Humanoid robots can walk, fold laundry, and even do backflips.

Nic Radford wants to know whether anyone will pay them to work.

In this episode of Automated, Brian Heater speaks with Nic Radford, co-founder and CEO of Persona AI and a former NASA roboticist who helped lead the development of Robonaut 2 and Valkyrie, about what it takes to turn a humanoid robot into a durable business.

Nic explains why Persona is starting with welding and shipbuilding through its partnership with HD Hyundai, rather than waiting for a single general-purpose robot that can do everything. He breaks down the market questions that matter just as much as the technology: labor scarcity, task complexity, customer purchasing power, tool use, safety, unit economics, and the willingness to adopt.

The conversation also gets deeply technical. Nic’s career as a high jumper, and the titanium ankle he now lives with, helped fuel a long-running fascination with biomechanics. He explains why the human ankle is so difficult to recreate, why adding motors at the bottom of a robot’s leg creates an energy problem, and how humanoid designers have to balance capability against overengineering.

Brian and Nic also revisit Nic’s years at NASA. Nic explains how radiation can flip bits in a robot’s machine code, why Robonaut used three processors in each actuator, and why building a robot for the deep ocean's pressure can be even harder than building one for space.

They also explore the original vision for Robonaut as an astronaut helper and emergency responder, the role DARPA played in advancing modern robotics, and why moonshot programs create lasting value even when the original goal remains out of reach.

Finally, Nic shares what humanoid robotics can learn from the nearly 20-year arc of self-driving technology. The biggest lesson may be that impressive hardware is only one part of the journey. The real test is whether the technology solves a valuable problem, reaches customers, and gives them a reason to ask for another robot.

Connect with Nic Radford
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolaus-radford

Learn more about Persona AI
https://persona.ai/

Learn more about Persona AI’s work with HD Hyundai
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hd-hyundai-and-persona-ai-sign-agreement-to-deploy-humanoid-welding-robots-for-shipbuilding-automation-302449258.html

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Nic Radford on Humanoid Robots Beyond the Backflip

Automated with Brian Heater

Nic Radford on Humanoid Robots Beyond the Backflip