# MODEX 2026 Recap

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2026-04-17
- Length: 1h 03m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-04-17-modex-2026-recap
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/modex-2026-recap

## Summary

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.

## Chapters

- [0:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-04-17-modex-2026-recap#t=9) Introduction: Gene Demaitre and Sarah Wynn at MODEX 2026
- [8:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-04-17-modex-2026-recap#t=525) Skild AI Acquires Fetch Robotics Assets from Zebra
- [12:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-04-17-modex-2026-recap#t=760) Boston Dynamics and Google DeepMind Partner on Gemini AI
- [16:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-04-17-modex-2026-recap#t=967) MODEX 2026 Show Overview and Split to Las Vegas
- [21:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-04-17-modex-2026-recap#t=1305) Collaborative Operations and Toyota Automated Logistics
- [28:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-04-17-modex-2026-recap#t=1689) Rainbow Palletizing and Flexible Packaging Automation
- [34:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-04-17-modex-2026-recap#t=2098) Real-Time Software and Multi-Agent Orchestration
- [40:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-04-17-modex-2026-recap#t=2420) AI Applications: From Hype to Practical ROI
- [51:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-04-17-modex-2026-recap#t=3062) Humanoid Robots and Mobile Manipulation Trends

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Skild AI (company)
- Fetch Robotics (company)
- Zebra Technologies (company)
- Boston Dynamics (company)
- Google DeepMind (company)
- Spot (product)
- Gemini (other)
- Atlas (product)
- Digit (product)
- Lucas Array (product)
- Pickle Robot (product)
- Pax I (product)
- Cody Manufacturing (company)
- Festo (company)
- Lucas Systems (company)
- Symbolic (company)
- FANUC (company)
- Yaskawa (company)
- SICK (company)
- Mujin (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [BONUS: Leaders in Machine Vision and Robotics: Live from Boston, Pt. 2 of 2 (brought to you by A3)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-12-23-bonus-leaders-in-machine-vision-and-robotics-live-from-boston-pt-2-of-2-brought) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [173: Leveraging Robotics in an Unstructured World with Dexterity's Michael Patrick Perry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-02-20-173-leveraging-robotics-in-an-unstructured-world-with-dexteritys-michael-patrick) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [BONUS: Leaders in Robotics, AMRs, and Logistics, Pt. 2 of 2 (brought to you by A3)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-11-26-bonus-leaders-in-robotics-amrs-and-logistics-pt-2-of-2-brought-to-you-by-a3) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Live from LA - Matt and Scotty’s Austin and LA adventures, plus NVIDIA and Google power plays](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2025-07-30-live-from-la-matt-and-scottys-austin-and-la-adventures-plus-nvidia-and-google-po) (Built 2 Scale)
- [Intelligent Robots and the Warehouse of the Future](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2022-08-16-intelligent-robots-and-the-warehouse-of-the-future) (The Manufacturing Executive)

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