From combat to space: Foundation Robotics’ Mike LeBlanc talks humanoids

In Episode 224 of The Robotic Record Podcast, hosts Mike Oitzman and Eugene Demaitre summarize the significant robotics information of the week. Our visitor today is Michael LeBlanc, founder of Structure Robotics. The business is establishing humanoid robotics for implementation right into tough applications.

Mike LeBlanc, founder of Structure Robotics

Having actually been a significant in the united state Marine Corps and a grad of Harvard Company Institution, LeBlanc’s job rests at the junction of nationwide safety and security, robotics, and management under stress.

Formerly, LeBlanc co-founded safety and security robotic supplier Cobalt Robotics, where he elevated $120 million from top-tier financiers, led a 250-person group, and supervise its procurement.

At Structure Robotics, LeBlanc is constructing next-generation, sturdy humanoids for the united state Division of Battle and very first -responders. Mike additionally reviews the possibility for the business’s robotics to at some point construct frameworks for human expedition of Mars.

Program timeline

• 4:37– Information of the week
• 15:35– Meeting with Michael LeBlanc, founder of Structure Robotics

Information of the week

Melonee A good idea to lead KUKA’s brand-new software application and AI company

Robotics sector professional Melonee Wise has actually taken a brand-new setting at commercial automation leader KUKA. She is currently the primary item police officer for the German business’s brand-new software application and expert system company in Silicon Valley.

In 2023, Wise signed up with humanoid robotics designer Dexterity Robotics as primary modern technology police officer, and she changed right into the primary item police officer duty in Might 2024. Wise led Dexterity’s design group along with its recently created item company.

Wise has years of experience in the robotics sector. Before signing up with Dexterity in 2023, she was the vice head of state of robotics automation at Zebra Technologies. Prior to that, Wise was chief executive officer of mobile robotic manufacturer Fetch Robotics up until its procurement by Zebra in 2021.

iRobot financial obligation gotten by agreement supplier as personal bankruptcy impends

The Robotic Record is proceeding to comply with the most recent advancements around having a hard time robot vacuum cleaner manufacturer iRobot. In a current SEC declaring, the Bedford, Mass.-based customer robotic leader stated a Chinese business has actually gotten its financial obligation which it is still trying to find options to personal bankruptcy.

Santrum Hong Kong Co., a subsidiary of Shenzhen, China-based Picea Robotics Co., has actually gotten a credit scores contract from associates of The Carlyle Team worth $190.6 million in major and passion, according to the declaring.

” Since November 24, 2025, the business owed Picea $161.5 million for the production of items, $90.9 countless which was unpaid,” stated iRobot. “The business and Picea are taken part in energetic conversations pertaining to an equally acceptable resolution of the non-payment by the business of quantities owed to Picea.”

Basically, iRobot is not presently able to pay its agreement supplier, which is currently additionally its key financial institution. The Roomba manufacturer owes a total amount of greater than $350 million.

Humanoid states its very first bipedal robotic can begin strolling simply 2 days after setting up

Humanoid has actually introduced the HMND 01 Alpha Bipedal. This is the London-based business’s very first humanoid robotic, which it constructed from a preliminary layout to functioning model in simply 5 months.

The Alpha Bipedal attained secure mobility just 2 days after last setting up, stated Humanoid. It has a bimanual haul ability of 15 kg (33 pound.).

Utilizing NVIDIA’s Isaac Sim and Isaac Laboratory, the Humanoid group educated greater than 52.5 million secs of reinforcement-learning mobility information in simulation in just 2 days. This amounts almost 19 months of traditional training.

The blog post From fight to room: Structure Robotics’ Mike LeBlanc chats humanoids showed up initially on The Robotic Record.