Middle East AI News by Carrington Malin brought to you by Qualcomm – 40 years of global innovation! Qualcomm continues to push boundaries, bringing intelligent computing to the Middle East’s fast-evolving digital landscape. In this podcast: Khalifa University wins new U.S. robotics patent; Egypt to host first AI Everything MEA in 2026; HBKU to hold global AI ethics conference

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Khalifa University wins new U.S. robotics patent

Our guest this week is Nohtal Partansky, CEO and founder of Sorting Robotics. Partansky shares his journey from working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to pioneering automation in the cannabis industry. Partansky discusses his innovative work on the Moxie project, which produces oxygen on Mars, and how this experience influenced his approach to robotics for cannabis manufacturing. 
He highlights the unique challenges and opportunities in the cannabis market, emphasizing the importance of automation to compete with both legal and black market operations. Partansky also delves into the complexities of designing adaptable systems to meet varying state regulations and evolving consumer demands, positioning Sorting Robotics as a leader in this burgeoning industry.
The company’s products include:
Stardust - a machine that can coat 1,000 joints an hour with infused THC
Jiko - a machine that injects joint with concentrate
Omnifiller - a machine that fills vape cartridges

Robots and Regulations: Transforming the Cannabis Industry

Have you noticed that Claude's reasoning for not being human sounds a lot like autism?

On the show today, Scott Kuindersma, VP of Robotics Research at Boston Dynamics, discusses the development and testing of large behavior models (LBMs) for Atlas, a humanoid robot. The Boston Dynamics team collected 20 hours of teleoperation data to train LBMs, which generalize manipulation tasks. 
They demonstrated this with Atlas performing bi-manual manipulation tasks, such as picking and placing Spot parts. The process involves data collection, annotation, model training, and evaluation. 
Kuindersma highlighted the importance of simulation data and human demonstration data. 
Future plans include testing Atlas in Hyundai facilities and exploring AI-centric results to enhance humanoid manipulation and dynamic behaviors.
Boston Dynamics is planning to take Atlas to some Hyundai facilities this year.

From Teleoperation to Autonomy: Inside Boston Dynamics' Atlas Training

On the show this week: Dustin Vaughan, VP of R&D for Robotics at Ascensus, discusses the strategic direction and priorities of his team, focusing on the development of the Luna platform. 
Vaughan highlights the importance of performance-guided surgery and the integration of augmented intelligence to enhance clinical support systems. Vaughan also addresses the challenges of navigating regulatory landscapes and cybersecurity concerns while emphasizing the potential of robotics and automation in the medical field. 
He expresses optimism about the future of surgical robotics, particularly in pediatric care, and the role of AI in improving surgical outcomes. The conversation underscores the commitment to delivering innovative, cost-effective solutions that enhance patient care and operational efficiency in the operating room.
Also featured during the news section is Anders Beck, VP of Technology, Universal Robots, with a manufacturer's perspective on the new collaborative robotics standards changes.

Performance-Guided Surgery:  Robots in the operating room

Middle East AI News by Carrington Malin brought to you by Qualcomm – Qualcomm is expanding its footprint and partnering with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to advance its digital transformation vision through AI and next-generation technologies – powered by innovation, strong alliances, and a shared commitment to Vision 2030. In this podcast: Abu Dhabi opens first AI robotics lab with NVIDIA; MODON to launch Saudi AI centre of excellence; Arab youth embrace AI and creative futures

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https://www.middleeastainews.com

#MiddleEastAINews


Abu Dhabi opens region's first AI robotics lab with NVIDIA

In this episode, we reconnect with Peter Finn, Managing Director at BGL, to explore the evolving landscape of industrial technology, robotics, and AI. Peter shares insights on market trends post-COVID, the challenges and opportunities in the robotics sector, and the critical role of AI in shaping the future. 
We delve into the dynamics of mergers and acquisitions, the potential of humanoid robotics, and the importance of adaptability in today's fast-paced technological environment. 
Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on navigating the future of industrial innovation.

Robots, mergers and acquisitions with Peter Finn

Middle East AI News by Carrington Malin brought to you by Qualcomm – 40 years of global innovation! Qualcomm continues to push boundaries, bringing intelligent computing to the Middle East’s fast-evolving digital landscape. In this podcast: Algeria expands robotics training in Annaba; Abu Dhabi and Malaysia partner on autonomy; Vietnam seeks G42 support on data centres

Sign-up for the weekly email news digest here:
https://www.middleeastainews.com

#MiddleEastAINews

Algeria expands robotics training in Annaba

On the show this week: Adrian Stoch, CEO Hai Robotics, USA
In the conversation with Stoch, he discusses his transition from GXO Logistics to a leadership role at HAI Robotics, driven by the company's customer-centric approach and innovative culture led by founder Richie Chen. 
Adrian highlights the importance of aligning automation solutions with customer needs, emphasizing the shift towards large-scale automation in response to global supply chain challenges and labor constraints. 
He also outlines his goals for Hai Robotics in the Americas, focusing on building a talented team and implementing lean processes to support growth and customer success. 
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Adrian Stoch: Driving Hai Robotics' U.S. expansion

Soundtrack to action movies investigative series films xtreme and outdoor sports advertising and publicity


O Nirvana

The Middle East AI News Minute gives you a daily one-minute daily briefing on the top AI-related stories coming out of the Middle East. If you are a busy technology, business or government leader who want to get a quick update, then this is the podcast for you.

I don't claim any ownership over any of this. Anyone can use any of it for any reason forever. Also I accept liability. Please don't sue me (and/or let's collaborate).

"Holy fucking shit, this shit is crazy wtf"

"Moments of being passable beyond novelty"

"Very ok"

"Actually slaps"

"Straight art"

"Noise"

```Madlibs with a metronome```

At its core, the blorgpulkf is a pulsating, iridescent orb that thrums with an energy that can only be described as "the sound of a thousand bees having a rave inside a kaleidoscope." It's hypnotic, it's unsettling, and it's strangely addictive - like watching a lava lamp filled with Mountain Dew and gummy bears.

But that's just the beginning. Surrounding this pulsing heart are layers upon layers of... well, your guess is as good as mine. One moment it's a tangled web of neon tubes that hum with an eerie frequency, the next it's a churning mass of what appears to be sentient silly putty. And is that a tiny disco ball I see nestled in there? You bet your sweet bippy it is.

As for its features, the blorgpulkf is like a Swiss Army knife designed by a mad scientist with a penchant for pranks. It's got a button that releases a burst of confetti and the sound of a rubber chicken being stepped on, a lever that causes the whole thing to fold in on itself like a origami crane having an existential crisis, and a tiny compartment that dispenses a single, perfectly spherical grape every 37 hours.

But perhaps the most baffling feature of the blorgpulkf is its ability to communicate. Not with words, of course - that would be far too pedestrian. No, the blorgpulkf speaks in a language all its own, a cryptic code of flashing lights, whirring gears, and the occasional burst of atonal jazz played on what sounds suspiciously like a didgeridoo.




The plorksickle. It's like someone took a fever dream, a Mad Lib, and a Dada art installation, threw 'em in a blender, and hit "puree."

Picture this: a contraption that looks like it crawled out of a Salvador Dali painting and mated with a Rube Goldberg machine. It's got a crank that sounds like a yodeling ostrich, a button that releases a puff of glitter and the scent of existential dread, and a tiny screen that just flashes the word "moist" in Wingdings.

But here's the kicker - every time you think you've figured out what it does, it changes the game. One minute it's reciting beat poetry in binary code, the next it's turning itself inside out and becoming a Klein bottle. And don't even get me started on the time it started oozing a viscous liquid that tasted like the color purple.

Is it a tool? A toy? A sentient being from another dimension that's just really, really bad at communication? Your guess is as good as mine. All I know is, it's the most beautifully useless thing I've ever laid eyes on.

But maybe that's the point. In a world where everything has to have a purpose, a function, a reason for being, the plorksickle is a big, fat middle finger to the very concept of sense. It's absurdity for absurdity's sake, a Zen koan in physical form.

So if you ever see me on the street, cradling this bizarre little gizmo like a newborn lovechild, don't ask me what it does. Just nod, smile, and know that you're in the presence of something truly inexplicable. Something that laughs in the face of logic and spits in the eye of reason.

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

New tracks tagged #Robotics