Industry influencers and nonprofit organizations have teamed up to set up the first annual National Robotics Week, to be held from April 10 to 18.
The purpose of National Robotics Week is to recognize robotics technology as a pillar of 21st century American innovation, educate the public about how the robotics technology impacts society both in present and future, highlight its growing importance in a wide variety of application areas and to inspire students of all ages to pursue careers in robotics and other Science, Technology, Engineering and Math-related fields.
Robotics technology has today emerged as big business, responsible for creating high-tech jobs in the United States. The technology is helping improve various sectors including healthcare, national defense, homeland security, energy, manufacturing, logistics, transportation, agriculture, education, consumer goods and many others. It is also offering students with easy ways to learn and grasp Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
Initially unveiled at a May 2009 briefing by academic and industry leaders to the Congressional Caucus on Robotics, the National Robotics Week is a product of a 2009 effort by top notch universities and companies to create a “national roadmap” for robotics technology. A formal resolution asking Congress to support the designation of the second full week in April as National Robotics Week has been submitted by Mike Doyle, co-chair of the caucus, and other members.
“During National Robotics Week, we are asking people to ‘experience the possibilities’ that come from using robotics technology in everyday life,” said Rep. Doyle. “From schools to the workplace to healthcare, robotics will play a huge role in making life easier for everyone and will be a significant area of job growth and development in the decades ahead.”
The National Robotics Week is being organized by National Robotics Week Advisory Council, organized by iRobot Corp. and The Technology Collaborative, a Pittsburgh-based non-profit economic development organization and various other companies, universities and organizations such as: Adept Technology; the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International; AUVSI Foundation; Botball; Carnegie Mellon University; Carnegie Science Center of Pittsburgh; For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology; Georgia Institute of Technology; Infamous Robotics; Innovation First International; Johns Hopkins University; MIT; Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council; Museum of Science, Boston; Robotic Industries Association; The Tech Museum in Silicon Valley; Stanford University; University of Massachusetts Lowell; University of Pennsylvania; and University of Southern California.
“We see robotics as a transformative technology that has the potential to change our society and become as ubiquitous over the next several decades as computing technology is today,” said Colin Angle, chairman and CEO of iRobot. “We are thrilled as an organization to have a key role in this national effort to demonstrate to the country how robotics has matured into an all-encompassing and enabling technology.”
During the National Robotics Week various events and activities are being organized in different cities of the country. This is being done in order to increase public awareness of the growing importance of “robo-technology” and the tremendous social and cultural impact that it will have on the future of the United States. Some of the cities include Boston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco and others.
In related industry news iRobot, a company involved in delivering robotic technology solutions, recently added Akami’s Paul Sagan in its team of Board of Directors. Deepika Mala is a contributing editor for HealthTechZone. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Michael Dinan
