# Baseball & robotics startups during COVID-19; ROS on Windows 10 - Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast) - Published: 2020-07-08 - Length: 1h 04m - Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-07-08-baseball-robotics-startups-during-covid-19-ros-on-windows-10 - Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/running-a-robotics-startup-during-covid-19-ros-on-windows-10 ## Summary AJ Mayer, CEO of the Boston-based Pickle Robot Company, explains how his startup uses reinforcement learning and deep neural networks to automate loading and unloading trucks with their 'Dill' robot, targeting brownfield logistics facilities rather than fully automated warehouses. He details the 'supervisor ratio' business model, where human operators handle the 2% of edge cases the robot cannot manage, and discusses the challenges of selling to enterprise customers during the pandemic. The episode also features Dave Niewinski from Clearpath Robotics, who discusses the strategic benefits of supporting ROS on Windows 10 for their Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs), highlighting easier IT integration, cloud connectivity via Azure, and lower barriers to entry for corporate clients. ## Chapters - [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-07-08-baseball-robotics-startups-during-covid-19-ros-on-windows-10#t=7) Introduction: SoftBank Robots at Japanese Baseball Games - [9:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-07-08-baseball-robotics-startups-during-covid-19-ros-on-windows-10#t=553) Introduction: AJ Mayer and Pickle Robot Company - [16:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-07-08-baseball-robotics-startups-during-covid-19-ros-on-windows-10#t=991) Pickle Robot AI, Gripper Design, and Brownfield Strategy - [27:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-07-08-baseball-robotics-startups-during-covid-19-ros-on-windows-10#t=1668) Pickle Robot Seed Round, Pilots, and Business Model - [37:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-07-08-baseball-robotics-startups-during-covid-19-ros-on-windows-10#t=2263) Human-in-the-Loop Operations and Supervisor Ratio - [44:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-07-08-baseball-robotics-startups-during-covid-19-ros-on-windows-10#t=2640) Introduction: Dave Niewinski and Clearpath Robotics - [45:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-07-08-baseball-robotics-startups-during-covid-19-ros-on-windows-10#t=2719) Clearpath Robotics ROS on Windows 10 Implementation - [56:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-07-08-baseball-robotics-startups-during-covid-19-ros-on-windows-10#t=3414) Security, Azure Cloud Integration, and Future Platforms ## Topics - [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy) - [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning) - [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners) - [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics) - [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot) - [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy) ## Most relevant to early-stage companies ## Mentioned - Pickle Robot Company (company) - Dill (product) - Mustard (product) - SoftBank (company) - Pepper (product) - Spot (product) - Clearpath Robotics (company) - Dave Niewinski (other) - Microsoft (company) - ROS (other) - Windows 10 (other) - Azure (other) - Husky (product) - Ridgeback (product) - Dingo (product) - Boxer (product) - Kiva (company) - 6 River Systems (company) - Plus One Robotics (company) - Honeywell (company) - Dematic (company) - UPS (company) - FedEx (company) - Walmart (company) - Amazon (company) ## Related episodes from other shows - [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) - [173: Leveraging Robotics in an Unstructured World with Dexterity's Michael Patrick Perry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-02-20-173-leveraging-robotics-in-an-unstructured-world-with-dexteritys-michael-patrick) (Manufacturing Happy Hour) - [Episode 132: Collaborating with industrial robots - Anthony Jules](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-11-07-episode-132-collaborating-with-industrial-robots-anthony-jules) (Robot Talk) - [BONUS: Leaders in Robotics, AMRs, and Logistics, Pt. 2 of 2 (brought to you by A3)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-11-26-bonus-leaders-in-robotics-amrs-and-logistics-pt-2-of-2-brought-to-you-by-a3) (Manufacturing Happy Hour) - [A Conversation in Berlin about Robot Operations (#RobOps) with Florian Pestoni, Co-Founder and CEO of InOrbit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-08-09-a-conversation-in-berlin-about-robot-operations-robops-with-florian-pestoni-co-f) (Manufacturing Happy Hour) ## Citing this page If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-07-08-baseball-robotics-startups-during-covid-19-ros-on-windows-10. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Robot Report Podcast.