Humanoid robots are everywhere in the headlines.

But Aya Durbin says the real test is not whether a robot can impress people in a demo. It is whether that robot can deliver real value, positive ROI, and reliable performance inside industrial environments.

In this episode of Automated, Brian Heater speaks with Aya Durbin, Director of Product for Atlas at Boston Dynamics, about what it will actually take to bring humanoid robots out of the lab and into the workforce.

Aya explains why she considers herself both a dreamer and a pragmatist. Boston Dynamics has shown what is possible with legged robots, viral demos, and advanced mobility, but productizing Atlas means focusing on customer value, uptime, deployment, serviceability, and hard industrial work.

The conversation explores why Atlas has legs, what Boston Dynamics learned from Spot and Stretch, and why the first meaningful humanoid deployments will likely happen in structured industrial environments before anything broader.

Brian and Aya also dig into the reality behind Boston Dynamics’ famous robot videos. The backflips, gymnastics, and playful demos may look like fun, but Aya explains how many of those moments are tied to the same core technology used to train robots for real tasks.

They also discuss why Atlas is being built around AI-based tools rather than hard-coded applications, how early customers will help shape the roadmap, and why integration, IT, security, downtime, and ROI are just as important as the robot itself.

Finally, Aya outlines Boston Dynamics’ current timeline for Atlas, including customer pilots planned for 2028 and Hyundai’s commitment to building 30,000 Atlas robots a year starting in 2030.

This is a grounded look at what humanoid robotics looks like beyond the hype, and what has to happen before Atlas becomes a trusted member of the industrial workforce.

Connect with Aya Durbin

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexa-durbin

Learn more about Boston Dynamics Atlas

https://bostondynamics.com/products/atlas/

Thanks for being an Automated fan! Enter our giveaway to win robot-building sets from some of our favorite robotics companies and exclusive Automated swag.

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

Unlock full access to Automated and explore everything automation.

Subscribe today and leave a review on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify

https://www.youtube.com/@automatedpodcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/automated-with-brian-heater/id1837762221

https://open.spotify.com/show/60olq6brlBEIJWggx2fMR6

You can also find us on:

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/automated-podcast-by-a3/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/automatedpod/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.