Spencer Krause: Why hardware is the new engineering frontier

In Episode 227 of The Robotic Report Podcast, hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman recap the foremost robotics information of the week.

Our visitor on the present this week is Spencer Krause, co-founder and CEO of SKA Robotics. A longtime pal of the present, he shares insights into the event course of for brand new robotic programs and takes a deep dive into ruggedized discipline robotics.

From automating large mining vans to launching “software-defined” actuators, Krause discusses the “mercenary” engineering mindset, together with conflict tales from the sphere, and why {hardware} is the subsequent frontier within the post-AI period.

Krause has been engineering and constructing robots for greater than 23 years. SKA Robotics has served a number of Fortune 100 firms growing superior discipline robots. Spencer stated he not too long ago co-founded Tension Dynamics as a result of he acknowledged a possibility to revolutionize the marketplace for linear actuators and movement platforms.

As well as, Krause hosts the podcast “Collaborative With Spencer Krause,” the place he has casual conversations with individuals doing attention-grabbing issues in expertise, analysis, and entrepreneurship.

Present timeline

• 9:12 – Information of the week
• 26:47 – Spencer Krause, co-founder and CEO of SKA Robotics and co-founder of Stress Dynamics

Information of the week

Skild AI raises $1.4B to construct ‘omni-bodied’ robotic mind

Skild AI has reached a $14 billion valuation after a $1.4 billion funding spherical led by SoftBank Group, with participation from NVIDIA, Jeff Bezos, and strategic companions akin to Samsung and LG.

Based in 2023, the corporate is growing the Skild Mind, a basis mannequin designed for a number of robotic physique sorts. In contrast to AI programs requiring programming for particular {hardware}, this mannequin controls programs together with humanoids, quadrupeds, and mechanical arms—with out prior data of the machine’s kind.

To develop this technique, Skild AI trains its mannequin utilizing human motion movies and physics simulations. The expertise makes use of in-context studying to permit robots to adapt to bodily modifications.

Whereas the corporate intends to deploy these programs in houses for duties like cooking and cleansing, its present focus is on enterprise functions in safety, manufacturing, warehouse logistics, and building.

Robotaxi companies develop to London

London is about to become one of many first main cities the place the world’s main autonomous car firms — particularly from the U.S. and China — immediately compete by launching robotaxi companies as early as 2026.

Waymo has begun testing its self-driving autos in London and plans a business launch there. Baidu’s Apollo Go is getting ready to carry its robotaxis to London via partnerships with firms like Uber and Lyft. The Chinese language autonomous ride-hailing service operator is already working at scale in Asia.

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