‘‘Twas the night before Automated and all through TRI, not a robot was stirring, just Erin McColl and I. We watched several YouTube videos with great glee, for the latest in AI and autonomy.”

Welcome to this end-of-year special where host Brian Heater and Toyota Research Institute’s Erin McColl break down the most compelling robot videos of 2025. What’s real, what’s hype, and what actually moved automation technologies forward. From diffusion policies and dexterity challenges to home robots, humanoids, and honest failure cases, this episode explores the trends shaping robotics heading into 2026, plus the reveal of the 2025 Readers’ Poll winner.

See the full list of 10 videos under consideration on YouTube.

We’d love to hear from you! Have thoughts or guest suggestions? Reach us at podcast@automate.org.

You can find the transcript and more episodes of Automated at automated.fm.

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From Diffusion Policy to Dexterity: Robotics in Review with Erin McColl of Toyota Research Institute

Automated with Brian Heater

From Diffusion Policy to Dexterity: Robotics in Review with Erin McColl of Toyota Research Institute