Six Questions with Eugene Demaitre
What is it like to cover the Robotics Industry as a Journalist, we are going to find out.
For this edition of Six Questions With, we are joined by WTWH Media’s Editorial Director Eugene Demaitre. WTWH Media oversees a couple of news outlets that cover the Robotics Industry, with the main one being The Robot Report. Eugene is regularly producing articles about robotics from far and near. He is also a regular attendee to all of the various conferences and expos, including the big one that WTWH Media puts on - The Robotics Summit & Expo! With all of this knowledge, you knew we were going to struggle with just SIX questions, but here we go….
Let’s start with a quick recap of your robotics career and how you got to your current role
Unlike much of my audience, I don't have an engineering background, but I have been studying technology for a few decades. In 2015, I became an editor at Robotics Business Review, and since then, I've worked on Robotics 24/7. I recently returned to WTWH Media, where I contribute to The Robot Report, among other sites, as editorial director for robotics.
I've been fortunate to get to know a lot of key people in the industry -- both on the robotics development side and on the industrial/commercial user side. Looking further back, I concentrated in science and technology policy in grad school at the George Washington University, and I've worked at business-to-business publishers and tech media for most of my career.
As someone who grew up with the writings of Isaac Asimov, I can't imagine a more interesting job!
How do you see being a journalist who covers the robotics industry as different from another journalist who covers another industry?
For one thing, it's more exciting. In previous roles, I had to explain what client-server technology was or why regulatory monitoring was important. Now, people ask me about the latest headlines about global trade, robots, and, most of all, AI.
Robots are easier to visualize than other technologies, and the question of how to develop and use them responsibly and profitably is more immediate than ever. Robotics journalists are a small, scrappy subset of tech media.
What recent advancements or breakthroughs in robotics have caught your attention, and why?
I'm as excited as everyone else about the potential for generative AI integrated into hardware robotics. We could see improvements in design, programming, and human-machine interaction in the near future. That said, I don't think sentient systems are happening anytime soon.
Advances in humanoid robots also captured a lot of attention in the past year, but I think practical applications are still a ways off. There are a lot of things to solve simultaneously, from dexterous manipulation and safe locomotion to power management and price.
I'm actually more interested in the ever-evolving software stack for existing robots to make them more precise, better at multitasking, and easier for users and other robots to communicate with. I'm a big proponent of greater interoperability, clear safety and security standards, and more sharing of best practices.
Have you observed any challenges or obstacles hindering the widespread adoption of robotics in various sectors?
As I've noted in recent podcasts, the biggest hurdles are in business, not technology. The post-COVID-19 era has seen high interest rates and capital restraint, but labor shortages and competitive pressures haven't gone away.
Much of my role has been to help explain the robotics industry to itself -- the developers and the end users. That's less of a challenge now, because more people know the potential value of automation, but it's up to the vendors and integrators to demonstrate the ease of use and returns on investment that they've promised.
Certain sectors, like automotive manufacturing and third-party logistics, are already familiar with automation, but many others are rightly skeptical that robots are ready for them. Self-driving vehicles have demonstrated what happens when hype and lots of money are confronted by reality. With hundreds of startups, industry consolidation can be painful, but it's inevitable.
Are there any trends or emerging technologies within the robotics field that you find particularly exciting or noteworthy?
I still get excited when I see processes that have been manual for decades, like assembly in a furniture factory or moving stuff around in a warehouse, finally get automated. So many of the simple and dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks around the world could use mobile robots or collaborative robot arms.
I'm particularly excited about the potential for robots to relieve healthcare workers of stress in hospital settings and for driver-assist systems to help long-haul truckers. Farms and fast-food chains aren't far behind in needing robots to make up for labor shortages and to improve product safety and quality.
AI is part of all of this, from making that furniture-assembling robot more nimble to helping a patient get out of bed or picking a fruit when it's ripe. Just as few of us foresaw the value of smartphone apps, as robots spread into the world, I think we'll discover new and wonderful uses for them.
What would you want robot companies to know when discussing robotics with the media?
We're always pressed for time, so please get your announcements to us as early as possible! Reporters love talking to relevant executives, engineers, and users, so we appreciate any access you can give us.
While it's easy to get jaded after covering something for a while, remember that robotics is new to most of our audience, so don't assume everyone understands why your product or service is so great. It's also OK to share ongoing challenges, missteps, and lessons learned on the way to success. My readers need the human angle as much as any tech specs.
Thank you to Eugene for participating in our new series “Six Questions With.” You will probably run to him at upcoming events like MODEX, the AMR & Logistics Show, the Robotics Summit & Expo, and RoboBusiness.
Follow Eugene on LinkedIn by clicking here.