While backflipping humanoid robots are exciting to watch, there is a far more pragmatic reality, one where intelligent machines are integrated into the workforce to function alongside humans, performing repetitive, risk-prone tasks, and gathering business critical data while doing so.

In this podcast, Florian Pestoni, CEO of InOrbit, and Joe Wieciek, Software Operations Manager at Brain Corporation, discuss the mission of The Robot Operations Group. Also, Mike Bearman, COO at Vecna Robotics. Mike reviews the ANSI/RIA R15.08 mobile robotic safety standard.

Swiss based start-up provides a unique 360°, SLAM based localization and navigation solution for builders of autonomous robots and other devices.

Prior to the Covid pandemic, robotics deployments in retail environments were growing steadily, proving their efficacy, generating ‘value’ and delivering solid ROI in the process. Covid has acted as an accelerant, so much so that in 2021 robotics technologies will transform the retail sector.

RBR’s offers hot takes on ONRobot’s sanding solution, Brain Corporation’s new CTO, the US DoD seeking sensing solutions, and the Dive Technologies / Virginia Tech partnership.

Even before the advent of the Covid-19, autonomous mobile robot companies, notably those producing robots for use in e-commerce fulfillment centers, factories and warehousing, were experiencing a boom in investment. The pandemic is only accelerating investments in the AMR market.

Softbank’s most promising robotics investments are not those targeting the experimental technologies, nor the massive funding rounds for self-driving vehicles, but rather the mid-range investments in mobile robots for industrial and commercial applications.