Are humanoid robots distracting us from the real unlock in robotics ... hands?

In this TechFirst episode, host John Koetsier digs into the hardest (and most valuable) problem in robotics: dexterous manipulation.

Guest Mike Obolonsky, Partner at Cortical Ventures, argues that about $50 trillion of global economic activity flows through “hands work,” yet manipulation startups have raised only a fraction of what locomotion and autonomy companies have.

We break down why hands are so hard (actuators, tactile sensing, proprioception, control, data) and what gets unlocked when we finally crack them.

What we'll talk through ...

• Why “navigation ≠ manipulation” and why most real-world jobs need hands

• The funding mismatch: billions to autonomy & humanoids vs. comparatively little to hands

• The tech stack for dexterity: actuators, tactile sensors (pressure, vibration, shear), feedback, and AI

• Grasping vs. manipulation: picking, placing, using tools (e.g., dishwashers to scalpels)

• Reliability in the wild: interventions/hour, wet/greasy plates, occlusions, bimanual dexterity

• Practical paths: task-specific grippers, modular end-effectors, and “good enough” today vs. general purpose tomorrow

• The moonshot: what 70–90% human-level hands could do for productivity on Earth ... and off-planet

Chapters

00:00 Intro—are we underinvesting in robotic hands?

01:10 Why hands matter more than legs (economics of manipulation)

04:30 Funding realities: autonomy & humanoids vs. hands

08:40 Locomotion progress vs. manipulation bottlenecks

12:10 Teleop now, autonomy later—how data gets gathered

14:20 What’s missing: actuators, tactile sensing, proprioception

17:10 Perception limits in the real world (wet dishes, occlusions)

22:00 General-purpose dexterity vs. task-specific ROI

26:00 Startup landscape & reliability (interventions/hour)

29:00 Modular end-effectors and upgrade paths

30:10 The moonshot: productivity explosion when hands are solved

Who should watch

Robotics founders, VCs, AI researchers, operators in warehousing & manufacturing, and anyone tracking humanoids beyond the hype.

If you enjoyed this

Subscribe for more deep-tech conversations, drop a comment with your take on the “hands vs. legs” debate, and share with someone building robots.

Keywords

robotic hands, dexterous manipulation, humanoid robots, tactile sensing, actuators, proprioception, warehouse automation, AI robotics, Cortical Ventures, TechFirst, John Koetsier, Mike Obolonsky

#Robotics #AI #Humanoids #RobotHands #Manipulation #Automation #TechFirst

Are humanoid robots the future… or a $100B mistake?

Over 100 companies—from Meta to Amazon—are betting big on humanoids. But are we chasing a sci-fi dream that’s not practical or profitable?

In this TechFirst episode, I chat with Bren Pierce, robotics OG and CEO of Kinisi Robots. We cover:

- Why legs might be overhyped

- How LLMs are transforming robots into agents

- The real cost (and complexity) of robotic hands

- Why warehouse robots work best with wheels

- The geopolitical robot arms race between China, the US, and Europe

- Hot takes, historical context, and a glimpse into the next 10 years of AI + robotics.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Are humanoids a dumb idea?

1:30 – Why legs might not matter (yet)

5:00 – LLMs as the real unlock

12:00 – The hand is 50% of the challenge

17:00 – Speed limits = compute limits

23:00 – Robot geopolitics & supply chains

30:00 – What the next 5 years looks like

Subscribe for more on AI, robotics, and tech megatrends.

The future could be much healthier for both farmers and everyone who eats, thanks to farm robots that kill weeds with lasers. In this episode of TechFirst, we chat with Paul Mikesell, CEO of Carbon Robotics, to discuss groundbreaking advancements in agricultural technology.

Paul shares updates since our last conversation in 2021, including the launch of LaserWeeder G2 and Carbon's autonomous tractor technology: AutoTractor.

LaserWeeder G2 quick facts:

- Modular design: Swappable laser “modules” that adapt to different row sizes (80-inch, 40-inch, etc.)

- Laser hardware: Each module has 2 lasers; a standard 20-foot machine = 12 modules = 24 lasers

- Laser precision: Targets the plant’s meristem (≈3mm on small weeds) with pinpoint accuracy

- Weed kill speed: 20–150 milliseconds per weed (including detection + laser fire)

- Throughput: 8,000–10,000 weeds per minute (Gen 2, up from ~5,000/min on Gen 1)

- Coverage rate: 3–4 acres per hour on the 20-foot G2 model

- ROI timeline: Farmers typically achieve payback in under 3 years

- Yield impact: Up to 50% higher yields in some conventional crops due to eliminating herbicide damage

- Price: Standard 20-foot LaserWeeder G2 = $1.4M, larger models scale from there

- Global usage: Units in the U.S. (Midwest corn & soy, Idaho & Arizona veggies) and Europe (Spain, Italy tunnel farming)

We chat about how these innovations are transforming weed control and farm management with AI, computer vision, and autonomous systems, the precision and efficiency of laser weeding, practical challenges addressed by autonomous tractors, and the significant ROI and yield improvements for farmers.

This is a must-watch for anyone interested in the future of farming and sustainable agriculture.

00:00 Introduction to TechFirst and Carbon Robotics

01:10 The Science Behind Laser Weeding

05:46 Introducing Laser Weeder 2.0

06:39 Modular System and New Laser Technology

09:26 Manufacturing and Cost Efficiency

11:47 ROI and Benefits for Farmers

13:24 Laser Weeder Specifications

14:08 Performance and Efficiency

14:49 Introduction to AutoTractor

17:23 Challenges in Autonomous Farming

18:23 Remote Intervention and Starlink Integration

23:23 Future of Farming Technology

24:50 Health and Environmental Benefits

25:18 Conclusion and Farewell

Can robots reduce herbicide and fertilizer use on farms by up to 90%?

Probably yes.

In this episode of TechFirst we chat with Verdant Robotics' CEO Gabe Sibley about SharpShooter, the company's state-of-the-art farm tech that precisely targets herbicide and fertilizer application, massively reducing chemical use.

That's huge for the environment.

It's also huge for farmer's pocketbooks ... because herbicide and fertilizer are increasingly expensive.

We dive into:

- How Sharpshooter targets plants with pinpoint accuracy — 240 shots per second

- Why this approach can save farmers millions in input costs

- The environmental benefits for soil, water, and food

- How AI and edge computing make split-second farm decisions possible

- The future of robotics in agriculture

If you’re interested in agtech, AI, or sustainable farming, this one’s for you.

00:00 Introduction to Robotic Farming

00:28 Interview with Gabe Sibley, CEO of Verdant Robotics

00:50 How Sharpshooter Technology Works

02:40 Economic and Environmental Benefits

04:59 Technical Specifications and Capabilities

11:11 Future of Agricultural Automation

11:54 Personal Insights and Motivation

16:39 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Will your next browser be AI-enabled? AI-first? Perhaps even an AI agent?

In this episode of TechFirst, John Koetsier sits down with Henrik Lexow, Senior Product Leader at Opera, to explore Opera Neon, a big step toward agentic browsers that think, act, and create alongside you.

(And buy stuff you want, simply hard problems, and do some of your work for you.)

Opera’s new browser integrates real AI agents capable of executing multi-step tasks, interacting with web apps, summarizing content, and even building playable games or interactive tools, all inside your browser.

We chat about

• What an agentic browser is and why it matters

• How AI agents like Neon Do and Neon Make automate complex workflows

• Opera’s vision for personal, on-device, privacy-aligned AI

• Live demos of shopping, summarizing, and game creation using AI

• Why your browser might replace your operating system

🎮 Watch Henrik demo the Neon agent building a Snake game from scratch

🛍️ See AI navigate Amazon, add items to cart, and act independently

🧠 Learn why context is king and how this changes everything about search, tabs, and multitasking

00:00 Introduction: Should Your Browser Be an AI Agent?

00:52 The Evolution of AI in Browsers

04:53 Introducing Opera's Agentic Browser

11:51 Neon: The Future of Browsing

20:26 Exploring the Cart Functionality

20:53 Future of AI in Shopping

22:39 Trust and Privacy in AI

25:05 Neon Make: Generative AI Capabilities

26:05 Creating a Snake Game with Neon

28:33 Analyzing Car Insurance Policies

31:58 Sharing and Publishing with Neon

35:53 Conclusion and Future Prospects

Can nuclear waste solve the energy crisis caused by AI data centers? Maybe. And maybe much more, including providing rare elements we need like rhodium, palladium, ruthenium, krypto-85, Americium-241, and more.

Amazingly:

- 96% of nuclear fuel’s energy is left after it's "used"

- Recycling can reduce 10,000-year waste storage needs to just 300 years

- Curio’s new process avoids toxic nitric acid and extracts valuable isotopes

- 1 recycling plant could meet a third of America’s nuclear fuel needs

- Nuclear recycling could enable AI, space travel, and medical breakthroughs

In this episode of TechFirst, host John Koetsier talks with Ed McGinnis, CEO of Curio and former Acting Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. McGinnis is on a mission to revolutionize how we think about nuclear waste, turning it into a powerful resource for energy, rare isotopes, and even precious metals like rhodium.

Watch now and subscribe for more deep tech insights.

Neura Robotics officially launched shed 4NE-1 this week. It's the leading European humanoid robot and it's the most powerful humanoid robot in existence right, as far as I'm aware, able to life 100kg or 220 pounds.

Neura also released a plan to build 5 million robots by 2030, a new home service robot named MiPA, a new 'Omnisensor' technology platform for integrating input from multiple types of sensors, and an app store for robot skills that anyone can contribute to ... and profit from.

In this TechFirst, we chat with David Reger, CEO of Neura Robotics, the leading European humanoid robotics company.

We touch on advanced sensors, AI integration, and Neura Robotics' platform that enables extensive customization and scalability. We also chat about significant partnerships with companies like NVIDIA, SAP, and Deutsche Telekom.

00:00 Introduction to Humanoid Robotics

00:22 Interview with Neura Robotics CEO

00:39 Launch of '4NE-1' Humanoid Robot

02:26 Technical Specifications and Capabilities

04:39 Advanced Sensor Technology

09:24 Artificial Skin and Touch Sensory

14:05 AI Integration in Robotics

15:53 Challenges in Embodied AI

17:11 Robot Gyms and Training

19:10 Partnerships and Collaborations

20:56 The App Store for Robot Skills

22:18 AI-Assisted Development Platform

29:15 Introducing Mepa: The Home Robot

31:41 Future Prospects and Closing Remarks

AI is big these days. Massive. More parameters, more memory, more capability. But what if the future is in tiny AI. Neural networks as small at 8 kilobytes on tiny chips, embedded in everything?

Think smart shoes.

Smart doors.

Smart ... everything

In this episode of TechFirst, host John Koetsier discusses the future of smart devices with Yubei Chen, co-founder of AIzip.

The conversation explores how small-scale AI can revolutionize everyday objects like shoes, cameras, and baby monitors. They delve into how edge AI, which operates at the device level rather than in the cloud, can create efficient, reliable, and cost-effective smart solutions. Chen explains the potential and challenges of integrating AI into traditional devices, including the hardware and software requirements, and touches on the implications for product quality, safety, and cost.

This insightful discussion provides a look into the near future of ubiquitous, intelligent technology in our daily lives.

00:00 Introduction to Smart Matter

01:17 Examples of Smart Applications

03:40 Building Efficient AI Models

04:01 The Future of Edge AI

09:32 Hardware for Smart Devices

11:52 Potential Downsides and Challenges

18:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

IBM has just unveiled its boldest quantum computing roadmap yet: Starling, the first large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer—coming in 2029. Capable of running 20,000X more operations than today’s quantum machines, Starling could unlock breakthroughs in chemistry, materials science, and optimization.

According to IBM, this is not just a pie-in-the-sky roadmap: they actually have the ability to make Starling happen.

In this exclusive conversation, I speak with Jerry Chow, IBM Fellow and Director of Quantum Systems, about the engineering breakthroughs that are making this possible ... especially a radically more efficient error correction code and new multi-layered qubit architectures.

We cover:

- The shift from millions of physical qubits to manageable logical qubits

- Why IBM is using quantum low-density parity check (qLDPC) codes

- How modular quantum systems (like Kookaburra and Cockatoo) will scale the technology

- Real-world quantum-classical hybrid applications already happening today

- Why now is the time for developers to start building quantum-native algorithms

00:00 Introduction to the Future of Computing

01:04 IBM's Jerry Chow

01:49 Quantum Supremacy

02:47 IBM's Quantum Roadmap

04:03 Technological Innovations in Quantum Computing

05:59 Challenges and Solutions in Quantum Computing

09:40 Quantum Processor Development

14:04 Quantum Computing Applications and Future Prospects

20:41 Personal Journey in Quantum Computing

24:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

How will we scale humanoid robot product to hundreds of thousands and millions of units?

In this TechFirst we do a deep dive with Apptronik CEO Jeff Cardenas. We chat about Apptronik's Apollo, his recent $400M+ funding round, the partnership with manufacturing giant Jabil, and much more.

We also talk about innovations in AI that have accelerated robot learning and dexterous manipulation, the challenge of scaling manufacturing, and Apptronik's future vision.

🎙️ Podcast Summary:

Topic: The future of humanoid robotics, funding, manufacturing, and the global AI arms race

Guest: Jeff Cardenas, CEO of Apptronik

🦾 Apollo Robot Updates

• Apollo 1 debuted in 2023; new versions are coming in 2025 with major upgrades.

• Focus areas: larger batteries, swappable parts, improved actuators, and system robustness.

• Push toward dexterous manipulation, not just lifting boxes—real industrial work.

💰 $403 Million Funding Round

• Grew from $350M with new investments from Mercedes, Google (DeepMind), B Capital, Capital Factory, and others.

• Mercedes’ legacy of precision and design deeply inspires Cardenas.

• Funding will fuel scaling, robustness, and manufacturing partnerships.

🏭 Manufacturing Strategy

• New partnership with global manufacturing giant Jabil.

• Learning from Jabil to avoid premature scaling pitfalls.

• Long-term plan includes building out their own capability in Texas and Mexico.

• Manufacturing flexibility is key amid tariff and geopolitical uncertainty.

🌍 The Global Race: US vs. China

• Over 100 humanoid robotics companies worldwide; US and China dominate.

• China has invested $138B+ into domestic robotics, outpacing the rest of the world in deployment.

• Cardenas calls it the “Space Race of Our Time”, emphasizing urgency and national strategy.

📅 Roadmap for Humanoids

• 2025: Proving commercial viability in industrial/logistics environments.

• 2026+: Volume manufacturing begins for industrial use.

• Phase 2: Retail, healthcare, hospitality.

• Phase 3 (5+ years): Elder care and home robots — Cardenas’ personal North Star.

🧠 Vision & Ethics

• “Robots for Humans” isn’t just branding—it’s a human-centered design philosophy.

• Deep partnership with Google DeepMind ensures AI is developed responsibly.

• Apptronik’s mission: build robots that people want around, not fear.

💡 Soundbites

• “You don’t just build the robot. You build the machine that builds the machine.”

• “We want to be the Apple of robots—designed for people.”

• “This is the 1980s of humanoid robots—but innovation is 10x faster.”

00:00 Introduction to Humanoid Robot Innovation

00:31 Apron's Recent Achievements and Funding

01:23 Interview with Apptronik CEO, Jeff Cardenas

01:46 Advancements in Apollo Humanoid Robot

03:47 Challenges in Scaling Robotics

07:56 Future Plans and Human-Centered Robotics

10:35 Global Race and Investment in Robotics

20:03 Meeting Howard Morgan and B Capital

20:41 Inspiration from Mercedes-Benz and Steve Jobs

22:02 Global Investors and Supporters

23:37 Manufacturing Challenges and Strategies

29:36 The Global Race in Humanoid Robotics

35:39 Timetable for Humanoid Robots

39:57 The Future of Humanoid Robots in Elder Care

42:22 Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts