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Iván Hernández Dalas: How to choose a BLDC motor for robotic arms and mobile robots

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There are several factors to choosing brushless DC or BLDC motors for robots. Source: Faisal Mahmood Selecting a brushless DC, or BLDC, motor for robotic arms or mobile robots starts with the mechanical system, not the controller catalog. A motor rated for a particular voltage and wattage does not tell an engineer whether it can deliver the required torque at low speed, regulate position accurately, absorb regenerative energy, or survive the thermal duty cycle. The actuator is a system. The motor, inverter, current sensors, rotor position feedback, gearbox, brake, output encoder, thermal path, communications interface, and higher level robot software all influence the result. An industrial or collaborative robotic arm joint generally prioritizes controllable torque, low-speed smoothness, position accuracy, collision response, backdrivability, and thermal performance. A mobile robot drive motor generally puts more emphasis on efficiency, starting torque, braking, traction, battery...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: ADI explains the race to make AI physical

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The Report Report presents a whitepaper on the race to physical AI. AI has become remarkably good at understanding language, images, and code. The next challenge is harder — understanding reality, according to Analog Devices Inc. or ADI. Physical AI moves intelligence out of digital environments and into machines that must sense, decide, and act in the world. Unlike software, those systems face imperfect measurements, timing constraints, changing conditions, and the consequences of action, said the company in a new report. Success will depend on more than model performance. It will require advances across sensing, simulation, computing, connectivity, and control. In many cases, the technologies that determine whether a system succeeds sit beneath the application layer itself. A machine that shuts down when vibration crosses a preset limit is following a rule. A machine that reads vibration, temperature, current, and motor behavior; recognizes the signature of bearing wear; an...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: The rise of the machines is canceled: Why humanoids with AI are helpers, not enemies

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Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid, shown here, is an example of a robot ready for AI. For decades, engineers have been trying to create robots that look and act like humans. Now, rapid advances in artificial intelligence are bringing humanoid robots out of the lab and onto the factory floor. As fears grow that AI will displace workers, a global race is underway to develop humanoid robots capable of performing human work. Competitors include Tesla , startups backed by Amazon and NVIDIA , and state-owned Chinese companies. Waltham, Mass.-based Boston Dynamics, valued at over $1 billion, is among the humanoid leaders with its Atlas robot. South Korean automaker Hyundai owns an 88% stake in the company . Hyundai ‘s massive auto plant is arguably the most advanced in the world. More than 1,000 robots work alongside nearly 1,500 humans, lifting, stamping, and welding parts in robotic unison. Atlas, at 175 cm (68.8 in.) tall and 90 kg (198.4 lb.) in weight, has left the lab and...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: Why opportunity charging is winning as robot fleets scale

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The Robot Report Podcast · Why Opportunity Charging Is Winning as Robot Fleets Scale Ben Waters, CEO of Wibotic. In Episode 266 of The Robot Report Podcast, our guest is Ben Watters is the CEO and co-founder of WiBotic, a company that develops wireless charging solutions and fleet-wide battery management software for industrial mobile platforms of all shapes and sizes. The company ‘s mission is to energize businesses with autonomous systems to grow and scale without limitation, while creating a workplace filled with brilliant people who are passionate about leadership. Ben has a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington, where he worked on wireless power technologies for implanted devices, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and physics from Columbia University.   Show timeline 4:04 – News of the week 24:10 – Ben Waters, CEO of Wibotic News of the week Roboharm project details Women arrested in Philadelphia...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: MassRobotics opens applications for Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst Program

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Startups in the MassRobotics healthcare catalyst cohort will have an opportunity to showcase their technology at the Robotics Summit & Expo. | Source: MassRobotics MassRobotics this week opened its call for applicants for Cohort 6 of its Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst Program. The program is a four-month, non-equity initiative that helps robotics and automation teams accelerate clinical readiness, technical validation, and go-to-market in healthcare and life sciences. Applications are open now, and will close Dec. 31, 2026 . The cohort will run February through June 2027, concluding with company showcases at the Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston. This year, MassRobotics welcomed Intel to the program’s steering committee, joining founding partners Festo , Novanta , and Mitsubishi Electric U.S. Intel said its Health and Life Sciences team brings mentorship and technical depth in edge AI and on-device compute for surgical and procedure-enabling robotics and OR ...
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Iván Hernández Dalas: Robot Talk Episode 166 – Evolving robot bodies and brains, with Rika Antonova

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Claire chatted to Rika Antonova from the University of Cambridge about using artificial intelligence to develop complimentary robot hardware and algorithms. Rika Antonova is an Associate Professor at the University of Cambridge. Her research interests include co-design, automated algorithm discovery, data-efficient reinforcement learning, exploration, active learning, and​ robotics. After completing a research Master’s degree at the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University and a PhD at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Rika undertook a Computing Innovation Fellowship at Stanford University. Before that, she was a senior software engineer at Google. View Source
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Iván Hernández Dalas: How ADI is helping robotics startups scale

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Sponsored by Analog Devices Inc. Robotics companies are developing new capabilities at a rapid pace, from autonomous mobile robots to humanoid systems. However, keeping up with technological advances is one part of the challenge. The most critical thing is to turn a successful prototype into a commercially viable product that can be manufactured and deployed at scale.   “The biggest challenge I see robotics startups facing today is the speed at which the industry moves,” says Cameron Villone, Senior Product Technology Manager at Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI).   In most cases, a startup excels in adopting next-generation technologies in sensing, motion control, and AI, but commercialization requires additional expertise in electronics, system integration, validation, and manufacturing. These demands can often stretch the resources of smaller engineering teams.   ADI is developing its Emerging Tech Hub within the Analog Garage to help robotics startups and established companies overcome...
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