Hamburgers and Hot Rods: A Classic American Pairing

A Relatively Quiet Week in Robotics

To be frank, the past week presented a slower pace of news within the robotics sector. This marks the first instance since the commencement of this weekly roundup (celebrating 10 weeks!) where a significant surge in announcements wasn't observed. Naturally, activity levels in this field fluctuate, even amidst a period of robust robotics investment.

Path Robotics Secures $56 Million in Series B Funding

The most noteworthy development of the week is undoubtedly the $56 million Series B funding round secured by Path Robotics. This represents a substantial investment for the Columbus, Ohio-based firm. It’s particularly encouraging to witness a significant achievement for robotics companies operating in the Midwest, especially those aligned with manufacturing applications.

Path Robotics specializes in welding robotics, addressing a critical need in manufacturing where a labor shortage exists. The American Welding Society estimates this shortage could reach 400,000 skilled workers by 2024. Furthermore, the pandemic has accelerated the trend of companies seeking to relocate manufacturing processes back to the United States.

Symbio Robotics Expands Automotive Partnerships

Earlier this year, in February, we covered Symbio Robotics and their initial partnerships with Nissan and Toyota. Now, the Bay Area-based startup has added Ford to its roster of major automotive collaborators. The U.S. automotive industry has been actively increasing its investments in robotics technologies.

Harry Kekedjian, Ford’s Advanced Controls and Digital Factory Manager, stated that the evolving mobility landscape demands faster product development cycles. He further noted that utilizing Symbio Robotics’ technology has resulted in a 15% improvement in cycle time and a reduction of over 50% in the time required to adapt to new products, compared to previous manufacturing methods.

Miso Robotics Introduces CookRight Software

Recent coverage of Miso Robotics has been limited, with the last major update concerning a partnership announced in October. However, the company’s latest announcement shifts focus away from robotics hardware. This week, Miso Robotics launched its CookRight software platform.

This platform combines a touchscreen tablet with thermal imaging technology. Essentially, it delivers similar food preparation instructions that would typically be sent to the Flippy robot.