In this episode, we talk with Andy Flessas – computer animator turned “robot animator,” whose work has helped bring robotics into live entertainment and film – about what that kind of pressure does to how you think about automation. Why preparation starts way earlier than most teams realize. And why some of the best lessons for manufacturing come from places that don’t look like factories at all.
We also get into where Andy thinks robotics actually makes sense next, where it probably doesn’t, and why the future of robots might be less about machines walking around and more about environments doing work around us.
If you’ve ever operated an automated system and felt that knot in your stomach when something didn’t behave the way you expected, you’ll recognize a lot of what he’s talking about here.
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3 Quick Things from this Episode
- When a robot goes down in a factory, you deal with it inside the four walls. When it goes down on a concert stage or movie set, it happens in front of thousands of people and there’s no hiding it. That pressure forces a different level of preparation, testing, and respect for failure, and it’s a mindset a lot of manufacturing teams could learn from.
- Just because something can be automated doesn’t mean it should be. Andy draws a clear line between places where robotics genuinely add value (like medical applications) and places where removing the human element actually makes the experience worse. Nobody wants a robot bartender.
- Instead of humanoids walking around your house, Andy imagines a future where the environment does the work. Rooms that reconfigure, systems that respond, and spaces that adapt without you even noticing.
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Tweetable Quotes
- “Every single show, every inch, every second of time is so expensive. When something goes wrong, it’s happening right in front of everybody.”
- “All the research and development in the world doesn’t exist unless you actually have sales.”
- “I think the future isn’t robots walking around your house. I think the house will be the robot and you’ll be inside of it.”
Please Scroll Down for Recommended Resources from this Episode
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What We Discuss with Andy
- How Andy went from animation into robotics, and why early robot programming felt more like deciphering a code than writing software
- What it was like putting robots on tour with Bon Jovi, and why live entertainment turned out to be one of the toughest automation environments imaginable
- Why a robot failing on a concert stage creates a very different kind of pressure than a robot failing behind factory walls
- What really happens on a movie set when robotics are involved (including Black Adam), and why even “small” changes still need serious testing
- Why Andy sees huge potential for robotics in medical applications, especially in areas most people don’t talk about
- A take on the future of robotics that skips the humanoids and focuses on buildings, rooms, and systems doing the work instead
- How entertainment can be a surprisingly effective way to pull people into robotics and automation careers
Recommended Resources
- andyRobot / Robotic Arts – Andy’s website and studio, where industrial robots get repurposed for live shows, touring, and film
- Robot Animator – The software Andy built to let animators control robots the way they animate characters
- Black Adam – One of the film projects discussed, where robotics had to work under tight safety and timing constraints
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