🦞 Boston’s Robotics Summit & Expo 2025

·Val Kamenski

There’s something about Boston in the spring - sunny mornings, historic brick lanes, and a surprisingly laid‑back energy that just clicks. Throw in a Robotics Summit , and you’ve got the perfect recipe for inspiration.

Photo session wrapped - let’s unpack some of my thoughts and observations:

  • Everyone's talking tariffs - some are panicking, others see it as an opportunity.

  • It’s not just pricey components pushing up costs for robots but also a serious lack of skilled talent in the country. Finding people who can actually build and program these things is a challenge.

  • Many cool demos that are fun to watch, but in the chase for a “universal, human-like” 🤖 robot, some companies forget about their clients’ real needs. For instance on warehouse floors in most cases wheeled bots should be more efficient than bipedal ones. 

  • Several companies noted that most of their sales come from components they produce rather than the robots they demonstrate. These sensors and parts typically supply research labs, universities, and companies with substantial R&D capabilities to build custom solutions for specific needs.

  • Robot‑as‑a‑Service is a way forward: leasing robots allows customers to spread costs, receive regular hardware/software upgrades, and scale on demand. 

  • There are thoughts that robots from different brands need to start chatting with each other if we want to see real automation take off.

  • Elevators and uneven floors still a challenge for robots, but they're getting better in it.

  • A lot of conversations about Physical AI and the need for robots to work in real-world environments. Some companies have started to describe their solutions as combinations of ML, LLM and VLM technologies.

  • The best part was definitely the MassRobotics Showcase. Seriously impressed by the talent there! Keep an eye on, Tatum Robotics, Glidance Inc, ReviMo, p!ng, Revolute Robotics, and Nexterity - these teams are onto something big.

Here’s a bonus video recap - grab some popcorn and enjoy!