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Iván Hernández Dalas: 11 reasons robots struggle to scale in high-mix manufacturing

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High-mix manufacturing poses many challenges for robotic automation. We have seen many impressive demonstrations of robotic automation in high-mix applications over the last 10 years. Often these demonstrations are at technology readiness level (TRL) 5 or 6 level. These demonstrations generate a great deal of interest in technology and people start expecting rapid technology transition. However, technology maturation in this area has been very slow. Very few robotics technologies have been actually deployed in high-mix applications. This article explores the reasons behind this slow transition. Robotic automation for high-mix applications requires a fundamentally different approach. Components of this approach include: 1. Sensor-based systems for building part and workspace models 2. Automated robot trajectory generation based on part models constructed from sensing 3. Control system to handle sensor uncertainties Most technology demonstration projects focus on development of ...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: Flipping the script: How ‘upside-down’ AutoPallet robots solve palletizing density

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The AutoPallet system uses magnets to drive on steel panels mounted overhead and to pick and place cases on pallets and conveyors below. | Credit: AutoPallet AutoPallet Robotics is focused on solving palletizing challenges with a novel warehouse robot. The startup made the first public demonstration of its palletizing/depalletizing system at Manifest 2026 today. Its founders got their start at Y Combinator in 2024. The AutoPallet robots are small autonomous mobile robots ( AMRs) that drive upside down, magnetically affixed to a steel plate positioned over the target workspace. The robots lower a vacuum gripper down to a pallet or conveyor to acquire a box, then lift the box up and carry it to the target drop location. The freestanding modular superstructure bolts into the warehouse floor, allowing operators to drop high-density automation into existing buildings without redesigning their entire material flow. “We started from the question, ‘What would a purpose-built, modern ro...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: What the SpaceX acquisition of xAI means for industrial robotics

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Aerospace manufacturing could lead the way to integrating automation and AI, says Flexxbotics. Source: Flexxbotics The news that SpaceX is bringing xAI into its core operations isn’t just another big tech acquisition. In his announcement, Elon Musk made the near-term implications surprisingly concrete for anyone working in automation and robotics. It described the massive scale of rocket and satellite production as a “forcing function” similar to how SpaceX’s launch demands have driven rapid improvements in engineering and flight operations. In practical terms, that means AI isn’t being adopted as an experiment or side project. It’s being pulled directly into the heart of the company ‘s automated production because the volume, speed, and complexity of manufacturing now require it. When output must scale by orders of magnitude, manual optimization, disconnected data systems, and slow process learning simply can’t keep up. AI becomes necessary to: Understand complex production ...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: KinetIQ framework from Humanoid orchestrates robot fleets

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KinetIQ is a single AI model that can control different morphologies and end-effector designs. | Source: Humanoid Humanoid, a developer of humanoid robots and mobile manipulators, this week introduced KinetIQ. This is the London-based company’s own AI framework for orchestration of robot fleets across industrial, service, and home applications. With KinetIQ, a single system controls robots with different embodiments and coordinates interactions between them, said SKL Robotics Ltd., which does business as Humanoid. The architecture is cross-timescale: Four layers operate simultaneously, from  fleet -level goal assignment to millisecond-level joint control. Each layer treats the layer below as a set of tools, orchestrating them via prompting and tool use to achieve goals set from above. This agentic pattern, proven in frontier  AI  systems, allows components to improve independently while the overall system scales naturally to larger fleets and more complex tasks. Hum...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: Robot development, from actuators to AI

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The Robot Report Podcast · Robot development from Actuators to AI In Episode 230 of The Robot Report Podcast, hosts Mike Oitzman and Eugene Demaitre recap the major robotics news of the week and speak with two robotics experts. Mario Mauerer, global robotics business manager at Maxon. Our first guest this week is Mario Mauerer. He studied electrical engineering at ETH Zürich , completing a Ph.D. in power electronics. In 2018, Mauerer joined ANYbotics in 2018, where he helped scale the company’s quadruped inspection robot fleet, as well as the enterprise itself from 20 to more than 120 employees. In 2024, Maurer left his role as chief technology officer of hardware to join maxon motor , where he now works as global business development manager for robotics with the aim of bringing advanced drive systems to modern robotics applications.   David Koelle, principal software engineer and director of engineering, Charles River Analytics. Our featured interview this week is...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: How ADR and Intel went underground with edge AI

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The Explora robot can autonomously conduct mining inspections and monitoring activities. | Source: ADR As mining operations go deeper underground, the environment becomes increasingly dangerous for humans. However, deep underground, it’s also difficult to establish Wi-Fi or cloud connections, creating barriers for robotics, according to Australian Droid + Robot, or ADR. The developer of rugged robotics recently announced a strategic collaboration with Intel Corp. The companies plan to deploy autonomous inspection robots using edge AI to help keep workers while capturing critical data in hostile environments. The system integrates Intel Xeon processors and Intel Core Ultra processors directly into ADR’s Explora robots. This onboard computing power allows the robots to process massive amounts of data from 3D lidar, thermal cameras , and gas sensors in real-time. Mat Allan, co-founder and chief technology officer of Taringa, Australia-based ADR, gave The Robot Report more insi...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: Bills introduced to strengthen U.S. robotics competitiveness, humanoid security

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Robotics legislation was proposed on Capitol Hill this week. Credit: Sheik, via Adobe Stock Robotics has not been a top legislative priority in Washington, D.C., but that could be changing. Two bills introduced in Congress focus on different ways of promoting U.S. competitiveness in robotics. The National Commission on Robotics Act ( H.R. 7334 ) proposes to establish a national commission to evaluate U.S. competitiveness in robotics and provide policy recommendations. Representatives Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), and Bob Latta (R-OH), who are members of the recently revived Congressional Robotics Caucus, introduced the bill this week. The Humanoid Robotics Oversight and Blocking of Obtainment from Totalitarians Act of 2025 or “Humanoid ROBOT Act of 2025” ( S. 3275 ) would prohibit the federal government from acquiring humanoid robots with integrated artificial intelligence from foreign entities, including military suppliers to China, Iran, North Korea, and Russ...
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