In Episode 210 of The Robot Report Podcast, hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman recap the major robotics news of the week.
The focus this week is on the burgeoning field of physical AI and robotics in Singapore, highlighting the country‘s strategic initiatives, the role of robotics in various sectors, and the collaborations between government, industry, and academia to foster innovation. The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) is leading the growth of the local robotics industry, liaising with the local government to bring economic and financial incentives to grow the region and the support network for AI and robotics companies.
Guests on the show include:
* Lionel Lim, vice president and head of tech hardware and equipment, Singapore Economic Development Board
* Raahul Kumar, senior vice president of strategy and corporate development at Certis Group
* Zhihao Chin, deputy director for robotics, automation, and unmanned systems, Home Team Science & Tech Agency
These gentlemen discuss the unique opportunities Singapore offers for robotics companies, including its strong manufacturing base, supportive ecosystem, and commitment to talent development. They also share insights on the lessons learned from implementing robotics and AI, emphasizing the importance of integration, reliability, and scalability in deploying these technologies effectively.
Head to http://go.gov.sg/therobotreport to learn more.
Show timeline
06:15 – News of the week
32:40 – The many benefits to starting or expanding your robotics business in Singapore
News of the week
Boston Dynamics Spot appears in AGT quarterfinals
Performance notes:
Boston Dynamics‘ quadruped was vying for a spot in the quarterfinals. Unfortunately, the fans didn’t give the act enough votes to progress in the competition, and Spot will not be advancing. The act featured a robot in a dog costume called “Sparkles,” plus a handful of other Spots dancing.
Judge Simon Cowell buzzed the act halfway through the session, and judge Mel B also wasn’t as impressed with this performance when compared with the audition for Boston Dynamics.
The performance ended with a triple backflip, a first-time feat seen publicly. Boston Dynamics released a video explaining the technology behind training Spot to perform the triple flip.
The video features Arun Kumar, a reinforcement learning (RL) engineer at Boston Dynamics, who explained the state of the art for RL programming of robotics.
“Obviously, our customers don’t need Spot to do a backflip … but to recover from slips and trips, you need the robot to recover quickly,” he said. “Spot wasn’t designed to do a backflip; I wasn’t even sure it could do a backflip.”
At the end of the video, Spot did seven backflips in a row, narrowly missing a light fixture beside the road.
Intuitive Surgical lays off 331 workers in California
Intuitive Surgical notified the state of California of its intention to lay off a total of 331 employees in Sunnyvale.
The surgical robotics leader filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice on Aug. 21. State officials processed the filing on Aug. 22, and the headcount reduction goes into effect on Oct. 27.
Intuitive listed its reduction as a permanent layoff of 331 employees at its headquarters in Sunnyvale. The company reported an overall headcount of 15,638 in its most recent annual report, meaning this cut represents just over 2% of its workforce.
John Deere strengthens agrobotics portfolio with GUSS acquisition
John Deere has acquired GUSS Automation, a developer of crop autonomy based in Kingsburg, Calif. Financial details of the acquisition weren’t disclosed. The company makes autonomous sprayers, primarily for orchards.
The companies established a joint venture in 2022 and are now taking that commitment a step further. John Deere is an exclusive provider of GUSS sprayers, and that will continue to be the case after the acquisition. Deere’s dealer network sells, supports, and offers parts for the system.
The business will retain its name, brand, employees, and manufacturing facility in Kingsburg. This facility will expand John Deere’s U.S. manufacturing footprint to the heart of the country’s high-value crop production market. High-value crops, such as orchards and vineyards, generate significantly higher value per acre than grains or oilseeds.
Sponsor
Ever wondered why global giants like Rockwell, Micron, and HP chose Singapore for their cutting-edge manufacturing facilities? It’s no coincidence that the city-state is the world’s fifth-largest exporter of high-tech goods. From world-class talent to seamless supply chains and groundbreaking innovation, Singapore’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem is powering the future of Industry 4.0.
Ready to discover what makes Singapore the choice destination for manufacturing leaders and solution providers? Head to http://go.gov.sg/therobotreport to learn more.
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