In honor of National Robotics Week, the ROBO team took to the road to get involved in some local robotics action - just one of the the 250 nationwide events this week to celebrate robotics. We headed over to the University of Texas Arlington Research Institute, where a National Robotics Week Showcase was hosted on Wednesday. The showcase allowed community members and children alike the come check out the UTARI projects and robotics progress.

Baxter was predictably the star of the show as the bot showed off sensing skills by playing connect four against any willing competitors. The cobot was greeted by intrigued children who introduced themselves with an excited “Hi, Baxter!” and waved the robot on to take its turn. It’s always great to see kids engaging with robotics and exposure to tech potential. Just as Dean Kamen and the FIRST program teach, it’s crucial to introduced younger generations to the importance of robotics and to view science and technology as something equally as rewarding as sports - the UTARI Showcase did just that.

Also present for the showcase were a diversity of robotics projects. One student is developing a program to hack into UAV Wifi systems to gain control of the system, another is working with a company to repurpose military vehicles for emergency response. The semi-autonomous vehicle would be able to lead the way for firefighters by extinguishing fires and finding the safest path through dangerous environments. Complete with a Lidar system, sensors and controlled by an Xbox controller, this project is the definition of innovative repurposing.

UTARI is the recipient of one of seven national ‘Walmart US Manufacturing Innovation’ grants. The grant is used to fund manufacturing research that will ultimately help make “production in the U.S. more cost effective and efficient,” according to the Walmart website. One of the major goals of UTARI is to create fully functional automated manufacturing systems. Robotics and automation developments are making reshoring a very plausible and affordable option for American companies.

This research is just one of the seven different robotics projects that the UTARI team is currently researching. The team is also receiving funding from the National Science Foundation to develop a soft robotic skin that will help the machines to sense proximity to a human and for aesthetic appeal.

Overall, the University of Texas Arlington Research Institute's National Robotics Week Showcase was a great open platform presenting the abilities of young engineers studying autonomous and robotic systems. With four days remaining in National Robotics Week, there’s still time for you to get involved in one of the hundreds of nationwide activities. Get out there and see what’s happening in robotics near you!