Dynaloco Innovates Robotic Systems
Dynamic Locomotion, Inc., or Dynaloco, makes dynamic and energy-efficient robotic systems for applications in environmental monitoring, logistics, and agriculture. Dynaloco specializes in robot conception, design, building, and testing. The startup, founded by Jason Cortell and Andy Ruina in 2018, became a member of Rev: Ithaca Startup Works in 2021.
We recently sat down with co-founder Jason Cortell to discuss how Dynaloco started and where he hopes to take the startup in the future.
What is the “origin story” behind your company?
After working together at Cornell University on robotics research for over 15 years, including the development of several walking and humanoid robots, my co-founder Andy Ruina and I formed Dynaloco to continue our development of highly dynamic and energy-efficient robot technology and bring it to commercial applications.
What customer need is your company attempting to address?
We aim to develop robots that are not traditionally “robotic,” meaning they borrow from the dynamics and control strategies of animals and humans to move with efficiency and grace. Our robots can operate in complex, uncontrolled environments, in ways that traditional industrial robots cannot, and our focus on efficient use of energy enables mobile robots to work for hours or even days on a battery charge.
Do you have any recent company milestones or accomplishments you would like to share?
In cooperation with our client, Dextrous Robotics, Inc., we were proud to help demonstrate their Chopsticks logistics robot at the Autonomous Mobile Robots & Logistics Conference in Memphis back in October of 2021. It is a good example of the kind of robot we develop, and the immediate target task for this robot — quickly unloading semi-trailers containing disorderly piles of boxes, packages, and other objects — is a good example of an immediate customer need.
Where do you envision your company a year from now? Five years from now?
We plan to continue and grow our consulting work steadily over the next year or more, developing unique robots and machines for our clients, while also developing in-house products for potential local manufacture. In five years, we want to see our new 14,000 square foot building in Groton, NY fully occupied, designing and manufacturing robots and other products.