Boys&Bots

Fitted with a vast array of attachments and accessories, today’s battle bots are capable of carrying out a range of missions, from scouting to transport to search & rescue and attack. They're often intended to enhance a soldier's or team's existing capabilities while keeping them out of harm's way as much as possible.

Elon Musk's new humanoid robot, Optimus, was recently presented at an event in Silicon Valley. While many humanoid robots are still in the early stages of development, a few have made incredible progress in the last few years, entering the real world as bartenders, concierges, deep-sea divers and as companions for older adults. Some work in warehouses and factories, assisting humans in logistics and manufacturing. And others seem to offer more novelty and awe than anything else, conducting orchestras and greeting guests at conferences. There's no doubt that sooner or later, we will be living amongst intelligent humanoid robots, but how will this affect our lives?

Walmart announced recently that it has acquired Boston-based robotics company Alert Innovations to step up its efforts to fulfill e-commerce orders more efficiently against a backdrop of a tight labor market and improve customers' shopping experience. Is this a good thing for customers? What do you think?

If you own a smart vehicle, you may want to know how safe your data is. In this episode, we discuss and share our thoughts on the security threats that smart vehicles could have. In the change of combustion engine cars to electric vehicles, we see at the same time a clear trend to cars becoming even smarter.  Cars are becoming so interconnected that it makes sense to see them as yet another smart tool, yes, even smarter than your mobile phone.

What are the applications of high-tech in healthcare?  In today's episode, Gianni and I explore and share our thoughts on some applications of medical AI and robotics, from virtual reality to Google's blindness predictor. Join us in this episode and let's explore the application of robotics and AI in healthcare.

Back in 2020, the global robotics market was valued at USD$27.73 billion. By 2026, this market is expected to reach USD$74.1 billion. The growth of automation and robotics is driven by labor shortages, rising wages, and Covid-19. In this episode we will have a look at the current market situation, its players, and how they're preparing to develop their local industries. Looking forward the market is projected to experience a significant growth rate as the adoption of automation and robotics technology continues to increase. 

When we think about robots, many people will associate images of the future, of mechanical, moving, smart machines. Some people might associate robots with threats. But are robots really that new? And are they a threat to humanity? Since humans exist, we're building systems that bring value by helping with day-to-day work, create time and mental space for us to focus on what we're good at, and improving our lives. Do you think we're reaching singularity? In today's episode we will define and explain the three levels of automation and discuss how far are we from reaching technological singularity.

To help you understand the real cost of automation, we will dive into the reasons for companies to  choose automation, what are the current trend and challenges warehouses face, and what are the key things to take into consideration when evaluating an automation solution. We hope this will help you have a better understanding of the different challenges and technologies available when selecting a solution for your business from the cost perspective.

How fast will you earn back your investment in automation? Establishing a framework to look at the cost structure, is the first step in calculating your ROI. Where are the biggest costs? Where could I make savings? What about running costs? Find answers to all these and more questions in this new episode of Boys & Bots 

There are things that humans can do that robots cannot. Humans can make rapid assessments of their surroundings and decide what needs to be done first, second, and third – or what does not need to be done. Robots need to be programmed for each and every step. Humans can work with all kinds of stuff, robots are often designed for one specific task. One of the most standard movements for humans, walking, is one of the hardest things to do for robots, so most robots either drive or fly. In this episode we will discuss one of the challenges for robots, "learning". Machine learning is in many ways similar to the way we humans learn. Join us in this episode to learn the hardest things about robots!

There are things that humans can do that robots cannot. Humans can make rapid assessments of their surroundings and decide what needs to be done first, second, and third – or what does not need to be done. Robots need to be programmed for each and every step. Humans can work with all kinds of stuff, robots are often designed for one specific task. One of the most standard movements for humans, walking, is one of the hardest things to do for robots, so most robots either drive or fly. In this episode we will discuss one of the challenges for robots, "swarming".  Robotics plays an important role in the development of collective artificial intelligence (AI). Swarm robotics attempts to draw on the ways social organisms, such as bees, birds, or fish, use collaborative behaviors to achieve complex tasks beyond any individual's capability. Join us in this episode to learn the hardest things about robots!

There are things that humans can do that robots cannot. Humans can make rapid assessments of their surroundings and decide what needs to be done first, second, and third – or what does not need to be done. Robots need to be programmed for each and every step. Humans can work with all kinds of stuff, robots are often designed for one specific task. One of the most standard movements for humans, walking, is one of the hardest things to do for robots, so most robots either drive or fly. In this episode we will discuss one of the challenges for robots, "navigation and exploration". Robots perform really impressive under controlled conditions, but they sometimes do crazy things in real-world scenarios. Join us in this episode to learn the hardest things about robots!

There are things that humans can do that robots cannot. Humans can make rapid assessments of their surroundings and decide what needs to be done first, second, and third – or what does not need to be done. Robots need to be programmed for each and every step. Humans can work with all kinds of stuff, robots are often designed for one specific task. One of the most standard movements for humans, walking, is one of the hardest things to do for robots, so most robots either drive or fly. In this episode we will discuss one of the challenges for robots, "energy". Robots' energy is limited batteries. Is current battery technology enough for robots to be efficient? Join us in this episode to learn the hardest things about robots!

The "fourth industrial revolution" brings unprecedented opportunities. But while robots and automation are becoming an inseparable part of our lives, we still have many challenges to solve in terms of technology and practical implementation.  Living in a fast-paced city like Shenzhen in China allows Jonathan and Gianni to be first witnesses to new technologies being implemented daily and experience the difference in applications in the East and West.  Driven by curiosity and the urge to learn more about new robotics technologies and automation happening in China and the rest of the world, Jonathan and Gianni bring this podcast to share their experiences and learn with you, the listener. In this episode, they introduce their experience with robots in the present and share a glimpse of the future. Thank you for listening!