The Robot Report Podcast · 17 Apr 2026 · 1h 03m
Gene Demaitre of The Robot Report and Sarah Wynn of Packaging OEM recap MODEX 2026, highlighting the industry's shift toward multi-agent orchestration software and practical AI applications over standalone hardware. They discuss Skild AI's acquisition of Fetch Robotics assets to deploy its 'omnibodied intelligence' layer and Boston Dynamics' partnership with Google DeepMind to integrate Gemini AI into Spot. Key trends included 'rainbow palletizing,' hardware-agnostic interoperability, and the focus on ROI-driven automation in cold chain and e-commerce logistics.
Where this conversation describes AI being used to build or deliver a product. Part of the AI in practice tracker.
Engineering & simulationSkild AI
Skild AI acquired Fetch Robotics assets to deploy its omnibodied intelligence layer, integrating AI brains into proven industrial hardware for fleet orchestration.
“Skill has said the acquisition will help them deploy its omnibodied intelligence layer across the global logistics. And here the concept is that they were really interested in the software aspect.”
Speaker 1 · Hear it at 4:04
Engineering & simulationLucas Systems$1000000 a month
Lucas Systems unveiled dynamic palette builder and palette matching software that optimizes pallets in real time, helping customers save close to $1,000,000 a month by reducing labor and travel.
“Lucas Systems also had its palette matching offering. This optimizes palettes, so they get built together in real time, resulting in fewer repeated visits, saving on labor, and travel reduction in large warehouses. And Lucas said some of their customers are seeing close to a $1000000 a month in savings with this.”
Speaker 3 · Hear it at 34:58
ManufacturingPax-i Systems500 boxes an hour
Pax-i Systems demonstrated CVM Impact, an automated machine that captures product dimensions in real time to create right-sized packaging without upfront data, processing up to 500 boxes an hour.
“No upfront dimensional data is required, the machine captures it all in real time. Can do up to about 500 boxes an hour and can be combined with AMRs.”
Speaker 3 · Hear it at 1:00:21
early-stage companies
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Michael Perry, Vice President of Marketing at Dexterity, discusses how AI-enabled robots are transforming warehouse operations by handling variability that traditional automation cannot. He details Dexterity's platform, which integrates vision and touch to allow robots to pick, pack, and palletize mixed-SKU goods in existing 'brownfield' facilities without extensive infrastructure changes. Perry highlights a specific success story involving a bread fulfillment center where one robot managed over 10,000 SKUs, including deformable items like tortillas and loaves of bread, while also explaining the future of collaborative robot teams.
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