In Episode 93 of The Robot Report Podcast, Steve Crowe, Mike Oitzman and Dan Kara review the upcoming RoboBusiness Conference & Expo and the Field Robotics Engineering Forum, highlighting the robotics luminaries speaking at the event.

With the Omniverse Replicator, and the DRIVE Sim and Isaac Sim introductions, NVIDIA is addressing the machine learning data challenge.

The functional capacities of ModalAI’s VOXL CAM solution are impressive – powerful compute, imaging and navigation – particularly given its small size.

While deep learning methods have proven useful for autonomous navigation, the approach requires vast amounts of data and computing power, and produces solutions that are inefficient, fragile and unaffordable for many classes of applications. Opteran’s “Natural Intelligence” approach, based on the function of insect brains, provides an alternative for generating complex, autonomous behaviors for machines.

It is advanced software, working in conjunction with hardware systems, that has driven the commercial drone sector to new heights. Similarly, software is the key capabilities enabler for other types of robotics systems going forward, including mobile robots.

In this wide-ranging interview, ModalAI CEO Chad Sweet describes the development of the company’s VOXL Flight solution, a development platform for GPS-denied autonomous drone localization and navigation, along with computer vision for AI-powered object recognition, depth sensing and obstacle avoidance.

In this session, Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman are joined by Dan Kara, VP of the Robotics Group at WTWH Media, to discuss how the RBR50 has evolved over the years, how the 50 winners were selected, and the many forms of innovation.

RBR essential announcements for the interval ranging from March 12 – 19, 2021 include notices from FORT Robotics, Piaggio Fast Forward, Trimble, Monarch Tractor, Cruise and AEye.

RBR essential announcements for the interval ranging from March 5 – 12, 2021 include notices from Nimble Robotics, Axon, Skydio, Bedrock Ocean Exploration, Refraction AI, ForSight Robotics, GreyOrange and Vicarious.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has found great success in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industries, and robotics solutions are making AEC inroads. The two technologies can be synergistic, and when used together can deliver additional value to AECs.

In this RoboBusiness Direct session, a panel of agricultural robotics thought leaders discuss the agricultural robotics sector, including existing solutions, enabling technologies and ongoing opportunities.

In this podcast, American Robotics CEO Reese Mozer, CEO of American Robotics, the first drone company approved by the FAA to operate automated drones without human operators, discusses BVLOS. Also, Boston Dynamics’ Founder Marc Raibert reflects on dancing humanoids.

RBR essential announcements for the interval ranging from December 25, 2020 to December 31, 2020 include notices from Flexiv, Distalmotion, EHang, Alpine 4 Technologies, Vayu, IISART, and the FAA.

RBR essential announcements for the interval ranging from December 18, 2020 to December 24, 2020 include notices from Nuro, Ike Robotics, Ouster, Colonnade Acquisition Corporation, Unikie, Promotives, Dive Technologies, DJI, ADLINK Technology, EASA, Velodyne Lidar, Motional, PAL Robotics, and PERSEO.

While the number of transactions involving robotics companies has held steady through this year, the total value in November 2020 was half of that in November 2019.

RBR essential announcements for the interval ranging from December 11, 2020 to December 18, 2020 include notices from Flyability, Fellow AI, Berkshire Grey, Locus Robotics, AutoGuide Mobile Robots, German Bionic, LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group, Innoviz Technologies and Universal Robots.

In this Robot Report podcast, Terradepth’s founders discuss their autonomous, underwater data collection solution. Also, Exyn Technologies’ CEO describes the company’s autonomous aerial system for data collection in GPS-denied environments.

Target Arm offers Tular, a unique solution for launch and recovery operations from moving vehicles for both rotary and fixed wing drones.

Autonodyne provides a HW and SW ‘platform’ for commercial, civil and defense unmanned aerial systems (UASs) including a control station, on-board mission computer, and advanced autonomy behaviors. Recent partnership deals are a capabilities signifier.

The total number of robotics transactions held steady year over year, but the autonomous vehicle and manufacturing automation providers received less investment. Healthcare systems, field robots, and drones got funding in September 2020.

The FAA’s approval for Prime Air drone delivery is a promising step forward, but the FAA needs to streamline the process and update its rules to better reflect current technology.

For many applications, traditional cellular communications, including 5G, are suboptimal for data-intense autonomous vehicles, UAVs, and robotics systems. What is required is new cellular communications solutions that provide seamless connectivity and unlimited range for vehicles, and ensure all data is transmitted and received to and from related parties from any location.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, robotics investment and acquisition activity did not slow down in August 2020, with funding flowing to autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, and drones.

Robotics fundings, mergers, and acquisitions in July 2020 stayed at comparable levels with transactions from a year ago and June.

In June 2020, investment and acquisition activity picked up a bit for autonomous vehicles, mobile robots, healthcare systems, and industrial automation.