# Transforming Solar Construction Through Robotics with Deise Yumi Asami

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2026-07-17
- Length: 1h 00m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-07-17-transforming-solar-construction-through-robotics-with-deise-yumi-asami
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/transforming-solar

## Summary

Deise Yumi Asami, founder of Maximo Robotics, an AI-enabled robotics startup incubated within the AES corporation, explains how their robotic system automates utility-scale solar panel installation to improve speed, safety, and project certainty. Asami details the engineering challenges of designing a dual-arm robot capable of handling heavy, variable modules in harsh outdoor environments without requiring changes to existing supply chain components. She also describes the strategic advantage of having a captive internal customer (AES) that allows for rapid iteration, real-world testing across diverse US climates, and frank feedback loops that accelerate product development and commercialization.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-07-17-transforming-solar-construction-through-robotics-with-deise-yumi-asami#t=0) Introduction and Show Housekeeping
- [3:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-07-17-transforming-solar-construction-through-robotics-with-deise-yumi-asami#t=212) News: Vicarious Surgical Dissolution and Walden Robotics Launch
- [14:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-07-17-transforming-solar-construction-through-robotics-with-deise-yumi-asami#t=843) News: Hyundai Strikes and Boston Dynamics Atlas Deployment
- [19:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-07-17-transforming-solar-construction-through-robotics-with-deise-yumi-asami#t=1158) Interview: Deise Yumi Asami and Maximo Robotics Overview
- [27:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-07-17-transforming-solar-construction-through-robotics-with-deise-yumi-asami#t=1646) Engineering Challenges: Dual-Arm Precision and Module Handling
- [35:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-07-17-transforming-solar-construction-through-robotics-with-deise-yumi-asami#t=2124) AI Vision and Autonomy in Solar Installation
- [38:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-07-17-transforming-solar-construction-through-robotics-with-deise-yumi-asami#t=2302) First Deployments and Lessons from AES Sites
- [48:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-07-17-transforming-solar-construction-through-robotics-with-deise-yumi-asami#t=2881) Innovation Culture and Incubation within AES

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Maximo Robotics (company)
- AES (company)
- Vicarious Surgical (company)
- Walden Robotics (company)
- Toyota Research Institute (company)
- Boston Dynamics (company)
- Hyundai (company)
- Atlas (product)
- Tiger Data (company)
- TimescaleDB (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Why Solar Deployment Speed Is the Real Climate Bottleneck with Deise Yumi Asami](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2026-04-02-why-solar-deployment-speed-is-the-real-climate-bottleneck-with-deise-yumi-asami) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [Modularity in Robotics: A Vision for the Future](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2021-08-03-modularity-in-robotics-a-vision-for-the-future) (Over the Air)
- [246: automatica 2025: Exploring Innovation, Robotics, and Startups Across Bavaria, Germany, and Europe](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-07-15-246-automatica-2025-exploring-innovation-robotics-and-startups-across-bavaria-ge) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [How AI is modernizing EPCs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-04-30-how-ai-is-modernizing-epcs) (Catalyst)
- [The coming robotics wave](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-03-20-the-coming-robotics-wave) (Catalyst)

## Citing this page

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