The Robots Come To Memphis

This week, A3 brought two robot conferences to Memphis - Let's Talk About That!

Oct 11, 2024

“Everybody that's come to Memphis has been welcome with open arms.” - Marc Gasol

This past week, hundreds descended in to Memphis, Tennessee to attend not just one robot conference, but two. The Association for Advancing Automation, better known as A3, held two of their events on the banks of the Mississippi River. The first event was the inaugural Humanoid Robot Forum which was following by the ongoing and popular Autonomous Mobile Robots & Logistics Conference with title sponsor FedEx, who is headquartered in Memphis.

Over the three and a half days of the back-to-back conferences, attendees heard from the Who’s Who of the Robotics Industry. From the C-Suite to those on the frontline, those of us in attendance got to heard numerous points of view, but there was a clear theme: Robotics are leaving their cages…either via wheels or legs.

“Wise men say…Only fools rush in….But I Can't Help Automating You”

Do Humanoids Wear Blue Circuit Shoes?

The inaugural Humanoid Robot Forum kicked off bright and early with Agility Robotics’ Melonee Wise discussion both the promise and pitfalls for humanoids. Agility currently makes the Digit humanoid and has deployments with companies liek Amazon and GXO. Wise stated that safety will be the defining factor for the success and longevity of humanoid robots. Currently, no humanoid robots are considered fully cooperative or safe, but Agility aims to achieve this in the next 18-24 months.

Wise also stressed the need to build robots (regardless if they are humanoids or not) that meet the requirements of the customer. She stated that “...as technologists, sometimes we get into an if we build it, they will come mindset. However, that often leads to a rude awakening when it comes time to prove success rates and uptime to customers.”

Agility Robotics’ Chief Product Officer Melonee Wise opens the Humanoid Robot Forum

Wise was followed by Apptronik’s Jeffrey Cardenas who agreed with Wise on many of her points, except when it came to dexterous hand. While Wise felt that existing robotic end-effectors on the market would be fine for humanoids, Cardenas stated that 99% of jobs require fine manipulation, and there would need to be more work done to give humanoids “human-like” hands.

Throughout the day, we heard from many others working to develop their own humanoid robots or were vendors to the humanoid robot community. Each brought different perspectives to the stage, and each had their own idea of what success would potentially look like for humanoids. Each also had their own idea of what the paths would be to get to that success. Each even highlighted what was keeping them up at night and how it all could go wrong. So, while the day was meant to cheer on the work of making humanoids a reality, there was a healthy amount of skepticism sprinkled in throughout the day.

Personally, I think the most powerful talk was given by Adrian Stoch, GXO’s Chief Automation Officer. Stoch showcased GXO’s "operational incubator" program, which accelerates product development by partnering with technology companies to test emerging technologies in real-world warehouse environments. GXO is testing humanoid prototypes from Agility Robotics, Apptronik, and Reflex Robotics, becoming the first logistics provider to deploy these robots in a live facility.

In his talk (snippet below), Stoch higlighted three key benefits of using humanoid robots:

They handle repetitive, heavy tasks, reducing injury risk.
They offer flexibility for various applications.
They are easily integrated into existing systems.

Thank you to Robert Little for capturing Stoch’s talk.

Overall, the Humanoid Robot Forum had a great first year and I can definitely see the Forum being a great event going forward as humanoids continue to advance. I attended the first Autonomous Mobile Robots & Logistics Conference and this event felt very similar in tone and with many just wanting to learn where to start. It is interesting, that I can say that I closed out both of these events in their first years that I sat on the closing panel to discuss and sum up our day with the humanoids.

Can't Help Automating You

On Tuesday, the Autonomous Mobile Robots & Logistics Conference kicked off with a keynote from Teradyne Robotics’ Ujjwal Kumar. Teradyne Robotics is known as the parent company of Universal Robots (UR) and Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR).

Ujjwal Kumar discusses the growing role of automation and robots on nearly every industry facing labor shortages

Kumar hit on three key areas that are driving more and more companies to automate.

Population decline is altering workforce availability and demand
As global populations in many regions begin to decline, particularly in industrialized nations, the availability of workers in manufacturing is shrinking. This demographic shift means fewer people are entering the workforce, creating a gap between available jobs and skilled workers. As a result, manufacturers face increasing challenges in maintaining production levels. Automation, especially with autonomous mobile robots, is seen as a critical solution to compensate for the decreasing workforce, ensuring productivity while also adapting to changing economic realities.
The digital-native workforce expects more cognitive, less manual labor
Today’s workforce, particularly younger generations, has grown up in a highly digital world and brings a different set of expectations to the workplace. Rather than being content with repetitive, manual tasks, they seek roles that challenge their cognitive abilities and make use of their technological skills. This shift in workforce preferences means manufacturers must reimagine jobs, focusing on roles that emphasize decision-making, problem-solving, and digital tool utilization. Automation can help by handling the more tedious tasks, leaving the human workforce to engage in more meaningful, cognitively driven work.
Manufacturing has transitioned from economies of scale to low volume, high mix production
Traditional manufacturing was built on economies of scale—producing large volumes of identical products to drive down costs. However, modern consumer demand is increasingly diverse and personalized, leading to the rise of low-volume, high-mix production. This shift requires manufacturers to be more flexible and responsive, quickly adapting production lines to different products. Agility in automation is key to enabling this kind of production environment, as robots must seamlessly handle a variety of tasks and products without extensive reconfiguration, ensuring companies remain competitive in a rapidly changing market.

These themes continued with many other speakers discussing many of the same issues. There was also plenty of talk about the ongoing technical challenges that the industry is still working to overcome.

A3’s Alex Shikany (center) talks with attendees in the Expo Hall

One of the recurring technical challenges we encountered was the limited advancement in technology for brownfield sites. "Brownfield site" refers to an existing facility or property that was originally built without considering automation or modern technology. In the context of robotics and automation, it typically involves upgrading older buildings, factories, or warehouses with new technology, as opposed to constructing new, automated facilities from scratch (referred to as "greenfield sites").

Brownfield sites typically have infrastructure that was not designed for automation. This means that Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) must navigate through spaces with narrow aisles, uneven flooring, and varied layouts, making smooth navigation difficult. Moreover, older facilities may lack the necessary digital mapping or IoT integration to support seamless AMR deployment. As one speaker noted, integrating with legacy systems is one of the most complex aspects of brownfield AMR deployment, often requiring customized middleware solutions to ensure seamless communication.

In brownfield sites, environments are often cluttered with unpredictable obstacles, such as forklifts, pallets, and humans moving around the facility. Unlike greenfield deployments where the space can be designed to accommodate AMRs, brownfield sites are typically more dynamic and can pose operational hazards. AMRs must use advanced sensors and AI algorithms to detect and avoid obstacles in real-time, increasing the complexity of deployment and maintenance.

One of the benefits of AMRs is their scalability, but this can be a challenge in brownfield sites where space constraints and facility layouts may limit how many robots can be deployed. Older sites often lack the flexibility required to reconfigure spaces to accommodate more AMRs, making it difficult to scale the operation without substantial physical or digital upgrades.

Retrofitting a brownfield site to accommodate AMRs can involve significant investments in upgrading physical infrastructure, such as improving floor conditions or installing advanced Wi-Fi networks to ensure consistent connectivity. Additionally, there may be costs associated with upgrading software systems to ensure compatibility with robotic platforms. One attendee told me, "The cost of retrofitting existing facilities for AMR deployment is often underestimated, as the necessary upgrades can range from simple Wi-Fi improvements to complete overhauls of warehouse management systems." They then stated that it took them 2 years to get just one brownfield site’s network up-to-date to even handle the small fleet of AMRs they were deploying.

Finally, brownfield sites often operate under strict safety regulations, and introducing AMRs requires adherence to these standards. Ensuring that AMRs comply with safety regulations while operating alongside human workers is essential. This challenge is heightened in environments with inconsistent or poorly documented safety protocols, requiring careful planning and coordination between robot manufacturers and facility operators. During a panel I was on, I made it pretty clear:

“…ensuring AMRs comply with safety standards in brownfield sites can be a significant hurdle, particularly when legacy safety systems and protocols must be integrated with new automation technologies…”

Now all of this sounds pretty negative. However, I would say this is a sign of how AMRs are starting to really take off. When we are starting to look at how to tackle all of the issues brownfield sites present that tells me that the benefits AMRs are bringing to operation is so great that it is worth tackling all of these issues around these types of sites. So while daunting, we have crossed that threshold where the ROIs are making more and more sense.

This also goes back to another point that Melonee Wise made when asked if Humanoids would follow the rollout of the home computer or something else. She said that Humanoids will more than likely follow the path that the AMRs have taken. I agree with her on that and that is why solving these brownfield site issues now is going to pay off huge when humanoids hit the same level of adoption.

All Shook Up and Rebooting

I still have tons of notes and follow ups in my future coming out of these two conferences. Going forward, I really do hope that A3 continues to have these two events on the calendar. They may not need to be annual events, but I do think they should potentially stay linked together into the 3-day events they were this year. Attendees got to add on an extra half day touring the massive FedEx World Hub which is the workhorse at the center of FedEx’s massive network.

As stated earlier, there is some agreement that humanoids will more than likely follow AMRs into wider adoption and deployments. Many of us showed how ANSI R15.08 for Industrial Mobile Robots (AMRs fall under) can be used for humanoids deployed in industrial settings currently, but should potentially get updated to reflect the special elements humanoids bring. So why not keep the two events together?

Overall, it was a great time, especially for me that it was in my hometown and I got to show that off to many while also getting to sleep in my own bed. While I know the next events will need to go to another city, I do hope to see everyone back in Memphis in the future. There is something about talking robots and then going and getting a slab of ribs afterwards that just seems right. Also, you have to admit we do have some “characters” down here that keeps it interesting.

Overall, I think everybody (and I mean EVERYBODY) enjoyed their time in Memphis

Robot News Of The Week

Pittsburgh Robotics Network partners with NVIDIA to accelerate ecosystem growth

The Pittsburgh Robotics Network (PRN) has partnered with NVIDIA to advance robotics innovation and collaboration with academia and research institutions. NVIDIA will provide AI and computing platforms, expand partnerships with Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, and launch its AI Tech Community in Pittsburgh. This collaboration aims to accelerate Pittsburgh's leadership in robotics and AI commercialization.

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang with PRN Director Jennifer Apicella. Source: Pittsburgh Robotics Network

Food delivery robots are rolling around the University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities has introduced food delivery robots, powered by Starship Technologies, marking the first University-run service of its kind on campus and the first approved in Minneapolis. Using the Starship app, students, faculty, staff, and visitors can order from Panda Express, Starbucks, and Erbert & Gerbert’s at Coffman Memorial Union, and the autonomous robots will deliver food almost anywhere on the East Bank.

The battery-powered robots are a sustainable option that support accessibility for those with mobility issues or tight schedules. They navigate sidewalks, cross streets, and can operate in various weather conditions, including rain and snow. The service is expected to enhance convenience, especially during harsh winter months.

At a Brooklyn Warehouse, Robots Are Reshaping the Grocery-Delivery Business

Save A Lot is piloting a robotic-powered grocery delivery system in Brooklyn, developed by Israeli company Fabric. The system uses robotic arms to pick groceries and deliver them to packing stations, allowing orders of up to 50 items to be assembled in 6-8 minutes.

Groceries are then delivered to customers by Uber drivers, with delivery available within a 30-minute window for Brooklyn customers. The automated facility helps reduce grocery prices by nearly 30% compared to traditional stores. With a compact 4,000-square-foot space, the system is faster and more cost-efficient, saving both time and money for shoppers.

This innovation is part of a broader movement to use robotics for grocery fulfillment, addressing the challenges of labor-intensive online orders and perishable items. The system is operated by a small staff of 10 people and offers a limited selection of goods to keep costs low. Save A Lot plans to expand with two more centers in New York City and Dallas.

Robot Research In The News

Researchers create robotic finger that could perform medical examinations

Researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China have created a soft robotic finger with a sense of touch for medical exams. This technology could help identify diseases such as breast cancer earlier and make physical exams less uncomfortable for patients.

The robotic finger uses sensitive sensors and conductive fiber coils to mimic human touch and detect the properties of objects it contacts. This innovation could potentially serve as a "robodoctor," offering automatic exams and diagnoses with machine learning integration. The soft robotic finger is gentle enough for medical use, addressing safety concerns.

In tests, the device successfully located lumps and took pulses, showing promise for future medical applications. The researchers aim to create a fully functional robotic hand for hospital use. Published in Cell Reports Physical Science, the study represents a significant advancement in robotic medical care.

Toddlers show increased physical activity when they have a robot playmate moving around the room

A new study by Oregon State University suggests that inexpensive robotic buddies, like the toddler-sized GoBot, could help encourage toddlers to be more physically active. Researchers observed eight children aged 2-3 playing with the GoBot, which either moved autonomously or was controlled by an operator. The robot rewarded kids with sounds, lights, or bubbles, and results showed that children were more active when the robot was moving.

The study highlights the potential for low-cost robotic toys to promote physical activity, which is crucial for children's cognitive, social, and motor development, as well as long-term health. Such robots could help address the challenge of sedentary behavior and support parents in engaging their toddlers in active play.

Robot Workforce Story Of The Week

Shapiro Administration Invests $200,000 to Train More than 2,000 Students in Robotics, Boosting PA’s Manufacturing Industry

Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro’s Administration has announced a $200,000 investment in Millersville University's Robotic Worx program to help students address real manufacturing challenges through robotics and automation. The grant, part of the Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career (MTTC) initiative, will fund paid internships, training, and supplies, ensuring financial barriers don't limit student participation.

This program, which expects to impact over 2,000 students in the next two years, connects high school and undergraduate students with hands-on STEM experiences. Participants engage in internships, job shadowing, and real-world problem solving in advanced manufacturing. The partnership between Millersville University and Precision Cobotics aims to meet the region's growing demand for skilled workers in automation and robotics.

Robot Video Of The Week

Hyundai has introduced its X-ble Medical Exoskeleton (X-ble MEX) to assist injured soldiers in rehabilitation, as showcased in the “10M March” video produced with the Korean Armed Forces Medical Command. The exoskeleton helps soldiers with walking, muscle recovery, and joint movement, reducing the physical burden on medical staff during rehabilitation.

X-ble MEX, developed by Hyundai’s Robotics LAB, provides real-time support for walking, sitting, standing, and climbing stairs, enhancing recovery efficiency and patient motivation. It’s designed to maintain balance through a forward-centered design and sensors that reduce the risk of falling. Lightweight at 44 pounds, it can accommodate users of different sizes and offers up to 1.5 hours of battery life.

Hyundai aims to continue supporting rehabilitation with its advanced robotics technology, already donating the exoskeleton to Seoul’s Armed Forces Capital Hospital to aid injured soldiers, particularly those hurt by landmines.