A talk being given at the 2024 Robotics Summit’s Engineering Theater.For the second time, the show floor at the Robotics Summit & Expo will feature an Engineering Theater.
At that stage, attendees can learn from some of the world’s leading robotics developers and component providers.You can find the Robotics Engineering Theater in the back of the show floor, near the RBR50 Showcase.
It provides a convenient place for attendees to catch talks while still being near the exciting demonstrations of the expo.The 2025 Robotics Summit & Expo will be on April 30 and May 1 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
Here is an overview of the nine talks that will take place in the Engineering Theater.Making Autonomous Bipedals Stable and Safe: Tackling the Safety and Real-world Interfacing Challenges of Physical AIAs humanoid robots transition from research labs to real-world deployment, two critical challenges must be addressed: functional safety and AI-to-reality interfacing.
While AI has unlocked remarkable new capabilities, its integration with physical embodiments remains a barrier for safety, reliability, and scalability.During his talk, Nikolai Ensslen, the CEO of Synapticon, will discuss approaches for the safety of bipedal and AI-controlled robots and explore how hybrid control architectures—combining AI-driven intelligence with deterministic, safety-certified motion control—are the key to unlocking humanoid automation.
This presentation will at 11:00 a.m.
ET on the first day of the show.A New World of Software-Defined Robotics, Opportunities and RisksAdvancements in multicore processors promise to enable a single device to address multiple use cases, unlocking opportunities for disruptive innovations, according to Sreedhar Tumma, the global senior product marketing manager at QNX.However, there are also challenges, especially when developing secure and safety-certified robots.
How can we ensure compliance with regulatory standards while adapting to the evolving requirements?Tumma will explore these trends and discuss how to balance time-to-market pressures with growing demands for cutting-edge technology and regulatory certification.
This talk will start at 11:45 a.m.
on the first day of the show.Robotic Hands — Innovative Drive Systems for This Essential InterfaceHumanoid robots are not just a hype but a lasting trend with significant market potential, say some industry experts.
Rolf Schmideder, the head of business development at FAULHABER Drive Systems, plans to explore the development of this market and the critical role of robotic hands as the primary interaction interface.He will especially focus on the differences between prosthetic and robotic hands, control interfaces, and the challenges of creating highly functional and adaptive robotic hands for real-world applications.
The talk will start at 1:15 p.m.
on Wednesday, April 30.Shaken and Stirred: Understanding and Managing Vibration for Longer Robotic LifeThis dynamic, moderator-led panel will explore how vibration profoundly affects robotic lifespan and performance, plus what you can do about it.
It will feature industry leaders:Adam Bahret, founder of Apex Ridge Reliability Consulting, will share expert insights into vibration analysis and strategies to mitigate vibration-related issues in robotics.Thomas Dutremble, CEO of Acorn Product Development, will bring engaging stories and lessons learned from designing highly robust robotic systems, emphasizing the direct link between vibration management and commercial success.Dan McGinnis, director of Unified, plans to provide valuable examples from extensive vibration testing at one of the largest testing laboratories in the U.S., illustrating how rigorous testing predicts and prevents robotic failures.This interactive session will highlight compelling successes, dramatic failures, and practical techniques attendees can immediately apply to ensure longer robotic life and improved performance.
It will kick off at 2:00 p.m.
on the first day of the show.Get a Grip: Enabling Robotic Dexterity With Tactile SensorsGripping an object can be easy or complex.
It may be easy to get a good grip on a plastic cup.
But, what about on a delicate object, like an eggshell or medical instrument? Shouldn’t all acts of gripping be delivered with such care?Contactile’s tactile sensors are designed to enable robotic dexterity with exact precision.
They measure all parameters required for dexterity: 3D forces, 3D torques, slip, and friction, enabling the next level of tactile sensing for robotic dexterity.In this session, attendees can learn from Heba Khamis, co-founder of Contactile, how tactile sensors enable a gripper to apply the optimal grip force to hold any object and respond to dynamic loads.
With this tactile feedback, the gripper will never grip too hard and break an item, nor will it grip insufficiently and drop an object.Such grippers don’t even need prior knowledge of the object’s size, shape, weight, or packaging.
Tactile sensors also enable complex robotic manipulation, such as turning a handle and opening a door or inserting a USB cable.These tactile sensors could be the difference between a robot with the dexterity of a skilled person and a robot that is all thumbs.
This talk will be held at 2:45 pm.
on Wednesday.Meeting Warehouse Demands: Robotics, Motion Control, and Gearbox Strategies for Smarter AutomationThe market for robotic warehouse automation is hot, with significant opportunities for longstanding vendors, as well as dynamic start-ups.
The right motion-control technologies are crucial to automating a wide variety of tasks.
These applications include order picking and consolidation, palletizing, put-away, and goods-to-person materials handling.The robots to conduct these tasks, including autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS), mobile manipulators, and sortation systems, are no longer just point solutions.
Integrators and end users must consider everything from the controller to the flow of goods through the entire warehouse, including interactions with associates and manual equipment such as forklifts.As a result, the components must meet heightened expectations for precision, repeatability, and safety.
For example, many lift trucks and robot arms have increased their payload and reach.
To do this, they need higher torque capacity, greater stability, and the ability to move and stop quickly and smoothly.This session, taking place on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
and led by Craig Van den Avont, the president at GAM Enterprises, will examine the following considerations for designers of warehouse automation systems:Identifying application requirements and process flexibilityTypes of robots that are currently availableEnsuring that components meet performance expectationsHow to choose a trusted supplier/partnerConfigurability and customizationSpecialized systems versus general-purpose ones, such as the promise of humanoidsStreamlining Design to Manufacturing Through Automated DocumentationThere are a lot of stakeholders involved in bringing a hardware product to market.
Following a single part demonstrates this complexity: It passes from an individual mechanical engineer who designs it, to the mechanical engineering manager who approves it, to the supply chain manager who purchases it, to the injection molder who builds it, to the contract manufacturer who integrates it into the final assembly.Mai Bui, co-founder and CEO of Quarter20, will dive into how teams can use documentation to streamline the process of knowledge transfer across hardware development to bring products to market faster.
The session will cover methods and tools to:Share engineering work in a way that anyone can understand, from CEOs to techniciansHand off materials to external vendors with minimal back and forthBring new employees up to speed with minimal downtimeThe talk will take place at 11 a.m.
on Thursday, May 1.From Prompt to Prototype: Building RealSense-powered Robotics with CopilotGot smart robots? Dive into the world where AI writes robotics code! Join the speakers for a live-coding adventure as they unleash GitHub Copilot AI to supercharge ROS 2-based robotics with Intel RealSense depth cameras.
Watch as they build a “follow-me” robot that streams video and depth data, detects people, and generates movement commands on the fly.During this session, learn from Chris Matthieu, the chief developer evangelist at Intel RealSense, and discover how RealSense, ROS 2, and AI-assisted development come together for faster prototyping and smarter robots.
This demonstration will take place at 11:45 a.m.
on Day 2 of the Robotics Summit & Expo.MassRobotics Form & Function Challenge FinaleWe’ll be closing out the Engineering Theater with the MassRobotics Form & Function Challenge Finale, led by Russell Nickerson, the partner engagement liaison at MassRobotics.During this session, the winners of the second MassRobotics Form & Function Challenge will be announced.
All participants will be exhibiting their prototypes on the show floor.
This event will take place at 12:30 p.m.
on Thursday.More about the Robotics SummitThis year’s Robotics Summit & Expo, produced by The Robot Report, will bring together more than 5,000 attendees focused on building robots for various commercial industries.
Attendees can gain insights into the latest enabling technologies, engineering best practices, emerging trends, and more.Keynote speakers will include:Aaron Saunders, the chief technology officer at Boston DynamicsJames Kuffner, CTO of SymboticAaron Parness, director of applied science in robotics and AI at Amazon RoboticsDaniela Rus, director of MIT CSAILDr.
Aadeel Akhtar, the founder and CEO of PSYONICThe show will have over 50 educational sessions in tracks on AI, design and development, enabling technologies, healthcare, and logistics.
The expo hall will include more than 200 exhibitors showcasing the latest enabling technologies, products, and services to help robotics engineers throughout their development journeys.The Robotics Summit also offers numerous networking opportunities, a Career Fair, a robotics development challenge, the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards Gala, and much more.Co-located with the event is DeviceTalks Boston, the premier event for medical technology professionals, currently in its tenth year.
Both events attract engineering and business professionals from a broad range of healthcare and medical technology backgrounds.Registration is now open.The post 9 sessions to see at the Robotics Summit Engineering Theater appeared first on The Robot Report.