# Building robots that survive the warehouse

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2026-08-07
- Length: 51m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-08-07-building-robots-that-survive-the-warehouse
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/building-robots-that-survive

## Summary

Josh Cloer, General Manager for North America at No Magic, explains how the company applies 'physical AI' and vision-language-action (VLA) models to warehouse each-picking and recovery workflows. He emphasizes that No Magic’s competitive advantage lies in using real-world production data rather than simulation to handle edge cases, such as flexible shoebox handling. The discussion covers the shift from batch to continuous 'always-on' operations, the integration of AI layers onto existing hardware like ASRS, and strategies for de-risking automation adoption for supply chain leaders.

## Chapters

- [0:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-08-07-building-robots-that-survive-the-warehouse#t=10) Introduction: Mike Weitzman and Brianna Westling
- [6:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-08-07-building-robots-that-survive-the-warehouse#t=410) News: Path Robotics, Gray Matter, and Google DeepMind
- [14:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-08-07-building-robots-that-survive-the-warehouse#t=891) Introduction: Josh Cloer and No Magic
- [17:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-08-07-building-robots-that-survive-the-warehouse#t=1030) Shift from ASRS to Edge Automation and VLA Models
- [20:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-08-07-building-robots-that-survive-the-warehouse#t=1227) The Always-On Warehouse and Human-in-the-Loop
- [23:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-08-07-building-robots-that-survive-the-warehouse#t=1393) Moving from Pilot to Production with Real Data
- [27:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-08-07-building-robots-that-survive-the-warehouse#t=1624) VLA Models for Recovery and Shoebox Handling
- [37:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-08-07-building-robots-that-survive-the-warehouse#t=2239) Spot Vision Sensor and Operational Accountability
- [40:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-08-07-building-robots-that-survive-the-warehouse#t=2423) Lights Out Warehouses and Supply Chain Pressures

## 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)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- No Magic (company)
- Path Robotics (company)
- Gray Matter Robotics (company)
- Google DeepMind (company)
- Gemini Robotics (product)
- HII (company)
- Mobile Industrial Robots (company)
- Mujin (company)
- Vanderlande (company)
- Zalando (company)
- Spot (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Moving From Generative to Physical AI on the Manufacturing Floor w/ Etienne Lacroix](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2026-05-12-moving-from-generative-to-physical-ai-on-the-manufacturing-floor-w-etienne-lacro) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [244: Automate LIVE 2025: Warehousing Innovations, AI at the Edge, and Interoperability](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-07-04-244-automate-live-2025-warehousing-innovations-ai-at-the-edge-and-interoperabili) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [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)
- [Live Recording: the Missing Data for Physical AI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/go-no-go/2026-10-08-live-recording-the-missing-data-for-physical-ai) (Go/No-Go)
- [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)

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