In Episode 227 of The Robot Report Podcast, hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman recap the major robotics news of the week.
Our guest on the show this week is Spencer Krause, co-founder and CEO of SKA Robotics. A longtime friend of the show, he shares insights into the development process for new robotic systems and takes a deep dive into ruggedized field robotics.
Spencer Krause, co-founder and CEO of SKA Robotics.
From automating giant mining trucks to launching “software-defined” actuators, Krause discusses the “mercenary” engineering mindset, including war stories from the field, and why hardware is the next frontier in the post-AI era.
Krause has been engineering and building robots for more than 23 years. SKA Robotics has served multiple Fortune 100 companies developing advanced field robots. Spencer said he recently co-founded Tension Dynamics because he recognized an opportunity to revolutionize the market for linear actuators and motion platforms.
In addition, Krause hosts the podcast “Collaborative With Spencer Krause,” where he has informal conversations with people doing interesting things in technology, research, and entrepreneurship.
Show timeline
- 9:12 – News of the week
- 26:47 – Spencer Krause, co-founder and CEO of SKA Robotics and co-founder of Tension Dynamics
News of the week
Skild AI raises $1.4B to build ‘omni-bodied’ robot brain
Skild AI has reached a $14 billion valuation after a $1.4 billion funding round led by SoftBank Group, with participation from NVIDIA, Jeff Bezos, and strategic partners such as Samsung and LG.
Founded in 2023, the company is developing the Skild Brain, a foundation model designed for multiple robot body types. Unlike AI systems requiring programming for specific hardware, this model controls systems including humanoids, quadrupeds, and mechanical arms—without prior knowledge of the machine’s form.
To develop this system, Skild AI trains its model using human action videos and physics simulations. The technology uses in-context learning to allow robots to adapt to physical changes.
While the company intends to deploy these systems in homes for tasks like cooking and cleaning, its current focus is on enterprise applications in security, manufacturing, warehouse logistics, and construction.
Robotaxi services expand to London
London is set to become one of the first major cities where the world’s leading autonomous vehicle companies — especially from the U.S. and China — directly compete by launching robotaxi services as early as 2026.
Waymo has begun testing its self-driving vehicles in London and plans a commercial launch there. Baidu’s Apollo Go is preparing to bring its robotaxis to London through partnerships with companies like Uber and Lyft. The Chinese autonomous ride-hailing service operator is already operating at scale in Asia.
Tell Us What You Think!