Boris Sofman

Boris Sofman is a pioneering entrepreneur in robotics and AI, having co-founded two significant robotics companies: Anki, which brought consumer robotics to a mass market with millions of devices sold, and Bedrock Robotics, which is now applying advanced autonomy to the challenging domain of construction machinery. His work consistently focuses on transforming complex AI and robotics research into real-world applications with significant societal impact. bedrockrobotics+4

His expertise in autonomous systems is deeply rooted in his extensive experience at Waymo, where he served as Sr. Director of Engineering and Head of Trucking. During his tenure, he was instrumental in scaling Waymo's ML-driven autonomy, which resulted in over 100 million driverless miles and achieved significantly higher safety rates than human drivers. This background is now directly influencing his approach at Bedrock Robotics, where he is adapting Waymo's lessons in AI and machine learning to the unique demands of construction sites. twosigmaventures+2

Academically, Sofman holds a Ph.D. in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University's prestigious Robotics Institute, where his doctoral research focused on online learning techniques for improving robot navigation in unfamiliar domains. This foundational academic work underpins his practical contributions to robotics, enabling him to tackle complex challenges in autonomous systems for diverse applications, from consumer robots to off-road vehicles and construction machinery. cmu+4

Sofman is a key inventor on multiple patents, particularly from his time at Anki, Inc. and Neato Robotics. These patents cover areas such as distributed systems for autonomously controlled mobile agents and methods for simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), demonstrating his direct involvement in the technical innovation and protection of intellectual property in the robotics field. justia+3