A conversation with the founders of RobOpsCon; a robo dog fight breaks out over patents

The Robot Report Podcast · 18 Nov 2022 · 1h 02m

What this episode covers

Florian Pestoni, CEO of Orbot, and Joe Wieciek, Director of Technical Operations at Outrider, discuss the inaugural RobOpsCon, focusing on the industry's shift from R&D to operational scale and the critical need for robot interoperability. The hosts also cover a patent infringement lawsuit between Boston Dynamics and Ghost Robotics regarding quadruped technology, and Amazon's internal development of the Sparrow piece-picking robot. Additionally, the episode highlights Cruise's expansion of robotaxi operations to daytime hours in San Francisco.

Mentioned

Companies
Boston Dynamics, Ghost Robotics, Cruz, GM, Amazon, Right Hand Robotics, Covariant, Osaro, Fetch Robotics
Products
Spot, Animal, Sparrow, Kiva, Proteus
Also
RobOpsCon, Robotics Operations Group, FANUC

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 1h 21m

    BONUS: Leaders in Robotics, AMRs, and Logistics, Pt. 2 of 2 (brought to you by A3)

    Host Chris Luecke and co-host Jake Hall interview leaders from Vecna Robotics, Waypoint Robotics, WiBotic, Fetch Robotics, Dexterity, and FedEx at the 2021 AMRs and Logistics Conference. Daniel Theobald of Vecna Robotics discusses the critical need for AMR interoperability and the role of Mass Robotics in setting standards. Jason Walker of Waypoint Robotics explains the company's acquisition by Locust Robotics and the importance of flexibility in AMR deployment. Ben Waters of WiBotic details wireless charging solutions for diverse fleets, including space applications, while Melonee Wise of Fetch Robotics reflects on her company's acquisition by Zebra Technologies and the evolving safety standards for AMRs. Michael Patrick Perry of Dexterity outlines the stages of autonomous transformation in warehousing, and Aaron Prather of FedEx emphasizes the industry's return to in-person collaboration and the necessity of solving specific customer pain points.

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 33m

    A Conversation in Berlin about Robot Operations (#RobOps) with Florian Pestoni, Co-Founder and CEO of InOrbit

    Florian Pestoni, Co-Founder and CEO of InOrbit, explains how his company provides 'chronic care' for robotic fleets by acting as a cloud-based data layer that maximizes robot utilization and efficiency. He details the concept of #RobOps, adapting software DevOps principles to robotics to reduce mean time to detection and resolution for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) operating in chaotic environments like retail stores. Pestoni shares his transition from a digital health startup to robotics, noting that his co-founder’s background at Willow Garage revealed a lack of infrastructure for real-world robot operations, leading to the creation of InOrbit's platform.

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 37m

    191: The State of Robotics: Live From the 2024 Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston, MA

    Host Chris Luecke recaps the 2024 Robotics Summit in Boston, featuring interviews with Jonathan Hurst of Agility Robotics, Joyce Sidopoulos of MassRobotics, and Scott Sizemore of Electrocraft. The episode explores the commercialization of humanoid robots, the shift from disjointed component sourcing to integrated motion systems, and the role of accelerators in scaling early-stage robotics startups.

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 50m

    BONUS: Leaders in Machine Vision and Robotics: Live from Boston, Pt. 2 of 2 (brought to you by A3)

    Host Chris Luecke interviews Laura Hoffman, Patty Ketseris of Locust Robotics, Matt Charles of Robex, Melanie Weiss of Zebra Technologies, and Alex Ciccaney of A3 at the 2022 Vision Show in Boston. The group discusses the convergence of machine vision and mobile robotics, the shift toward cloud-based automation, and how manufacturing can learn from the repeatability of warehousing. They also cover Robex's acquisition by private equity, Zebra's acquisition of Fetch Robotics, and the growing adoption of AI and vision in non-traditional verticals like medical devices.

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 1h 24m

    246: automatica 2025: Exploring Innovation, Robotics, and Startups Across Bavaria, Germany, and Europe

    Chris Luecke and Jake Hall report from Automatica 2025 in Munich, interviewing leaders from Intrinsic, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Innok Robotics, KUKA, and VDMA. They discuss how AI foundation models are making robotics accessible to non-experts, the collaborative innovation ecosystem in Bavaria, and the challenges European startups face in scaling compared to the US. The episode highlights specific technologies like Intrinsic's perception models, Innok's outdoor AMR platform, and the industry's push for interoperability standards.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Robot Report Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.