April 10-18, 2010 will welcome the first annual National Robotics Week. According to a press release announcing the weeklong celebration, the effort is aimed at "recognizing robotics technology as a pillar of 21st century American innovation, highlighting its growing importance in a wide variety of application areas, and emphasizing its ability to inspire technology education."

 

During National Robotics Week, a number of scheduled events and activities will try 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.

 

National Robotics Week represents the culmination of an effort by leading universities and companies to create a "national roadmap" for robotics technology, which was initially unveiled at a May 2009 briefing by academic and industry leaders to the Congressional Caucus on Robotics.

 

The National Robotics Week Advisory Council was organized by iRobot Corp. and The Technology Collaborative, a Pittsburgh-based non-profit economic development organization. A large and diverse group of companies, universities and nonprofit organizations, including: Adept Technology, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI); AUVSI Foundation; Carnegie Mellon University; FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology); Infamous Robotics; and MIT, among others, are actively involved in this endeavor as well.

 

To learn more about National Robotics Week events and activities, visit: www.nationalroboticsweek.org.