181: Leadership and Ethics in the Adoption of Robotics with Ryan Gariepy, CTO of Clearpath Robotics & OTTO Motors
Ryan Gariepy, CTO of Clearpath Robotics and OTTO Motors (both acquired by Rockwell Automation), discusses the evolution of his companies from garage startups to enterprise solutions. He explains how observing the stark contrast between legacy industrial automation and Kiva Systems' technology revealed the future of robotics, leading to the creation of Clearpath for R&D platforms and OTTO for material handling. Gariepy emphasizes that successful robotics adoption requires balancing hype with signal, focusing on specific high-value applications, and prioritizing human safety and ethical deployment in both manufacturing and broader societal contexts.