Massachusetts governor visits MassRobotics to rejoice Nationwide Robotics Week

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (blue jacket, heart), with Lt. Gov. Kimberly Driscoll, MassTech CEO Carolyn Kirk, Undersecretary of Financial Foundations Ashley Stolba, and MassRobotics’ crew in Boston. Supply: Workplace of the Governor

By The Robotic Report Employees | April 8, 2024

To kick off Nationwide Robotics Week, Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey in the present day continued her Mass Leads Street Present with visits to MassRobotics and the North Andover Excessive Faculty.  

“Massachusetts is proud to be residence to one of many lead robotics hubs on the earth, and it’s important that we proceed to elongate this lead by way of focused investments just like the Mass Leads Act,” mentioned Gov. Healey. “It was nice to see the modern work being achieved in robotics from highschool college students in North Andover to cutting-edge startups at MassRobotics.” 

The visits had been a part of the governor’s Mass Leads Act Street Present, throughout which she is touring to communities throughout the commonwealth to focus on the methods during which her lately proposed financial improvement invoice would develop the state’s financial system, help companies, and entice expertise. The invoice proposes $25 million for a brand new Robotics Funding Program that will advance the state’s management within the robotics sector by way of analysis, commercialization, and coaching.

MassRobotics helps native innovators

“We’re excited to be joined by the governor, lieutenant governor, and employees members to rejoice Nationwide Robotics Week,” said Tom Ryden, govt director of MassRobotics. “Robotics is a crucial business within the state, using over 5,000 individuals and delivery 1000’s of robots each month.”

“Massachusetts is actually the hub of robotics and acknowledged as a world chief,” he added. “With the continued help within the Mass Leads Act, this thrilling business will proceed to develop in measurement and influence all through the state.”

MassRobotics describes itself as “the most important impartial robotics hub devoted to accelerating innovation and adoption within the subject of robotics.” The Boston-based group lately kicked off Mass Robotics Accelerator, powered by Mass Tech Collaborative, to help 10 startups by way of an intensive 13-week program.

Throughout their go to, Gov. Healey and Lt. Gov.  Kim Driscoll toured a lab house and met a few of the startups housed on the facility. Additionally they noticed a classroom that’s used for STEM (science, expertise, engineering, and arithmetic) training. 

Lt. Gov. Driscoll and Gov. Healey with CEO Ian Goodine and CTO Ethan Walko, co-founders of Accelerator startup rStream. Supply: MassRobotics

See Accelerator startups at Robotics Summit & Expo

MassRobotics will host a pavilion with the startups in its accelerator program on the 2024 Robotics Summit & Expo, which shall be on Might 1 and a couple of on the Boston Conference and Exhibition Middle. The startups will exhibit on the present flooring and talk about their experiences in a session on Wednesday, Might 1, at 4:15 p.m. EDT.

MassRobotics, a strategic accomplice of WTWH Media, which produces The Robotic Report and the Robotics Summit, can even host an Engineering Profession Honest and announce its Type & Operate Problem winners. Registration is now open for the Robotics Summit & Expo.

Massachusetts invests in robotics management

Earlier this yr, the Massachusetts Know-how Collaborative (MassTech) launched a brand new $5 million initiative to spice up the robotics sector throughout the state. The brand new division, established inside the Innovation Institute at MassTech, is targeted on supporting robotics analysis and improvement, testing, and workforce improvement.

“The investments proposed within the Mass Leads Act will assist Massachusetts safe our management within the robotics sector,” mentioned Yvonne Hao, secretary of financial improvement for Massachusetts. “The proposed robotics capital program at MassTech and reauthorization of the R&D Fund will drive innovation by funding analysis, commercialization, and coaching throughout the state.”

“MassTech’s mission is to create alternatives for progress within the Massachusetts innovation financial system, and that positively consists of robotics,” mentioned Carolyn Kirk, CEO of MassTech. “Our Innovation Institute implements a novel mannequin for the state that spurs financial progress — along with business leaders, educational researchers, and policymakers. MassTech is proud to assist drive the competitiveness of tech and innovation by way of strategic investments and partnerships.”

The Innovation Institute has obtained state funding. Supply: MassTech Collaborative

Governor visits North Andover Excessive Faculty, new Amazon warehouse

In North Andover, Gov. Healey met with the highschool robotics membership and congratulated the crew forward of the Vex Robotics World Championships, which they may compete in later this month. She noticed its robotics initiatives and introduced a proclamation for Nationwide Robotics Week.

“There’s a motive why 1 in 4 robotics patents are earned by Massachusetts inventors – it’s as a result of we prioritize giving this business the instruments it must thrive,” mentioned Driscoll. “Our administration is happy to proceed supporting robotics entrepreneurs, in addition to increasing alternatives for college kids to take part in STEM training and see themselves in a future profession like robotics.”

Healey and Driscoll additionally visited a brand new Amazon warehouse in North Andover with 4 million sq. ft. of house. It value $400 million to construct and can make use of 1,500 individuals, in line with Amazon. The ability can even embody 1000’s of robots, reported The Boston Globe.

“It’s utilized robotics,” mentioned Tye Brady, chief technologist at Amazon. “They’re not doing backflips or dances on the market on the ground — I really like these, I get it — however they’re doing the job of transferring items on time and really reliably.”

Brady will ship a keynote on Amazon’s robotics technique on Might 1 on the Robotics Summit & Expo.

Massachusetts is dedicated to persevering with its management in synthetic intelligence and robotics and to retaining extra of the expertise that comes out its many academic establishments, the governor informed The Robotic Report.