Robotics roadmaps from around the world spotlight of the month: United States of America

Boston Dynamics — uS robotics researchers and industry are looking for a cohesive national robotics strategy that will maintain basic research and innovation while improving domestic production and adoption of robots. By Ellen H.

Rumley and Allison Okamura A leader in tech innovation Robots are a crowd-pleasing example of American innovation and global technological leadership. The latest press release of Boston Dynamics’ Atlas executing the ‘Ghost Rabona’ soccer kick highlights the increasingly natural movements of humanoids (1). At the other end of the spectrum, academic researchers are redefining the limits of miniaturization and building robots at the micrometer scale (2). Private and government funding propel foundational research forward, leading to breakthroughs in both hardware and software across U.S. labs and corporations (3, 4). Such progress reaffirms the U.S. as an intellectual and innovative powerhouse, a reputation that carries large geopolitical weight. But retaining a lead solely in the R&D phase yields diminishing returns if the U.S. fails to manufacture robotic hardware at scale within its own borders. Critics fear this dynamic prevents the U.S. from reaping the economic benefits of the very technology it pioneers (5, 6). Ramping up domestic production will require a heavily coordinated effort between government, industry, and academics – a pivot from traditional U.S. technology strategy. Free market and military capital Historically, the U.S. has maintained a laissez-faire approach to technological innovation, allowing corporate and private investors driven by the free market to shape the course of advancement.