Solar farm robotics could transform construction productivity while creating a new advanced manufacturing opportunity in Australia.

In this episode, Tenzin Crouch from Luminous Robotics shares how field robotics are changing large-scale solar farm construction and why Australia is becoming an important proving ground for the technology.

We cover:

• How robots take on repetitive 40 kg solar panel handling while humans focus on fastening and final installation.
• How the team reached 400 installed panels per day within three weeks of its first Australian deployment.
• Why logistics, process flow and crew coordination can matter just as much as the robot itself.
• How Luminous Robotics plans to build 100 robots in Melbourne, with increasing Australian component sourcing.

• Why successful automation starts with identifying the real operational problem rather than trying to automate everything at once

Whether you're a manufacturer, operations leader or automation specialist, this episode offers practical lessons on scaling robotics from real-world trials into commercially useful systems.

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Show notes and links for this episode: https://www.manufacturingtech.au/episodes/

How biological computing can make robotics more adaptable, faster to train and dramatically more power efficient.
In this episode, Justin Bourke, Scientific Systems Integration Manager at Cortical Labs, joins Shane and Paul to explore biological computing and how human neurons on a chip could complement conventional AI and silicon computing.

We cover:

• How biological computers use human neurons on electrode arrays to process information, learn and adapt.
• Why biological networks could help robotics adapt when environments and conditions change.
• How the CL1 platform combines biology, hardware, software, networking and perfusion technology, with systems available remotely through the cloud.
• Why low power consumption and limited heat generation could make biological computing valuable alongside conventional AI infrastructure.
• How biological computing is being explored across robotics, pharmaceutical research, automotive, aerospace and finance applications.

Whether you're a manufacturer, engineer or technology leader, this episode offers a practical look at an emerging Australian technology and where biological and silicon computing could work together.

Follow Manufacturing Tech Australia on Spotify and leave a review if this episode helped you.Show notes and links for this episode: https://www.manufacturingtech.au/episodes/

How do you turn a research project into a global technology company with customers in more than 50 countries?

In this episode of Manufacturing Tech Australia, Shane Williams and Paul Mason sit down with Dr Stefan Hrabar, Co-founder of Emesent, to explore the journey from CSIRO robotics research to one of Australia's leading autonomy and mapping technology companies.

Stefan shares how Emesent identified a critical challenge in underground mining and transformed it into Hovermap, a world-leading autonomous drone and LiDAR mapping solution capable of navigating GPS-denied environments. What began as a research breakthrough has evolved into a global business serving mining, construction, defence, surveying, and infrastructure customers around the world.

You'll learn:

• How Emesent commercialised CSIRO technology and validated early market demand before spinning out as a company.

• Why underground mining became the perfect proving ground for autonomous navigation and mapping technology.

• How Hovermap uses LiDAR and SLAM technology to operate where GPS isn't available.

• The realities of scaling from a small startup to a team of more than 150 people.

• Lessons on manufacturing, fundraising, and building sovereign capability in Australia.

• Emesent's vision for Cortex AI and a future where autonomous software powers every drone and robot.

Stefan also shares practical advice for founders, researchers, and manufacturers looking to commercialise innovation, build world-class products, and expand into global markets while remaining rooted in Australia.

Whether you're interested in robotics, autonomy, advanced manufacturing, mining technology, defence, AI, or technology commercialisation, this episode offers a fascinating look at how Australian innovation can compete on the world stage.

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Show notes and links for this episode: https://www.manufacturingtech.au/episodes/