# What's next for Waymo's robotaxis, Dusty Robotics' Tessa Lau, robotic prosthetics with Coapt

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2020-10-15
- Length: 1h 39m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-10-15-whats-next-for-waymos-robotaxis-dusty-robotics-tessa-lau-robotic-prosthetics-wit
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/whats-next-for-waymos-robotaxis-dusty-robotics-tessa-lau-robotic-prosthetics-with-coapt

## Summary

Tessa Lau, founder and CEO of Dusty Robotics, discusses the FieldPrinter, a robot that automates building layout on construction sites using total station technology for high-precision localization. She explains how the company pivoted from a cleaning robot idea to this higher-value application after customer discovery, and details their strategy of operating the robots as a service while scaling field operations. Bert Swift, a prosthetic user, and Blair Locke, CEO of Coapt, discuss the Coapt Control 2 system, which uses AI and multiple EMG sensors to provide intuitive control for robotic prosthetics, allowing users like Swift to regain complex motor functions.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-10-15-whats-next-for-waymos-robotaxis-dusty-robotics-tessa-lau-robotic-prosthetics-wit#t=0) Introduction and Sponsor Read
- [1:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-10-15-whats-next-for-waymos-robotaxis-dusty-robotics-tessa-lau-robotic-prosthetics-wit#t=119) Dusty Robotics Pivot and FieldPrinter Overview
- [6:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-10-15-whats-next-for-waymos-robotaxis-dusty-robotics-tessa-lau-robotic-prosthetics-wit#t=383) Total Station Localization Technology
- [10:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-10-15-whats-next-for-waymos-robotaxis-dusty-robotics-tessa-lau-robotic-prosthetics-wit#t=639) Pivoting from Cleaning Robot to Layout
- [18:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-10-15-whats-next-for-waymos-robotaxis-dusty-robotics-tessa-lau-robotic-prosthetics-wit#t=1110) Scaling Field Operations Team
- [25:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-10-15-whats-next-for-waymos-robotaxis-dusty-robotics-tessa-lau-robotic-prosthetics-wit#t=1544) Value of Layout and Wildfire Challenges
- [32:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-10-15-whats-next-for-waymos-robotaxis-dusty-robotics-tessa-lau-robotic-prosthetics-wit#t=1960) Waymo Robotaxi Expansion and Drone Issues
- [49:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-10-15-whats-next-for-waymos-robotaxis-dusty-robotics-tessa-lau-robotic-prosthetics-wit#t=2961) Coapt Prosthetics and Bert Swift's Story
- [1:03:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-10-15-whats-next-for-waymos-robotaxis-dusty-robotics-tessa-lau-robotic-prosthetics-wit#t=3839) Coapt Control 2 and AI Features
- [1:39:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-10-15-whats-next-for-waymos-robotaxis-dusty-robotics-tessa-lau-robotic-prosthetics-wit#t=5946) Conclusion

## Topics

- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Dusty Robotics (company)
- FieldPrinter (product)
- Waymo (company)
- Coapt (company)
- Control 2 (product)

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