In Episode 222 of The Robotic Report Podcast, hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman recap the most important robotics information of the week. Our visitor this week is Kristian Kassow, founder and CEO of Kassow Robots.
Within the ever-evolving world of robotics, he stands out as a pioneer. Because the co-founder of Common Robots and the managing director of Kassow Robots, Kristian has been on the forefront of growing collaborative robots, also referred to as cobots, that are reworking industries worldwide. In a current dialog, he shared his journey and insights into the way forward for robotics.
Kristian’s journey started with a imaginative and prescient to create light-weight, easy-to-use robotic arms. This imaginative and prescient led to the founding of Common Robots, the place he performed a vital position in growing the primary collaborative robots. As we speak, at Kassow Robots, Kristian continues to innovate, specializing in seven-axis cobots that provide enhanced flexibility and precision.
One of many standout options of Kassow Robots is its seven-axis cobots. These robots are designed to beat the restrictions of conventional six-axis arms, notably in avoiding singularities and dealing in tight areas. The extra axis gives better freedom of motion, making these force- and power-limited robots appropriate for advanced duties in numerous industries.
Present timeline
- 1:55 – Intro to Memo from Sunday Robotics
- 10:10 – Information of the week
- 24:56 – Interview with Kristian Kassow, founder and CEO, Kassow Robotics
Information of the week
North American robotic orders enhance in Q3 2025, experiences A3
Non-automotive sectors led unit orders as corporations made investments to deal with workforce challenges and reshoring prices, stated A3.
After a drop final yr and regular gross sales within the first half of 2025, North American robotic orders elevated within the Q3 of 2025, in line with the Affiliation for Advancing Automation, or A3.
Third-quarter orders totaled 8,806 robots valued at $574 million, an 11.6% enhance in items, an 11.6% enhance in items and a 17.2% rise in income in contrast with the identical interval in 2024. Within the first half of 2025, robotic orders had elevated by 4.3%, and income had risen 7.5% from the identical interval final yr.
A3 famous that key development sectors in Q3 included meals and shopper items, in addition to automotive OEMs. Further beneficial properties got here from metals and all different industries, contributing to broad-based enchancment throughout the quarter. Against this, automotive part orders, as did plastics and rubber, reflecting sector-specific capital slowdowns, stated A3.
Zoox provides its first public autonomous rides in San Francisco
Zoox introduced that its Zoox Explorers program is reside in San Francisco. The corporate is inviting members of the general public off its waitlist to be among the many first to get an autonomous journey.
The corporate‘s Explorers initiative invitations individuals to journey totally free and share invaluable suggestions to assist refine the expertise earlier than it scales. To affix the waitlist, early riders can obtain the Zoox app from the iOS or Android App Retailer.
Earlier this yr, Zoox launched its service in Las Vegas. It’s at present testing its fleet in a number of different cities, together with Seattle, Austin, Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C.
Waymo is launching driverless robotaxis in 5 extra cities
Waymo’s new service map within the San Francisco Bay Space. | Supply: Waymo
Waymo is bringing driverless robotaxis to 5 new cities: Miami, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando. It at present operates autonomous robotaxis in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco.
The corporate is eradicating human security drivers in Miami , and it’ll start within the remaining 4 cities over the approaching weeks. To start out, the self-driving robotaxis shall be accessible solely to Waymo staff in every of those cities. It plans to open providers to the general public in 2026.
Waymo stated it’s going to start laying the groundwork for a industrial launch of robotaxi providers in New Orleans, Minneapolis, and Tampa, Fla. Nonetheless, the corporate didn’t give a timeline for the launches.
Kroger shuts down three Ocado warehouses
Ocado owns a 50% share within the U.Ok. grocery retail enterprise.
Kroger stated it shut down three Ocado micro-fulfillment warehouses as a result of they weren’t assembly efficiency and profitability benchmarks, resulting in a $2.6 billion cost. The corporate stated it’s restructuring its e-commerce enterprise to deal with profitability.
Whereas it’s closing these automated services, Kroger is increasing its use of in-store achievement and partnerships with third-party supply providers like Instacart and DoorDash. The corporate cited the next challenges as causes for its shutdown resolution:
- Lack of profitability: The Ocado-powered achievement facilities had been too costly to function and didn’t generate sufficient income to justify their excessive mounted prices.
- Strategic shift: Kroger is shifting away from relying solely on large, centralized warehouses and shifting in direction of a extra worthwhile mannequin that makes use of its present retailer community to meet on-line orders and companions with present fast supply corporations.
- Efficiency points: The choice adopted a evaluate that discovered three of the eight automated achievement facilities didn’t meet the efficiency or demand-density thresholds wanted to achieve success.
- Monetary impression: The closures are a part of a plan to enhance digital profitability by about $400 million in 2026 and can end in a one-time impairment cost of $2.6 billion
Meet Memo, the brand new humanoid robotic from Sunday Robotics
