Hardware Podcasts

Harvesting innovation: The story behind Tortuga's autonomous harvesting robots

The Robot Report Podcast · 29 Feb 2024 · 1h 10m

What this episode covers

Eric Adamson, CEO and co-founder of Tortuga Agtech, discusses the development of autonomous harvesting robots for strawberries, table grapes, and wine grapes. He explains how operating in structured greenhouse and tunnel environments simplifies the complex vision and manipulation challenges of harvesting high-value crops. Adamson details the company's rapid prototyping process, including the evolution of their custom SCARA-style arms and grippers, and their strategy of building low-cost hardware from scratch to ensure economic viability. The episode also covers Tortuga's recent $50 million funding round, which includes strategic investment from grape growers, and their expansion into precision agriculture services like UV light treatment for mildew and yield forecasting.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Tortuga Agtech, Figure AI, Electric Sheep, Intuitive Machines, Agility Robotics, Sanctuary, Tesla, Boston Dynamics, Unitree, FANUC, Harmonic Drive
Products
Verde, Odysseus, Optimus

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 52m

    BONUS: Hear what Investors, Educators, and High Growth Companies have to say about the future of Robotics, Automation, and AI, Pt. 1 of 2 (brought to you by Cascadia Capital)

    Chris Luecke interviews leaders from Creative Ventures, Advanced Construction Robotics, Hire Henry, Madrona Venture Group, and Cascadia Capital about the future of robotics, automation, and AI. The guests discuss the shift of automation into unstructured environments like construction, agriculture, and landscaping, driven by labor shortages and advances in AI. They highlight the importance of solving specific market problems before technology, the rise of 'structured autonomy,' and the critical role of software in scaling robotic hardware.

    Robotics & autonomyAI & machine learning
    8 chapters

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 41m

    An Interview with Jason Huggins

    Jason Huggins, founder of Tapster Robotics, explains how he leveraged his software testing background (Selenium) to build a robotic finger for touchscreen testing, starting with laser-cut basswood and evolving to 3D-printed parallel SCARA designs. He discusses his business model of low-volume, high-margin sales to 'secret robot labs' in the automotive and telecom industries, using customer feedback to iterate on speed and mechanics. Huggins details his funding strategy through Indie.VC, focusing on profitability and cash flow rather than rapid scaling, while balancing his hardware business with his passion for kinetic art projects like motorized pin displays.

    Robotics & autonomyStarting a product company
    8 chapters

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 33m

    Accessible Robotics Solutions for Niche Applications w/ Colin Riggs and Dianne Abruzzini Riggs

    Colin Riggs and Dianne Abruzzini Riggs, co-founders of Rigorous Technology, explain how they are making industrial robotics accessible to small and medium-sized manufacturers by focusing on niche applications like corrugated box handling and injection molding. They discuss their 'Box Hopper' product, which uses vision systems to handle inconsistent natural materials, and their strategy of building modular, turnkey solutions that minimize downtime and require no robot code from operators. The founders detail their fundraising approach, relying on a strong network and advisory board to build trust with investors, and highlight trends in edge computing and digital controls that are making robotics more robust and manageable for local economies.

    Robotics & autonomyIndustrial & consumer product design
    9 chapters

  • The Next Byte Podcast · 27m

    164. Dyson’s Automated, Self-sustaining Strawberry Farm

    Daniel and Forbode discuss Dyson's transition from consumer electronics to agriculture, detailing their 36,000-acre automated farm in the UK. They highlight the integration of anaerobic digesters for energy, robotic strawberry pickers, and precision herbicide robots that reduce chemical use by 90%. The episode also covers Murata's soil sensor technology, which helps farmers optimize yields and resource usage through data-driven insights.

    Robotics & autonomyEnergy & climate tech
    8 chapters

  • Just Gonna Send It · 46m

    Divya Thakur (Founder, Yardbot)

    Divya Thakur, founder of Yardbot, explains how he pivoted from a failed Bitcoin startup and a career at Cruise (General Motors) to building a hybrid landscaping business in Huntsville, Alabama. He details the five generations of robot iterations, highlighting mechanical failures in drivetrains and decks, and the strategic decision to combine human crews with autonomous mowing robots rather than pursuing full automation. Thakur also discusses using LLMs for training blue-collar workers and computer vision for obstacle detection, while outlining plans to expand the model to other Sun Belt cities.

    Mechanical engineeringValidation & product-market fit
    8 chapters

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.