Welcome to Episode 28 of The Robot Report Podcast, where each week Robot Report editors Steve Crowe and Eugene Demaitre review the latest robotics, automation and intelligent systems news and announcements, and interview leading roboticists, leaders of innovative robotics companies, and other key members of the robotics community.
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This week, Steve Crowe and Eugene Demaitre speak with returning guest Michael Patrick Perry, Vice President for Business Development at Boston Dynamics, about the commercialization of the Spot quadruped robot. They also discuss the company’s other robots and its recent acquisition by Hyundai Motor Group.
Crowe and Demaitre also I examine the prospects for Boston Dynamics, which has had three owners in seven years — Google, SoftBank, and now Hyundai. The Waltham, Mass.-based company plans to release a gripper for its legged robot next year.
Timothy Chung, Program Manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) joins Crowe and Demaitre to discuss the recently completed Virtual Cave Circuit of the DARPA Subterranean Challenge. They discuss the lessons learned in the various circuits so far, the creation of a simulated environment, and how the competitors used robots and drones. Chung also looks ahead to 2021’s final DARPA SubT circuit and applications for these new technologies.
Finally, Crowe and Demaitre look back at 2020 and peek ahead to 2021.
Podcast Timestamps
- 0-6:49: Show Intro
- 6:50-46:55: Conversation with Michael Patrick Perry, VP of business development, Boston Dynamics
- 46:56-1:21:23: Conversation with Dr. Timothy Chung, program manager for the DARPA Subterranean Challenge
- 1:21:24-1:28:18: Show outro and end-of-year thoughts
Want to Be a Guest?
If you would like to be a guest on an upcoming episode of The Robot Report Podcast, or have recommendations for guests, please contact Steve Crowe or Eugene Demaitre. For sponsorship opportunities for The Robot Report Podcast, contact Courtney Nagle.