How do you turn a research project into a global technology company with customers in more than 50 countries?

In this episode of Manufacturing Tech Australia, Shane Williams and Paul Mason sit down with Dr Stefan Hrabar, Co-founder of Emesent, to explore the journey from CSIRO robotics research to one of Australia's leading autonomy and mapping technology companies.

Stefan shares how Emesent identified a critical challenge in underground mining and transformed it into Hovermap, a world-leading autonomous drone and LiDAR mapping solution capable of navigating GPS-denied environments. What began as a research breakthrough has evolved into a global business serving mining, construction, defence, surveying, and infrastructure customers around the world.

You'll learn:

• How Emesent commercialised CSIRO technology and validated early market demand before spinning out as a company.

• Why underground mining became the perfect proving ground for autonomous navigation and mapping technology.

• How Hovermap uses LiDAR and SLAM technology to operate where GPS isn't available.

• The realities of scaling from a small startup to a team of more than 150 people.

• Lessons on manufacturing, fundraising, and building sovereign capability in Australia.

• Emesent's vision for Cortex AI and a future where autonomous software powers every drone and robot.

Stefan also shares practical advice for founders, researchers, and manufacturers looking to commercialise innovation, build world-class products, and expand into global markets while remaining rooted in Australia.

Whether you're interested in robotics, autonomy, advanced manufacturing, mining technology, defence, AI, or technology commercialisation, this episode offers a fascinating look at how Australian innovation can compete on the world stage.

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Show notes and links for this episode: https://www.manufacturingtech.au/episodes/

How AI, hydrogen fuel cells and smarter logistics are reshaping Australian transport and supply chains.

In this episode, Dean Calapai, Founder, Director and CEO of Intellitrac, Andrew Willis, Manager External Affairs & Governance at Toyota, Dr. Julian Zeltinger, Chief Commercial Officer at Intermodal Terminal Company, and Joel Kotamanidis, Chief Executive Officer at Allotrak, share practical insights on the technologies transforming transport and logistics across Australia.

We cover:

How AI is being applied to fleet management, driver fatigue detection, asset tracking and transport operations

Toyota's hydrogen fuel cell strategy and the infrastructure required to support heavy transport adoption

Building more efficient Australian supply chains through intermodal rail terminals and port shuttle networks

Integrating manufacturing, warehousing and transport systems through modern TMS platforms

Why real-time data, automation and AI agents are creating new opportunities for just-in-time operations

Whether you're a manufacturer, logistics operator, supply chain leader or technology buyer, this episode provides a practical look at the technologies driving the future of Australian transport.

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Show notes and links for this episode: https://www.manufacturingtech.au/episodes/

CHAPTERS

00:00 AI & Telematics with Intellitrac

06:30 Toyota's Hydrogen Future for Heavy Transport

15:30 Building Smarter Supply Chains with Intermodal Rail

21:00 Transport Management Systems & Integration

25:00 AI Agents, Automation & Just-in-Time Logistics

26:30 Key Takeaways from MegaTrans

Humanoid robots are coming fast, but where can they deliver real ROI for Australian manufacturers today?

In this episode, David Pearce, Founder at Our Robot Future, and Adrian Tyson, Founder at Neuranext.ai, separate the hype from the reality of humanoid robotics and explain what manufacturers should be doing now to prepare for the next wave of automation. Shane and Paul cover:

Why more than 90% of humanoid robot sales in Australia are currently going into education rather than industry

Where humanoid robots are already being trialled in manufacturing, warehousing, laboratories and logistics environments

The biggest barriers to adoption, including training data, workforce capability and deployment complexity

How wheeled humanoids may reach manufacturing environments before fully legged systems

What workforce shortages, dirty and dangerous jobs, and productivity challenges mean for the future of robotics in Australia

Real-world examples from Figure, BMW, China Post, Hyundai, Boston Dynamics, AgiBot and Australian robotics companies

Whether you're a plant manager, operations leader, automation engineer, or technology buyer, this episode provides a practical view of where humanoid robotics stands today and what to watch over the next few years.

Follow Manufacturing Tech Australia on Spotify and leave a review if this episode helped you.

Show notes and links for this episode: https://www.manufacturingtech.au/episodes/