In Episode 171 of The Robot Report Podcast, co-hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman examine the latest video from XPENG, showing the Iron humanoid robot operating on the floor of the company‘s automation manufacturing plant.
Featured interview with Swiss-Mile
In the featured interview this week, Oitzman and Eugene Demaitre interview Marko Bjelonic, co-founder and CEO of Swiss-Mile, discussing its quadruped robot that combines wheels and legs for enhanced mobility. They explore the evolution of the robot from academic research to a commercial product, the engineering challenges faced, and the unique functionalities that set it apart.
The discussion also covers potential applications in security and logistics, the importance of autonomy in robotics, and the future direction of Swiss-Mile as a technology-focused company.
Show timeline
- 1:13 – Boston Dynamics humanoid video discussion
- 9:27 – News
- 25:37 – Interview with Marko Bjelonic, co-founder and CEO of Swiss-Mile
News of the week
2025 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards open for nominations
You can now submit nominations for the 2025 RBR50 innovation awards. They will recognize technology and business innovations in calendar year 2024, and the awards are open to any company worldwide that produces robotics or automation.
The categories include:
- Technologies, products, and services: This category includes primary or applied research focusing on robotics and supporting technologies such as motion control, vision, or machine learning. It also includes new products and business, engineering, or technology services.
- Business and management: This category covers initiatives positioning a company as a market leader or an organization as an important thought leader in the robotics ecosystem. Significant mergers and acquisitions are relevant, as are supplier, partner, and integrator relationships.
- Applications and markets: The RBR50 will also recognize innovations that improve productivity, quality, and cost-effectiveness, as well as those that automate new tasks.
In addition, the 2025 RBR50 awards will celebrate the following:
- Startup of the Year
- Application of the Year
- Robot of the Year
- Robots for Good Award
The deadline for submissions is Friday, Dec. 20, 2024.
iRobot lays off another 105 employees
iRobot, maker of the popular Roomba robot vacuum, has layed off another 105 employees as part of its restructuring plans. The number of employees being let go represents 16% of iRobot’s global workforce as of Sept. 28. Since the start of 2024, iRobot has reduced its global workforce by nearly 50%.
There are several reasons iRobot, which has sold more than 50 million robots worldwide, is struggling. One of the main reasons is the failed acquisition from Amazon, which was called off earlier in 2024. Amazon wanted to acquire iRobot for $1.7 billion, but the deal was ultimately called off because regulators said the deal would restrict competition. Amazon paid iRobot $94 million to terminate the deal.
Physical Intelligence raises $400M for foundation models for robotics
Physical Intelligence has raised $400 million to continue its development of AI for a range of robots. The company acknowledged that foundation models that can control any robot to perform any task “are still in their infancy.” It said it is working on the data and partnerships to pretrain these models and enable new levels of dexterity and physical capability.
Physical Intelligence raised $70 million in seed financing earlier this year, and the company told The Robot Report that its valuation has risen to $2.4 billion. Jeff Bezos, executive chairman of Amazon, led the company’s latest funding round, along with Thrive Capital and Lux Capital.
Pipedream Labs deploys underground delivery system in Texas drive-thru
Pipedream’s robot operates through pipes to move prepared meals from a quick service restaurant (QSR) to end users in, say, a commercial building. The pipe is like two to three feet in diameter with a track, and the automated shuttles can carry a tote from the restaurant out to various pickup locations. It’s fixed infrastructure, but it’s completely underground and out of the weather.
The company’s stated vision is that this infrastructure would be put in place in an urban setting, and support the logistics of delivery between the QSR location and various corporate campuses.Pipedream said it can drastically reduce delivery times and streamline restaurant operations. Strong financial backing has fueled rapid growth, it said.
Podcast sponsored by RGO Robotics
The show this week is sponsored by RGO Robotics
Is your autonomous mobile robot (AMR) struggling in dynamic environments? Is your business stuck because it takes months to commission a new site?
RGo Robotics’ Perception Engine is revolutionizing the AMR business through advanced Vision AI perception technology. Unlike traditional solutions, The company’s software enables AMRs to adapt to changing environments and navigate complex spaces with unprecedented accuracy and the commissioning process is shorter and simpler.
Leading AMR companies are enhancing their fleets with RGo’s AI-powered perception, enabling their teams to accelerate use of advanced AI capabilities like foundation models and digital twins.
Don’t let outdated navigation hold your business back.
To learn more about RGO’s solutions, go to: https://www.rgorobotics.ai/