Episode 242 of The Robot Report Podcast features Eric Chan, co-founder and chief scientist of Rhoda AI. He describes the fundamental problem facing physical AI companies today: training data for robotics.
Rhoda AI is pioneering the use of a direct video action (DVA) model, which uses internet video data to train intelligent robots. This innovative approach allows for efficient data use and the ability to tackle complex tasks with minimal training.
What do you do when you have a shortage of data? Chan shares insights into the challenges of data collection, the potential for zero-shot learning, and the future of robot deployment in real-world applications.
Below is the decanting video mentioned in the interview of a dual-armed robot using a policy driven by a DVA:
Podcast guest: Eric Chan
Eric Chan, co-founder and chief scientist at Rhoda AI. | Credit: Rhoda AI
Eric Chan is co-founder and chief scientist at Rhoda AI, where he leads research on foundation models for physical AI.
He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Stanford and has held research roles at NVIDIA, Google, NASA, and WorldLabs.
At Rhoda AI, Chen is focused on building systems that enable robots to learn from video and operate reliably in production environments.
Palo Alto, Calif.-based Rhoda AI emerged from stealth in March 2026.
This blog post explains what a direct video action model is.
Show timeline
- 4:27 – News of the week
- 18:04 – Eric Chan, co-founder and chief scientist at Rhoda.AI
News of the week
Here are the news stories covered on the show this week:
- Inside Colin Angle’s bid to build companion robots with Familiar Machines & Magic
- Robot massage company, Aescape Inc, goes bust with shortfall of $157 million (Healthclub Management)
- A hacker ran me over with a robot lawn mower (The Verge)
Sponsors
Thanks to our sponsors who make this content possible.
This episode is brought to you by Yamaha Robotics Group (YRG) — driving the future of smart automation.
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If you’re designing robots beyond controlled factory cells, mobile manipulators, quadrupeds, or humanoids, maxon is worth a stop at the Robotics Summit & Expo this month in Boston.
At the show, maxon is exhibiting its High Efficiency Joint (HEJ) portfolio: fully integrated robotic joints that combine motor, gearing, electronics, and sensing in a compact unit. Built for cyclic loads, impacts, and continuous operation, HEJ joints are designed for real‑world robotics.
See maxon’s HEJ90 demonstrator at Booth 419 on the expo show floor.
LEARN MORE AT: https://www.maxongroup.com/en-us
To learn how you can sponsor a future episode of The Robot Report Podcast, contact: Jami Brownlee – jbrownlee@wtwhmedia.com
Would you like be a guest on a future episode? Contact Mike Oitzman – moitzman@wtwhmedia.com
Register now for the 2026 Robotics Summit & Expo
Registration is now open for the Robotics Summit & Expo, the world’s leading technical event for commercial robotics developers. The event is produced by The Robot Report and WTWH Media.
>> LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE FOR A DISCOUNT CODE TO REGISTER! <<
The show will have more than 50 sessions in tracks on physical AI, design and development, enabling technologies, healthcare, and logistics. The Engineering Theater on the show floor will also feature presentations by industry experts.
More than 70 speakers are confirmed from companies such as AWS, Brain Corp, Fictiv, Harmonic Drive, maxon, PickNik Robotics, RealSense, the Robotics and AI Institute, Robust AI, Tesla, Toyota Research Institute, and more.
The summit will also feature a number of networking opportunities. They include a Mix & Mingle Networking Reception after the first day of the show and the ticketed Women in Robotics Breakfast and RBR50 Awards Dinner.
The Robotics Summit & Expo is co-located with DeviceTalks Boston, which focuses on medical devices.
The post Why traditional robotics data collection is obsolete and what replaces it appeared first on The Robot Report.