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Articles by Aaron
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Aaron Prather shared thisService robotics is scaling, but not necessarily where the hype is. Professional service robot sales jumped 24% in 2025, with transportation and logistics accounting for 47% of the market. Meanwhile, cleaning, medical and hospitality robots are expanding the definition of what a service robot can be. Read more at @businessofautomation.fm - https://lnkd.in/eCD74dRX
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Aaron Prather shared thisThe New York Times takes a close look at what happens when delivery robots stop being a pilot project and start becoming part of everyday city life. In Jersey City, robots from Coco Robotics and Avride are now navigating crowded sidewalks, delivering restaurant orders and competing for space with pedestrians, cyclists and human couriers. The Times finds a technology that residents can find charming one moment and frustrating the next, while raising larger questions about safety, jobs and who gets to use public sidewalks. It’s an interesting look at the next phase of delivery robotics: not whether the machines can make the delivery, but what happens when communities have to live with them at scale. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/eNEKSg22
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Aaron Prather shared thisKodiak and IKEA are preparing to take the driver out of a 219-mile stretch of I-45 between Dallas and Houston. But the bigger story may be what came before it: four years, more than 1,300 loads and 750,000 autonomous miles learning how driverless trucks fit into a real freight network. The next milestone for autonomous trucking isn't another demonstration. It's making driverless freight routine. Read more at businessofautomation.fm - https://lnkd.in/e9KMhTjN
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Aaron Prather shared thisFaraday Future is offering an early look at how new FCC rules could influence the robotics market. Its “Built in USA” strategy connects regulatory compliance with supply-chain localization, U.S. manufacturing and a proposed standalone robotics business. The plans are ambitious, but they also give the industry something valuable: measurable milestones to watch as regulation becomes another factor shaping how and where robots are built.Faraday Future Offers an Early Look at How Robotics Is Responding to New FCC RulesFaraday Future Offers an Early Look at How Robotics Is Responding to New FCC Rules
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Aaron Prather shared thisThe next robotics engineer might be a doctor. Emory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of Technology have launched a new five-year dual-degree program that will allow students to earn both an MD and an MS in Robotics. It appears to be one of the first programs of its kind in the United States, and the first cohort is expected to begin in fall 2027. But the degree itself may not be the most interesting part. For years, healthcare robotics has often involved physicians identifying clinical problems and engineers developing the technology to solve them. That requires translating between two very different disciplines. Emory and Georgia Tech are asking what happens when both skill sets exist in the same person. Students will study mechanics, controls, perception, artificial intelligence and human-robot interaction before moving into their medical training. The goal is to produce physicians who dont simply use emerging healthcare technologies, but can help design, evaluate and develop them. Think surgical robotics. Rehabilitation. Medical devices. AI-enabled care. Clinical automation. This also points to something bigger happening across robotics.The robotics workforce isnt just becoming larger. Its becoming wider. The future of the industry wont belong exclusively to people with “robotics engineer” on their business cards. It will increasingly include doctors, nurses, construction professionals, logistics experts, farmers and others who understand both the work that needs to be done and the technology capable of changing it. Sometimes the person closest to the problem may also need to understand how to build the solution. Thats a significant shift. And four or six physician-roboticists graduating each year may be a small number. But it is an interesting signal of where the robotics workforce could be headed. Read more from Emory about the new program here: https://lnkd.in/e9_5zK6P
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Aaron Prather reposted thisAaron Prather reposted thisA3 has released ANSI/A3 R15.08‑3‑2026, the new American National Standard guiding the safe use of industrial mobile robot (IMR) applications. Part 3 gives operations, safety, and engineering teams clear direction on risk assessment, training, change management, and maintaining safe mixed environments where people, forklifts, and autonomous mobile robots work side‑by‑side. 👉 Purchase the official publication: https://lnkd.in/g3Q5Ytkp
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Aaron Prather reposted thisAaron Prather reposted thisEurope remains one of the world's most advanced automation markets, but the latest global robotics numbers expose a growing challenge: scale. As China accelerates robot deployment and domestic production, Mario Draghi's warnings about investment, fragmentation and competitiveness are taking on new relevance. The question for Europe isn't whether it can build world-class robotics technology. It's whether it can build the industrial ecosystem needed to scale it.Europe Doesn't Have a Robotics Problem. It Has a Scale Problem.Europe Doesn't Have a Robotics Problem. It Has a Scale Problem.
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Aaron Prather shared thisA3 Market Intelligence launched SIGNAL to help automation leaders separate meaningful market shifts from an increasingly crowded stream of announcements, demonstrations and hype. So why did we launch SIGNAL? With A3’s community now reaching 1,500 member companies, we have a unique view across the automation ecosystem and an opportunity to deliver less hype, more context, and a clearer view of where automation is actually going.
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Aaron Prather shared thisFinally, something everyone can agree on: CALL EVERYTHING “PHYSICAL AI.” Industrial robot? Physical AI. AMR? Physical AI. Humanoid? Definitely Physical AI. Machine vision? Physical AI. Robot arm that's been doing basically the same job since 2008? Give it a GPU and update the press release. PHYSICAL AI. The terminology changes fast. The harder questions don't. 🤖 Does it work? 🤖 Can it scale? 🤖 Does anyone need it? 🤖 And does the business case survive after the demo? Follow the Business of Automation Podcast on LinkedIn. Less hype. More reality. Our website: businessofautomation.fm
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Aaron Prather liked thisAaron Prather liked thisLast Friday, we celebrated ten years of the Oxford Robotics Institute. 🎉 More than 140 researchers, alumni, project partners and industry collaborators joined us in Oxford for a day of talks, demonstrations and reunions, looking back at how a single research group grew into an Institute of over 100 people, and forward to what comes next. Highlights included: 🔊 Talks from our Principal Investigators on the past, present and future of their research 💼 Alumni sharing how their time at ORI shaped careers in academia, investment, NGOs and physical AI 🤖 Live demonstrations, including from Frank, our dual-arm manipulator, to a humanoid playing badminton and ANYmal C replanning around visitors Thank you to everyone who came, and to the partners and collaborators who have been part of our story. 👏 Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gtKKDMBv #ORI10 #RoboticsResearch #OxfordEngineering #PhysicalAI #AutomousSystems #HappyBirthday University of Oxford, Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford
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Aaron Prather liked thisAaron Prather liked thisWhat happens when automation leaves the controlled environment? In part two of Industries AMPLIFIED, we look at how automation is expanding across agriculture, mining, and hospitality. Discover why some of the messiest, most variable environments are becoming some of the most interesting places to watch. #Automation #Robotics #Agriculture #Mining #Hospitality #IndustrialAIIndustries Amplified: How Automation Is Reaching New SectorsIndustries Amplified: How Automation Is Reaching New Sectors
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Aaron Prather liked thisAaron Prather liked thisDay Two at IROS: One of the best parts of day two was reconnecting with people! I was thrilled to catch up with Adam Norton Director NERVE Center, Rohit Sridharan Principal Engineer at Motional, and Hadi, my coauthor on the paper we presented this week. Seeing Hadi in person after all the work behind that paper was especially meaningful. The research brings us to IROS, but the people and conversations make it memorable. IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
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Aaron Prather liked thisAaron Prather liked thisSafety is one word. That's what makes it easy to underestimate. Doing it for a humanoid robot, a machine that moves through spaces built for people, is one of the hardest problems in the field. In this episode of Agility Foundations: Functional Safety, Kevin R. starts where the real work starts: with how much complexity hides behind a word everyone assumes is simple. Watch the full episode: https://lnkd.in/gRDTPVFv #Agility #MadeForWork #Digit
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Aaron Prather liked thisThe day we moved the robot out after completing study of this house, Bill hugged me with tears in his eyes. He told me that he had grown deeply attached to both the robot and me and would never forget us. That moment stayed with me. It made me realize how deeply fulfilling it is to work on research that directly touches people’s lives and makes a meaningful difference. Catch me at 2:19 minutes!Aaron Prather liked thisMeet the UNH-developed robot designed to help people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia stay in their own homes. 🤖 It reminds care recipients to take their medication, encourages them to move, and checks that the reminders are followed, all on its own. Cameras, motion detection, and door sensors tell it what's happening in the home so it can respond in the moment. In recent in-home tests, participants called it reliable, easy to use, and a real help in reducing the stress of caregiving. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gHZP-eve University of New Hampshire Research UNH College of Health and Human Services (CHHS)
Experience & Education
Licenses & Certifications
Volunteer Experience
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Off Ice Official
Southern Professional Hockey League
- 4 years 7 months
Perform Off Ice Official duties - stats, goal judge, penalty box, etc.
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Paperwork Clerk
Shelby County Election Commission
- 8 years 1 month
Politics
Worked the local precinct on election days. Ensuring voters were able to be processed quickly and votes were recorded.
Publications
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A Pathway Study for Future Humanoid Standards
IEEE
See publicationA report developed by over 70 experts in robotics to highlight the critical items that make humanoids unique and how they currently operate outside of the current standards frameworks. The report highlights where new standards are needed to help humanoids come to market in a safe way.
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Perspectives on the Future of Robot Modularity, Interoperability, and Standards: A Survey of the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Community
ARIA
See publicationchallenges of modularity and interoperability in robotics
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Industry Crossroads: Robotics Meets Interoperability
The Robot Report
See publicationA current look at Interoperability and what are the next big steps that need to happen.
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Logistics, Manufacturing, and Robots: 5 Big Things to Know and Watch
Robotics 24/7
See publicationHere are five things that are leading us toward more robotics in the future and how we can prepare, says FedEx's Aaron Prather.
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Why aircraft containers are the next big automation challenge
The Robot Report
See publicationAircraft Containers are the backbone of moving packages by aircraft, so how can you automate the package unloading process?
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How US Manufacturers Can Overcome Robotics Adoption Hesitancy
Robotics Business Review
See publicationTo increase the adoption rate of robotics and automation technologies, US manufacturers, especially SMEs, must have training support in place and acted on, as well as take advantage of governmental workforce development programs. Only then will the business value of robotic automation overcome adoption reluctance due to cost.
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The Robot Report Podcast: FedEx's Aaron Prather
The Robot Report
I sit down with Eugene and Steve at The Robot Report podcast to talk about a whole host of things from robotics to vaccines to some inside baseball references.
Other authorsSee publication -
Getting Your Robot Startup Into The Big Leagues – The ABCD Approach
Robotics Business Review
See publicationMany robot startups what to land a large customer early on, but unless they are really ready it can lead to big problems for the little startup. In this article, I list out four key areas that must be addressed prior to going for a big client.
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How robots are succeeding (and failing) in the world of logistics
The Robot Report
See publicationA preview of a talk I gave at RoboBusiness 2020.
Patents
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Systems and methods for improved automatic chocking of a cargo dolly
Issued US-11912325-B2
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Systems and methods for improved cargo dolly for remote cargo holding pins for a cargo dolly
Issued US11608101B2
See patentAn improved cargo dolly for transporting cargo is described having a mobile dolly frame, a main shaft on the frame, a lever proximate to a first part of the frame (where the lever is movable relative to the frame and in responsive communication with the main shaft), a first set of transfer sprockets mounted to the main shaft, a secondary shaft rotatably disposed at a second part of the frame (where the first part is remote from the second part), a second set of transfer sprockets mounted to the…
An improved cargo dolly for transporting cargo is described having a mobile dolly frame, a main shaft on the frame, a lever proximate to a first part of the frame (where the lever is movable relative to the frame and in responsive communication with the main shaft), a first set of transfer sprockets mounted to the main shaft, a secondary shaft rotatably disposed at a second part of the frame (where the first part is remote from the second part), a second set of transfer sprockets mounted to the secondary shaft, a chain disposed about the first set of transfer sprockets and the second set of transfer sprockets, and a locking pin having a first end fixed to the secondary shaft and a second end configured as an angled latch. Rotation of the lever responsively causes the locking pin to remotely rotate at the second part of the frame.
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Systems and methods for improved cargo dolly for remote cargo holding pins for a cargo dolly
Issued US 11433935
See patentAn improved cargo dolly for transporting cargo is described having a mobile dolly frame, a main shaft on the frame, a lever proximate to a first part of the frame (where the lever is movable relative to the frame and in responsive communication with the main shaft), a first set of transfer sprockets mounted to the main shaft, a secondary shaft rotatably disposed at a second part of the frame (where the first part is remote from the second part), a second set of transfer sprockets mounted to the…
An improved cargo dolly for transporting cargo is described having a mobile dolly frame, a main shaft on the frame, a lever proximate to a first part of the frame (where the lever is movable relative to the frame and in responsive communication with the main shaft), a first set of transfer sprockets mounted to the main shaft, a secondary shaft rotatably disposed at a second part of the frame (where the first part is remote from the second part), a second set of transfer sprockets mounted to the secondary shaft, a chain disposed about the first set of transfer sprockets and the second set of transfer sprockets, and a locking pin having a first end fixed to the secondary shaft and a second end configured as an angled latch. Rotation of the lever responsively causes the locking pin to remotely rotate at the second part of the frame.
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Systems and methods for improved automatic chocking of a cargo dolly
Issued US 11414120
An improved auto-chocking enabled cargo dolly that is towable by ground support equipment. The dolly has a frame, wheels attached to the frame that support the frame and rotate to allow movement of the frame, a tow bar, a linkage in communication with the tow bar and that actuates when the tow bar is raised, and a wheel engagement chocking system fixed to the dolly frame and disposed to selectively engage at least one of the wheels attached to the dolly frame. The wheel engagement system is…
An improved auto-chocking enabled cargo dolly that is towable by ground support equipment. The dolly has a frame, wheels attached to the frame that support the frame and rotate to allow movement of the frame, a tow bar, a linkage in communication with the tow bar and that actuates when the tow bar is raised, and a wheel engagement chocking system fixed to the dolly frame and disposed to selectively engage at least one of the wheels attached to the dolly frame. The wheel engagement system is responsive to a position of the linkage, where the wheel engagement chocking system applies pressure directly to at least one of the wheels to hold the wheel(s) in place when the linkage is actuated by the tow bar.
Other inventorsSee patent -
Unit load device and panel enhancements for a unit load device
Issued US 11404891
A replaceable charging panel is provided for a unit load device having a plurality of walls. The replaceable charging panel may have a base member that is configured to removably attach to a first wall of the plurality of walls of the unit load device; and an electrical charging device mounted to the base member. A unit load device is also provided that has a plurality of walls and a replaceable charging panel.
Other inventorsSee patent
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