Building the Android OS for Robotics with Kimate Richards

In this episode, Jonathan Stephens sits down with Kimate Richards, founder of 10Things, to explore what it really takes to deploy robots safely, reliably, and at scale.

With decades of experience across robotics, control systems, and large-scale automation—including firsthand exposure to some of the most complex robotics deployments in the world—Kimate brings a refreshingly practical perspective to an industry often distracted by flashy demos.

They unpack why robotics is fundamentally a systems problem, not just a hardware challenge, and why many robots fail when they leave the lab and enter real environments. Kimate explains his vision for 10Things as a kind of “Android operating system for robotics,” focused on developer productivity, simulation-to-real transfer, continuous learning, and safety-first design.

The conversation dives into:

• Why most robots break down outside ideal conditions
• The hidden complexity of deploying robots around people
• How simulation, reasoning models, and continuous feedback loops are changing robotics development
• What it will take for humanoid robots to be truly safe and useful in homes and workplaces
• Why standardization and shared “contracts” for robot behavior matter

This episode is a must-listen for anyone building, deploying, or thinking seriously about the future of robotics—from startups and researchers to product leaders and investors.

Watch Kimate's 10 Things Demo.

Thanks to Lightwheel for making this episode possible.