# Designing robot arms to survive lunar nights; Waymo 'no plans' to expand in Ariz.

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2021-02-05
- Length: 1h 06m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-02-05-designing-robot-arms-to-survive-lunar-nights-waymo-no-plans-to-expand-in-ariz
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/designing-robot-arms-to-survive-lunar-nights-waymo-no-plans-to-expand-in-ariz

## Summary

Tom McCarthy, VP of Business Development at Motiv Space Systems, explains the engineering challenges of the COLDarm, a robotic arm designed to operate at -279°F during lunar nights without active heating, partnering with JPL for a 2024 launch. Ben Upcroft, VP of Technology at Oxbotica, discusses the company's 'Selenia' autonomy software, which uses camera, LiDAR, and radar for infrastructure-free navigation in mining and on-road applications, emphasizing the role of synthetic data and simulation. The episode also covers Boston Dynamics' Spot Arm, a 6-DOF manipulator that enables Spot to perform mobile manipulation tasks like opening doors, and notes Waymo's decision not to expand its robotaxi service in Arizona.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-02-05-designing-robot-arms-to-survive-lunar-nights-waymo-no-plans-to-expand-in-ariz#t=0) Introduction and Sponsor Read
- [2:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-02-05-designing-robot-arms-to-survive-lunar-nights-waymo-no-plans-to-expand-in-ariz#t=135) Tom McCarthy and Motiv Space Systems: The COLDarm Project
- [9:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-02-05-designing-robot-arms-to-survive-lunar-nights-waymo-no-plans-to-expand-in-ariz#t=553) COLDarm Engineering: Cryogenic Avionics and Mechanical Design
- [18:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-02-05-designing-robot-arms-to-survive-lunar-nights-waymo-no-plans-to-expand-in-ariz#t=1124) Mars Perseverance Rover and Future Space Exploration
- [26:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-02-05-designing-robot-arms-to-survive-lunar-nights-waymo-no-plans-to-expand-in-ariz#t=1581) Boston Dynamics Spot Arm: Mobile Manipulation and API
- [36:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-02-05-designing-robot-arms-to-survive-lunar-nights-waymo-no-plans-to-expand-in-ariz#t=2179) Ben Upcroft and Oxbotica: Universal Autonomy Platform
- [43:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-02-05-designing-robot-arms-to-survive-lunar-nights-waymo-no-plans-to-expand-in-ariz#t=2587) Oxbotica Sensors: Camera, LiDAR, and Radar Fusion
- [56:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-02-05-designing-robot-arms-to-survive-lunar-nights-waymo-no-plans-to-expand-in-ariz#t=3417) Simulation, Synthetic Data, and Data Expansion
- [1:01:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-02-05-designing-robot-arms-to-survive-lunar-nights-waymo-no-plans-to-expand-in-ariz#t=3713) The Camera vs. LiDAR Debate and Level 5 Robotaxis

## Topics

- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Motiv Space Systems (company)
- COLDarm (product)
- JPL (company)
- Mars Perseverance Rover (product)
- Boston Dynamics (company)
- Spot (product)
- Spot Arm (product)
- Waymo (company)
- Oxbotica (company)
- Selenia (product)
- AutoX (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [74. Robots Working on the Moon and in Warehouses](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-06-14-74-robots-working-on-the-moon-and-in-warehouses) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [20. NASA’s New Moon Buggy, Rock Picking Robot, Super-Strong Concrete](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2021-06-01-20-nasas-new-moon-buggy-rock-picking-robot-super-strong-concrete) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [Episode 146: Embodied AI on the ISS - Jamie Palmer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-02-27-episode-146-embodied-ai-on-the-iss-jamie-palmer) (Robot Talk)
- [146. Robotic Pioneers on the Moon’s Surface](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-10-31-146-robotic-pioneers-on-the-moons-surface) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [Episode 75: Robot hands and exoskeletons - Antonia Tzemanaki](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-03-01-episode-75-robot-hands-and-exoskeletons-antonia-tzemanaki) (Robot Talk)

## Citing this page

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