The Robot Report Podcast
Robotics in Review: Editors Look Back at 2025
AI Summary
In this year‑end episode, host Steve Crowe and the Robot Report editors dissect 2025’s pivotal robotics developments, from iRobot’s Chapter 11 filing and ABB’s mobile‑robot sale to SoftBank, to a surge of over $3.5 billion poured into humanoid ventures and the rise of physical AI. They examine autonomous systems’ scaling hurdles at Waymo, Amazon’s deployment of one million robots, and their tactical use in Ukraine and Gaza, while also noting industry shifts like Intel RealSense’s spin‑out, a revived national robotics strategy, and innovative home‑robot startups such as 1X, Sunday, and Weave. Guest experts—John Santagate, Chris Matthieu, and Evan Helda—share insights on multi‑agent orchestration, open‑source robot brains, and data pipelines for world‑model training, setting the stage for emerging trends in 2026.
Episode Description
Join host Steve Crowe and The Robot Report editorial team (Gene Demaitre, Mike Oitzman, and Brianna Wessling) for the annual end-of-year wrap-up. The team breaks down the most significant stories, trends, and market shifts that defined the robotics industry in 2025 and looks ahead to 2026.
Key Topics Discussed:
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Business Shake-ups: An analysis of iRobot entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy and ABB selling its mobile robot division to SoftBank.
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The Year of the Humanoid: A look at the $3.5B+ invested in humanoid companies and the rise of physical AI.
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Autonomous Systems: Updates on Waymo’s scaling challenges, Amazon’s 1M deployed robots, and the impact of autonomous systems in the Ukraine and Gaza conflicts.
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Industry Trends: The spin-out of Intel RealSense, the return of a national robotics strategy, and new approaches to home robotics (1X, Sunday, Weave).
Featured Guest Vignettes:
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John Santagate: On tote-to-man methodologies and multi-agent orchestration.
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Chris Matthieu (RealSense): On open-source brains for physical AI and the emergence of robot sports.
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Evan Helda (Nebius): On data pipelines, real-world data collection, and world models for training.
Show Notes
Join host Steve Crowe and The Robot Report editorial team (Gene Demaitre, Mike Oitzman, and Brianna Wessling) for the annual end-of-year wrap-up. The team breaks down the most significant stories, trends, and market shifts that defined the robotics industry in 2025 and looks ahead to 2026. Key Topics Discussed: - Business Shake-ups: An analysis of iRobot entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy and ABB selling its mobile robot division to SoftBank. - The Year of the Humanoid: A look at the $3.5B+ invested in humanoid companies and the rise of physical AI. - Autonomous Systems: Updates on Waymo’s scaling challenges, Amazon’s 1M deployed robots, and the impact of autonomous systems in the Ukraine and Gaza conflicts. - Industry Trends: The spin-out of Intel RealSense, the return of a national robotics strategy, and new approaches to home robotics (1X, Sunday, Weave). Featured Guest Vignettes: - John Santagate: On tote-to-man methodologies and multi-agent orchestration. - Chris Matthieu (RealSense): On open-source brains for physical AI and the emergence of robot sports. - Evan Helda (Nebius): On data pipelines, real-world data collection, and world models for training.
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