In Episode 227 of The Robotic Report Podcast, hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman recap the main robotics information of the week.
Our visitor on the present this week is Spencer Krause, CEO and co-founder of SKA Robotics. A longtime good friend of the present, Krause shares insights into the event course of for brand new robotics options, and a deep dive into ruggedized discipline robotics. From automating big mining vehicles to launching “software-defined” actuators, Spencer discusses the “mercenary” engineering mindset, together with “battle tales” from the sector, and why {hardware} is the following frontier within the Submit-AI period.
Spencer Krause, CEO and co-founder of SKA robotics.
Spencer Krause has been engineering and constructing robots for over 23 years. He’s the President and CEO of SKA Robotics, which has served a number of Fortune 100 firms growing superior discipline robotic techniques. He just lately cofounded Stress Dynamics as a result of he acknowledged a possibility to revolutionize the marketplace for linear actuators and movement platforms.
In his spare time, Spencer hosts the podcast “Collaborative With Spencer Krause” the place he has casual and uncooked conversations with individuals doing attention-grabbing issues in expertise, analysis and entrepreneurship.
Krause just lately co-founded Stress Dynamics, a brand new linear actuator firm.
Present timeline
- 9:12 – Information of the week
- 26:47 – Spencer Krause, co-founder and CEO and co-founder of SKA Robotics
Information of the week
Skild AI, a robotics firm based in 2023, 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 reminiscent of Samsung and LG. The corporate is growing the Skild Mind, a basis mannequin for robotics designed for a number of physique sorts. In contrast to AI techniques requiring programming for particular {hardware}, this mannequin controls robotic morphologies—together with humanoids, quadrupeds, and mechanical arms—with out prior data of the machine’s kind. To develop this method, 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. In exams, robots utilizing the Skild Mind demonstrated the power to recuperate from mechanical points, reminiscent of jammed wheels or the lack of a limb, by adjusting their actions. Whereas the corporate intends to deploy these techniques in properties for duties like cooking and cleansing, the present focus is on enterprise functions. After reaching $30 million in income in 2025, Skild AI is deploying its expertise in safety, manufacturing, warehouse logistics, and development.
Expanded robotaxi providers
- London is about to grow to be one of many first main cities the place the world’s main autonomous automobile firms — particularly from the US and China — immediately compete by launching robotaxi providers as early as 2026.
- Waymo has begun testing its self-driving automobiles in London and plans a industrial launch there. Baidu’s Apollo Go — a Chinese language autonomous ride-hail operator, already working at scale in Asia — is making ready to carry its robotaxis to London by means of partnerships with firms like Uber and Lyft.
