Thank You For An Amazing First Year
Six Degrees of Robotics celebrates its first year of writing about the world of robotics this week. What a wild ride it has been!
Aaron’s Thoughts On The Week
“Boy, that escalated quickly.” - Ron Burgundy
Last year, I started to think about what I was going to do with all of the great robotics stories I was starting to come across, but I didn’t really know how to share them with the rest of the world.
LinkedIn is pretty much my go-to social media platform and I was already sharing three stories a day. When there were so many great stories to share, I found myself having way too many posts for them to get the attention they all deserved. The algorithm was not that friendly to multiple posts per day. There were also some stories that required a different format style to really make them work on LinkedIn.
At the same time, I was trying to find a way to better discuss and highlight my new role within ASTM International and how we were looking at all robotics across academics to industry, from industrial to home use, and from a global scale. The F45 Committee on Robotics, Automation, and Autonomous Systems had changed its scope so that it could look at any and all robotic areas for the development of test and performance standards. I wanted to create something that would be able to highlight that work as they made themselves robot agnostic.
I was already wondering if I should start a podcast or a newsletter of some sort. However, I also knew that the op-ed pieces I had written for LinkedIn and other outlets not only seemed to be well received, but they were something I knew I could expand on and make a more regular occurrence.
Looking at Substack, I really liked its format and ability to manage a newsletter subscriber list and provide a solid delivery system for getting the newsletter out and stored. There was also the option to monetize some of the content in the future if the need and desire were ever there.
So Six Degrees of Robotics was born on both LinkedIn and Substack on July 5th, 2023.
Setting Up Our Point Of View (POV)
I wrote earlier about where the name “Six Degrees of Robotics” came from, so we won’t spend too much time on that. However, as I stated early on, we took a lot of inspiration from The New Yorker magazine and its approach with its audience. It is still the gold standard we hold ourselves to and will drive our future goals.
Personally, I grew up with The New Yorker, with my parents being lifelong subscribers. My dad had numerous cover pieces framed in both of his offices at work and at home. Upon his passing, my siblings and I delved into splitting up over 400 issues he had saved to ourselves. I was a huge fan of the comics (I did read for the articles as well) over the years and thought Six Degrees needed to deliver both serious and timely information but also have a humorous side.
Overall, we identified these key areas where The New Yorker excelled and bring that to our little corner of the world around robotics:
Thought Leadership: First and foremost, we wanted to establish ourselves as a home for thought leadership within the robotics industry. Some of this would be done through our weekly newsletter and series like Six Questions With, in which we interviewed various industry movers and shakers. Those series will be returning soon because they were so well received.
Support Solid Journalism: As stated earlier, I was starting to get a lot of great stories, but no way to really help get those out to the larger audience. In our LinkedIn and weekly newsletter, we share those stories now and help drive traffic to those with a great story to tell and is not a full on sales pitch. We will continue on that front.
Funny Cartoons and Memes: While it is great to be serious, sometimes it is just best to be a bit silly. Sometimes, humor can convey a point better than any 1000-word essay. Here, we have had some great successes, and like The New Yorker, we are sometimes better known for our humorous posts than for anything else we do.
Strong Brand Identity: Finally, we wanted to create a strong brand within the robotics community with a distinctive voice characterized by wit, sophistication, and a blend of technical and cultural commentary on the various fields of robotics.
Overall, I think we accomplished a lot of this in our inaugural year. Many of you have reached out to me telling how much they have enjoyed our posts and newsletters. So the feedback has all been positive, we hope to continue that trend.
Rolling Out Vee
As our follower and subscriber numbers continued to grow, we started to get asked about “merch” from many. Like other content creators, there appeared to be a need for some merch around one’s brand to help grow it.
While it was great to have fans wanting to get physical stuff from us, this first year was seen as a bit of a reach, and there was not enough time to run our newsletter and social media while also managing a storefront. But it did tell us we needed a better logo/mascot, so VI (pronounced Vee) was born.
Since VI has been introduced, we have put him into various scenes. He has recently been placed in London, Boston, and Yokohama. We also did a few limited sticker runs of VI, which quickly dried up after requests came in. For a small 25-sticker run, all of them were claimed in under an hour. Now, of course, we gave them away and paid for shipping ourselves, but it did show how VI was getting some love from the growing community.
So, while this did show that an online store would probably go over well, we simply did not have the time to fulfill merchandise orders at this time. It took me a whole day to package and ship 25 stickers! (I guess I could get a robot to do all that.)
That said, there will be future sticker runs and probably some other small giveaways because there is clearly a demand for more VI. So be on the lookout for that in our second year.
Not Following The Influencer Playbook
The other key tenet we wanted Six Degrees to follow was not to fall into the “copy me” mindset and just copy and do whatever other influencers were doing. So, no reposting viral robot videos repeatedly, no chasing “likes,” and no team-ups.
We were going to have our own voice, and people would know that they were getting current and up-to-date information, not something from last year or even last decade, even if it was popular amongst other sites and social media influencers. We were going to stick
We would share the stories and important things we thought were important and not just copy what others were posting. Now, this would have been hard with some of the big stories that dropped in our first year, but I think we managed to stay true to our beliefs on this front.
We have had some posts go completely viral and some posts that didn’t even get a single like, and you know what? We are delighted with that because it shows we are being true to our beliefs. To truly be influential, you need to be true to yourself and your ultimate vision because that is what people listen to seek out in today’s media landscape.
Our rapid growth on LinkedIn to over 22,000 followers in one year appears to prove that point. Even though as someone with a large personal following, I did try and limit my own influence over the brand. Overall, I only engaged in about 1 in 8 LinkedIn posts. I wanted Six Degrees to be able to generate its own organic growth and not benefit from any “influencer” help. This is also why we did not team up with other influencers to promote ourselves.
All of this was so the Six Degrees brand could stand on its own because, in time, it will have to if it is going to continue beyond me. This is the ultimate goal we have for Six Degrees: that it grows beyond its founding, that it grows beyond me, that it becomes a place where more and more voices are heard.
What Is In The Pipeline
We do not want to give too much away and also limit the dreaded “overpromise but underdeliver” troupe that happens too much. Our goals for our second year are pretty simple, but they will help us grow even more. These goals are:
Website: There are plans for a new Six Degrees website. This is not to say we are leaving Substack, we will continue our newsletter through them, but we want to have a new “main” home, where we can do the following…
Long-Form Articles: When we launch, our website will house our long-form articles about robotics and other key areas we want to explore further. It will also provide additional information to help those along their robotics journey.
More Interviews: Our Six Questions With series was a major hit with everyone. We will be bringing it back as well and having the website will give us a better place to host those interviews.
Expand the Newsletter: As stated earlier, we are not leaving Substack. If anything, we would like to expand it with a second edition earlier in the week. The Friday newsletter will continue to be your recap of the week in robotics news and my take on the week. The earlier edition will have a different take and approach, again expanding on our Thought Leadership and Diversity of Topics.
Expand Our Social Media: We will open a new social media account on another platform this year. We are still debating which one, but let’s say certain ones don’t align with our values.
It Was All Possible Because Of You
So as we wrap up Year One on our Six Degrees of Robotics journey, I do want to thank all of you for your support. I’ve said it so many times, but I do have to keep repeating it. Without all of you, there is no point in doing this work. Your support drives us to do better and do more. You have given us your trust and that is something we do not take lightly.
We will continue to expand where we can, but we will not do that if we can’t support it and give it the love it deserves. While others will continue to just follow the crowd and post the “popular stuff,” we will continue to shine a light on all aspects of robotics, even the unpopular stuff, because that is where the real work needs to focus sometimes.
So again, thank you for an amazing first year. Here is to the next one.
Robot News Of The Week
Sanctuary AI obtains Canadian funding for general-purpose humanoid development
Sanctuary AI, a Vancouver-based company, announced a $140 million investment from BDC Capital’s Thrive Venture Fund and InBC Investment Corp. The company plans to use the funding to accelerate its efforts in bringing artificial general intelligence (AGI) into the physical world. Sanctuary AI is focused on developing general-purpose robots with human-like intelligence and has partnered with organizations like Magna International Inc. To date, the company's investors include Accenture, Bell, Export Development Canada, Evok Innovations, SE Health, Verizon Ventures, and Workday Ventures.
LG debuts AI-powered door-type CLOi ServeBot for hospitality, healthcare settings
LG Business Solutions USA introduced the next generation LG CLOi ServeBot, an autonomous, door-type service robot designed for safe delivery services in hospitality and healthcare settings. The new CLOi ServeBot can perform simple and repetitive delivery tasks, reducing the burden on busy staff. It features a four-door design with interior storage space and earned international recognition, winning the 2024 Red Dot Design Award and 2024 iF Design Award. The robot is tailored for indoor hospitality and healthcare environments and offers expanded operational coverage due to its ability to use elevators to move between floors. Additionally, it is equipped with a front-facing 10.1-inch display that serves as a mobile advertising platform and offers voice guidance for sight-impaired users.
Amazon discontinues Astro for Business robot security guard to focus on Astro home robot
Amazon has announced the discontinuation of its Astro for Business program to focus on the home version of the Astro robot. Customers can recycle their devices and receive full refunds plus a $300 credit. The shift aims to enhance progress in consumer robotics and home security. Business employees will now focus on consumer robotics products.
Robot Research In The News
'Brain-in-a-jar' biocomputers can now learn to control robots
Researchers have developed a system called MetaBOC, enabling living brain cells to control robots by learning from interactions. This system integrates human brain cells grown on silicon chips, communicating via electrical signals like computers. These cells can learn tasks quickly, surpassing traditional AI. Pioneering efforts by Cortical Labs and others have shown human neuron-based biocomputers can perform complex tasks with minimal power. Despite ethical concerns and maintenance challenges, this technology marks a significant leap in biocomputing, hinting at future developments where human brain cells may seamlessly control robotic systems.
Can grocery-bagging robots make self-checkout less of a pain?
Over the past decade, grocery shoppers have become accustomed to self-checkout stations, which critics argue displace human workers and don't always deliver on the promise of shorter lines. Now, researchers at MIT have developed a new AI-enabled robot system called "RoboGrocery" that can identify and bag common grocery items, using computer vision and soft grippers. The system aims to eventually work alongside self-checkout technology to create a more automated shopping experience.
Robot Workforce Story Of The Week
Wisconsin schools receive state grant for robotics program
The Augusta Area School District received a $35,798 grant for its robotics program, allowing students to gain industry-recognized certifications. The grant was a matching one, with local businesses contributing the rest of the funds. The district, with about 620 K-12 students, aims to prepare students for careers in high-demand manufacturing sectors. The funding comes from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development as part of the Wisconsin Fast Forward Program, which provides grants to 17 school districts to train students for career paths in advanced manufacturing fields.
Robot Video Of The Week
In January 2024, Figure signed its first commercial agreement with BMW to deploy its humanoid robot in the German carmaker’s production facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The California-based robotics firm has released a video showcasing its 01 humanoid robot executing its first job by participating in the vehicle assembly process. According to Figure, the humanoid is fully autonomous, with all manipulations shown in the video driven by neural networks that map pixels directly to actions.
Upcoming Robot Events
July 8-12 American Control Conference (Toronto, Canada)
Aug. 6-9 International Woodworking Fair (Chicago, IL)
Sept. 9-14 IMTS (Chicago, IL)
Oct. 1-3 International Robot Safety Conference (Cincinnati, OH)
Oct. 7 Humanoid Robot Forum (Memphis, TN)
Oct. 8-10 Autonomous Mobile Robots & Logistics Conference (Memphis, TN)
Oct. 14-18 International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (Abu Dhabi)
Oct. 15-17 Fabtech (Orlando, FL)
Oct. 16-17 RoboBusiness (Santa Clara, CA)
Oct. 28-Nov. 1 ASTM Intl. Conference on Advanced Manufacturing (Atlanta, GA)
Nov. 22-24 Humanoids 2024 (Nancy, France)
Not needing to provide any of the worker benefits needed by humans can make up for a lack of speed in the current models of humanoid robots in factories, although it still is quite slow.
Aaron, congratulations on 1 year! As we all know Robots are hard but getting better every day and your insight and research helps us all.