Automate 2025 Recap

Our guests on this episode are Laura Major, CEO of Motional, and Sankaet Pathek, founder and CEO of Foundation. Cohost Mike Oitzman interviews Laura Major, CEO of Motional, about its advancements in autonomous vehicle (AV) technology. Major discusses Motional's focus on AI and machine learning, emphasizing the shift from technical to business leadership. They have conducted pilot activities in Las Vegas and Pittsburgh, focusing on diverse environments to enhance their AV's generalizability. Major highlights the importance of simulation in development, combining it with real-world testing. Motional's AVs are electric, leveraging the Ionic 5 platform for efficiency. They have a strong safety record, with no at-fault accidents over 2 million miles. Regulatory frameworks vary by state, but they collaborate with local and state officials to improve deployment. Learn more about Motion: https://motional.com/ In a conversation with Sankaet Pathek, the founder and CEO of Foundation, discusses the mission and vision behind his humanoid robot company. He shares insights into his background, the challenges and opportunities in the robotics industry, and the innovative technologies being developed at Foundation. The conversation highlights the importance of building a capable team, the focus on practical applications of humanoid robots, and the unique technological advancements that differentiate Foundation from competitors. In this conversation, Sankaet discusses the current state and future of humanoid robotics, focusing on automation in manufacturing, the integration of AI, safety considerations, and the challenges of scaling production. He emphasizes the importance of data in training AI models and the need for reliable hardware and software to ensure safety. Sankaet also shares insights on navigating the venture capital landscape and achieving cost efficiency in humanoid robots, while reflecting on the challenges of startup life. Learn more about Foundation: https://foundation.bot/ Please like, subscribe, and share the show with a colleague.

Welcome to our 200th episode! Our guest in this episode is Dr Robert Ambrose, Texas A&M professor and Chairman of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence at Alliant. In this conversation, Dr. Rob Ambrose discusses his extensive experience in robotics and artificial intelligence, particularly during his time at NASA. He highlights the evolution of robotics in space exploration, the transition to commercial applications, and the importance of education in fostering the next generation of engineers. Dr. Ambrose emphasizes the need for the U.S. to regain its leadership in robotics amidst growing competition from countries like China, and he advocates for a proactive approach to innovation and automation in various industries. We take a walk down memory lane and recap some of our favorite moments on the show from the last five years. Steve Crowe, Gene Demaitre, and Mike Oitzman talk through some stats from the show over 200 episodes. We also want to thank our special guests on this episode who stopped by for a quick message, including Jonathan Hurst, Aaron Prather, Kevin Lawton, Victor Splittgerber, and Joe Wieciek. And thanks to all of our fans of the show. We love meeting you at shows. Please like, follow/subscribe, and leave a review. The best way to help us grow is to share the show with a colleague.

Our guest in this episode is Cam Myers, founder and CEO of Create Me. He discusses the innovative application of robotics and adhesive technology in garment production. He shares insights on the challenges faced in automating clothing manufacturing, the benefits of using adhesives over traditional sewing methods, and the potential for reshoring production in response to changing tariffs. The discussion also touches on the future trajectory of Create Me, emphasizing sustainability and the importance of adapting to consumer demands. Learn more about CreateMe at: https://www.createme.com/

In this conversation, Robert Kufner, CEO and President of SDP/SI, discusses the evolution of the company in response to the changing demands of the tech industry, particularly in automation and robotics. He highlights the importance of customer feedback and investment in advanced manufacturing technologies. The discussion also covers the impact of the changing tariff landscape on SDP/SI and its customers, emphasizing the company's strong position as a US manufacturer. Finally, Kufner addresses sourcing challenges and the future of materials needed for manufacturing. Let’s dive into the critical role of precision, quality, and alignment in robotics design and assembly. S-D-P S-s engineering experts go beyond the standard manufacturing process by reviewing your designs before production, offering cost-effective, space-saving solutions that streamline your entire assembly process. Discover how we help robotics companies achieve unprecedented accuracy and efficiency. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how S-D-P S-I can elevate your robotics applications. Discover the difference! Visit https://sdp-si.com

Our guest in this episode is Nicolas Radford, CEO and co-founder of Persona AI. Persona is commercializing a multi-purpose humanoid to personify AI, enabling the next wave in robotics. No longer are robots confined to the factory floor performing pick and place, welding, or painting, but they are now capable of tasks traditionally reserved only for human-level coordination and mobility. We hear about his new venture with Persona, and teaming up with Jerry Pratt, another well-known roboticist in the humanoid space. Learn more about Persona at: http://persona.ai/ ### Our sponsor this week is SDPSI. Let’s dive into the critical role of precision, quality, and alignment in robotics design and assembly. At SDP/SI, our engineering experts go beyond the standard manufacturing process by reviewing your designs before production, offering cost-effective, space-saving solutions that streamline your entire assembly process. Discover how we help robotics companies achieve unprecedented accuracy and efficiency. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how SDP/SI can elevate your robotics applications. Discover the difference! Visit https://sdp-si.com/ to learn more.

Our guest in this episode is Geoffrey Biggs, CTO of the Open Source Robotics Foundation. He updates us on the recent ROS 2 Kilted Kaiju release, the pending ROS 1 sunset and the future of OSRF. Co-host Steve Crowe returns from Georgia with an update on the 2025 ICRA event. He discusses the event and all of the various robot demos at the event. ICRA is primarily a research-focused robotics event, and it offers attendees the opportunity to see the latest research projects from labs around the world. ### Our sponsor this week is SDPSI. Let’s dive into the critical role of precision, quality, and alignment in robotics design and assembly. At SDP/SI, our engineering experts go beyond the standard manufacturing process by reviewing your designs before production, offering cost-effective, space-saving solutions that streamline your entire assembly process. Discover how we help robotics companies achieve unprecedented accuracy and efficiency. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how SDP/SI can elevate your robotics applications. Discover the difference! Visit https://sdp-si.com/ to learn more.

This week, co-hosts Mike Oitzman and Gene Demaitre recap the 2025 Automate show in Detroit, MI. In additional to their personal experiences and take-aways from the event, we also feature show floor interviews with: - Ujjwal Kumar, Group President Teradyne Robotics - Marc Segura, President of ABB Robotics - Carole Franklin, Director of Standards Development, Robotics, at Association for Advancing Automation on the new ISO/AWI 25785-1 humanoid safety standard - Mathias Entenmann, cofounder and CEO of CeiliX ### Our sponsor this week is SDPSI. Let’s dive into the critical role of precision, quality, and alignment in robotics design and assembly. At SDP/SI, our engineering experts go beyond the standard manufacturing process by reviewing your designs before production, offering cost-effective, space-saving solutions that streamline your entire assembly process. Discover how we help robotics companies achieve unprecedented accuracy and efficiency. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how SDP/SI can elevate your robotics applications. Discover the difference! Visit https://sdp-si.com/ to learn more.

Our guest in this episode is Giovanni Campanella, the Industrial Automation and Robotics General Manager at Texas Instruments (TI). In this conversation, co-host Mike Oitzman speaks with Campanella about TI's extensive portfolio in industrial automation and robotics, highlighting key product lines and the company's collaboration with various robotics companies. Giovanni shares insights into the challenges of designing humanoid robots, the evolving demands in robotics, and the importance of safety in design. They also explore the expansion of robotics into new sectors such as healthcare and agriculture, and how TI engages with engineers to provide tailored solutions. The conversation concludes with a look at future trends in robotics and the skills needed for systems engineers in this rapidly changing field. ### Our sponsor this week is SDPSI. Let’s dive into the critical role of precision, quality, and alignment in robotics design and assembly. At SDP/SI, our engineering experts go beyond the standard manufacturing process by reviewing your designs before production, offering cost-effective, space-saving solutions that streamline your entire assembly process. Discover how we help robotics companies achieve unprecedented accuracy and efficiency. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how SDP/SI can elevate your robotics applications. Discover the difference! Visit https://sdp-si.com/ to learn more.

This episode comes to you live from the expo floor of the 2025 Robotics Summit and Expo in Boston. Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman recap the event and Mike talks to several friends of the show from the show floor. We catch up with Aaaron Prather, from ASTM. Then Mike talked to Amos Miller from Glidance before his session on personal robotics. Finally, we learn about the upcoming production release from Tatum Robotics founder Samantha Johnson. ### Our sponsor this month is SDP-SI Let’s dive into the critical role of precision, quality, and alignment in robotics design and assembly. At SDP/SI, our engineering experts go beyond the standard manufacturing process by reviewing your designs before production, offering cost-effective, space-saving solutions that streamline your entire assembly process. Discover how we help robotics companies achieve unprecedented accuracy and efficiency. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how SDP/SI can elevate your robotics applications. Discover the difference! Visit https://sdp-si.com/podcast/index.php

Our guest this week is Angus Pacala, CEO and Co-founder of Ouster Lidar. In this conversation, Pacala, discusses the advancements in lidar technology, particularly the introduction of their new 3D zone monitoring feature. He explains the benefits of 3D lidar over traditional 2D systems, emphasizing safety and flexibility in industrial applications. The discussion also covers the evolution of Ouster's hardware, the importance of software-defined capabilities, and the future growth potential in various markets, including humanoid robotics. Pacala highlights the challenges of cost reduction and the need for innovation to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving landscape of lidar technology. ### Our sponsor this week is Enidine. Established in 1966, Enidine is a premier supplier of highly engineered products to extend equipment life, improve comfort, and increase safety and reliability throughout global industrial end markets. Enidine’s engineering team has designed custom energy absorption, vibration isolation, and noise attenuation solutions for a wide variety of challenging applications, including automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) and factory automation. Its wide array of innovative components has proven to be critical to our customers’ success. Learn more by going to https://www.enidine.com/en-us