ASTM International

Robotics & Autonomous Systems focus with emphasis on Standardization, Training and Certification, and R&D work.

Director, Robotics & Autonomous Systems Program

ASTM Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence

FedEx Express

aka R&D Evangelist for FedEx Express

Seeks out new technologies and how they can be incorporated into FedEx's global network.  Works with vendors, academics, and internal customers to find solutions to operational challenges. 

Currently working on projects as diverse as robotics and sort equipment to AI.

Senior Technical Advisor

Developed and deployed IT solutions for courier operations.

Business Advisor

Developed and Maintained Operational Projects for the FedEx-USPS Alliance.

Projects included the opening of Postal Operations at the Indianapolis and Oakland Hubs, Acceptance and Movement of USPS Specialty Products, Data Transfers Between Companies, Operational Daily Reporting, and International Mail Operations.

Project Engineer 

Managed the scanning systems for the Memphis Hub

Senior Information Technology Specialist

Built operational reports for the Memphis Hub Inbound Operations.

Information Agent 

Materials Handler

Director, Robotics & Autonomous Systems Program at ASTM International

As the Director of Robotics and Autonomous Systems Program at ASTM International, I have years of experience in leading and supporting the growth and expansion of the robotics industry through standardization, workforce development, and research efforts. I have a strong background in R&D management, team building, and operations management, as well as a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in geographic information science.

In my current role, I work with researchers, manufacturers, integrators, and end users to develop support structures that speed up deployments regardless of industry. I also assist the F45 Committee on Robotics, Automation, and Autonomous Systems, which is responsible for creating and maintaining standards and best practices for the robotics sector. My mission is to help the robotics community achieve greater efficiency, safety, quality, and innovation through collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Washington is taking a harder look at robotics. New reporting suggests increased engagement across federal agencies, rising interest on Capitol Hill, and growing recognition that robots are becoming the physical expression of AI competitiveness.

Global rivals already have national robotics strategies. The U.S. may soon follow.

Industry voices are calling for a clear plan. One that boosts advanced manufacturing, strengthens supply chains, and supports workers who will build, deploy, and maintain the next generation of robots.

Whether through standards, workforce development, or thoughtful policy, the coming months could define how robotics shapes American competitiveness for years to come.

Read the full article for a deeper look into the momentum, the stakes, and the unanswered questions - https://lnkd.in/ePk_ZPwA

Aaron Prather

Remember when the hottest thing was this new robot called a "cobot" and they were "safe out of the box?" Yeah… those days are over.

New updates to ISO 10218 and ANSI/A3 R15.06 just flipped the entire concept on its head. Now it’s not about whether a robot calls itself collaborative—aka a cobot — it’s about whether the actual application is itself safe.

Translation:
You can’t just buy a cobot off a shelf and assume it’ll politely work next to humans. You need a real risk assessment, real documentation, and real safeguards.

Experts say this shift was overdue. Collaboration isn’t a feature of the robot — it’s the whole system: tools, layouts, sensors, workflows, operators, and everything in between.

And with today’s robots packing advanced vision, LIDAR, AI, and even cloud-connected brains, safety now includes cybersecurity too.

Labor shortages and economic pressures mean manufacturers still want automation — but now the rules demand they do it right.

The cobot era isn’t ending.
It’s finally growing up.

Read more: https://lnkd.in/g-k8RiYq

Timothy Davidson

China just issued a rare public warning that its humanoid sector is overheating. With 150+ companies building look-alike robots, the NDRC says the market is at risk of a glut and the signal couldn’t be clearer.

In my latest article, I explore why this may be the first domino of the Humanoid Winter I predicted earlier this year and what it means for global robotics, investors, and the companies racing to build the future of embodied AI.

This isn’t doom and gloom. It’s a turning point. And the robots that survive will define the next decade.

China rarely sends public market signals without purpose, which is why the country’s recent comments about its humanoid robotics industry landed with 

Open article: Are We Entering a Humanoid Robot Bubble? China’s Warning May Be the First Domino of a Coming “Humanoid Winter.” by Aaron Prather • 3 min read

Are We Entering a Humanoid Robot Bubble? China’s Warning May Be the First Domino of a Coming “Humanoid Winter.”

The New York Times ran a thoughtful, wide-ranging profile on Rodney Brooks this Sunday morning and it’s worth your time.

Brooks is one of the foundational figures in modern robotics, from early insect-inspired intelligence to co-creating the Roomba. Much of today’s humanoid conversation traces back to ideas he helped introduce decades ago.

What makes the piece compelling is that Brooks now plays the role of realist. As investment pours into general-purpose humanoid robots, he cautions that form creates expectations and humanoid form, in particular, implies capabilities around dexterity, balance, and safety that remain extremely hard to deliver reliably in the real world.

His point isn’t that robots won’t become more capable, or that progress has stalled. It’s that history is full of impressive breakthroughs that didn’t translate cleanly into everyday deployment, from self-driving cars to AI-predicted job disruption. Engineering, manufacturing, safety, and economics tend to be the harder problems.

Brooks expects robots to work alongside people for decades to come, but likely in more constrained, task-specific forms rather than human stand-ins.

For anyone following humanoids, AI-driven robotics, or the gap between demos and deployment, the piece offers useful perspective. especially coming from someone who helped shape the field in the first place.

Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gw99xrSb

Is your next yard being harvested via automation? 

Source: https://lnkd.in/eh5A9b_h

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