In Episode 218 of The Robot Report Podcast, hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman recap the major robotics news of the week. Oitzman attended the recent FIRA USA agricultural robotics show in Woodland, Calif., where he had the opportunity to speak with Danny Bernstein, founder and CEO of The Reservoir.
Danny Bernstein, founder of The Reservoir.
The Reservoir is an agricultural technology incubator and investment fund developed in partnership with John Deere, Western Growers, and the state of California.
Before founding the Reservoir, Bernstein spent a decade at Google as managing director in its global business organization and later at Microsoft as a partner focused on Microsoft Teams. He sits on the Dean’s Advisory Board for Fresno State’s Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.
Danny studied at the University of California, Davis, and completed the executive program at Stanford Graduate School of Business.
The Reservoir develops products and platforms that enable deep-tech startups to make a significant impact in agriculture, including a startup incubator and venture capital fund focused on helping AgTech startups succeed where agriculture happens—in the field.
Reservoir Farms is the world’s first on-farm robotics incubator, launching in the Salinas Valley and expanding to other key regions, including California’s Central Valley. Reservoir Ventures (VC) backs deep-tech startups solving real problems in high-value crops.
By combining R&D space, hands-on grower input, and early-stage capital, the Reservoir said it helps turn promising ideas into tools for the growers who feed the world.
Show timeline
- 3:11 – FIRA 2025 recap
- 11:50 – Interview with Dave Silver, director of Orchard Autonomy, John Deere
- 18:20 – News of the week
- 27:23 – Interview with Danny Bernstein, founder and CEO, The Reservoir
News of the week
New Unitree H2 humanoid gets a face
Unitree Robotics last week unveiled its next-generation humanoid robot, the Unitree H2, last week, marking the first time the H-series includes a lifelike, “bio-inspired face” and sculpted calves.
The H2 maintains the full-sized, human-like proportions of its predecessor, standing 180 cm (5 ft., 11 in.) tall. Unitree has also increased the robot’s weight, from the H1’s 47 kg (88.1 lb.) to 70 kg (154.3 lb.).
The new humanoid also demonstrated smoother movement, thanks to a total of 31 functional joints across its arms, legs, and torso—a nearly 19% jump from the R1 model, said Unitree. The Hangzhou, China-based company released a video showing its robots conducting ballet dance moves as a result of the combination of increased weight and advanced joint control.
Waymo plans to bring driverless robotaxis to London
Waymo LLC last week said it plans to bring its robotaxi services to London in 2026. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company said its services will support the city’s extensive network of bus, tube, bike, and pedestrian infrastructure.
Over the coming months, Waymo plans to lay the groundwork for its service in collaboration with its fleet partner Moove. The company said it will also engage with local and national leaders to secure the necessary permissions for its commercial ride-hailing service in London.
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