Category Archives: Robotics

is the Nemirovsky Family Dean at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering and Applied Science

With Philly Tech Week behind us, it is timely to consider some of the latest innovations in technology that are happening here in Philadelphia. We are already known for technology innovation. The Huffington Post ranks us among the top five in tech cities, and the Progressive Policy Institute puts us in the top 10 "Emerging Start-Up Hubs" in the United States.

If you're wondering how Philadelphia has gained this reputation, let me let you in on a secret. Drones have landed on the Schuylkill Banks, and Philadelphia is emerging as the new robotics hub of the East Coast.

At the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Pennsylvania, we have been creating robots that are safer and smarter, robots that can fly, walk, run, and drive, for 30 years. We have created modular robots that can self-configure to walk, swim, or crawl and legged robots that can run, jump, and leap.

The first autonomous flying robot and robot swarms were also created here. And as the ideas behind these technologies have been matured across the globe, from Silicon Valley in California to Shenzhen in China, they are coming home to roost here in Philadelphia.

PricewaterhouseCooper estimates the global market for drones will boom to $127 billion by 2020, and with several flying robot companies popping up over the last few years, our city is uniquely positioned to take a leading role in this field.

One major attractor is Pennovation Works, Penn's new intellectual hub, located in Grays Ferry, which brings together academic and industry partners to collaborate on research, development, and commercialization. The Pennovation Center, a brand-new facility at the heart of the Works, opened last fall, and PERCH, the Penn Engineering Research and Collaboration Hub, sits on its third floor.

At PERCH we have created a unique facility where our students and faculty can brainstorm, design, and create innovative concepts in collaboration with industry partners and spin off start-ups. And it is already changing the innovation landscape in Philadelphia.

Major international players in the drone scene have set up shop there. Qualcomm has established Qualcomm Research Philadelphia after acquiring a flying-robot spin-off from my lab, KMel Robotics. DJI, the top drone manufacturer in the world, has an office in the Pennovation Center.

New drone companies are taking off there as well. Jetoptera is working on a new kind of jet-style engine that future drones might use instead of propellers. Exyn Technologies is working on the AI required for drones to navigate complex environments and work in teams.

These innovations are part of our robotics ecosystem. Penn Engineering spin-offs COSY, which uses computer vision for semantic mapping and helping stores manage their inventory, and Ghost Robotics, which makes fast, lightweight legged robots for uneven terrain, are also calling the Pennovation Center home. IQnetics, which makes more efficient, quiet, and precise motor drivers, and BioBots, which makes a 3D printing system for living cells, are some of our most recent additions.

This is the beginning of a feedback loop that enables exponential growth in a technology-based ecosystem. Indeed, the Milken Institute recently ranked Penn sixth in the nation in terms of technology transfer.

No one can predict the future, but it is difficult to imagine a future where drones and other kinds of robots will not be an important component of our lives. They will help first responders assess risks, survey damage, and look for victims after natural disasters. They will swarm out over fruit orchards, counting oranges and assessing the health of trees. They might even, one day, deliver your newspaper. As someone who has lived in this area for nearly 30 years, and as the dean of Penn Engineering, I am simply delighted that Philadelphia is playing a role in inventing the future.

We're just getting started, and have plenty of room to grow. As we solve the technological and social challenges necessary for drones to become an everyday facet of our lives, I want Philadelphia to be there on the ground floor. Drones can be a part of our civic identity as much as Rocky or cheesesteaks, while serving as the basis of 21st-century jobs and companies.

vijay.kumar@upenn.edu

Published: May 14, 2017 3:01 AM EDT The Philadelphia Inquirer

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Philly is robotics hub of the East Coast - Philly.com

Whirring to life, elaborate robots constructed by students from three Alberta First Nations showed their stuff Friday at Edmonton school Amiskwaciy Academy.

Students from the Alexander, Alexis and Kainai First Nations demonstrated their skills, driving their robots around obstacles, picking up objects and firing wiffle balls across the room.

"I really like the process of building the robot, starting to build it from scratch, and watching it, piece by piece watching things come together and watching it do what you program it to do," said Foursuns Letendre, a Grade 12 student from Alexis First Nation west of Edmonton.

Quincy Davis and teammate Keyshaun Mountainhorse stand in front of their robot. (John Robertson/CBC)

Most of the machines had already been used in competitions.

The robotics class for Indigenous students was helped by a $40,000 US grant from U.S.-based FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) to the Alberta Distance Learning Centre, which provides learning opportunities for students across the province.

The money covered event registration fees, travel costs and supplies to build robots for competitions.

"We have a six-week build period," said Keyshaun Mountainhorse, a Grade 11 student from Kainai First Nation, 200 kilometres south of Calgary.

"After that we have to bag it up and can't touch it until game day starts. So once you open it you are, like, really excited because you finally get to play with the robot and do the objectives that you have to do.

The teams demonstrated how their robots performed specific tasks. (John Robertson/CBC)

"For me, I'm not as competitive, so if we win or lose it doesn't really matter. At least I got to be in the game and do as good as I can and this actually gives me some skill sets for when I go out of high school."

This is the fourth year of the robotics program at Kainai High School.

Teacher Matthew Prete has noticed a change in his students over that time.

"A lot of our kids are quite shy and reserved," Prete said. "Our kids are quite isolated and so to bring the technology, which is where the world is today, opens their eyes."

Phoebe Arcilla is working with Alberta Distance Learning Centre to encourage students to learn about robotics. (John Robertson/CBC)

His students become more outgoing and confident as they learn about robotics, he said.

"A lot of the jobs that they are going to have probably don't even exist yet, but that is where the world is moving and so we are trying to position them to be in place to move with things."

The team from Kainai First Nation has competed in Calgary, but funding from FIRST allowed the students to travel even further, to Boise, Idaho.

Phoebe Arcilla, a teacher with ADLC, said it's important that students learn computer programming.

Students control the robots through different hand-held controllers. (John Robertson/CBC)

"We use technology every day, whether it's a website or a phone, so kids should know how to program those," Arcilla said. "These are jobs that are taking over."

The robotics program has special meaning for Arcilla, whose first teaching job was on the Alexis First Nation.

Arcilla wants to make her students gain an edge and go as far as they can dream "to the stars, I hope.

"I hope that several of them go and move on into engineering and maybe be astronauts, because that would be the most amazing thing, an Indigenous astronaut."

See the rest here:

Robotics helping to build futures for Alberta Indigenous students - CBC.ca

SIStematics may not have won the title of world champion, but when they returned home to Shelton they began strategizing on how to become a better team for next years competition.

Unfortunately, neither the GaelHawks nor the SIStematics robotics teams from Shelton were crowned World Champions at the recent competition in St. Louis, Mo., but when they returned home they immediately began strategizing on how to become better teams from what they learned in their experience.

The Shelton High School students who make up the GaelHawks and the Shelton seventh graders who make up the SIStematics wasted no time in preparing for whats next, following their time competing against teams from all over the world late last month.

Jacob Zamani, a junior at SHS and a member of the GaelHawks, said his teams experience at the First Robotics Competition international championship helped it grow.

Just being able to go was an amazing experience for us, and sure, we didnt go as high as we wanted to, but out of the 75 teams that competed there, we finished 11th place and we made it to the elimination round, which is a huge accomplishment for any team, so its still a lot to be proud of, said Jacob. We had teams from France and Canada in our division, so it was really cool to be facing teams from all over the world and at the same time be facing the best of the best.

Jacob said the team was eliminated by a team from Canada that was in its division and went on to lose in the final round of competition against a strong California team.

The SIStematic team didnt place in the international competition, but members said they were proud of their performance.

SIStematics team member Diya Patel said that, overall, the competition was a great opportunity theyve all learned from.

The kids that are interested in robotics should know that our team is all about learning, said Diya. Even earlier competitions were all a part of our teams learning experience. Winning is nice, but we learned a lot this season.

Jacob said it was an awesome experience competing at the international level with another team from Shelton, but both teams are already focused on their next task.

We have the same goal as this year for next year, but plan to learn from the experiences we gained this year to be that much better and hopefully finish even higher, said Jacob.

Last years SHS robotics team lost a lot of seniors, according to Jacob, who said this years young team will benefit from being able to work together longer.

The fact that we were even able to make it to the World Championships was incredible, but we did make a lot of mistakes and plan to learn from them and put them toward our robot for next year, he said.

GaelHawks team member Jake Daxner said his team has an advantage going into next years competition, as members were exposed to what the best teams are capable of.

Playing in front of thousands of people was a first for both robotics teams. Both teams said the large crowd made them feel like professionals.

It was intense at times, but a lot of fun overall, said Jacob.

SIStematics met up with the GaelHawks during their trip to the City Museum in St. Louis.

Moving forward

The young SIStematics said theyre currently analyzing their performance in St. Louis and thinking of strategies they can implement to become a better team.

Im most proud of our project, how well it turned out and the fact that we were able to get a provisional patent, but I think that moving toward next year, were all thinking about ways to do more community outreach, said Connor Dapp.

Shelton robotics adviser John Niski said the GaelHawks are preparing for the Connecticut Championships in Guilford this coming weekend as well as thinking of ways to get involved in the community.

Well be at SoupStock, well be at Shelton Day, said Niski. Were going to continue to spread our message out there and get people excited about science and robotics within the community.

Both teams said their experience in the World Championships has inspired them to continue to challenge themselves and improve by learning from their mistakes.

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Robotics teams plan for 2018 season following trip to World ... - Shelton Herald

Could building successful robotics teams in schools across Indiana be what students need to compete in todays high-tech world?

Some government leaders and educators think so.

A recent story in the Indianapolis Star reported that the use of robotics in education is growing dramatically. Last year, there were 73 robotics teams across the state; today there are 511, making Indiana the state with the most robotics teams in the country, according to The Star.

Many of those are located in St. Joseph and Elkhart counties.

Several teams from northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan recently traveled to compete in the FIRST Robotics world championship in St. Louis.

Educators and business leaders believe building interest in robotics statewide will help students as young as 8 learn the critical STEM skills (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) needed to compete for technology jobs of the future.

Indiana has shown a commitment to robotics in education for several years now, and it took a significant step when it partnered with TechPoint Foundation for Youth. The resulting education program was a robotics model first started in Indianapolis and expanded statewide to allow elementary schools across the state to receive free robotics kits for after-school programs.

According to The IndyStar, TechPoint raised $500,000 in donations to make sure Hoosier students had equal access to robotics programs.

Indiana, though partnerships with organizations such as TechPoint and additional funding through the General Assembly, is proving its commitment by making sure students who want to take part in robotics can achieve the skills necessary to lead them to high-tech, high-paying jobs.

Not every student will choose to go down that path, but for those who do Indiana is taking the first step in making sure those students have every chance to succeed.

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Our Opinion: Can robotics lead to high-tech success? - South Bend Tribune

Posted on May 10, 2017 | 10:01 a.m.

Garden Street Academy Middle School students Julian Dene and Drin Ymeri at Los Angeles Regional Robotics Tournament. (Garden Street Academy)

For members of the Garden Street Academy Robotics team, the adage that practice makes perfect proved a winning mantra that paid off with the overall top honors at the recent 19th annual Greater Los Angeles Regional Botball Tournament in Burbank.

Garden Street Academys Middle School robotics team took home fifth place against 22 other middle- and high-school teams.

As described by the international program, Botball is an Educational Robotics Program engaging middle and high school-aged students in a team-oriented robotics competition, and serves as a perfect way to meet todays new common core standards.

Garden Street's Middle School team is made up of seven students: Sofia Rakowski, Drin Ymeri, Erin Considine, Julian Dene, Kai Urbany, Alexander Burns and Owen Hartley.

The High School team has three students: Adara Balabanow and Liam Klingensmith, both sophomores, and Natalya Foreman, a senior who will be attending the UC Berkeley in the fall.

The team is small in relation to other robotics and engineering groups in the greater Los Angeles region, however with close camaraderie, each members talents are utilized.

Relying strictly on their technical wizardry, Garden Street Academy managed to exceed its own expectations by winning the tournaments overall first-place trophy.

The team refined its game plan with a final practice session in the Garden Street Academys robotics room, the day before the tournament.

Adara, a sophomore and third-year robotics team member, said: "Engineering is a possible future career of mine and I like Botball because it lets me see the software and hardware side of mechanical designs.

"I've done Botball for the last three years; in our first year we averaged nine points in the competition, and in this last event we got a high score of 78.

"While I mostly do it as a learning experience, it was great to walk away with first place. Even though the team is small, we work well together and were able to get a lot of things done due to the extensive commitment of all members," Adara said.

The High School Robotics team won the Judges Choice Award for mechanism and strategy, and took second place in the seeding and double elimination portions of the competition.

These awards, combined with their excellent documentation score, resulted in the local team winning the tournament and bringing home the first-place trophy.

For more information on the Garden Street Academy, visit http://www.gardenstreetacademy.org.

Angela Jevons for Garden Street Academy.

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Garden Academy Robotics Programmed to Win - Noozhawk

The Port Townsend Roboctopi team Sam Jasper, Spencer Drewry, Pallas Burhen, Max Morningstar, Chance Kane, JR Kienle, Ella Ashford, Emily Skeel and Aaron Robert, from left competed with roughly 400 teams from around the world at the FIRST Robotics competition in Houston. (Port Townsend Roboctopi)

PORT TOWNSEND Two high school robotics teams from the North Olympic Peninsula held their own at the FIRST Robotics Competition in Houston, which gathered roughly 400 teams from 33 countries around the world.

Teams from Port Townsend and Sequim traveled to Houston in April.

For the preliminary rounds, the 400 teams were split onto six different competition fields, with roughly 66 teams per field.

Port Townsends Roboctopi ranked 39 out of the 67 teams it competed against in the preliminary matches but didnt place high enough to move on. The Sequim Robotics Federation ranked 42 out of the 66 teams in the field.

They proved they could compete at that level, said Stu Marcy, a Sequim High School teacher and one of the robotics teams mentors.

Sequim had a lot to prove since the team was selected to go to nationals based on the points and awards it had acquired throughout the season. However, in competition, the team didnt make it past the district event in Auburn.

Its kind of a strange way to qualify, Marcy said.

The Port Townsend team did qualify for the national event through its competition wins, but Dallas Jasper, one of the Port Townsend parents who traveled with the team to Houston, said the team members were just happy to be there.

It was just super inspiring for the kids, Jasper said.

In our field, we had teams that won the last two years, so it was cool that the kids got to compete against these kids that they considered the best in the world.

At the end of the competition, almost 30,000 people gathered in Houstons Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros baseball team, to watch the final teams compete.

Both the Port Townsend and Sequim teams gathered to cheer on Viking Robotics from Ballard, which made it to the finals as part of the winning teams alliance.

Jasper said the Pacific Northwest teams quickly rallied around each other.

By the end of the competition, all the Pacific Northwest teams were all going around to the different fields to support each other, Jasper said. We all sat together at the final game.

Both teams did a lot of fundraising to get to Houston. The Sequim team held fundraisers through the season and received plenty of donations from the community, according to Marcy.

The Port Townsend team is still raising money to pay back parents and students who chipped in so they could go as a team.

Donations can be made online at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-ptrobotics.

However, both teams are looking forward to next years competition.

What the kids really want people to know is theyre looking for more kids for next year, Jasper said.

Five of the nine students on the Port Townsend team graduate this year, and Marcy said the Sequim team is always looking for new recruits.

________

Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.

Sequim robotics team members pilot Xavier Stafford, coach Riley Scott, Max Koonz and driver and team captain Riley Chase, from left, after their districts matches in Auburn. (Sequim High School)

Almost 30,000 people gathered in the Houston Astros baseball stadium to watch the final teams compete at the FIRST Robotics competition. (Dallas Jasper)

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Peninsula robotics teams compete in international contest - Peninsula Daily News

TechCrunch

The new robotic ecosystem to take the stage at TechCrunch Sessions: Robotics TechCrunch At TechCrunch Sessions: Robotics, on July 17 at MIT's Kresge auditorium, the programming lineup is set to showcase the fast developing new ecosystem around robotics. For a long time robotics was more the domain of academic research, defense spending, ...

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The new robotic ecosystem to take the stage at TechCrunch Sessions: Robotics - TechCrunch

Michael A. Heffron brings nearly 40 years of defense business experience including having served as President and Chief Executive Officer of DeLorme Publishing Company, Inc. from January 2011 until its sale to Garmin in March 2016. Mr. Heffron was also a member of the DeLorme Board of Directors. Mr. Heffron had a distinguished career at BAE Systems plc. with multiple leadership positions as the President of Electronics Intelligence & Support Operating Group (EI&S), Member of the BAE's Executive Committee (2007-2011), President of Platform Solutions Unit responsible for the design, development and production of systems for the commercial & military aviation markets (2006-2007), and as Head of BAE's newly formed Information Warfare business 2001-2006).

Endeavor Robotics also proudly announces that LTC Charlie Dean, USA, RET has joined as VP of Sales Worldwide. Prior to joining Endeavor Robotics, Charlie held positions at QinetiQ North America as Director of Business Development, Co-Director of Engineering, and Senior Program Manager for Unmanned Systems, and as a career US Army officer. Charlie served 22 years in the US Army where he served as an Infantry officer and held a variety of leadership positions including Director of Operations and Customer Interface at the US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering Center. Charlie also held positions at Draper Labs as Senior Business Development Manager and at TIAX as EVP and VP of Commercialization and Deployment. Charlie holds a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, respectively.

"Not only have our robots been used to investigate and destroy many tens of thousands of IEDs, the robots' light weight, multi-functional, interoperable capabilities ensure that they can meet the demanding requirements of many varied user communities including dismounted warfighters, counter-IED organizations, HazMat and CBRNeteams, incident response teams in power plants or factories around the globe. We at Endeavor Robotics continue a long legacy of supporting our customers 24/7 with world-class robots while leading the advanced development of next-generation systems," said Charlie Dean, VP of Global Sales.

"Endeavor Robotics leads the development and fielding of the most capable, robust, unmanned ground robots in the world.The additions of Mike and Charlie to our team positions us well to serve and maintain our 6,000 installed robots and to continue the rapid development of next generation systems needed for today's evolving threats," said Sean Bielat, CEO, Endeavor Robotics.

About Endeavor Robotics

Endeavor's robots serve on the front lines around the world. Endeavor Robotics brings an established leadership team with decades of experience integrating ground robotic systems, and the best roboticists who collaborate with end-users to develop robots for worldwide markets which operate in areas of conflict and in response to natural disasters. Everyday our robots protect our service men and women from IEDs, hazardous materials and other deadly threats. Endeavor Robotics specializes in delivering and supporting battle-hardened and adaptable robotics. We are committed to design, develop and manufacture tactical robotics in the United States, and to work with industry leaders and government partners to deliver innovative, reliable, and the easiest to operate robot solutions. Our family of robots includes the 5 lb FirstLook, the less than 20 lb SUGV, the man-portable PackBot, and the heavy-duty Kobra. To date, we have delivered more than 6,000 robots to more than 40 countries worldwide. Please visitwww.endeavorrobotics.comto learn more.

Upcoming Tradeshows include:

Press Contact Jonathan Lesser Endeavor Robotics (978) 769 9372 Jlesser@endeavorrobotics.com

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/endeavor-robotics-announces-key-additions-to-board-of-directors-and-worldwide-sales-team-300453159.html

SOURCE Endeavor Robotics

http://www.endeavorrobotics.com

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Endeavor Robotics announces key additions to Board of Directors and Worldwide Sales Team - PR Newswire (press release)

wbur

Will your next home be built by robots? Well look at the growing robot boom and American jobs.

The robots just keep coming. Each generation more deft and capable than the last. The latest headline: Will your next home be built by robots? Maybe so. Robotics are moving into all kinds of fields. Factories, yes. But well beyond now, to work sites, offices, homes. Robots are sensing and seeing the world ever great clarity. And being deployed into ever more roles. Will they put on your next deck? Fill your next cavity? Up next On Point: Robots. The jobs theyre doing. The jobs theyll do next. Tom Ashbrook

Charlie Wood, reporter for the Christian Science Monitor. (@walkingthedot)

Howie Choset, professor of robotics at Carnegie Mellon University.

Ken Goldberg, professor of industrial engineering and operations research in robotics, automation and new media at the University of California, Berkeley.(@ken_goldberg)

Claire Cain Miller, correspondent for the New York Times, covering gender, families and the future of work for the Upshot. (@clairecm)

Christian Science Monitor:Will your next home be built by robots? "This Jetsons-like vision of an automated future has come largely true for car manufacturing. Now engineers hope buildings will be next. From Apis Cors 3-D printed house to the MIT Media Labs new multipurpose robotic arm, startups and research teams alike aim to spark a digital revolution in an analog industry that has thus far proved resistant to disruption."

TechCrunch:Abundant Robotics rakes in $10 million for apple harvesting robots "While pessimists see robots as 'bad for jobs' in agriculture, robots could be a critical means of increasing food production while keeping costs, and the environmental impacts of farming, as low as possible."

New York Times:How to Prepare for an Automated Future-- "Consider it part of your job description to keep learning, many respondents said learn new skills on the job, take classes, teach yourself new things. Focus on learning how to do tasks that still need humans, said Judith Donath of Harvards Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society: teaching and caregiving; building and repairing; and researching and evaluating."

This program aired on May 8, 2017.

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Robots And Our Automated Future | On Point - WBUR - WBUR

NAO robot. Photo courtesy: Paul Bremner/UWE

Iwas asked to write a short op-ed on the European Parliament Law Committees recommendations on civil law rules for robotics. In the end, the piece didnt get published, so I am posting it here:

It is a great shame that most reports of the European Parliaments Committee for Legal Affairs vote on its Draft Report on Civil Law Rules on Robotics headlined on personhood for robots because the report has much else to commend it. Most important among its several recommendations is a proposed code of ethical conduct for roboticists, which explicitly asks designers to research and innovate responsibly. Some may wonder why such an invitation even needs to be made but, given that engineering and computer science education rarely includes classes on ethics (it should), it is really important that robotics engineers reflect on their ethical responsibilities to society especially given how disruptive robot technologies are. This is not new great frameworks for responsible research and innovation already exist. One such is the 2014 Rome Declaration on RRI, and in 2015 the Foundation for Responsible Roboticswas launched.

Within the reports draft Code of Conduct is a call for robotics funding proposals to include a risk assessment. This too is a very good idea and guidance already exists in British Standard BS 8611, published in April 2016. BS 8611 sets out a comprehensive set of ethical risks and offers guidance on how to mitigate them. It is very good also to see that the Code stresses that humans, not robots, are the responsible agents; this is something we regarded as fundamental when we drafted the Principles of Robotics in 2010.

For me, transparency (or the lack of it) is an increasing worry in both robots and AI systems. Labours industry spokesperson Chi Onwurah is right to say, Algorithms are part of our world, so they are subject to regulation, but because they are not transparent, its difficult to regulate them effectively (and dont forget that it is algorithms that make intelligent robots intelligent). So it is very good to see the draft Code call for robotics engineers to guarantee transparency and right of access to information by all stakeholders, and then in the draft Licence for Designers: you should ensure maximal transparency and even more welcome you should develop tracing tools that facilitate accounting and explanation of robotic behaviour for experts, operators and users. Within the IEEE Standards Association Global Initiative on Ethics in AI and Autonomous Systems, launched in 2016, we are working on a new standard on Transparency in Autonomous Systems.

This brings me to standards and regulation. I am absolutely convinced that regulation, together with transparency and public engagement, builds public trust. Why is it that we trust our tech? Not just because its cool and convenient, but also because its safe (and we assume that the disgracefully maligned experts will take care of assuring that safety). One of the reasons we trust airliners is that we know they are part of a highly regulated industry with an amazing safety record. The reason commercial aircraft are so safe is not just good design, it is also the tough safety certification processes and, when things do go wrong, robust processes of air accident investigation. So the Reports call for a European Agency for Robotics and AI to recommend standards and regulatory framework is, as far as Im concerned, not a moment too soon. We urgently need standards for safety certification of a wide range of robots, from drones and driverless carsto robots for care and assisted living.

Like many of my robotics colleagues, I am deeply worried by the potential for robotics and AI to increase levels of economic inequality in the world. Winnie Byanyima, executive director of Oxfam writes for the WEF, We need fundamental change to our economic model. Governments must stop hiding behind ideas of market forces and technological change. They need to steer the direction of technological development. I think she is right we need a serious public conversation about technological unemployment and how we ensure that the wealth created by AI and Automonous Systems is shared by all. A Universal Basic Income may or may not be the best way to do this but itis very encouraging to see this question raised in the draft Report.

I cannot close the piece without at least mentioning artificial personhood. My own view is that personhood is the solution to a problem that doesnt exist. I can understand why, in the context of liability, the Report raises this question for discussion, but as the report itself later asserts in the Code of Conduct: humans, not robots, are the responsible agents. Robots areand should remain, artefacts.

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Thoughts on the EU's draft report on robotics - Robohub