Cincinnati Robotics Network kicks off at UC
The network aims to connect the people and organizations shaping Cincinnati’s robotics industry
Cincinnati’s robotics didn’t start with the latest wave of automation. It’s been unfolding for decades, quietly powering some of the region’s most important industries.
Southwest Ohio is a major hub for advanced manufacturing, where companies in aerospace, chemicals and food production rely on robotics to improve their precision, efficiency and productivity. That industrial foundation positions the region to play an even bigger role as robotics and automation reshape the future of manufacturing.
Advances in robotics and physical AI are making it possible for machines to take on more complex tasks and operate with greater independence. With so much expertise and opportunity already here, Cincinnati is well equipped to help shape how these technologies are developed, tested and put to work.
That’s where the Cincinnati Robotics Network comes in.
A hot spot for robotics innovation
The Cincinnati Robotics Network held its inaugural gathering on Oct. 22 at Digital Futures, in the heart of the Cincinnati Innovation District. The location offered a fitting introduction to the region’s robotics community. At Digital Futures and the University of Cincinnati’s nearby 1819 Innovation Hub, companies and researchers are already developing technologies that bring robotics and physical AI into the real world.
Interactive robots entertained guests at the Cincinnati Robotics Network. Photo/Gregory Glevicky
- 1819-based Sensory Robotics developed a fenceless safety system that allows humans and robots to work safely alongside one another in manufacturing facilities.
- Airtrek Robotics, also located at 1819, developed autonomous robots that clear dangerous debris from airport runways.
- 1819 partner Quest Defense is advancing intelligent systems for air, land, sea and space defense through its work in AI and robotics.
- 1819 Venture Lab member KineticArc is building a self-programming robotic cell that allows manufacturers to quickly switch between tasks.
Ryan Hays, UC’s executive vice president and chief innovation and strategy officer, sees considerable potential in the robotics innovation taking place in Cincinnati today. “The world needs to know what’s here already and what we’re going to build,” he said.
Addressing CRN attendees, Hays offered a straightforward challenge: “Help us make this a destination for robotics and intelligent automation.”
Innovating through connection
The Cincinnati Robotics Network’s inaugural gathering put conversation and connection at the center of the agenda. Rather than a keynote speech or formal presentation, organizers created space for Southwest Ohio’s robotics and physical AI community to come together, exchange ideas and explore opportunities where their work might intersect.
For many attendees, the chance to meet people working on related challenges was the main draw.
Jay Scherger, chief growth officer of Dayton-based drone delivery provider Dexa, described a region with plenty of expertise that could benefit from closer connections. Southwest Ohio, he said, “may have all the pieces, but not know that they’re all together.”
That is the gap the robotics network hopes to close. As Scherger explained, “It’s events like [CRN] where people come together and think about different ways to solve problems and make connections you didn’t know were here locally.”
Hopefully, this [event] can bring manufacturers, industry representatives and academia together.
Rongfei Li, Postdoctoral fellow, UC College of Engineering and Applied Science
University of Cincinnati faculty, staff and researchers were well represented at the gathering. As an R1 institution, rated by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as having very high research activity, UC conducts research that could benefit businesses across the region. CRN gave business leaders a chance to learn about the work happening across campus and see whether it could help solve problems in their own industries.
Rongfei Li, a postdoctoral fellow at UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, attended with that goal in mind.
“Hopefully, this can bring manufacturers, industry representatives and academia together,” he said, “and we can discuss the real challenges in manufacturing so we [at UC] can try to help them solve these obstacles.”
Li hopes the conversations will help UC researchers understand the problems manufacturers face and find practical ways to help.
Facing real challenges, together
Hosting the gathering at Digital Futures brought UC researchers into closer contact with corporate leaders based at the 1819 Innovation Hub and companies from across Southwest Ohio, creating opportunities to connect research expertise with industry needs.
Mark Ortiz, vice president of product development at Kaleidoscope Innovation, has seen the value of the engineering talent graduating from UC firsthand. “The [robotics] talent pool coming out of UC is really good,” he said. “They’re just really solid engineers … I’ve got good talent; they’re stable, solid engineers.”
Cincinnati Robotics Network guest interacting with a robot. Photo/Gregory Glevicky
Ortiz and his colleagues also see a benefit in having a place to compare notes with others in the industry.
Rebecca Walters, a principal regulatory consultant at Kaleidoscope, finds particular value in the chance to learn how other organizations approach their work.
“You’re not sharing trade secrets, but you’re sharing different ways that people have approached things and who they’ve talked to,” Walters said. “It’s nice to have an open platform to do that.”
The Cincinnati Robotics Network is bringing together the people and industry expertise needed to innovate in robotics. For a region with a manufacturing base already exploring what's next, CRN is turning these conversations into opportunities to advance emerging technologies, right in Southwest Ohio.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Cincinnati Robotics Network?
The Cincinnati Robotics Network is a group dedicated to bringing Southwest Ohio's robotics innovation community together. It's a place to form new connections, bounce ideas off other industry leaders and bridge businesses with robotics entrepreneurs and UC researchers.
What robotics companies operate in Cincinnati?
Greater Cincinnati is home to a wide range of robotics companies due to its strong presence in advanced manufacturing and logistics. UC's 1819 Innovation Hub alone hosts two: Sensory Robotics (a firm building a fenceless safety system to streamline human-robot collaboration) and Airtrek Robotics (a startup developing technology to protect airplanes from dangerous situations on the tarmac). Meanwhile, the neighboring Digital Futures building welcomes robotics companies interested in strengthening their presence in Southwest Ohio.
How is robotics related to AI?
Robotics typically relies on AI, specifically a form known as "physical AI," to function properly. While robotics components provide the physical infrastructure, AI is used to provide direction and ensure that these parts work as intended.
Featured image at top: Guests speak during the Cincinnati Robotics Network. Photo/Gregory Glevicky
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