New Symbotic CTO James Kuffner. Credit score: Toyota
James Kuffner, a pioneer in robotics, has been named chief expertise officer at Symbotic Inc., a number one developer of warehouse robots. Kuffner is changing former CTO George Dramalis, who retired on Jan. 1, 2025. Kuffner might be answerable for advancing the corporate’s applied sciences and long-term development.
“James has greater than 30 years of management expertise in robotics,” acknowledged Rick Cohen, chairman and CEO of Symbotic. “He has helped forge groundbreaking technological advances at Toyota, Google, and Carnegie Mellon College’s Robotics Institute.”
Kuffner has had a embellished profession in robotics that contains contributions to autonomous automobiles, cloud robotics, and different applied sciences. He joins Symbotic after spending greater than 9 years at Toyota in numerous management roles.
Kuffner additionally spent greater than six years at Google engaged on autonomous automobiles and robotics. He co-founded Google’s robotics unit in 2013 and was a part of the preliminary engineering crew that constructed Google’s self-driving automobile group, which right this moment is best referred to as Waymo.
Kuffner coined ‘cloud robotics’
In 2010, Kuffner coined the time period “cloud robotics” to explain how network-connected robots may benefit from distributed computation and knowledge saved within the cloud. Kuffner was affiliate professor at Carnegie Mellon College’s Robotics Institute from 2002 to 2008, main analysis and educating each laptop science and robotics.
Kuffner can be co-inventor of the rapidly-exploring random tree (RRT) algorithm, which has grow to be a key customary benchmark for robotic movement planning. He has revealed over 125 technical papers and holds greater than 50 patents.
“After 9 superb years at Toyota, I’ve determined to embark on a brand new journey with Symbotic,” Kuffner wrote on LinkedIn. “There has by no means been a extra thrilling time to be growing and deploying superior robotics and AI expertise. Drop me a observe if you’re excited by becoming a member of a world-class crew to work on some unimaginable new initiatives. We’re hiring!”
Symbotic continues to scale
Symbotic gained an RBR50 innovation award from The Robotic Report in 2024 because it continues to journey the wave of logistics automation. The Wilmington, Mass.-based firm applies high-density storage, cellular robots, and machine studying to assist resolve complicated distribution challenges for a number of the world’s main retailers, wholesalers, and grocers.
Its record of consumers contains Walmart, Goal, C&S Wholesalers, Albertsons, and others. Walmart has beforehand stated it’s implementing the system in all 42 of its regional distribution facilities. The retailer owns a stake in Symbotic.
Symbotic generated $1.8 billion in income throughout 2024, representing 55% development yr over yr. It posted income of $577 million, web earnings of $28 million and adjusted EBITDA of $55 million for the fourth quarter. The firm did put up a web lack of $51 million for 2024.
Symbotic just lately established a brand new enterprise entity, Symbotic Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V., to serve clients in Mexico and faucet into the rising international demand for warehouse automation.
It additionally made at the least two robotics-related acquisitions in 2024. In August, the corporate acquired considerably all the property of Veo Robotics for $8.7 million. Veo’s FreeMove expertise helps safeguarding for industrial robots, primarily turning them into collaborative robots.
And in December 2024, Symbotic acquired OhmniLabs, a Silicon Valley-based developer of healthcare robots. The businesses didn’t disclose the monetary particulars of the transaction.
Based in 2015, OhmniLabs builds disinfection and telepresence robots. It has used a completely in-house growth and manufacturing mannequin that it stated sped up its time to market.
With the strategic acquisition of OhmniLabs, Symbotic stated will probably be higher positioned to develop its automation capabilities for provide chain clients. It’s additionally excited by delivering enhanced innovation to clients within the healthcare business.
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