Celebrating 200 podcast episodes; robotics evolve in space exploration

The Robot Report Podcast celebrated its 200th episode featuring Dr. Robert Ambrose, a leading expert in robotics and AI with over 20 years of experience spanning NASA, academia, and startups. Ambrose discussed the significant evolution of robotics in space exploration, highlighting pioneering projects he led at NASA’s Johnson Space Center such as Robonaut, Valkyrie, Centaur, and various lunar rovers including the LTV and VIPER. He emphasized the transition of space robotics technologies to commercial applications and the critical need for the U.S. to reclaim leadership in robotics innovation amid global competition, particularly from China. Ambrose also stressed the importance of education in developing future engineers and advocated for proactive adoption of automation across industries. Ambrose’s career includes key roles shaping national robotics strategy at NASA headquarters and directing advanced research programs at Texas A&M, focusing on robotic manipulation, surface mobility, and human augmentation. The podcast episode also commemorated milestones of The Robot Report Podcast itself, which launched in June 2020