In Episode 182 of The Robotic Report Podcast, editors Mike Oitzman and Eugene Demaitre interview Erin Linebarger, co-founder and CEO of Robotics 88. Linebarger discusses the modern use of drones in wildfire administration, significantly by way of prescribed hearth strategies.
She additionally describes the genesis of the Boston-based firm, the significance of knowledge in hearth administration, the know-how behind its drones, and the way forward for wildfire mitigation efforts globally.
The Robotics88 drone is a custom-designed quadcopter outfitted with a number of sensors to picture the forest ground below the tree cover. | Credit score: Robotics88
Robotics 88 received the Pitchfire competitors on the 2024 RoboBusiness occasion with Linebarger’s presentation concerning the startup and its software. The judges have been impressed not solely with the element of her marketing strategy, but in addition with the corporate’s potential with robotics for good.
Present timeline
- 9:51 – Information of the week
- 35:12 – Interview with Erin Linebarger co-founder and CEO of Robotics 88
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Information of the week
VDMA: Germany’s robotics trade ‘has misplaced competitiveness’
The German robotics and automation trade is going through a downturn, with the VDMA R+A forecasting a 9% drop in whole turnover for 2025, reaching €13.8 billion ($14.4 billion U.S.). This follows a 6% lower in 2024, with turnover closing at €15.2 billion ($15.8 billion).
Dietmar Ley, chairman of the affiliation, attributed this decline to structural weaknesses throughout the trade, together with over-reliance on the German automotive sector and broader competitiveness points. These weaknesses have been evident in 2024, with a 16% home lower in comparison with 2023.
Ambi Robotics launches AmbiStack robotic palletizer
AmbiStack, an overhead gantry palletizing system, automates the method of stacking objects onto pallets or into containers. At its core is a four-axis gantry robotic positioned above an infeed conveyor.
This robotic makes use of a digital camera, machine imaginative and prescient, and synthetic intelligence to determine, purchase, and stack objects transferring alongside the conveyor. Ambi Robotics employs reinforcement studying to coach the AI mannequin that controls the palletizing robotic, in line with Jeff Mahler, firm co-founder and chief know-how officer.
1X Applied sciences acquires Form Humanoid to speed up work towards family robots
1X Applied sciences introduced the acquisition of Form Humanoid to assist speed up its roadmap in creating and productizing humanoid robots to be used within the residence.
Palo Alto, Calif.-based Form Humanoid developed Mona, a bipedal humanoid supposed to work in houses and in fields comparable to healthcare. The three-person firm labored with famend designer Yves Béhar on the bio-inspired type issue. The corporate additionally utilized AI and enormous language fashions (LLMs) to allow Mona to work together with and help folks in on a regular basis conditions.
1X Applied sciences has been creating general-purpose robots for households. The corporate‘s acknowledged mission is “to create an abundance of labor by way of protected, clever humanoids that work alongside folks.” Form Humanoid falls into the class of an “acqui-hire,” bringing its abilities and expertise to 1X.