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Tech Podcast: Making AI Physical and Real | PowerUp

EE Times
EE Times•May 14, 2026

Why It Matters

Physical AI hinges on semiconductor breakthroughs and secure ecosystems; without them, the projected trillion‑dollar robotics market cannot materialize.

Key Takeaways

  • •Semiconductor sensors and controllers are core to physical AI deployment
  • •GaN devices boost motor efficiency and enable compact robot designs
  • •Robust security, including post‑quantum cryptography, is essential for safety
  • •Infinian’s ecosystem—toolboxes, reference designs, and partners—accelerates integration
  • •China and Asia‑Pacific lead demand for humanoid and autonomous robots

Summary

The PowerUp podcast episode spotlights Infinian Technologies’ role in turning artificial intelligence into tangible, real‑world robotics. Host Aliyia Shokat interviews Mariana Bukisc, director of marketing, who explains how advanced sensing, high‑speed processing, and precise actuation—anchored by semiconductor technology—enable robots to perceive, think, and act safely alongside humans. Key insights include the critical importance of accurate analog‑to‑digital sensors, the performance edge of wide‑bandgap GaN components, and the necessity of embedding security at the silicon level. Bukisc highlights that GaN switches operate at higher frequencies, delivering up to 30% greater efficiency and smaller form factors, which is vital for battery‑powered humanoids with dozens of motors. She also stresses that firmware vulnerabilities directly threaten functional safety, prompting Infinian to adopt post‑quantum cryptography and PSA certifications. Examples cited range from vision and torque sensors improving object‑grasping to a CES‑showcased eyelash‑placement robot that demands millimeter‑level precision. Infinian’s strategy extends beyond hardware: the company offers a Modus toolbox, reference designs, and field‑application engineers, and partners with Nvidia to deliver Jetson‑based development kits that combine AI compute with Infinian’s power solutions. The discussion concludes that the strongest market pull comes from China and the broader Asia‑Pacific region, where demand for humanoid and autonomous robots is surging. However, widespread adoption hinges on overcoming integration complexity, ensuring security, and leveraging digital‑twin simulations to validate AI behavior before field deployment.

Original Description

In the new AI world, reality, usefulness, and human characteristics blend, causing real technology challenges—especially in robots. They’ve become perceptive. They think. Robots act and engage with humans and the real world around them using predictive intelligence. With the aging population, labor shortages, and increasing labor costs, these traits are becoming increasingly useful as we search to find new ways to automate things, increase productivity, and improve services. In this podcast, we’ll explore the path of physicalizing AI in robotics with the help of hardware and software tools. We'll also discuss the benefits and challenges of creating robots as the lines between digital intelligence and physical reality blur. 
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