# Bonus Episode: Smart City Robotics Competition

- Show: [Robot Talk](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk)
- Published: 2025-10-13
- Length: 1h 28m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-10-13-bonus-episode-smart-city-robotics-competition
- Listen: https://ukrobotics.libsyn.com/bonus-episode-smart-city-robotics-competition

## Summary

Claire Asher interviews Duncan Russell of Smart City Consultancy about the Smart City Robotics Competition in Milton Keynes, which challenges teams with real-world tasks like coffee service, door opening, and pick-and-pack. Competitors from teams including Mosaic Robotics, Zingers, and MK College discuss specific hardware such as the Tiago, Pepper, and Temi robots, and technical hurdles involving computer vision, sensor integration, and human-robot interaction. The episode highlights the gap between lab precision and unstructured environments, featuring discussions on vision-language-action models, remote monitoring of autonomous shuttles, and the collaborative nature of the event.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-10-13-bonus-episode-smart-city-robotics-competition#t=8) Introduction: Smart City Robotics Competition Overview
- [1:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-10-13-bonus-episode-smart-city-robotics-competition#t=62) Duncan Russell on Smart City Consultancy and Competition Structure
- [9:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-10-13-bonus-episode-smart-city-robotics-competition#t=551) Autonomous Shuttle Service and Remote Monitoring
- [14:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-10-13-bonus-episode-smart-city-robotics-competition#t=857) Mosaic Robotics: Off-Robot Sensors and Coffee Shop Challenge
- [21:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-10-13-bonus-episode-smart-city-robotics-competition#t=1264) Cranfield University Teams: Integration and VLA Models
- [31:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-10-13-bonus-episode-smart-city-robotics-competition#t=1919) University of Sheffield Team: Tiago Robot and Vision Language Action Models
- [38:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-10-13-bonus-episode-smart-city-robotics-competition#t=2305) MK College Team: Pepper and Temi Robots in Coffee Shop Episode
- [43:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-10-13-bonus-episode-smart-city-robotics-competition#t=2601) Cranfield University Pick and Pack: Deformable Objects and Grippers
- [47:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-10-13-bonus-episode-smart-city-robotics-competition#t=2846) University of Nottingham: Temi Robot and MQTT Architecture
- [55:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-10-13-bonus-episode-smart-city-robotics-competition#t=3322) MKU and King's College London: Temi Go and Shared Resources
- [1:06:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-10-13-bonus-episode-smart-city-robotics-competition#t=4012) Exhibitors: NextGenAI Quadrupeds and Beckoff Automation
- [1:13:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-10-13-bonus-episode-smart-city-robotics-competition#t=4380) Birth Robotics: Open Source Humanoids and Public Engagement

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Smart City Consultancy (company)
- Mosaic Robotics (company)
- Zingers (company)
- Tiago (product)
- Pepper (product)
- Temi (product)
- Unitree (product)
- NextGenAI (company)
- Beckhoff (company)
- Birth Robotics (company)
- Amove (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [246: automatica 2025: Exploring Innovation, Robotics, and Startups Across Bavaria, Germany, and Europe](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-07-15-246-automatica-2025-exploring-innovation-robotics-and-startups-across-bavaria-ge) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [RoboBusiness 2025 Recap](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-10-21-robobusiness-2025-recap) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [BONUS: Leaders in Machine Vision and Robotics: Live from Boston, Pt. 1 of 2 (brought to you by A3)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-12-20-bonus-leaders-in-machine-vision-and-robotics-live-from-boston-pt-1-of-2-brought) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Interview with IAC race winner Team TUM](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-10-26-interview-with-iac-race-winner-team-tum) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [Beyond Manufacturing: AI-Powered Robotics and the Long Tail of Commercial Innovation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-08-15-beyond-manufacturing-ai-powered-robotics-and-the-long-tail-of-commercial-innovat) (The Robot Report Podcast)

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