Exploring Silicon Valley's Digital Landscape: Priority given to Bot Development over Traditional Beer Pubs
Title: In Mountain View's Co-Working Space, Geeks Unleash Their Engineered Bots
On a warm spring evening, I venture to a co-working space for robotics in Mountain View. The parking's packed – probably thanks to the free beer or a get-together to ogle bots with a free beer in hand. In the lobby, a pack of around 100 people ( predominantly men, aged 20 to 30) gather around a wall with two screens, waiting for the presentations to begin.
We're at Circuit Launch, a co-working nest for robotics enthusiasts. Alex Dantas, the founder of the space, explains it's not an incubator or accelerator but a mechatronics co-factory. Mechatronics is a hybrid technology that combines electronics and mechanical engineering, and everyone here seems to be connected in some way to the field. "When you're building a robot, you're cutting, adding, moving, bonding, painting to finish the body. You need laser cutters, fab labs, woodshop, 3D printers, mixed reality green screens, and even electronic diagnostics. We have everything," he says, offering memberships for as little as $190 per month, which includes storage, prototyping, manufacturing, and a workstation.
Dantas, who used to dance ballet professionally, launched the first robotics co-working space in Oakland eight years ago, to fuel the mechatronics engineering community. To date, they've hosted over 80 startups who have collectively raised over $250 million. According to him, the most significant advancement in robotics in recent times has been that it's become more achievable for a single individual to undertake multiple tasks. "One founder successfully built a 3D printer to produce blood vessels, on their own, without a team. Isn't that wild?" he exclaimed. Today's DIY pioneers are learning online, experimenting, using software and AI tools to create what they want, often without formal education or even a team.
Beyond Humanoids
When you envision a robot, chances are you think of a humanoid: a human-like, two-legged, two-armed machine that may one day help out around the house. However, the initial presentation challenges this notion. Yegor Anchyshkin, co-founder at Instock.com, presents an autonomous mobile robot that can drive on vertical ramps in warehouses, carrying bins holding inventory. He encourages the audience to consider alternatives to androids or humanoids, focusing on automation devices designed to tackle big issues using low maintenance.
"Our robot is a four-wheeled cart that employs magnetic suspension systems to move around freely in a warehouse, stacking bins, and retrieving them for their human counterparts," he explains, highlighting the device's straightforward design to keep maintenance costs low.
The Pragmatic Side of Robotics
While humanoid robots continue to captivate the imagination, non-humanoid robots are already making an impact in various industries. In my neighborhood, self-driving cars pick up and drop off passengers effortlessly. At home, IoT machines chat with each other. In labs, biotech machines analyze blood samples. Warehouses host crawlers that stack and lift heavy objects. Security bots are just around the corner. All these bots are non-humanoid and robots by design.
Andrea Keay, the managing director of Silicon Valley Robotics and co-host of today's event, reiterates this sentiment. Keay, who sports punk-style purple hair and an indefatigable attitude, buzzes with energy. "Robots are primarily single-task focused and typically require additional inputs before they can undertake multiple tasks," she explains. Multi-task robots and even swarm robots are set to make their appearance soon enough!
Attendees queue up to present and share, keeping Keay busy. Someone asks for employment. A school teacher asks the audience if they'd be interested in having students work on their projects or donate old equipment to their school. Roberto Cardenas, CEO of Eden Robotics from Texas, which sells $30,000 humanoid robots, is on the hunt for mechatronic engineers to build better humanoids and establish operations in California.
The Road to Profit
"In the Silicon Valley, the majority of startups go the venture capital route because that's where the money is," says Keay, when asked about the profitability of these startups. Whilst this path works for some, in robotics, you need to create, iterate, and reiterate. Throughout her career, Keay has witnessed good companies crumble because they couldn't commit the necessary time or didn't find a market for their product, or their investors had unrealistic expectations. "An initial high valuation can be a curse," she adds.
On stage, an engineer shares a leftover robot of an extinct EdTech startup that once co-worked at Circuit Launch. "If anyone wants to mess with the code and give this one a second life," he suggests, inviting a student from a local university to step forward and revive the little, red, chipped, and dusty creation.
As I exit into the now chilly air and head to my car, I pass by an automated, driverless taxi. I don't give it a second thought as the bots have already become integrated into our daily lives. And somehow, I find myself trusting them more than I might trust strangers. What does this say about us?
Shweta Taneja is an author and journalist based in the Bay Area. Her bi-weekly column reflects on how technologies and sciences are shaping society in the Silicon Valley and beyond.
- Silicon Valley
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- Despite the varied interests among the attendees, there was a shared focus on technology and innovation, as evidenced by their discussion of autonomous mobile robots, self-driving cars, IoT machines, biotech machines, warehouse crawlers, and security bots.
- The speaker highlighted that these non-humanoid robots are already making an impact in various industries, ranging from transportation to home automation to laboratory research.
- Andrea Keay, the managing director of Silicon Valley Robotics, emphasized that robots are primarily single-task focused and often require additional inputs before they can undertake multiple tasks.
- Dantas added that the most significant advancement in robotics in recent years has been the ability for a single individual to undertake multiple tasks, enabling DIY pioneers to learn online, experiment, and create using software and AI tools.
- In the field of personal-finance, startups are increasingly relying on venture capital for funding, as evidenced by Keay's comment that the majority of startups in the Silicon Valley go the venture capital route due to the availability of funds.
- Another attendant, an engineer, offered a leftover robot from an extinct EdTech startup for someone to revive and give a second life, demonstrating the potential for collaboration and recycling in the robotics community.
- The packed parking lot at the co-working space in Mountain View signifies the growing popularity of technology startups and the rising interest in mechatronics and robotics engineering.
- The diverse range of gadgets and technologies, including self-driving cars and industrial bots, reveal the potential for further advancements and applications in various sectors, from business to education to finance.
- As the automated, driverless taxi passed by, a testament to the integration of robots in daily life, it sparked reflections on the implications of this technological advancement for human interactions and trust in machines.
