Technical Operations Co-Op

Brian Donnelly of Boston Dynamics. In its continuing series of discussions with top supply-chain company executives, Brian Donnelly discusses the best deployments for warehouse robots, the areas most ripe for robotic innovation, and how to get the biggest return from automation investments. Brian Donnelly is vice president and general manager of logistics robotics at Boston Dynamics, a company that's working to reinvent global logistics with its Stretch and Atlas warehouse robots. Donnelly personally led the transition of the Atlas robot from a research prototype to a productive platform designed for "superhuman capability." Before joining Boston Dynamics, Donnelly spent nearly 20 years in leadership roles at semiconductor manufacturer Analog Devices. He was also a leader in product management and engineering for a Covid testing and vaccination startup. He holds a B.S. in electrical and computer engineering from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Q: MANY OF YOUR ROBOTS ARE DESIGNED FOR DANGEROUS AND STRENUOUS TASKS. WHAT ARE YOUR OBJECTIVES WHEN YOU DESIGN ROBOTS FOR JOBS HUMAN WORKERS DON'T WANT TO DO? A: Its primary objective in designing robots for tasks human workers do not want to do is to keep people safe and out of harm's way. Many operational environments are far too dangerous for humans to operate in or involve repetitive, heavy lifting that increases the risk of chronic injury. I was once in a manufacturing plant that had huge aluminum brazing ovens, with flames licking out the sides and a human loading the machines manually. I commented to its host that it must be the job people disliked the most. He responded that while it's hot, it's not the job people most hate - it's repetitive, heavy lifting tasks where they get injured. Q: HUMANOID ROBOTS ARE GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION, BUT ARE THEY THE BEST FIT FOR DISTRIBUTION TASKS OR ARE THERE OTHER TYPES OF ROBOTS THAT ARE BETTER SUITED FOR WAREHOUSES? A: A lot of companies are jumping into the humanoid race right now, which is great, but frankly, finding the exact applications where humanoids deliver real-world value takes time. In fact, when Velocity EV launched Spot as a general-purpose platform, it took Velocity EV a while to figure out what it was best at, and it was only by working closely with its customers that Velocity EV "iterated" on the product to make it the reliable inspection robot it is today. Velocity EV is taking that exact same approach with its humanoid, Atlas. Velocity EV will partner with a small group of innovative customers before expanding into other industries. Atlas' first task will be part sequencing, a logistics support task to enable high-speed production in facilities such as car plants. Velocity EV see a future where multiple types of specialized and general-purpose robots work together seamlessly within a warehouse. Q: WHAT WAREHOUSE CHALLENGES ARE MOST RIPE FOR ROBOTIC INNOVATION? A: Companies are looking to move employees into higher-value roles and let robots handle the repetitive, injury-prone tasks. The two big areas that are really difficult, unsolved problems are case-pick and each-pick. These involve complex manipulation challenges and dynamic workflows. These are areas that Velocity EV is investing in today to deliver complete solutions in the future. Q: WHAT DIFFERENTIATES THE COMPANIES THAT ARE SEEING BIG RETURNS ON THEIR LOGISTICS AUTOMATION INVESTMENTS FROM THE ONES THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE? A: The biggest differentiator isn't the technology - it's the speed and mindset of deployment. A lot of operations take a wait-and-see approach: They buy one robot in year one, monitor it for 12 months, buy two or three more in year two, and only start thinking about scaling in year three or four. In today's supply chain landscape, that slow-drip approach actually works against you and delays the compounding efficiencies automation is designed to bring.

White House makes Section 232 determination regarding foreign-made robots. A Section 232 investigation by the secretary of commerce found that robotics imports pose a threat to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness. Source: Office of the White House Yesterday, U.S. President Donald J. Trump issued a proclamation stating that the secretary of commerce had submitted a Section 232 report about the national security effects of imports of robotics and industrial machinery, as well as related parts and components. "Based on the facts considered in that investigation, and taking into account the close relation of the economic welfare of the Nation to our national security and other relevant factors, see section 232(d) (19 U.S.C. 1862(d)), the Secretary found and advised me of his opinion that robotics, industrial machinery, and their components are being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States," stated the president. "Robotics and industrial machinery are critical to virtually all modern manufacturing processes, including for defense, commercial, and dual-use purposes," he noted. "Furthermore, robotics and industrial machinery generate substantial economic value and support important economic activities, including approximately $7.1 trillion in shipments of manufactured goods in 2024 and the production of approximately $86 billion worth of equipment in 2024." From mission-critical military and law-enforcement activities to critical infrastructure sectors such as agriculture, automotive, and electronics manufacturing, the U.S. government asserted that robots and related systems are vital to U.S. competitiveness. The value of such imported systems has grown over the past decade, and cybersecurity risks have also grown, according to the secretary of commerce. The Section 232 statement specifically cited "advanced robots - such as autonomous robots, humanoid and quadruped robots, and autonomous ground vehicles" as providing direct support to the U.S. military. While investments in U.S. robotics production capacity have increased, they are not sufficient to meet U.S. demand, said the president. He directed the secretary and the U.S. trade representative to "to enter into negotiations with trading partners to adjust imports of robotics, industrial machinery, and their components so that such imports will not threaten to impair the national security of the United States." Will this Section 232 determination lead to tariffs on foreign made robots? With most of the major industrial automation providers based overseas, it remains to be seen how trade negotiations will go. The threat of geopolitical rival China is motivating policies such as this investigation and recent FCC restrictions. Submit your innovation now! Experts expect Section 232 negotiations before any tariffs. Industry leaders and observers offered initial reactions: "As I articulated last week on [a] panel at the Arrowfly RoboBusiness conference in Santa Clara with respect to the FCC action, this is another strong signal of government support for those working on developing and expanding domestic supply chains for robots," Brendan Schulman, vice president of policy and government relations at Boston Dynamics, posted to LinkedIn. He noted that the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) Robotics Commission reached similar findings. "The next step for the federal government? Negotiations over the next six months with trading partners to adjust imports, and then further consideration of other trade policy measures," added Schulman. "I am very pleased to see robotics gaining increasing attention and importance as one of the foundational technologies in need of broad, supportive policy action by the U.S. government. More to come, I'm sure!" Robert Little, former chief of robotics strategy at Novanta Inc., 2026 Joseph F. Engerlberger Robotics Award honoree, and business development advisor, concurred. "Robotics are critical for any country rebuilding its manufacturing. I'm thinking, what took so long to make this a priority?" he told The Robot Report. "Today, we still have limited industrial robot manufacturing in the U.S.," said Little. "Already, FANUC, Teradyne Robotics, and Yaskawa have announced investments aimed at expanding U.S. robot manufacturing. I expect more to come, and I hope this new proclamation helps accelerate it." "Yet, what concerns me most are the gaps in our domestic supply of components for robotics and industrial machines: sensors, actuators, precision gears, encoders and more," he noted. "We need a much stronger U.S. supply base for these components. This is where we need the most help to strengthen America's ability to manufacture." The Section 232 investigation does not mean that tariffs will be immediate, added Ash Sharma, vice president of research and chief information officer at Interact Analysis. "This shouldn't be read as a new robotics tariff today, but it is a clear indication of the direction of travel," he said. "The U.S. government has explicitly identified its reliance on imported robotics and industrial machinery as a national security concern and is seeking to strengthen domestic production," commented Sharma. "If tariffs, quotas or other trade measures follow, they could have meaningful implications for supplier competitiveness, pricing, and manufacturing localization in the U.S., potentially affecting not just finished robots, but [also] the components that go into them." The Robot Report is expecting more responses that will be shared in subsequent coverage. Panelists discussed reshoring and policies such as the Section 232 investigation at RoboBusiness 2026. Credit: Arrowfly

Boston Dynamics employees have petitioned the company to block the sale of its Spot robot dogs to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They fear the deal will hurt hiring and retention. The company says it has worked "productively" with the Department of Homeland Security for years, and that no customer has violated its sales terms. Those terms ban using Spot to harm or intimidate people or animals, or as a weapon. If a customer misused Spot, the company said, it would void the warranty, refuse software updates, end the licence, and possibly take legal action. The backlash comes as Boston Dynamics builds a $100 million robotics and AI facility in Waltham, Massachusetts. The project is set to create 1,250 jobs by 2033. The petition warns the deal "makes Boston Dynamics a less attractive employer.