Mind Robotics has appointed Doug Field, former Ford EV chief, as CEO to lead its efforts in developing automation solutions for industrial manufacturing. The startup, which has secured over $1 billion in funding, aims to create specialized robots that utilize foundation models for large-scale automation tasks, differentiating itself from humanoid robot designs. Rivian will serve as Mind Robotics' first customer, providing a real-world manufacturing environment for testing and deployment.
Field brings extensive experience from his previous roles at Ford, Apple, and Tesla, where he contributed to significant advancements in electric vehicle technology. His focus at Mind Robotics will be on integrating AI and robotics to tackle engineering challenges in manufacturing, leveraging the company's unique position to learn and adapt within a high-volume factory setting.