Audrow Nash Podcast

Join me for a fascinating conversation with Dave Coleman, Chief Product Officer and Founder of PickNik Robotics, as we explore how robotic arms are transforming industries from space exploration to agriculture. Dave shares insights on making robots work in challenging, unstructured environments and reveals how PickNik is revolutionizing robotic manipulation through their MoveIt Pro platform.This episode is perfect for robotics engineers, tech enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the future of automation across diverse industries.Links:- PickNik Robotics: https://picknik.ai- MoveIt Pro: https://picknik.ai/pro- Dave Coleman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davetcoleman- PickNik LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/picknik- Audrow Nash Podcast: https://audrownashpodcast.comTimestamps:00:00 Start01:04 Introduction to Dave Coleman01:29 Overview of PickNik Robotics03:16 Challenges in Robotic Manipulation04:54 Unstructured Robotics and Applications13:45 MoveIt Pro: The Commercial Grade Solution44:11 Human-Robot Interaction and High-Level Commands45:22 NASA Collaborations and Space Robotics48:33 Space ROS and Open Source Initiatives52:06 Challenges in Space Robotics53:32 The Future of Robotics and Industry Applications01:02:06 Hivebotics Case Study01:10:57 Mobile Manipulation and Humanoids01:19:20 Challenges and Opportunities in Mobile Manipulation01:25:32 PickNik's Vision and MoveIt Pro01:27:58 Conclusion and Future Prospects

Dive into the world of American manufacturing with Saman Farid, founder and CEO of Formic. Discover how robots are transforming US factories by dramatically improving utilization - from 30% to nearly 100% - while helping solve the labor shortage crisis.This episode reveals how Formic is making robotics accessible to small and medium-sized manufacturers through their innovative "robots-as-a-service" model. Learn why 90% of American factories still don't have a single robot, and how Formic's approach could change that.Perfect for manufacturing professionals, robotics enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the future of American industry.Links:- Formic Website: https://formic.co/- Saman Farid LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanfarid/- Formic LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/formic-technologies/- Audrow Nash Podcast: https://www.audrownashpodcast.com/Timestamps:- (0:00) - Episode Intro- (0:53) - Introduction to Saman Farid and Formic- (1:39) - Formic's Mission and Impact- (4:01) - Challenges in Robotics Deployment- (9:46) - Case Studies and Real-World Applications- (14:30) - Advanced Technologies and Automation- (28:35) - How Formic Collects Site Data - (35:08) - Configuring a Workcell with Data Gathered- (40:30) - Programming the Robot with Generative AI- (50:09) - AI in the Loop: Revolutionizing Robotics Simulation- (52:54) - Exploring the Software Stack- (54:30) - From Simulation to Reality- (59:07) - LLMs for Data Ingestion- (1:03:43) - Customer Support and Maintenance- (1:12:26) - Scaling and Future Challenges- (1:19:38) - Working with Small and Medium-sized Manufacturers- (1:28:04) - What are Most Robotics Companies Doing Wrong?- (1:31:04) - Thoughts on the US Manufacturing Sector

Discover the future of urban delivery with Canon Reeves, CTO and Co-founder of Pipedream Labs. In this episode, we explore how a network of thin underground pipes and autonomous robots could revolutionize last-mile logistics. If you're fascinated by innovative urban infrastructure, robotics, or the future of delivery systems, this conversation is for you.Learn how Pipedream Labs is scaling their technology from drive-thru restaurants to city-wide networks, and hear about their unique approach to modular design and customer-driven development. Canon shares insights on building high-impact teams, leveraging global talent, and the technical challenges of creating a groundbreaking delivery system.Links:- Pipedream Labs Website: https://www.pipedreamlabs.co/- Canon Reeves on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/canonreeves/- Pipedream Labs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pipedream-labs/- Pipedream Labs on X: https://x.com/pipedream_labs- Canon Reeves on X: https://x.com/ReevesCanon- Audrow Nash Podcast: https://www.audrownashpodcast.com/Timestamps:- (0:00) - Start- (0:37) - Introduction to Canon Reeves and Pipedream Labs- (1:05) - The Vision for Autonomous Delivery- (1:49) - How Thin Pipes Work- (3:17) - Challenges and Solutions in Last Mile Delivery- (6:58) - Innovative Instant Pickup System- (12:26) - Scaling the Network and Future Plans- (20:15) - Technical Challenges and Solutions- (48:22) - Modular Design and Scalability- (50:14) - Customer-Driven Development- (52:39) - Small Teams, Big Impact- (54:45) - Hiring the Right People- (56:43) - Remote Work and Contractors- (1:00:43) - Future-Proofing with Modular Systems- (1:07:17) - Exciting Growth and Challenges Ahead- (1:28:00) - Advice for Founders

Dive into the fascinating world of robotics insurance with Sergey Litvinenko, co-founder and CEO of Koop AI. Discover how data-driven insurance is revolutionizing the robotics industry, making robots safer and more affordable. This episode is perfect for tech enthusiasts, robotics professionals, and anyone curious about the future of AI and automation.Links:- Koop AI Website: https://www.koop.ai/- Sergey Litvinenko LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergey-from-koop- Koop AI LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/koop-ai- Audrow Nash Podcast: https://www.audrownashpodcast.com/- Transcript: https://audrownashpodcast.com/posts/11-koopOutline:- (0:00) - Start- (1:46) - Introduction and Background- (2:37) - Understanding Insurance and Underwriting- (4:07) - Koop's Focus on Robotics- (6:41) - The Journey to Koop Insurance- (11:38) - Risk Assessment and Data Collection- (18:00) - Challenges in New Robotics Domains- (32:56) - Training and Methodology for Underwriters- (47:12) - Insurance Validity and Performance Guarantees- (48:34) - Handling Erroneous Data and Misrepresentation- (50:44) - Human vs. Robot Behavior in Insurance- (52:20) - Robotics Insurance Metrics and Losses- (54:26) - Evaluating AI and Edge Cases in Robotics- (1:04:22) - Data Collection and Utilization in Robotics- (1:29:41) - Future Vision and Expansion of Koop

Discover how AI is revolutionizing the food industry, from tackling labor shortages to enhancing efficiency and innovation.You'll like this if you're interested in the future of food production, AI applications in business, or solving complex industry challenges through technology.With Chef Robotic's Founder and CEO, Rajat Bhageria.EPISODE LINKS- Full transcript: https://audrow-nash-podcast.github.io/transcripts/10-hungry-for-innovation-is-ai-the-key-to-fixing-food-industry-labor-issues.html- Chef Robotic's Website: https://www.chefrobotics.ai/- Chef Robotic's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chef-robotics/- Rajat Bhageria's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajatbhageria/PODCAST LINKS- Watch and discuss on 𝕏: https://www.x.com/audrow- Watch or listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74jWpWiLwsasY2QHtDcl8I- Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audrow-nash-podcast/id1716486786- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@audrow- Main podcast site: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/audrow1- RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/e2666f60/podcast/rss- Full transcripts: https://audrow-nash-podcast.github.io/transcripts- Podcast Github: https://github.com/audrow-nash-podcastOUTLINE(0:00) - Start(1:36) - Introduction to Rajat and Chef Robotics(3:03) - Early Ventures and the Power of AI(5:51) - Identifying the Market Opportunity(8:15) - Challenges in Food Industry Automation(13:13) - Pivoting to High Mix Manufacturing(42:33) - Bootstrapping AI for Real-World Robotics(45:23) - Expanding to New Markets and Applications(48:46) - Challenges in Food Manipulation(1:02:06) - Leveraging Learning from Demonstration(1:23:12) - Field Replaceable Units and Service Strategy(1:24:05) - Scaling and Global Deployment(1:25:25) - Hardware Upgrades and Modularity(1:29:45) - AI and Robotics Industry Trends(1:36:58) - Challenges in Robotics Production(1:53:45) - Hiring the Best People

Robotics is hard. One way to make it less hard is good tooling for visualization.You'll like this interview if you want to understand the data from your robot or are interested in opportunities around robotics developer tooling.With Adrian Macneil from Foxglove.EPISODE LINKS- Full transcript: https://audrow-nash-podcast.github.io/transcripts/9-how-to-accelerate-robotics-startups-a-better-data-visualization-story.html- Actuate's Website: https://actuate.foxglove.dev/- Foxglove's Website: https://foxglove.dev/- Foxglove's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/foxglovedev/- Adrian's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianmacneil/PODCAST LINKS- Watch and discuss on 𝕏: https://www.x.com/audrow- Watch or listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74jWpWiLwsasY2QHtDcl8I- Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audrow-nash-podcast/id1716486786- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@audrow- Main podcast site: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/audrow1- RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/e2666f60/podcast/rss- Full transcripts: https://audrow-nash-podcast.github.io/transcripts- Podcast Github: https://github.com/audrow-nash-podcastOUTLINE(0:00) - Start(1:28) - Introduction to Adrian Macneil and Foxglove(1:43) - The Genesis of Foxglove(4:55) - Challenges in Robotics Data Logging(7:20) - MCAP: A New Standard for Robotics Logging(18:35) - Data Upload and Ingestion in Robotics(30:46) - Cloud Indexing and Data Management(35:53) - Visualization in Robotics(39:05) - Performance and Platform Considerations(51:54) - Extensibility and Customization(56:50) - The Evolution of Foxglove Visualizer(58:17) - Customizing Visualizations with Plugins and Extensions(1:00:23) - Advanced Visualization Techniques and Extensions(1:06:57) - WebAssembly and Performance Enhancements(1:08:36) - Foxglove's Role in Robotics Simulation(1:12:30) - Challenges and Future Directions in Robotics(1:18:48) - Opportunities in Robotics Tooling(1:24:55) - The Shift from Open Source to Closed Source and Foxglove 2.0(1:41:59) - Actuate Conference: Bringing Robotics Developers Together

Can robots help fix the housing crisis? Cuby thinks so.You'll like this interview if you're interested in automation in construction, the idea of a factory to make factories, and doing more engineering with less capital.With Oleg Kandrashou and Aleks Gampel from Cuby.EPISODE LINKS- Full transcript: https://audrow-nash-podcast.github.io/transcripts/8-can-you-ship-a-factory-a-bold-vision-to-make-homes-more-affordable.html- Cuby's Website: https://www.cubytechnologies.com/- Cuby's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buildwithcuby/- Oleg's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olegkondrashov/- Aleks' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamaleksandrgampel/PODCAST LINKS- Watch and discuss on 𝕏: https://www.x.com/audrow- Watch or listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74jWpWiLwsasY2QHtDcl8I- Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audrow-nash-podcast/id1716486786- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@audrow- Main podcast site: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/audrow1- RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/e2666f60/podcast/rss- Full transcripts: https://audrow-nash-podcast.github.io/transcripts- Podcast Github: https://github.com/audrow-nash-podcastOUTLINE(0:00) - Episode Intro(1:27) - Meet the Founders: Oleg and Aleks Introduce Themselves(2:23) - What is Cuby? An Overview of Mobile Microfactories(7:07) - Aleks' Journey: From Real Estate to PropTech to Cuby(13:37) - Inside the R&D Center: A Tour of Cuby's Innovations(19:28) - The Vector Theory: Oleg's Unique Management Philosophy(23:42) - Addressing the Housing Crisis: The Need for Innovation(31:30) - The Construction Process: Challenges and Solutions(34:30) - Foundation to Finish: Building with Cuby's Technology(38:02) - Why Shipping Containers? The Efficiency of Factory in a Box(39:54) - Challenges and Competitors(40:44) - Customizing Shipping Containers(41:11) - Engineering and Production Innovations(45:42) - Cost Efficiency and Global Talent(47:47) - Comparing Engineering Schools(55:15) - Productizing Factories(1:00:56) - Should You Invest? Expected Cashflow from a Mobile Micro Factory(1:04:05) - Assembling Houses with Humanoids(1:09:13) - Cuby's Software Setup(1:13:48) - Scaling and Future Plans

How do we bring manufacturing back to the United States? What role do robotics and AI play in this vision?You'll like this interview if you're interested in the future of manufacturing in the United States and how robotics and AI are shaping it.With Edward Mehr from Machina Labs.EPISODE LINKS- Full transcript: https://audrow-nash-podcast.github.io/transcripts/7-an-exciting-vision-of-american-manufacturing-with-robotics-and-ai.html- Machina Lab's Website: https://machinalabs.ai/- Machina Lab's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/machina-labs/- Edward Mehr's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-mehr/PODCAST LINKS- Watch and discuss on 𝕏: https://www.x.com/audrow- Watch or listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74jWpWiLwsasY2QHtDcl8I- Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audrow-nash-podcast/id1716486786- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@audrow- Main podcast site: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/audrow1- RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/e2666f60/podcast/rss- Full transcripts: https://audrow-nash-podcast.github.io/transcripts- Podcast Github: https://github.com/audrow-nash-podcastOUTLINE(0:00) - Start(0:29) - Episode intro(1:51) - Introducing Edward and Machina Labs(7:33) - AI in manufacturing(15:19) - Using data for better models than physics-based models(18:51) - Capturing data + modeling(34:45) - About Machina Labs(39:15) - Machina Lab's funding(45:11) - Being in LA(47:16) - Why make a company that is 10x better than alternatives(58:43) - What if you weren't venture funded?(1:02:53) - Or growing quickly(1:10:26) - Humanoids: challenges + Elon Musk(1:20:54) - AI trends: transformers + hallucinations(1:35:32) - Thoughts on manufacturing(1:42:15) - Advice to get involved in manufacturing

What is the Open Source Robotics Alliance (OSRA) and how is it pioneering a sustainable open source ecosystem for robotics?You'll like this interview if you're interested in the open source robotics ecosystem and how it's evolving.With Geoff Biggs from Open Robotics and Tully Foote from Open Robotics and Intrinsic.EPISODE LINKS- Full transcript: https://audrow-nash-podcast.github.io/transcripts/6-osra-pioneering-a-sustainable-open-source-ecosystem-for-robotics.html- OSRA's website: TODO- Open Robotics' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/open-source-robotics-foundation/- Open Robotics' website: https://www.openrobotics.org/PODCAST LINKS- Watch and discuss on 𝕏: https://www.x.com/audrow- Watch or listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74jWpWiLwsasY2QHtDcl8I- Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audrow-nash-podcast/id1716486786- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@audrow- Main podcast site: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/audrow1- RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/e2666f60/podcast/rss- Full transcripts: https://audrow-nash-podcast.github.io/transcripts- Podcast Github: https://github.com/audrow-nash-podcastOUTLINE(0:00) - Episode intro(2:47) - Willow Garage and Open Robotics Lore(5:38) - Player and ROS lore(9:06) - Willow Garage and the Birth of Open Robotics(13:17) - Tully and Geoff's roles in Open Robotics(22:13) - Why make ROS 2(24:39) - Player and ROS 2(25:42) - Towards a robot revolution(29:16) - Gazebo for robot simulation(34:39) - OpenRMF project at Open Rob(38:22) - Important, but often forgotten: Open Robotics' infrastructure(44:42) - Open Robotics before the Intrinsic Acquisition(47:38) - Big steps for the ROS community we can take because of Intrinsic (Zenoh)(51:41) - Rust for robotics(53:27) - Intrinsic's acquisition of Open Robotics(58:31) - OSRF since the Intrinsic acquisition of OSRC(1:01:33) - How former OSRC folks contribute to OSRF now(1:04:28) - Announcing OSRA!(1:07:27) - Motivation for OSRA(1:15:20) - Merit-based contributors(1:18:06) - OSRA Consortium(1:20:23) - Why companies might want to join the OSRA consortium(1:23:55) - OSRA membership types(1:29:18) - Meritocratic contributors + how to mentor and get involved(1:32:26) - Mentorship process(1:34:25) - The value of contributing to open source software(1:39:19) - OSRA's badging system for contributors(1:42:52) - Educating more people to be roboticists(1:47:26) - Robotics in the next 5 years(1:52:10) - Why open source?(1:55:36) - Final thoughts

What are trends in robotics investment?You'll like this interview if you're interested in the macro trends in robotics and how investors see the space.With Sanjay Aggarwal from F-Prime Capital.EPISODE LINKS- Full transcript: https://audrow-nash-podcast.github.io/transcripts/5-the-state-of-robotics-report-in-2024-early-days-but-great-potential.html- 2024 State of Robotics report: https://fprimecapital.com/robotics- Sanjay Aggarwal's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjaykaggarwal/- F-Prime Capital's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/f-prime-capital-partners/- F-Prime Capital's Website: https://fprimecapital.com/PODCAST LINKS- Watch and discuss on 𝕏: https://www.x.com/audrow- Watch or listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74jWpWiLwsasY2QHtDcl8I- Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audrow-nash-podcast/id1716486786- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@audrow- Main podcast site: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/audrow1- RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/e2666f60/podcast/rss- Full transcripts: https://audrow-nash-podcast.github.io/transcripts- Podcast Github: https://github.com/audrow-nash-podcastOUTLINE(0:00) - Episode intro(2:13) - Introducing Sanjay and F-Prime(4:40) - Sanjay's background(11:31) - Investing in Autonomous Vehicles then industrial robots(15:29) - F-Primes portfolio of robotics companies(26:55) - A new type of robotics founder(28:21) - Humanoids(35:04) - F-Prime's State of Robotics report(39:29) - Macro forces for declining investment cash(46:32) - Why are companies not IPO'ing lately?(48:51) - High interest rates and how that effects the VC business model(55:02) - Challenges in raising B & C investment rounds(1:04:31) - Why we're in the early days in robotics(1:09:23) - Will labor shortages affect robotics investments?(1:12:00) - How reliable should systems be? + Human-in-the-loop(1:17:20) - Common pitfalls to avoid for your robotics company(1:20:27) - How to make your company VERY attractive to investors(1:23:36) - Biggest challenges in robotics(1:25:44) - Opportunities for new robotics companies(1:27:53) - How would you start a new robotics company?(1:32:12) - How to pick a good investor for your series A?(1:34:39) - Trends in the robotics industry(1:40:28) - Future of robotics