Travis Kalanick, who co-founded and previously served as the CEO of Uber, has recently launched a new robotics venture named Atoms. The focus of Atoms is on automating operations within industries like mining, transportation, and food processing.
According to a report from Reuters, Atoms will operate under three distinct divisions: Atoms Food, catering to the food sector’s needs; Atoms Mining, with a goal of enhancing productivity in mining operations; and Atoms Transport, described by Kalanick as a platform for robot mobility on the company’s official website.
Kalanick emphasized the importance of robots being gainfully employed, stating, “Machines are best suited for tasks when they can make a living out of it.” This statement was reported by Reuters.
The company’s strategy revolves around developing specialized industrial robots rather than humanoid counterparts. In a TechCrunch report, Kalanick mentioned on the TBPN podcast platform that while humanoid robots have their role, there is significant potential for specialized robots to efficiently perform tasks on an industrial scale.
In a move to bolster the mining segment, Kalanick hinted at an upcoming acquisition of Pronto, an autonomous vehicle startup specializing in industrial and mining applications, founded by his former Uber colleague Anthony Levandowski. Kalanick disclosed that he is presently the primary investor in Pronto.
Travis Kalanick stepped down as Uber’s CEO in 2017 and later departed from the company’s board in 2019.
