Robots are coming - Ominous Operational Overhaul

The Amp Hour · 22 Apr 2015 · 1h 18m · Episode 246

What this episode covers

Hosts Chris Gammell and Dave Jones discuss the real-world robot BB-8 from the new Star Wars trailer, noting it was built by Sphero using a balancing mechanism. They then examine a massive collection of desoldered electronic components found by Jones, debating the utility of hoarding obsolete through-hole parts versus modern distribution. The conversation shifts to the rise of industrial robotics, citing the Baxter robot and the economic implications of automation on labor, before touching on the legal issues surrounding John Deere's tractor ownership and MakerBot's layoffs.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Robot Report Podcast · 1h 29m

    Robotics in Review: Editors look back at 2025

    The Robot Report editorial team, including Steve Crowe, Gene Demaitre, Mike Oitzman, and Brianna Wessling, reviews the major robotics industry shifts of 2025, highlighting $3.5 billion in humanoid funding and the rise of physical AI. They analyze significant corporate events, such as iRobot’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy and ABB’s sale of its mobile robot division to SoftBank, while discussing Waymo’s scaling challenges and Amazon’s deployment of 1 million warehouse robots. The episode also covers the spin-out of Intel RealSense, the impact of autonomous systems in Ukraine and Gaza, and the push for a US national robotics strategy.

  • The Robot Report Podcast · 1h 08m

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

    Daniel Theobald, founder and CEO of Vecna Robotics and co-founder of MassRobotics, discusses the shift from hardware-focused robotics to 'orchestration' software that coordinates robots and humans to increase warehouse throughput by up to 116%. He highlights the importance of interoperability standards and MassRobotics' role in supporting startups, while also sharing his personal passion for agricultural technology on his family farm. The episode also features a recap of August 2020 robotics investments, noting strong activity in autonomous vehicles and manufacturing, and an interview with Brady Watkins, Senior VP and GM at SoftBank Robotics America, who explains SoftBank's focus on the 'Whiz' cleaning robot and its 'Robotics as a Service' model.

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 23m

    From CES To Factory Floors: Robotics, Labor, And The New Supply Chain, with Shawn DuBravac

    Shawn DuBravac, Chief Economist at the Global Electronics Association, discusses the impact of AI on the electronics supply chain, noting how AI infrastructure crowds out investment in other sectors. He analyzes the robotics landscape, highlighting that while humanoid robots are gaining attention, practical deployment in manufacturing is still 36 to 48 months away, with immediate value found in automating repetitive tasks like palletizing. DuBravac also explains the K-shaped industrial economy, where AI and defense spending thrive while housing and construction struggle, and details how EMS providers are adapting to tariffs through supply chain agility and consolidation.

  • The Robot Report Podcast · 51m

    RoboBusiness 2024 recap

    Steve Crowe, Gene Demaitre, and Mike Oitzman of The Robot Report recap RoboBusiness 2024, highlighting the launch of Robust AI's Carter Pro AMR and keynotes from Rodney Brooks and Sergey Levine. The hosts discuss the industry's shift toward practical utility, noting the prominence of outdoor robotics and the cooling of humanoid hype, while also reviewing the Startup Pavilion winner, Robotics 88. They emphasize the value of networking and the transition from novelty to profitable automation solutions in the warehouse sector.

  • The Robot Report Podcast · 57m

    Jeff Burnstein on robot sales growth; Softbank’s evolving robotics play

    Jeff Burnstein, president of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), explains that non-automotive robot orders surpassed automotive orders in North America for the first time in 2020, driven by pandemic-induced demand for automation and reshoring. The episode then features Canvas co-founders Maria Talaria and Henrik Bettenson, who discuss their startup's drywall finishing robot, a system designed to assist skilled workers rather than replace them, and their strategy of operating as a tech-enabled subcontractor. The host also recaps industry news, including SoftBank's confusing robotics strategy via a joint venture with Iris Oyama, AutoX's launch of a fully driverless robotaxi in China, and Amazon's new robotics upskilling program.

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