Making Disruptive Tech Not Disruptive: Exciting Uses for Robots on Farms

Audrow Nash Podcast

Can something shake up an industry and not disrupt the people working in it?
Bluewhite Robotics is trying to do just that.
You'll enjoy this interview if you're interested in robots in agriculture or the ethics of disruptive technology.
With Ben Alfi from Bluewhite Robotics.
EPISODE LINKS
- Full transcript: https://audrow-nash-podcast.github.io/transcripts/4-making-disruptive-tech-not-disruptive-exciting-uses-for-robots-on-farms.html
- Bluewhite Robotics' Website: https://www.bluewhite.co/
- Bluewhite Robotics' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bluewhite/
- Ben Alfi's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-alfi-aaa6b1146/
PODCAST LINKS
- Watch and discuss on 𝕏: https://www.x.com/audrow
- Watch or listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74jWpWiLwsasY2QHtDcl8I
- Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audrow-nash-podcast/id1716486786
- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@audrow
- Main podcast site: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/audrow1
- RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/e2666f60/podcast/rss
- Full transcripts: https://audrow-nash-podcast.github.io/transcripts
- Podcast Github: https://github.com/audrow-nash-podcast
OUTLINE
(0:00) - Episode Intro
(1:09) - Introducing Ben Alfi and Bluewhite Robotics
(3:53) - Outfitting a tractor with Bluewhite's tech
(8:52) - What types of jobs are they automating?
(11:12) - How do you do localization? What sensors do you use?
(18:41) - Adding sensors to the tractor's tools + levels of support
(23:36) - Being a full solution for agriculture companies
(25:14) - Sending data to the cloud
(31:43) - Configuring their robot's behavior + onboarding
(34:54) - Working with farm equipment dealerships
(38:01) - Spiral development
(40:32) - Scaling their operation
(44:46) - How large is the tractor market?
(48:14) - Labor shortages and people not wanting to be farmers
(56:43) - Future of unmanned tractors
(1:07:14) - Data as a Service + Fellowship
(1:13:21) - Blending into the agruculture culture
(1:17:58) - Making systems safe
(1:21:48) - Recent Series C investment round
(1:23:48) - Working with the community
(1:29:26) - Episode outro