The Robot Report Podcast · 23 May 2025 · 1h 11m
Steve Crowe recaps the 2025 ICRA conference in Atlanta, highlighting the dominance of Chinese humanoid and legged robot exhibitors like Unitree and Rainbow Robotics, and noting the lack of practical commercial applications for many demos. Geoffrey Biggs, CTO of the Open Source Robotics Foundation (OSRF), discusses the release of ROS 2 'Kilted Kaiju', the upcoming sunset of ROS 1, and the growth of the Open Source Robotics Alliance (OSRA). The episode also covers news on Limux Dynamics' Tron One robot and Ambi Robotics' sold-out Ambi Stack.
large enterprises and early-stage companies
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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.
The hosts discuss Unitree Robotics' new H2 humanoid robot, which demonstrates aggressive boxing and sparring capabilities, marking a shift from previous walking and parkour demos. They trace the evolution of humanoid robotics from Da Vinci’s mechanical knight to modern open-source platforms like Unitree’s H1 and H2, which have enabled rapid innovation by researchers and companies like Rec Robotics. The conversation highlights the technical complexity of balance control and force absorption, while also raising significant safety and ethical concerns about powerful, autonomous robots interacting with humans.
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.
Hosts Alvaro and Jen celebrate the 5-year anniversary of the Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast with a retrospective on their personal and professional lives. Jen discusses her transition to voiceover work, her new role in research, and her ethical concerns regarding robotics, while Alvaro highlights the podcast's most popular episodes and the success of the Asahi Linux project. They also promote the book Open Circuits by Wendell and Eric, sharing a discount code for listeners.
Host Jake Hall interviews Aaron Prather, Director of Robotics & Autonomous Systems at ASTM International, about the critical role of safety standards in deploying humanoid robots across diverse environments like homes and healthcare. Spencer Krause, President and CEO of SKA Robotics, discusses the current state of the industry, highlighting use cases in mining, construction, and hospital logistics, and explaining how advancements in edge AI and cheaper sensors are enabling broader adoption. The conversation covers the transition of robotics from controlled industrial settings to unstructured public and private spaces, emphasizing the need for robust safety frameworks and cost-effective technology to reach a buyer's market.
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