In Episode 185 of The Robotic Report Podcast, co-hosts Mike Oitzman and Eugene Demaitre interview Dr. Kevin Dowling, managing director of The Robotics Manufacturing unit, an incubator and accelerator.
Dr. Kevin Dowling, The Robotics Manufacturing unit
Dowling discusses the function of The Robotics Manufacturing unit in fostering robotics startups. He outlines the group‘s three fundamental packages: Create, Speed up, and Scale, which purpose to help early-stage corporations in numerous features of enterprise improvement.
As well as, Dowling talks in regards to the strengths of Pittsburgh‘s robotics ecosystem, the significance of collaboration with establishments akin to Carnegie Mellon College, and the challenges startups face in securing funding.
He describes the importance of ardour and drive in entrepreneurs, in addition to the necessity for a strong mental property technique.
Present timeline
- 2:56 – Information of the week
- 21:55 – Dr. Kevin Dowling, managing director of The Robotics Manufacturing unit
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Information of the week
Newest movies exhibit incremental advances in humanoids
Determine AI humanoid robots demonstrated family chores utilizing a vision-language-action mannequin, beneath.
1X Applied sciences launched a video of its newest era of humanoids, NEO Gamma, working in a house.
New useful necessities defines for assisted dwelling robots
IEC 63310:2025 Useful necessities for Energetic Assisted Dwelling (AAL) robots doc was launched this week and is out there for buy and evaluation (CHF 115).
The doc offers with the useful efficiency standards and pointers for robots supposed to be used within the AAL linked residence surroundings. This doc doesn’t cowl security necessities of robots.
Apptronik works with Jabil to provide Apollo humanoids
Apptronik, which is creating synthetic intelligence-powered humanoid robots, and Jabil, a worldwide manufacturing and provide chain techniques supplier, at this time introduced a strategic collaboration. The businesses plan to construct Apptronik’s Apollo humanoid robots and combine them into Jabil’s manufacturing operations. This consists of the manufacturing traces for the robots, “paving the way in which for Apollo to construct Apollo,” they stated.
As a part of the pilot program, newly manufactured Apollo models will use Jabil’s manufacturing unit surroundings for real-world validation testing. The robots will full an array of easy, repetitive intralogistics and manufacturing duties, together with inspection, sorting, kitting, lineside supply, fixture placement, and sub-assembly, earlier than being deployed to Apptronik buyer websites.
Humanoids not a panacea, observe columnists
However humanoid robots have as many skeptics as proponents. Mytra Chief Know-how Officer Ahmad Baitalmal shared why he believes robots ought to deal with operate above a well-known design.
Karthee Madasamy added that that humanoids have captured public creativeness and funding, however builders nonetheless want to unravel manipulation, security, and scale issues. In an article this week, he identified that humanoids have a methods to go and that specialised robots can be found for particular duties at this time.
Yamaha Motor acquires Robotics Plus, varieties Yamaha Agriculture
Yamaha Motor has acquired Robotics Plus to seed a brand new agricultural know-how firm referred to as Yamaha Agriculture Inc. It can deal with delivering autonomous gear and AI-powered digital techniques to assist growers within the specialty crop market.
Cobot market to achieve $7.2B by 2030, predicts ABI
ABI Analysis famous that synergy with AI, plus renewed curiosity in reshoring, will assist the collaborative robotic market develop quickly. The report predicted that income from cobots will enhance from $970 million in 2023 to $7.2 billion by 2030 at a compound annual progress price, or CAGR, of 28%.
The Affiliation for Advancing Automation (A3) tracks industrial and collaborative robotic gross sales in North America. In 2024, corporations ordered 31,311 robots valued at $1.9 billion, representing slight will increase of 0.5% in models and 0.1% in income over 2023. In 2023, A3 stated North American robotic orders declined by 30% after two years of document gross sales.
