlackBerry QNX recently released a whitepaper on “Optimizing Robotic Precision: Unleashing Real-Time Performance with Advanced Foundational Software Solutions.” Read more.

5. Women in robotics at Boston Dynamics give career advice at MassRobotics event

Women may be underrepresented in robotics, but there are opportunities for those who can collaborate, learn, and mentor, said speakers at a Women in Robotics event held by MassRobotics. Only 19% of robotics engineers are female in 2024, according to CareerExplorer. That is lower than the 35% of U.S. tech employees who are female, as reported by The World Bank. Read more.

4. Humanoid robotics developers must pick which problems to solve, says NVIDIA

To be effective and commercially viable, humanoid robots will need a full stack of technologies for everything from locomotion and perception to manipulation. Developers of artificial intelligence and humanoids are using NVIDIA tools, from the edge to the cloud. Read more.

3. China bets on robots for rapid growth, says IFR

At its recent Third Plenum, China mapped out the direction of its economic policies. Beijing wants to adapt to the latest round of industrial transformation by using robots as an engine for growth. The country is by far the largest robot market in the world. Read more.

2. Pudu Robotics debuts ‘semi-humanoid’ robot for versatile applications

Pudu Technology unveiled its latest service robot, the PUDU D7, in September 2024. It is the company’s first “semi-humanoid robot,” a term it introduced earlier this year. Pudu said it expects to fully commercialize the robot in 2025. Read more.

1. Rethink Robotics relaunches with cobots, AMRs, mobile manipulation

Rethink Robotics is making a bold return to Boston with a new roster of collaborative robot arms, autonomous mobile robots, and a mobile manipulator. The company started developing cobots in Boston back in 2008, but it had to revamp its product line and find new owners. Read more.

The post Top 10 robotics developments of September 2024 appeared first on The Robot Report.

In recent years, robots have become increasingly complex in design and function. We expect them to take up less space, move faster, do more, and look better. As designs become increasingly sleek and compact, the need for equally compact motion control and actuation solutions has become crucial.

At RoboBusiness, which takes place on Oct. 16-17 in Santa Clara, Calif., Reese Abouelnasr, a mechatronics engineer at Harmonic Drive, will lead a session titled “Developing Compact Robotic Joints.” This session will highlight current challenges faced by roboticists, and new solutions in the form of integrated servo drive technology and slim actuator design. Attendees will gain insights into actuator design through a deep dive into a low-profile, power-dense actuator to enable progressively miniaturized and streamlined robotics. Abouelnasr’s talk takes place on Oct. 16 at 11:45 AM.

Abouelnasr is a mechatronics engineer developing low-profile, integrated robotic joints for Harmonic Drive. He received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University, where he held multiple research positions focusing on humanoid and bio-inspired robotics. Abouelnasr’s mission is to make robotics more accessible for everyone.

Harmonic Drive brings 60+ years of experience to RoboBusiness

Harmonic Drive engineers and manufactures precision servo actuators, gearheads and gear component sets. It works closely with Fortune 500 companies of all sizes to understand their application requirements and provide a standard or, in most cases, a custom-engineered solution to enable the success of their design project. The company is based in Beverly, Mass., and has over 60 years of experience in building automation components. 

You can also find Harmonic Drive on the RoboBusiness show floor in Booth #305. Attendees will get a look at some of the company’s products firsthand, while also learning from Harmonic Drive’s experts. 

About RoboBusiness 2024

In addition to enabling technologies and robotics innovation, RoboBusiness focuses on investments and business topics related to running a robotics company. Keynotes at the event will feature:

• Rodney Brooks, co-founder and chief technology officer at Robust AI, as well as co-founder of iRobot and Rethink Robotics
• Sergey Levine, co-founder of Physical Intelligence and an associate professor at UC Berkeley
• Claire Delaunay, chief technology officer at farm-ng
• Torrey Smith, co-founder and CEO of Endiatx
• A keynote panel on driving robotics innovation with ABB, DHL, NVIDIA, and Teradyne

RoboBusiness will include more than 70 speakers, over 100 exhibitors and demos on the expo floor, 10+ hours of dedicated networking time, the Pitchfire Robotics Startup Competition, a Women in Robotics Luncheon, and more.

RoboBusiness is co-located with DeviceTalks West, which focuses on the design and development of medical devices. Thousands of robotics practitioners from around the world will convene at the Santa Clara Convention Center, so register now to ensure your spot!

The post Harmonic Drive to highlight compact robotic joints at RoboBusiness appeared first on The Robot Report.

Burro Grande is an example of a robot designed for outdoor use. Source: Burro

Robots for outdoor use pose different design challenges than their indoor cousins. Not only must they be able to navigate dynamic environments, but they must also deal with challenges unique to their applications. An panel at RoboBusiness 2024, which will be on Oct. 16 and 17 in Santa Clara, Calif., will discuss these considerations and more.

Field robots include a wide range of technologies, from automated lawnmowers to delivery robots, inspection drones, and agricultural vehicles. They must all be robust enough to handle a variety of lighting, terrain, and weather conditions.

Connectivity and charging opportunities can be limited, even as some systems require power for perception, manipulation, and payloads. In addition, outdoor systems have different safety and cybersecurity requirements than those in more controlled factories or warehouse venues. 

Part of the Field Robotics track, this session will be in Room 201 of the Santa Clara Convention Center at 2:45 p.m. PT on Day 1 of RoboBusiness.

Panelists to discuss outdoor robotics

Charlie Andersen, CEO of Burro, grew up on a working farm. This experience led him to believe that all tedious outdoor work should be automated. Andersen said it also drove him to understand the many challenges that robots face in industries like agriculture.

Andersen said he founded Burro to build the foundation for autonomous work where it is needed most, and today hundreds of Burros are running in commercial use in agriculture and beyond. Burros are computer-vision-based autonomous platforms that can carry, tow, scout, and move manipulation systems safely alongside people.

Prior to founding Burro, Andersen worked for CNHi, where he reported to the head of the North American operating unit and drove special projects across sales, marketing, manufacturing, distribution, and autonomy mergers and acquisitions. He received a BA from Amherst College, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Ali Asmari is currently the director of research and development engineering at ULC Technologies, where he leads the delivery of complex development projects. Dr. Asmari holds an MS in robotics and automation, as well as a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering with a specialization in computer vision and machine learning from Oklahoma State University.

Since joining ULC Technologies in 2018, Asmari has led the development of outdoor autonomous systems for the energy, construction, and industrial markets. They tackle challenges around below-ground excavation, infrastructure construction, energy reliability, emissions reduction, and worker safety.

Prior to joining ULC Technologies, a 2024 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award winner, Asmari spent more than 15 years in the field of robotics. He has experience in design and development, automation and control, computer vision, and machine learning.

Robert Brooks is the founder and CEO of Forcen, a Toronto-based manufacturer of force/torque sensing solutions. Forcen has rebuilt force/torque sensing from the ground up with a patented technology stack to enable plug-and-play, maintenance-free sensing in unstructured, complex, and high-reliability applications. It serves surgical, logistics, field, space, and frontier robotics.

Brooks has more than a decade of experience in robotics working broadly across nuclear, manufacturing, logistics, pharmaceutical, and surgical robotics industries. He earned his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Toronto, with his thesis focused on next-generation sensing and actuation for surgical robotics.

Brian Burke is a highly skilled product manager at Bishop-Wisecarver, where he has been a pivotal part of the team since 2003. With over two decades of experience in the automation industry, Burke specializes in linear and rotary guided motion for industrial applications.

Burke holds certifications as a Six Sigma Black Belt (SSBB) and Certified Product Marketing Manager (CPMM), enhancing his expertise in process improvement and product strategy. His deep knowledge and commitment to innovation have significantly contributed to the success and advancement of Bishop-Wisecarver’s engineering projects.

Moderator Eugene Demaitre is editorial director for robotics at WTWH Media, which also produces Automated Warehouse and the Robotics Summit & Expo in addition to RoboBusiness. Prior to working for WTWH Media, he was an editor at BNA (now part of Bloomberg), Computerworld, TechTarget, and Robotics Business Review.

For nearly a decade, Demaitre has participated in robotics conferences worldwide, as well as spoken on numerous webcasts and podcasts. He is always interested in learning and sharing more about the latest technology and industry developments.

Demaitre has a master’s from the George Washington University and lives in the Boston area.

Register now for RoboBusiness 2024

In addition to enabling technologies and robotics innovation, RoboBusiness focuses on investments and business topics related to running a robotics company. Keynotes at the event will feature:

• Rodney Brooks, co-founder and chief technology officer at Robust AI, as well as co-founder of iRobot and Rethink Robotics
• Sergey Levine, co-founder of Physical Intelligence and an associate professor at UC Berkeley
• Claire Delaunay, chief technology officer at farm-ng
• Torrey Smith, co-founder and CEO of Endiatx

RoboBusiness will also include more than 60 speakers, over 100 exhibitors and demos on the expo floor, 10+ hours of dedicated networking time, the Pitchfire Robotics Startup Competition, a Women in Robotics Luncheon, and more.

RoboBusiness will be co-located with DeviceTalks West, which focuses on the design and development of medical devices. Thousands of robotics practitioners from around the world will convene at the Santa Clara Convention Center, so register now to ensure your spot!

The post Learn how to overcome the challenges of building outdoor robots at RoboBusiness appeared first on The Robot Report.

Boston Dynamics hosted MassRobotics’ latest Women in Robotics event. Credit: Sayo Tirrell, MassRobotics

WALTHAM, Mass. — Women may be underrepresented in robotics, but there are opportunities for those who can collaborate, learn, and mentor, said speakers at a Women in Robotics event held by MassRobotics this week.

Only 19% of robotics engineers are female in 2024, according to CareerExplorer. That is lower than the 35% of U.S. tech employees who are female, as reported by The World Bank.

MassRobotics, which promotes the robotics ecosystem in Massachusetts and beyond, is among the organizations working to improve this representation and to help industry develop and tap a wider pool of talent.

Boston Dynamics employees share their experiences

Boston Dynamics Inc. hosted nearly 200 attendees at its headquarters. The following panelists from the company discussed their careers:

• Radhika Agrawal, software engineer working with the Spot quadruped platform
• Crystal Beckvold, senior supervisor for the Atlas humanoid technician team
• Erica Liu, senior director, supply chain and procurement
• Christine White, head of partner and customer success marketing
• Denise Wong, senior technical lead and program manager for the Stretch truck-unloading robot
• Connie Zhang, staff software engineer

The speakers shared a wide range of personal experiences and workforce challenges but found that they had similar advice.

“You may be told you can be anything you want, but you have to ask for opportunities and find flexibility,” said White. “I also wanted to take time to have a family, which is a choice men don’t typically have to make. The path is winding, and make it your own.”

“In my case, supply chain is always in motion,” Liu noted. “We have to make strategic decisions about off-the-shelf versus custom technology.”

The Boston Dynamics panelists, from second left: Connie Zhang, Crystal Beckvold, Christine White, Radhika Agrawal, Erica Liu, and Denise Wong. Credit: Sayo Tirrell, MassRobotics

Advocate for oneself, say speakers

When asked about what qualities she brought to her role, Agrawal replied: “I’ve observed the dynamics of people. Our empathy can be both draining and an asset.”

“I’ve worked in mining, which is male-dominated, and I found that being a woman actually lowered the barriers for adoption,” Wong recalled. “My job was to get them to use robots, and they said, ‘If she can use this robot, so can I.'”

The speakers also observed that women in technology shouldn’t be afraid to be as bold as their male counterparts in our society.

“You should apply for roles you’re interested in, even if you’re not sure you’re fully qualified,” said Zhang. “Just do it.”

“Keeping your head down and doing a good job doesn’t equal recognition,” White said. “You need to show your value and advocate for yourself.”

Agrawal added: “Surround yourself with smart people, and try to be the best. Don’t be intimidated. I was told to ‘grow a thick skin,’ but that was an opportunity to go back and educate people.”

“When I was at Black & Decker, I asked why I wasn’t recognized as a key contributor,” said Liu. “That’s another lesson — seek common ground, and align your long-term goals.”

Boston Dynamics’ Spot quadruped outside the Women in Robotics gathering. Credit: Sayo Tirrell, MassRobotics

Be a constant learner, say women in robotics

The panelists agreed that curiosity and a willingness to pivot helped them in their careers.

“I worked in a machine shop doing quality control, and then Google bought the company,” said Beckvold. “Everyone was supportive, and I took over projects, from welding to running hydraulics, R&D, and electrical. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s fun to invent as you go, bringing things to life.”

“I worked at Google X and worked toward a Ph.D., then switched,” Zhang said. “It’s OK to opt out and switch to something you’re passionate about. Take the time to figure it out.”

“I stumbled into other groups,” said White. “Good managers will see the need; they don’t always know how teams will come together. Be bold about expressing your interests.”

The panelists addressed a full house at Boston Dynamics. Credit: Sayo Tirrell, MassRobotics

Find a ‘personal board of directors’

It’s a good idea to have both formal and informal networks of mentors and mentees, said the Boston Dynamics staffers.

“I have a personal board of directors and now mentor two people,” said Agrawal. 

“Some of my mentors were managers, others were co-workers,” Beckvold noted. “I’ve given lunchtime talks, and as a manager have helped techs learn mechanical assembly, testing, and software to take the burden of engineers.”

“It has been a pleasure to see mentees grow in responsibility as I have,” said Liu. “It helps to talk through and listen to problems, and mentoring is also a learning experience for ourselves.”

MassRobotics and Boston Dynamics provide opportunities for women in robotics to network and mentor. Credit: Eugene Demaitre

Overcome uncertainty, say women in robotics

When asked about advice for women just starting their careers in robotics, Wong replied, “Don’t be paralyzed by uncertainty. You can always ask for help.”

“I’ve ping-ponged around in my career,” said White. “Stay open, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.”

Beckvold added, “There’s no bad thing to learn how to do. I’ve been a coder, a body mechanic, and a welder, and they all complement one another. Learn everything you can.”

A recent graduate asked the panel how to find her long-term goals after spending years studying robotics.

“Do stuff that gives you satisfaction,” said White. “Of course, you want to support yourself financially, but it’s not about working; it’s about gaining experience.”

“I was very goal-oriented,” Wong said. “If you want to work in robotics, you may have short-term goals, but after being at a company for six and a half years, I had to ask, ‘Am I still learning? Do I enjoy the day-to-day work?’ We have job mobility, and the lack of diversity in this industry means we can bring new perspectives.”

“Give yourself time to figure out and learn from mistakes,” reiterated Liu. “Build self-accountability.”

Another attendee asked whether it is better to specialize or generalize.

“There are different types of people — the ladder climber, the explorer, and the deep diver,” replied White. “Follow your personality, your gut.”

“You can also be more than one,” advised Wong.

Boston Dynamics supports women in robotics, said the speakers. Credit: Sayo Tirrell, MassRobotics

See MassRobotics at RoboBusiness

MassRobotics is also participating in RoboBusiness 2024, which will be on Oct. 16 and 17 in Santa Clara, Calif. Joyce Sidopoulos, co-founder and chief of operations at MassRobotics, will share best practices in Part 1 of the Robotics Startup Bootcamp.

Sidopoulos will also host the Women in Robotics Luncheon on Day 2 of the event. Marita McGinn, director of the MassRobotics Accelerator, will discuss growth and scaling with founders in Part 2 of the Robotics Startup Bootcamp.

MassRobotics is a strategic partner of WTWH Media, which produces The Robot Report, RoboBusiness, Automated Warehouse, and the Robotics Summit & Expo.

Register now

MassRobotics continues support for women in robotics

MassRobotics’ Jumpstart Fellowship Program trains high school girls in the technical skills needed for robotics and technology internships in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and partner companies. The organization also works with the Women in Robotics Boston Chapter and holds a Monthly Girls Lunch with its resident startups.

In addition, nominations are open until Dec. 20, 2024, for the 2025 Robotics Medals, which MassRobotics awards along with a $50,000 prize to “a female researcher for substantial achievements and contributions in the field of robotics.”

The Rising Star award comes with a $5,000 prize for “an early-career professional woman making strides in research that will lead to significant impact in the field of robotics.” The 2024 Robotics Medal Winner will be announced later this month, followed by a gala in Boston on Oct. 26.

The post Women in robotics at Boston Dynamics give career advice at MassRobotics event appeared first on The Robot Report.

Six robotics startups will compete this year for a $5,000 first-place prize. Each startup gets five minutes to describe their company’s solution, business model, value proposition and more. After all the contestants have pitched, Pitchfire judges will compare notes, reach a consensus, and announce a winner based on who they believe to be best primed for commercial success.

Companies that have previously competed in Pitchfire include Glidance, Tatum Robotics, Southie Autonomy, Sadako Technologies, Autonomous Marine Systems, inVia Robotics, Catalina Health, Cubit, Rokid, RightHand Robotics, Soft Robotics and Knightscope. Last year’s winner, Glidance, recently raised a $1.5 million seed round.

New to this year’s Pitchfire event, each of the startups will be exhibiting in the Startup Showcase on the RoboBusiness expo floor. Judges for the competition are Lisa Chai, general partner, Interwoven Ventures; Rugved Hattekar, senior lidar software developer, Luminar; Ellen Chisa, partner, boldstart ventures; Eric Truebenbach, managing director, Teradyne Robotics Ventures; Ted Larson, CEO, OLogic.

RoboBusiness is the leading event for the commercial robotics ecosystem. There will be 70-plus speakers, 70-plus exhibitors and demos on the expo floor, networking receptions and much more.

Here is a look at this year’s participants:

Copper Robotics

Date Founded: May 1, 2024
Location: Austin, Texas
No. of employees: 2
Funding to date: $0
Website: https://www.copper-robotics.com/
RoboBusiness Booth: 725

Copper Robotics is developing a robotics framework for creating fast and reliable robots. The company’s founder, Guillaume Binet, said Copper offers a high-level configuration system and a Rust-first API. It uses Rust’s zero-cost abstractions and a data-oriented approach to achieve sub-microsecond latency on commodity hardware, avoiding heap allocation during execution. Guillaume said Copper leverages Rust’s strengths, such as memory safety, concurrency, and zero-cost abstractions, to build an ecosystem around Rust and robotics.