Episodes

  • How Robots Are Learning to Debone Fish

    How Robots Are Learning to Debone Fish
    Jun 17 2026
    In episode 56 of The Robotics Business, Lucas and Luna dive into one of the toughest challenges in food automation: deboning fish. They explore why fish filleters are so hard to replace, how computer vision and compliant grippers are tackling the problem, and what it means for the $150 billion seafood industry. The episode features the story of a startup called 'Pacific Robotics' (a pseudonym for a real company) that has spent five years perfecting a system to handle mackerel and salmon. Lucas breaks down the economics: a human can fillet 30 fish per minute; the robot does 12 but runs 20 hours a day. They also discuss the regulatory hurdles for food robotics and why this niche is attracting venture capital. No ads—just sharp analysis for builders and operators. #Robotics #Automation #FoodTech #Seafood #ComputerVision #FishDeboning #PacificRobotics #IndustrialRobots #FoodProcessing #VCInvesting #LaborShortage #FoodSafety #Business #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #RoboticsBusiness #HardwareStartups Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    11 mins
  • How Robot Arms Are Learning to Thread a Needle

    How Robot Arms Are Learning to Thread a Needle
    Jun 16 2026
    Episode 54 explores the frontier of robotic dexterity: how research teams at MIT's CSAIL and the University of Tokyo are teaching robot arms to thread a sewing needle. We break down the sensor fusion challenge—combining force feedback, high-speed vision, and tactile sensing to handle a needle that's under a millimeter thick. Lucas walks through the breakthrough 2025 paper from MIT that achieved 87% success rate, and Luna questions whether this is a parlor trick or a genuine step toward manufacturing automation for textiles and medical devices. The conversation connects to why thread-a-needle precision matters for surgical suturing, automated garment production, and even composite material layup. Specific numbers: the needle gauge (0.6mm), the force threshold (0.1 Newtons), and the compute latency target (sub-10 milliseconds). Plus the donation segment around the 25% mark. No fluff, just the mechanics of fine manipulation. #Robotics #RobotArms #DexterousManipulation #MITCSAIL #UniversityOfTokyo #ThreadingANeedle #SensorFusion #ForceFeedback #TactileSensing #HighSpeedVision #Manufacturing #TextileAutomation #MedicalRobotics #SurgicalSuturing #CompositeMaterials #Business #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    9 mins
  • Why Robot Arms Are Learning to Harvest Lettuce

    Why Robot Arms Are Learning to Harvest Lettuce
    Jun 15 2026
    Lucas and Luna explore the surprising economics of robotic lettuce harvesting. They break down why a single head of iceberg lettuce costs more to pick by hand than to grow — and how startups like Iron Ox and Root AI are using computer vision and soft grippers to handle delicate produce at commercial speeds. The episode walks through the specific challenge: lettuce is soft, irregular, and must be cut cleanly without bruising. Lucas shares data on labor shortages in California's Salinas Valley, where harvest crews have shrunk 30 percent in five years. Luna asks why automation hasn't taken over sooner — and they discuss the brutal cost constraints of a crop that sells for pennies per head. A concrete look at the intersection of robotics, agriculture, and the business of feeding eight billion people. #RoboticHarvesting #AgriculturalRobots #Lettuce #IronOx #RootAI #SoftRobotics #ComputerVision #PrecisionAgriculture #LaborShortage #SalinasValley #AutomationEconomics #FoodTech #AgTech #BusinessAndTechnology #RoboticsBusiness #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #RobotArms Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    12 mins
  • How Robot Arms Are Learning to Demolish Buildings

    How Robot Arms Are Learning to Demolish Buildings
    Jun 15 2026
    Episode 52 of The Robotics Business podcast. Lucas and Luna explore a surprising new application for industrial robot arms: selective building demolition. They examine the startup Brokk Robotics, which is retrofitting heavy-duty robot arms with hydraulic breakers and sensors to dismantle concrete structures floor by floor. Lucas breaks down the business case: demolition is a $150 billion global industry, yet it's one of the most dangerous and labor-intensive jobs. Brokk's robots can work 24/7, reduce human injury, and precisely separate materials for recycling. The hosts discuss the engineering challenges—vibration, dust, debris—and how Brokk is using a Robotics-as-a-Service model to lower barriers for construction firms. Luna questions whether the robots can handle unpredictable, older structures. The episode ties back to the show's theme of robots taking on tasks that are dull, dirty, or dangerous—and opens a window into a sector that's quietly automating the built environment. #BrokkRobotics #RobotDemolition #ConstructionRobots #IndustrialRobots #RoboticsAsAService #BuildingDemolition #ConcreteRecycling #Automation #HeavyEquipment #RoboticsStartup #Business #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Robotics #ConstructionTech #SelectiveDemolition #DangerousJobs Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    9 mins
  • Why Robot Arms Are Learning to Drill and Tap

    Why Robot Arms Are Learning to Drill and Tap
    Jun 14 2026
    Episode 51 of The Robotics Business with Fexingo. Lucas and Luna explore how industrial robot arms are mastering the precise metalworking tasks of drilling and tapping — a shift that could transform small machine shops. The hosts focus on a specific case: a Michigan job shop that deployed a single Fanuc robot to run a CNC lathe and a tapping station simultaneously, reducing cycle time by 40 percent. They discuss the technical challenges (chip evacuation, positional feedback) and the business implications: the US has 45,000 machine shops, most with fewer than 20 employees, and labor shortages are acute. Lucas explains why 'human-led' cells — where a robot handles repetitive tool changes while the machinist programs and inspects — are gaining traction over full lights-out automation. Luna presses on unit economics: a used robot arm plus end-effector runs $50,000 to $80,000, with payback in 12 to 18 months if utilization hits 16 hours a day. The episode ends with a forward look at whether collaborative robots will eventually replace manual tapping entirely. #RobotArms #DrillingAndTapping #IndustrialRobots #ManufacturingAutomation #MachineShops #Fanuc #Metalworking #LaborShortage #PrecisionMachining #CollaborativeRobots #CNC #RetrofitAutomation #JobShop #RoboticsBusiness #Business #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    14 mins
  • Why Robot Arms Are Learning to Cook Fast Food

    Why Robot Arms Are Learning to Cook Fast Food
    Jun 14 2026
    In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how fast-food chains are deploying robotic arms to cook fries, flip burgers, and assemble bowls. They zero in on Miso Robotics' Flippy 2, which has now been installed in over 100 locations, and discuss the unit economics: each robot costs roughly $3,000 per month to lease versus a human cook's $4,500 monthly wage. They also examine why chipotle-tortilla-burrito assembly is actually harder than flipping burgers, and whether the 2026 labor market is pushing adoption faster than expected. A focused look at the real numbers behind the robot kitchen trend. #MisoRobotics #Flippy2 #FastFoodAutomation #RobotKitchen #BurgerFlippingRobot #LaborCosts #RestaurantTech #Chipotle #BurritoRobot #IndustrialRobotics #FoodServiceRobotics #UnitEconomics #Automation2026 #BusinessAndTechnology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #RoboticsBusiness #HardwareStartups Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    12 mins
  • How Robotics Startups Are Scaling Through Robotics-as-a-Service

    How Robotics Startups Are Scaling Through Robotics-as-a-Service
    Jun 13 2026
    Episode 49 of The Robotics Business explores how robotics startups are shifting from capital-intensive sales to Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) models. Lucas and Luna examine the case of Covariant, a company deploying AI-powered robot arms in warehouses on a subscription basis. They break down the unit economics: how a $50,000 robot arm can generate $15,000 per year in recurring revenue, with margins improving as software updates reduce downtime. The hosts also discuss the challenges — high upfront capital costs for startups, customer churn, and the need for reliable remote monitoring. They compare RaaS to leasing models and explain why investors are increasingly backing this approach for industrial automation. #RoboticsAsAService #Covariant #IndustrialAutomation #SubscriptionModel #RobotArms #WarehouseRobotics #StartupFinancing #UnitEconomics #RecurringRevenue #RaaS #HardwareStartups #BusinessModelInnovation #Automation #VentureCapital #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #RoboticsBusiness #TechStartups Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    11 mins