Harnessing New Robotics Technologies for Job Creation

Raj Madhavan, Ph.D.

Vice President, IEEE- RAS Industrial Activities BoardInstitute for Systems Research & Maryland Robotics CenterUniversity of Maryland, College Park.

raj.madhavan@ieee.orghttp://ieee-ras.org/industry-government

Robots and Humanity

Robotics Revolution & Quality of Life

Q: "What emerging technology today do you think will cause another big stir for the average consumer in the same way that the home computer did years ago?

A: Robots, pervasive screens, speech interaction will all change the way we look at "computers". Once seeing, hearing, and reading (including handwriting) work very well you will interact in new ways. – Bill Gates (Feb. 2013)

Robots & Jobs

Increasingly part of the national conversation

– Q1: Would we rather put humans in harm’s way and commit them to the so-called dull, dirty, dangerous jobs?

– Q2: Would we rather lose a few jobs (temporarily) or shut entire industries down (permanently)?

– Q3: Would we rather relinquish our position as a technology leader and be left behind Europe and Asia?

http://www.ieee-ras.org

President: Prof. David Orin (OSU)

IEEERobotics & Automation

Society!

IEEE

The world’s largest technical professional association fostering technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity– More than 400,000 members– Includes 100,000 student members– More than 150 countries

Organized into 10 geographical regions– 330 sections– ~1900 student branches– ~2000 chapters

IEEE

Composed of 10 technical divisions– Technical areas ranging from aerospace

systems, computers, and control systems to electron devices, power & energy, and signal processing

– 38 societies and 7 technical councils– Robotics and Automation Society in Division X

Robotics and Automation Society (RAS)

RAS has more than 11000 members in 110 countries– Roughly half in the Americas– A quarter in Europe and the Middle East– A quarter in Asia and Oceania

Undergraduate students make up about 15% of the RAS membership

ICRA 2010Anchorage, Alaska

RAS Technical Field of Interest

The Society is interested in both applied and theoretical issues in robotics and automation.

Robotics: include intelligent machines and systems used, for example, in space exploration, human services, or manufacturing

Automation: use of automated methods in various applications, for example, factory, office, home, or transportation systems to improve performance and productivity.

KAIST Hubo

RST PenelopeCSABB FRIDA

iRobot PackBot

What Does RAS Do?

RAS fosters research and education, professional development and industrial and commercial applications of R&A through:– Conferences– Workshops and tutorials– Publications– Technical committees– Local and student chapters– Summer schools– Other activities

Industrial Activities

Industry Forum at ICRAStandards – help drive industry forward and develop new productsTechnology Watch and Industrial Activities columns– Robotics and Automation Magazine

http://www.ieee-ras.org/industry-government

IEEE/IFR Forum on Innovationand Entrepreneurship inRobotics and Automation– Co-sponsored by International

Federation of Robotics– Case studies in innovation and

entrepreneurship– IERA Award – $2000

KIVA Mobile Fulfillment System2008

iRobot Roomba Floorvac2005 (first award)

Speakers & Titles

Jeff Burnstein, President, Association for Advancing Automation “Robots Save and Create Jobs”

Mitchell Weiss, Chief Operating Officer, Seegrid “Robots: Creating Jobs by Unlocking Value”

David Bourne, Principal Systems Scientist, Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University “Robots and People Can Work Faster Together”