In Episode 183 of The Robotic Report Podcast, co-host Mike Oitzman interviews Chris Painter, the director of technical product administration at CNH Industrial. They talk about the developments in precision farming, the crucial position of connectivity, and the challenges confronted by farmers in rural areas.
They talk about the significance of real-time information for operational effectivity, the way forward for autonomy in precision farming, and the affect of AI on agricultural expertise. Painter explains the necessity for steady connectivity to help autonomous automobiles and the continued challenges of labor within the agricultural sector.
Present timeline
- 10:00 – Information of the week
- 28:08 – Interview with Chris Painter, director of technical product administration at CNH Industrial
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Information of the week
Apple laboratories create an animated lamp
Apple researchers Yuhan Hu, Peide Huang, Mouli Sivapurapu, and Jian Zhang revealed their work on a challenge referred to as “ELEGNT: Expressive and Purposeful Motion Design for Non-Anthropomorphic Robotic” on the Apple Machine Studying weblog publish.
The analysis explored how an on a regular basis object would possibly work together with expressive actions in response to a human interplay. The researchers introduced an articulating gentle fixture to life in motions which are harking back to Luxo Jr., the Pixar mascot. Watch the video to see the output of the challenge.
Teradyne Robotics group lays off 10% of world workers
Teradyne’s robotics group, which incorporates Common Robots (UR) and Cell Industrial Robots (MiR), laid off 10% of its world workforce late final week. Whereas the precise variety of affected workers was unclear, Teradyne Robotics’ web site said that it had greater than 1,400 workers worldwide.
The discount included a 6% layoff in Denmark, the headquarters for each UR and MiR. Group president Ujjwal Kumar informed The Robotic Report that UR noticed a 3% year-over-year decline, whereas MiR skilled a 1% year-over-year development.
Teradyne reported whole robotics income of $365 million for 2024, with $293 million attributed to UR and $72 million to MiR, in comparison with $375 million in 2023. Kumar attributed the downturn to an unprecedented pullback in core low-mix, high-volume manufacturing. This aligns with FANUC’s latest report of a 16% drop in robotics for 2024.
Teradyne additionally introduced a restructuring of its gross sales, advertising and marketing, and providers. 2025 is an important 12 months for UR, because it lately opened uts first abroad manufacturing heart in China, the world’s main robotics marketplace for over a decade, the place it’s promoting two cobots completely.
Giraffe from Brightpick extends autonomous cellular choosing in warehouses
Brightpick, which gained the 2024 RBR50 software of the 12 months for its Autopicker cellular manipulators, has expanded its product line with the introduction of Brightpick Giraffe. This new robotic boasts a vertical attain of as much as 20 ft. (6 m), tripling warehouse storage density in comparison with guide operations and doubling it in contrast with the unique Autopicker.
The Brightpick Giraffe encompasses a telescopic carry that retracts to eight.5 ft. (2.6 m) for transport, easing deployment points. Sharing the identical 31.4-in. (80 cm) width footprint because the Autopicker, the Giraffe makes use of a brand new withdrawer mechanism to retrieve storage totes from upper-level cabinets and convey them to decrease ranges, the place the Autopicker can then entry them for choosing at heights as much as 11 ft. (3.4 m).
Cruise cuts practically half of the workers as GM focuses on client AVs
Cruise LLC has confirmed to The Robotic Report that it’s conducting one other spherical of layoffs, impacting practically half its workforce, which might imply over 1,000 workers. These layoffs possible come as no shock, as Cruise’s mum or dad firm, Basic Motors Co., introduced in December that it could stop funding the startup’s robotaxi deployment.
As a substitute, GM is consolidating the Cruise and GM technical groups right into a unified effort centered on Tremendous Cruise, GM’s hands-free driver help system, signaling a shift in focus in direction of private autonomous automobiles relatively than robotaxis.
- Cruise’s most up-to-date layoffs lengthen to the CEO and a number of other different high executives, based on TechCrunch. Massive names amongst these laid off included:
- Marc Whitten, CEO
- Nilka Thomas, chief human assets officer
- Steve Kenner chief security officer
- Rob Grant, world head of public coverage
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