269: Entertainment Meets Automation: How andyRobot is Leveraging Robotics for Lady Gaga, Drake, and More

Manufacturing Happy Hour · 6 Jan 2026 · 53m

What this episode covers

Andy Flesser, founder of andyRobot, explains how he transitioned from computer animation to robotics, creating Robot Animator software to control industrial robots for high-stakes live entertainment. He details the intense pressure of programming robots for tours with artists like Drake and Lady Gaga, where failures occur in front of thousands of paying customers, and discusses safety-critical applications in film, such as his work on Black Adam. Flesser argues that the future of robotics lies in architectural integration—where buildings and rooms perform work—rather than mobile humanoids, and suggests using entertainment to attract veterans and new talent into manufacturing careers.

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