Enrico Guizzo, of IEEE Spectrum reports in Obama Commanding Robot Revolution, Announces Major Robotics Initiative that President Obama announced that one of his jobs as Commander In Chief is 'to keep an eye out for dangerous robots,' and after inspection, our President has declared that the robots at Carnegie Mellon University's National Robotics Engineering Center "to be "peaceful."
During his visit, POTUS kept an eye on robots around him, just to make sure they're all friendlies. President Barack Obama loves robots. He's invited bots to the White House and has even befriended a Japanese android. But now Obama has gone one step further: He's decided to lead what may be a profound robotics revolution.
In a visit today to Carnegie Mellon University's National Robotics Engineering Center, Obama launched the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, a national effort to bring together industry, universities, and government to invest in emerging technologies that can improve manufacturing and create new businesses and jobs.
Robots are a big part of this effort. The administration's new National Robotics Initiative seeks to advance "next generation robotics." The focus is on robots that can work closely with humans helping factory workers, healthcare providers, soldiers, surgeons, and astronauts to carry out tasks.
"You might not know this, but one of my responsibilities as commander-in-chief is to keep an eye on robots," Obama quipped at the beginning of his speech. "And I'm pleased to report that the robots you manufacture here seem peaceful. At least for now."
A worried nation breaths a sigh of relief. We are still safe from the robots, so far. And, for those of you that have complained that too many of my science reports come from MIT, please note this one is from Carnigie Mellon, another of America's greatest Universities.
One example is a robot that can observe a human worker performing a tasksay, assembling parts of a car and replicate that task, with the human supervising and assisting the robot if necessary.
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, which was involved in spearheading the new initiative, listed several reasons to make robotics a priority: Robotics can address a broad range of national needs such as advanced manufacturing, logistics, services, transportation, homeland security, defense, medicine, healthcare, space exploration, environmental monitoring, and agriculture; Robotics technology is reaching a tipping point and is poised for explosive growth because of improvements in core technologies such as microprocessors, sensors, and algorithms;
But of course, the real reason behind the initiative: Obama loves robots.
The White House Press Office offers this video of the President's speech.
And, while I love basic science reports, I must caution readers against getting carried away with any irrational exuberance. Everyone should report to work tomorrow, as if it were just another ordinary day. And, with an appropriately somber mood.
Even still, just between us here at Daily Kos, isn't science cool?
And, I for one, will sleep better tonight will sleep better tonight knowing that President Obama is on the front lines keeping an eye on these robots, and guarding our futures.