The Robot Report Podcast · 8 Aug 2025 · 1h 17m
Pras Velagapudi, CTO of Agility Robotics, Aaron Prather of ASTM International, and Al Makke of Schaeffler discuss the current state of humanoid robotics, focusing on safety standards, commercial deployments, and component scaling. The hosts, Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman, cover recent leadership changes at Agility Robotics and Boston Dynamics, as well as the financial struggles of iRobot. The panel highlights the critical need for stability testing, the evolution of AI-driven control stacks, and the path toward cost-effective mass production.
early-stage companies
Other shows on the same ground, closest first.
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.
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.
Hosts Jesica Chavez and Andy Diepen discuss insights from the Humanoid Summit in Tokyo, noting a shift in the humanoid robotics industry from hardware demonstrations to compliance, safety, and real-world deployment. They argue that while the technology is ready, market adoption is hindered by workforce fear of job replacement and a lack of education for end-users. The conversation highlights the critical need for robotics companies to target marketing and customer success at the lowest-level operators to ensure successful integration and ROI.
Melonee Wise, Chief Product Officer at Agility Robotics and founder of the acquired Fetch Robotics, discusses the practical industrial applications of humanoid robots, specifically focusing on containerized movement and safety challenges. She explains how Agility's Digit robot complements Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) by handling tasks like nesting and palletizing, and argues that while AI aids development, the core technology is already viable for scalable deployment. Wise also reflects on her past experience building Fetch Robotics, emphasizing the importance of product-market fit, labor availability, and navigating the hype cycle to build a sustainable business.
Brian Heater, Managing Editor at A3 and host of the 'Automated' podcast, discusses the nuances of covering robotics and AI, emphasizing the importance of long-form interviews to uncover genuine insights from industry pioneers like Mark Roper and Rodney Brooks. He highlights the critical gap between research-scale robotics and commercial viability, noting that while Amazon has achieved massive scale, most humanoid startups are still far from reliable, safe production. Heater expresses optimism for the future of automation driven by human-centric applications, such as exoskeletons for workers, prosthetics inspired by personal history, and devices for Parkinson's patients, rather than just general-purpose humanoid robots.
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.