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Iván Hernández Dalas: Robots don’t run themselves: The workforce powering physical AI

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A hybrid human-robot workforce requires new metrics, according to HireArt. Source: Lee AI, via Adobe Stock As robotic systems move from pilots into scaled deployments, a pattern is becoming harder to ignore: The limiting factor is rarely the robot itself. It’s the workforce required to operate, maintain, and continuously adapt it in the real world. Most robotics programs begin with a familiar model—small, tightly coordinated teams supporting early deployments. Engineers are close to the system, operators are highly trained, and issues are resolved quickly because everyone is in the loop. That structure works well when there are five or 10 robots in controlled environments. But it starts to break down when deployments scale to dozens of sites across multiple shifts and inconsistent physical environments. At that point, robotics stops behaving like a product launch and starts behaving like a distributed operations business. Physical AI deployments shift labor priorities A useful par...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: The technology that could bring robot mowers to one in two American lawns

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Robotic mowing is becoming more commercially viable because of vision and satellite guidance, AI planning, and autonomy. Source: Sunseeker Robotics For years, robotic lawn mowers have been perceived as a niche technology: an interesting solution, but one limited by complex installations, wired systems, and performance that was not always suitable for larger and more demanding lawns. Today, that phase is over. The evolution of artificial intelligence, satellite navigation, and autonomous systems is transforming robotic lawn mowing  into a new automation platform for outdoor environments. This is not simply about improving an existing product. We are witnessing the emergence of a category capable of redefining the way millions of people maintain their lawns. The momentum is reflected in the broader market. The global lawn mower market reportedly generated $35.2 million in 2025 and is expected to reach $63.2 million by 2033 . This sustained growth reflects increasing consumer confidenc...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: How software-defined manufacturing fits into real factory operations

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The Robot Report Podcast · How software-defined manufacturing fits into real factory operation Roby Lynn, founder and CEO, R2 Labs. In Episode 258 of  The Robot Report Podcast, we discuss software-defined manufacturing, in which automation enables more flexible production. Our guest is Dr. Roby Lynn, the founder and CEO of R2 Labs , a smart manufacturing technology provider. The Peachtree Corners, Ga.-based company’s flagship product, the RAC (R2 Autonomy Controller), brings new life to legacy equipment by giving companies access to the latest industrial technology such as AI vision and advanced robotics. Lynn previously worked at Formlabs and has a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Show timeline 11:10 – News of the week 25:50 – Dr. Roby Lynn, founder and CEO of R2 Labs News of the week Learn about the NoTip autonomous delivery system What does Unitree Robotics’ IPO mean for the humanoid industry?   FORT Robotics...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: Amazon’s Bhavana Chandrashekhar to speak at RoboBusiness’ Women in Robotics Lunch

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From left to right: Bhavana Chandrashekhar and Joyce Sidopoulos. Currently, women make up just 35% of the global STEM workforce and 22% of the global AI workforce. This means many women in the robotics industry struggle to find community with other women. At RoboBusiness 2026, which will be on Oct. 20 and 21 in Santa Clara, Calif., spend an hour connecting with robotics professionals in an environment designed for thoughtful conversation and mentorship. The Women in Robotics Lunch is an opportunity to form new connections, deepen relationships, and champion increased female representation in robotics leadership. This lunch will include a fireside chat between Joyce Sidopoulos, co-founder of MassRobotics , and Bhavana Chandrashekhar, senior manager of applied science at Amazon Robotics . The Women in Robotics Lunch has limited seats and will fill up fast! You can register for the lunch by adding it on to your RoboBusiness registration . Meet the Women in Robotics Lunch speakers S...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: Schaeffler plans to mass produce gearboxes for humanoid robots in 2027

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Schaeffler developer its formed strain wave gearboxes especially for humanoid robots. | Source: Schaeffler Schaeffler Technologies AG is expanding its humanoid robotics product portfolio with its latest formed strain wave gearboxes. The company said it has concluded the extensive validation testing of the gearboxes and will be ready to start manufacturing them at scale in 2027. Strain wave gearboxes are key components in actuators , which make up around half of the total costs of manufacturing a humanoid robot. They can transmit movements precisely and with a high torque capacity and a high gear reduction ratio in compact spaces. Strain wave gearboxes also offer high accuracy and stiffness. These capabilities help satisfy the central requirements of humanoid joints, said the Herzogenaurach, Germany-based company . “Schaeffler will take a leading role in the market for humanoid robots,” said David Kehr, president of humanoid robotics at Schaeffler. “We deploy humanoids a...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: #AAMAS2026 blue sky award winner: Foundation world models for agents in changing environments

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Florent Delgrange won the Best Blue Sky Paper Award at AAMAS 2026 for his work Foundation World Models for Agents that Learn, Verify, and Adapt Reliably Beyond Static Environments . We caught up with him to find out more about his vision for agent learning. What is the topic of your Blue Sky Ideas paper and why is it an interesting area for study? My Blue Sky Ideas paper asks a simple but difficult question: how can an autonomous agent keep learning as its world changes without quietly losing the guarantees that made its behavior trustworthy? Reinforcement learning and formal methods address complementary parts of this problem. Reinforcement learning allows an agent to learn by trial and error and can scale to environments for which we could never write down every rule. However, the agent is usually asked to maximize a reward. A poorly specified reward can be exploited, and a high reward does not by itself tell us that a safety or coordination requirement has been satisfied. Reacti...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: Amazon plans to expand Prime Air to nearly 500 cities by the end of 2026

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Prime Air uses drones to deliver groceries, electronics, cosmetics, medications, and household products. | Source: Amazon Amazon.com Inc. this week said it plans to expand its Prime Air service to nearly 500 cities and towns in the U.S. by the end of 2026. The company said this is a sixfold increase from its current footprint. It would give tens of millions of customers access to drone delivery. Prime Air drone delivery currently serves customers in cities across seven states, including Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, and Texas. Amazon plans to launch the service soon in the Chicago; Syracuse, N.Y.; Cleveland; Atlanta; and Boise, Idaho, metro areas, with more communities to come later this year. “Customers already turn to Amazon for fast same- and next-day delivery, and Prime Air provides them an even speedier option when they need it, with deliveries in as fast as 30 minutes,” stated David Carbon, vice president of Amazon Prime Air. “We’ve already deli...
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