TECH010: The Real Robotics Timeline w/ Ken Goldberg (Tech Podcast)
TECH010: The Real Robotics Timeline w/ Ken Goldberg (Tech Podcast)
TECH010: The Real Robotics Timeline w/ Ken Goldberg (Tech Podcast)
In this episode, Ken Goldberg joins Preston Pysh to explore the evolving landscape of robotics and artificial intelligence, questioning whether the field has strayed from its foundational goals. They delve into the disparity between rapid AI advancements and the slower progress in physical robotic capabilities, examining key technical hurdles that continue to challenge researchers and engineers.
The conversation highlights a fundamental disconnect between AI language models and robotic manipulation, emphasizing that while mobility in robots has improved through better hardware and simulation, dexterity remains a major bottleneck. Tasks requiring fine motor skills, like tying shoelaces, expose the limitations of current systems due to insufficient tactile sensing and sensor-rich control. The discussion underscores how vision alone—despite advances—is inadequate without integrated feedback mechanisms. A critical barrier is the massive data gap: robotics lacks the equivalent of centuries of real-world interaction data that language models have been trained on. Surprisingly, simple grippers often outperform complex, human-like hands, as demonstrated by Dex-Net and Ambi Robotics, whose success lies in data-driven software rather than intricate design. Real-world testing reveals persistent challenges with deformable objects, reinforcing that practical, specialized robots are advancing faster than general-purpose humanoids. Progress hinges on accumulating real-world operational data, not just simulation.
02:37
02:37
AI systems are now capable of things once thought impossible, even showing creativity.
07:41
07:41
Despite online demos, most advanced robotic hands cannot reliably perform fine manipulation tasks.
11:01
11:01
Robots cannot replicate the tactile sensing of human fingertips needed for fine manipulation tasks.
12:37
12:37
Surgeons can perform complex tasks like appendix removal without tactile sensing, relying solely on vision.
14:45
14:45
Elon's refusal to use LIDAR has limited Tesla's driving systems as LIDAR can help in edge cases.
20:22
20:22
Robotics lags behind language models due to insufficient data, requiring deliberate generation of manipulation datasets.
27:08
27:08
Simple grippers can be more effective than human-like hands in robotics.
34:37
34:37
Ambi Robotics has sorted 100 million packages with reliable systems
