Business and School Resources

Recent Developments in Robotics and Automation

Before proceeding, please note two important announcements. Actuator is launching as a newsletter in the coming weeks! Ensure you are included from the beginning by registering (at no cost) here. Additionally, I will be taking a break next week, as it has been pointed out that I haven’t had any time off this year.

This will involve attempting to sleep until 7AM, visiting a few museums, and a pause in the newsletter on Thanksgiving. I will be back in December!

Carnegie Mellon Appoints New Robotics Institute Director

Last week, Carnegie Mellon University announced the appointment of Matthew Johnson-Roberson as the sixth director of its Robotics Institute. We have previously interviewed Johnson-Roberson on several occasions, largely focusing on his role as co-founder and CTO of Refraction AI.

During a recent conversation regarding his new position, he contacted us from the University of Michigan’s robotics division, which is funded by Ford and where he previously served as co-director.

This appointment is a strategic move, considering the graduate’s experience in both establishing a startup and collaborating within a corporate-university partnership. Extensive discussion on this site has highlighted Pittsburgh and CMU, with a general agreement that the former excels at startup incubation, though improvements are always possible.

Pittsburgh stands as a compelling example of how a thriving startup ecosystem can rejuvenate a region experiencing economic hardship. While broader economic concerns regarding potential gentrification exist, Pittsburgh is widely considered a success story, recovering from the economic decline of the rust belt.

The University of Michigan is demonstrably focused on replicating this success in the Ann Arbor/Detroit areas. Ford’s approach is likely to become increasingly prevalent, as corporations seek access to cutting-edge research from dedicated facilities, and universities explore funding sources beyond traditional endowments.

Industry News and Acquisitions

As Johnson-Roberson shared with TechCrunch:

There is a slight hope that the flow of robotics news will diminish next week, primarily to alleviate my fear of missing out (FONB) while I am away. It’s admittedly unhealthy, but there are potentially worse habits. It appears the pace will naturally slow down during Thanksgiving week, as many aim to release their news beforehand. There is a considerable amount of information to review.

Let's begin with a couple of acquisitions. As previously mentioned in this column, iRobot has been actively expanding its presence in the smart home market. This has primarily involved integrations with platforms like Amazon Alexa, but recent news signifies a new direction.

The Roomba manufacturer has acquired a Swiss company specializing in air purifiers, a move intended to enhance its presence within users’ homes.

According to CEO Colin Angle:

Most of iRobot’s successes beyond the Roomba have been achieved through acquisitions of brands such as Braava and Root. This acquisition is expected to unlock new possibilities, potentially enabling devices to function as smart home hubs and improve home mapping capabilities.

Agtech and Food Automation

In the agtech sector, Fieldin has acquired Midnight Robotics. This is a logical combination, as Fieldin develops technology for farms to gather data and accelerate automation, while Midnight’s technology equips tractors and other farming equipment with lidar-based sensors.

Fieldin CEO Boaz Bachar stated:

Monarch’s tractor offers a more comprehensive solution. The company recently secured a $61 million Series B funding round. Similar to Fieldin, the company attributes increased interest in its technology to labor shortages exacerbated by the pandemic.

Moving from fields to the consumer, Nommi has announced a distribution agreement with C3 (Creating Culinary Communities) to deploy up to 1,000 of its robotic food preparation kiosks across the nation. This deal also incorporates Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s Sa’Moto brand, with the machines capable of operating 24/7, surpassing the endurance of even the most dedicated human chefs.

Sustainable Packaging and Industrial Robotics

Despite the growing interest in robotics within the food industry, an even more promising future may lie in sustainable packaging, given the current unsustainable trajectory. In a notable shift, Zume transitioned from pizza robots to biodegradable packaging and is now returning to robotics through a new partnership with industrial giant ABB to manufacture its packaging.

Finally, Tiger Global has made another investment, leading a $25 million Series A funding round for SVT Robotics. The Virginia-based company is developing a “plug-and-play” solution for deploying industrial robots. Co-founder and CEO A.K. Schultz explained:

That concludes this week’s update. Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate. Remember to subscribe to Actuator here.