FIRA 2025 Ag robotics recap

Summary This week, Mike Oitzman recaps the FIRA 2025 Ag Robotics event in Woodland, CA, highlighting the latest innovations in new automation solutions for agriculture. Featured guest this week is Danny Bernstein, founder of The Reservoir, an agtech incubator located in Salinas, CA. Danny takes us through the creation of The Reservoir and the vision for the organization to support new Ag automation startups. Also on the show is a brief conversation with Dave Silver, Director of Orchard Autonomy at John Deere, who updates us on the latest orchard solutions from JD. Companies mentioned in the recap:| - Bonzai Robotics - AgScout (vineyard yield management software) - TensorField (hot oil weeding solution) - Pittsburgh Robotics - John Deere - The Reservoir ### – SPONSOR – Are manual picking operations or idle robots slowing your growth? The cutting-edge Zebra Symmetry Fulfillment solution is engineered to reduce your costs per unit and give you an unbeatable competitive edge. Autonomous mobile robots guided by Team Intelligence empower your workers to achieve their maximum potential, enabling you to scale efficiently and boost profitability. Don’t settle for less—maximize your profits with Zebra. Discover the future of fulfillment at https://www.zebra.com/fulfillment

Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman recap the 2025 RoboBusiness event which took place last week in Santa Clara CA. The show features interviews with ten startups who were present at the show and many of whom participated in the 2025 Pitchfire event. Here’s the list of interviews on the show (in order of appearance: Apporv Shaudri from Roworks AI Chongdu Xu from Forge AI (4rfg.ai) David Ruth from Motogo Doug Langen From 4D1 Katy Bradford from Rotate8 Kevin Hayes from Morelle Lakshay Sharma from Cerulion (2025 Pitchfire winner) Raghavender Sahdev from NuPort Roby Lynn from R2 Labs Toshi Quides from Sensible Robotics ### – SPONSOR – Are manual picking operations or idle robots slowing your growth? The cutting-edge Zebra Symmetry Fulfillment solution is engineered to reduce your costs per unit and give you an unbeatable competitive edge. Autonomous mobile robots guided by Team Intelligence empower your workers to achieve their maximum potential, enabling you to scale efficiently and boost profitability. Don’t settle for less—maximize your profits with Zebra. Discover the future of fulfillment at https://www.zebra.com/fulfillment

In this episode, we sit down with Ben Wolff, CEO of Palladyne AI, to discuss the company's innovative strides in the AI and robotics industry. We dive into their focus on simplifying robot programming through an enhanced user interface, the development of autonomous swarming technology for drones, and their commitment to creating hardware-agnostic AI solutions. Ben shares insights into the advantages of edge computing and emphasizes a customer-centric approach to product development, ensuring that their offerings are indispensable to users. Tune in to learn how Palladyne AI is shaping the future of robotics and AI. – SPONSOR – Are manual picking operations or idle robots slowing your growth? The cutting-edge Zebra Symmetry Fulfillment solution is engineered to reduce your costs per unit and give you an unbeatable competitive edge. Autonomous mobile robots guided by Team Intelligence empower your workers to achieve their maximum potential, enabling you to scale efficiently and boost profitability. Don’t settle for less—maximize your profits with Zebra. Discover the future of fulfillment at https://www.zebra.com/fulfillment

On the show this week: Adrian Stoch, CEO Hai Robotics, USA In the conversation with Stoch, he discusses his transition from GXO Logistics to a leadership role at HAI Robotics, driven by the company's customer-centric approach and innovative culture led by founder Richie Chen. Adrian highlights the importance of aligning automation solutions with customer needs, emphasizing the shift towards large-scale automation in response to global supply chain challenges and labor constraints. He also outlines his goals for Hai Robotics in the Americas, focusing on building a talented team and implementing lean processes to support growth and customer success. ### – SPONSOR – Are manual picking operations or idle robots slowing your growth? The cutting-edge Zebra Symmetry Fulfillment solution is engineered to reduce your costs per unit and give you an unbeatable competitive edge. Autonomous mobile robots guided by Team Intelligence empower your workers to achieve their maximum potential, enabling you to scale efficiently and boost profitability. Don’t settle for less—maximize your profits with Zebra. Discover the future of fulfillment at https://www.zebra.com/fulfillment

In this episode, we reconnect with Peter Finn, Managing Director at BGL, to explore the evolving landscape of industrial technology, robotics, and AI. Peter shares insights on market trends post-COVID, the challenges and opportunities in the robotics sector, and the critical role of AI in shaping the future. We delve into the dynamics of mergers and acquisitions, the potential of humanoid robotics, and the importance of adaptability in today's fast-paced technological environment. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on navigating the future of industrial innovation.

On the show this week: Dustin Vaughan, VP of R&D for Robotics at Ascensus, discusses the strategic direction and priorities of his team, focusing on the development of the Luna platform. Vaughan highlights the importance of performance-guided surgery and the integration of augmented intelligence to enhance clinical support systems. Vaughan also addresses the challenges of navigating regulatory landscapes and cybersecurity concerns while emphasizing the potential of robotics and automation in the medical field. He expresses optimism about the future of surgical robotics, particularly in pediatric care, and the role of AI in improving surgical outcomes. The conversation underscores the commitment to delivering innovative, cost-effective solutions that enhance patient care and operational efficiency in the operating room. Also featured during the news section is Anders Beck, VP of Technology, Universal Robots, with a manufacturer's perspective on the new collaborative robotics standards changes.

On the show today, Scott Kuindersma, VP of Robotics Research at Boston Dynamics, discusses the development and testing of large behavior models (LBMs) for Atlas, a humanoid robot. The Boston Dynamics team collected 20 hours of teleoperation data to train LBMs, which generalize manipulation tasks. They demonstrated this with Atlas performing bi-manual manipulation tasks, such as picking and placing Spot parts. The process involves data collection, annotation, model training, and evaluation. Kuindersma highlighted the importance of simulation data and human demonstration data. Future plans include testing Atlas in Hyundai facilities and exploring AI-centric results to enhance humanoid manipulation and dynamic behaviors. Boston Dynamics is planning to take Atlas to some Hyundai facilities this year.

Our guest this week is Nohtal Partansky, CEO and founder of Sorting Robotics. Partansky shares his journey from working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to pioneering automation in the cannabis industry. Partansky discusses his innovative work on the Moxie project, which produces oxygen on Mars, and how this experience influenced his approach to robotics for cannabis manufacturing. He highlights the unique challenges and opportunities in the cannabis market, emphasizing the importance of automation to compete with both legal and black market operations. Partansky also delves into the complexities of designing adaptable systems to meet varying state regulations and evolving consumer demands, positioning Sorting Robotics as a leader in this burgeoning industry. The company’s products include: Stardust - a machine that can coat 1,000 joints an hour with infused THC Jiko - a machine that injects joint with concentrate Omnifiller - a machine that fills vape cartridges

The focus this week is on the burgeoning field of physical AI and robotics in Singapore, highlighting the country's strategic initiatives, the role of robotics in various sectors, and the collaborative efforts between government, industry, and academia to foster innovation. The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) is leading the growth of the local robotics industry, liaising with local government to bring economic and financial incentives to grow the region and the support network for AI and robotics companies. Guests on the show today include: * Lionel Lim, VP and Head of Tech Hardware and Equipment, Singapore Economic Development Board * Raahul Kumar, Senior Vice President of Strategy & Corporate Development at Certis Group * Zhihao Chin, Deputy Director, Robotics, Automation and Unmanned Systems, Home Team Science & Tech Agency These gentlemen discuss the unique opportunities Singapore offers for robotics companies, including its strong manufacturing base, supportive ecosystem, and commitment to talent development. They also share insights on the lessons learned from implementing robotics and AI, emphasizing the importance of integration, reliability, and scalability in deploying these technologies effectively. ### – SPONSOR – Ever wondered why global giants like Rockwell, Micron, and HP chose Singapore for their cutting-edge manufacturing facilities? It's no coincidence that the city-state is the world's fifth-largest exporter of high-tech goods. From world-class talent to seamless supply chains and groundbreaking innovation, Singapore's advanced manufacturing ecosystem is powering the future of Industry 4.0. Ready to discover what makes Singapore the choice destination

On the show this week, we catch up with Bren Pierce, CEO and founder of Kinisi robotics. Bren is a veteran of the mobile robotics market, having delivered 25,000 robots at his previous startup: Bear Robotics. ​​In this episode, we delve into the world of humanoid robotics, uncovering invaluable lessons from Bren’s past ventures. Join us as we explore the challenges faced by a pioneers in the mobile robotics field, and discover how these experiences are shaping the future of robotics. ### – SPONSOR – Ever wondered why global giants like Rockwell, Micron, and HP chose Singapore for their cutting-edge manufacturing facilities? It's no coincidence that the city-state is the world's fifth-largest exporter of high-tech goods. From world-class talent to seamless supply chains and groundbreaking innovation, Singapore's advanced manufacturing ecosystem is powering the future of Industry 4.0. Ready to discover what makes Singapore the choice destination for manufacturing leaders and solution providers? Head to http://go.gov.sg/therobotreport to learn more.