Travis Kalanick, co-founder of Uber, has started a robotics company called Atoms to create specialist robots for industries like transportation, food processing, and mining. The new partnership brings together CloudKitchens, Kalanick's ghost kitchen business, and a robotics-focused enterprise.
In order to power unique, large-scale industrial settings, Atoms will build a basic "wheelbase" platform. Instead of developing humanoid robots, Kalanick said the business will prioritise industrial robots with narrowly defined functions. Although humanoids have their use, according to Kalanick, specialised robots capable of doing tasks at an industrial scale more efficiently have a lot of potential.
How Atom Plan to Operate?
Atoms seems to be focusing on automating industries that are very logistically and operationally efficient. Although there is a lack of information regarding particular goods or deployment dates, the company's website states that their robot systems will function across various industries, including food preparation, mining, and transportation.
With an emphasis on robotics systems that can operate in regulated areas like warehouses, kitchens, and industrial facilities, Kalanick suggested that the company's main focus will likely be on industrial applications. According to Kalanick, Atoms' primary concern is likely the industrial aspect. In response to labour shortages and in an effort to boost operational efficiency, the initiative mirrors a larger trend in the tech industry: corporations are pouring a lot of money into robotics and automation.
Atoms to Acquire Pronto
Atoms is reportedly nearing an acquisition of Pronto, as announced by Kalanick, as part of its growth into industrial automation. It is a new company that sells driverless solutions for construction, mining, and other industrial locations. Former Uber engineer and member of the company's autonomous driving programme Anthony Levandowski started Pronto. The acquisition would enhance Atoms' capabilities in industrial mobility and robotics, according to Kalanick, who claims to be the biggest investor in Pronto.
Kalanick is keen on making a splash in the autonomous vehicle market. Consequently, competing with companies like Waymo could result in quicker adoption. Kalanick had been an outspoken supporter of Uber's foray into driverless driving before his departure. The programme ultimately became involved in legal disputes with Google's self-driving unit, which subsequently developed into Waymo.
One of Kalanick's bets with Atoms is that industries dependent on massive physical logistics would see a significant rise in the use of specialised robotics systems in the near future. If Atoms takes off, it might put Kalanick in the middle of another big digital revolution, this time in the dynamic field of automation and robotics.
|
Quick Shots |
|
•Travis Kalanick has launched a new robotics startup •The venture combines Kalanick’s ghost kitchen •Atoms will develop specialised industrial robots •The company plans to build a core “wheelbase” |
Original Article
(Disclaimer – This post is auto-fetched from publicly available RSS feeds. Original source: Startuptalky. All rights belong to the respective publisher.)
