Robotics Summer Camp, 2024 at Oak Learning Center is the ultimate combination of education and excitement for young minds. So that was it. Stay tuned for more episodes. Till then, don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to inspire and ignite your child's passion for STEM!

So, let's light that fire and make this summer an unforgettable one for your child at Oak Learning Center's Robotics Summer Camp 2024.

The Meaningful Vacation with Robotics Summer Camp 2024 - OakLearning Center!

In this week's show, Dr. Russ Tedrake from Toyota Research Institute, and Scott Kuindersma from Boston Dynamics discuss their collaboration on humanoid robotics and the integration of AI through large behavior models. They explore the challenges and opportunities in developing general-purpose robots, the importance of human involvement in learning processes, and the role of data in enhancing robot capabilities. The discussion also touches on practical applications, deployment strategies, and the significance of rigorous research in advancing robotics technology.

Cohosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman also review Mike's takeaways from the FIRA 2024 ag-robotics event earlier this week.

The show this week is sponsored by Zebra Robotics Automation - It’s time to switch to Zebra Robotics Automation. The company’s cutting-edge Zebra Symmetry Fulfillment solution is engineered to reduce your costs per unit and give you that unbeatable competitive edge. Don’t settle for less—maximize your profits with Zebra Robotics Automation.
To learn more about Zebra's solutions goto: www.zebra.com/fulfillment

Practical Applications of Embodied AI and Humanoid Robots

It’s VC week at the podcast.
TLDR: This episode features interviews with Juliette Chevallier from Scale Ventures and Jasmine Singh from Jay Moon Ventures and covers investment trends in robotics, emphasizing the importance of execution risk over technical risk. 

Juliette Chevallier, Principal, Investments, Scale Venture Partners
Juliette Chevallier has a background in autonomous vehicles and robotics, having previously worked at companies like Google Chauffeur (now Waymo) and MIT spinoff Optimus Ride. She joined Scale Venture Partners about 2 years ago to lead their investment thesis on robotics, AI applications, and cybersecurity. Scale Venture Partners' approach focuses on investing at the point of execution risk rather than technical risk, looking for companies with a working product and proven product-market fit. Juliette emphasizes the importance of understanding the customer ROI and business model as key criteria.
In her role as a VC, Juliette prefers to have a deep, hands-on involvement with portfolio companies, acting as a strategic sounding board and collaborating closely with founders to work through tough problems. She sees her role as helping founders navigate the operational and go-to-market challenges. Juliette notes a renewed interest in robotics from VCs, though she is cautious about some "wild" valuations and funding rounds, preferring bottoms-up market analysis over top-down figures.
Juliette is bullish on the potential of robotics foundation models (RFMs) to drive transformation, emphasizing the need for more multi-modal AI models that integrate vision, action, and communication. She is excited about the possibilities of AI to enhance robotics, but cautions about the risks of AI development burning through funding. Overall, Juliette's approach focuses on de-risking execution and operational challenges for robotics startups, leveraging her deep technical and business expertise to support founders.
Learn more at: https://www.scalevp.com/

Jasmeet Singh, founder, JMOON Ventures
Jasmeet Singh has a diverse background spanning robotics engineering, founding startups, and investing since 2012. As an investor at J Moon Ventures, he focuses on "physical AI" startups - those combining hardware, electronics, and AI in areas like robotics, IoT, and 3D printing.
Jasmeet emphasizes the importance of solving real problems, not just building cool technology. He looks for startups with a strong understanding of the user and business model, noting operational challenges like scaling manufacturing and finding the right business model.
Compared to the more risk-averse Canadian market, Jasmeet sees the US as a better environment for robotics fundraising. He advises founders to target large, underserved problems and focus on customer service and support.
Some of Jasmeet's investments include Orange Wood Labs, Brisk AI, and Rural Hologram. As he launches J Moon Ventures, he is particularly interested in opportunities in agriculture, construction, medical, and sustainability.
Overall, Jasmeet brings a unique perspective as an investor with deep technical expertise and operational experience in robotics. He is focused on backing founders solving real-world problems with innovative hardware-software solutions.
Learn more at: https://jmoon.ventures/

– SPONSOR –
The show this week is sponsored by FlexQube. Move material with any size, shape, and weight with the FlexQube Navigator AMR, the world’s first multi-purpose and non-load carrying robot.The FlexQube Navigator AMR features a standardized coupling interface to connect with an ecosystem of different load carriers depending on the customer's needs.The system also features a safety-rated identification of load carrier footprint to secure a safe and efficient scale-up of different use cases in a factory or warehouse.
FlexQube Navigator – robotics that delivers!

To learn more about FlexQube’s solutions goto: https://www.flexqube.com


Funding the next wave of robotics

Making Money with Ron Hiebert & Gord Whitehead - Robotics

Robotics

Our guests this week are Nick Thompson, CEO and co-founder of BOW, and Daniel Camilleri, CTO and founder of BOW. 
BOW is a robotics platform that aims to simplify the development of robotic applications. They discuss the challenges in the robotics industry, the features of the BOW SDK, and the company's business model. The conversation also touches on partnerships, the integration with ROS, and the future of robotics, particularly in relation to AI and task-oriented development.

Our sponsor this week is Enidine.
Established in 1966, Enidine is a premier supplier of highly engineered products to extend equipment life, improve comfort, and increase safety and reliability throughout global industrial end markets.

Enidine’s engineering team has designed custom energy absorption, vibration isolation, and noise attenuation solutions for a wide variety of challenging applications, including automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) and factory automation. 

Its wide array of innovative components has proven to be critical to our customers’ success.

Learn more by going to https://www.enidine.com/en-us

Building a Universal Robotics Platform with BOW

Our guests this week are Aaron Prather, Director of the Robotics & Autonomous Systems Program at ASTM International, and later in the show, Rajat Bhageria, CEO and founder of Chef Robotics, in a conversation with Gene Demaitre at The Robotics Summit.
Join us on a fascinating journey through time as we explore the evolution and significance of iconic robots in the history of the robotics industry. 
We recap Prather’s recent publication of a “Top 10 robots” list, and debate the order and composition of the list.
From the early mechanical wonders to today's advanced AI-driven machines, discover how these creations have shaped our world and continue to influence our future. We'll delve into some of the stories behind famous robots, their impact on technology and culture, and what they reveal about human ingenuity and imagination. 
Tune in for an episode filled with insights, surprises, and a glimpse into the future of robotics.

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– SPONSOR –

Ever wondered why global giants like Rockwell, Micron and HP chose Singapore for their cutting-edge manufacturing facilities? It's no coincidence that the city-state is the world's fifth-largest exporter of high-tech goods. From world-class talent to seamless supply chains and groundbreaking innovation, Singapore's advanced manufacturing ecosystem is powering the future of Industry 4.0.

Ready to discover what makes Singapore the choice destination for manufacturing leaders and solution providers? Head to http://go.gov.sg/therobotreport to learn more.

The Robot Revolution: Top 10 robots of all time

OAKLearning Center is a premier supplementary education service provider in Oakville, Ontario for K-12 students. We strive to inspire student’s curiosity and strengthen student’s core academic skills.

Join Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman each week for discussions with leading roboticists, innovative robotics companies, and other key members of the robotics community.

Financial Advice from experts Ron Hiebert and Gord Whitehead

New tracks tagged ##robotics