In Episode 224 of The Robotic Report Podcast, hosts Mike Oitzman and Eugene Demaitre recap the most important robotics information of the week. Our visitor this week is Michael LeBlanc, co-founder of Basis Robotics. The corporate is creating humanoid robots for deployment into difficult purposes.
Mike LeBlanc, co-founder of Basis Robotics
Having been a significant within the U.S. Marine Corps and a graduate of Harvard Enterprise Faculty, LeBlanc’s work sits on the intersection of nationwide safety, robotics, and management beneath stress.
Beforehand, LeBlanc co-founded safety robotic supplier Cobalt Robotics, the place he raised $120 million from top-tier traders, led a 250-person workforce, and oversaw its acquisition.
At Basis Robotics, LeBlanc is constructing next-generation, rugged humanoids for the U.S. Division of Conflict and first responders. Mike additionally discusses the potential for the firm‘s robots to sometime construct constructions for human exploration of Mars.
Present timeline
- 4:37 – Information of the week
- 15:35 – Interview with Michael LeBlanc, co-founder of Basis Robotics
Information of the week
Melonee Clever to steer KUKA’s new software program and AI group
Robotics business veteran Melonee Clever has taken a brand new place at industrial automation chief KUKA. She is now the chief product officer for the German firm’s new software program and synthetic intelligence group in Silicon Valley.
In 2023, Clever joined humanoid robotics developer Agility Robotics as chief know-how officer, and she or he shifted into the chief product officer function in Might 2024. Clever led Agility’s engineering workforce along with its newly shaped product group.
Clever has years of expertise within the robotics business. Previous to becoming a member of Agility in 2023, she was the vice chairman of robotics automation at Zebra Applied sciences. Earlier than that, Clever was CEO of cell robotic maker Fetch Robotics till its acquisition by Zebra in 2021.
iRobot debt acquired by contract producer as chapter looms
The Robotic Report is constant to observe the newest developments round struggling robotic vacuum maker iRobot. In a current SEC submitting, the Bedford, Mass.-based client robotic pioneer stated a Chinese language firm has acquired its debt and that it’s nonetheless searching for alternate options to chapter.
Santrum Hong Kong Co., a subsidiary of Shenzhen, China-based Picea Robotics Co., has acquired a credit score settlement from associates of The Carlyle Group price $190.6 million in principal and curiosity, in accordance with the submitting.
“As of November 24, 2025, the corporate owed Picea $161.5 million for the manufacturing of merchandise, $90.9 million of which was late,” stated iRobot. “The corporate and Picea are engaged in lively discussions relating to a mutually agreeable decision of the non-payment by the corporate of quantities owed to Picea.”
Briefly, iRobot will not be presently in a position to pay its contract producer, which is now additionally its major creditor. The Roomba maker owes a complete of greater than $350 million.
Humanoid says its first bipedal robotic can begin strolling simply 48 hours after meeting
Humanoid has introduced the HMND 01 Alpha Bipedal. That is the London-based firm’s first humanoid robotic, which it constructed from an preliminary design to working prototype in simply 5 months.
The Alpha Bipedal achieved steady locomotion solely 48 hours after last meeting, stated Humanoid. It has a bimanual payload capability of 15 kg (33 lb.).
Utilizing NVIDIA‘s Isaac Sim and Isaac Lab, the Humanoid workforce skilled greater than 52.5 million seconds of reinforcement-learning locomotion knowledge in simulation in solely two days. That is equal to just about 19 months of standard coaching.
