Robotics Cluster Overview

The Council’s Robotics Cluster fosters economic development through education, knowledge-sharing, and relationship building among the region’s leading robotic companies, academic research laboratories, and related organizations. The cluster examines business and government applications of existing and future robotic technology through public and private meetings with industry leaders, researchers, and policy makers.

The Robotics Cluster Advisory Board meets on a regular basis and is open to member executives with direct experience/expertise in the Robotics field. The Organizing Committee convenes breakfast briefings where industry experts discuss the latest issues and are available for general Q&A from the audience. These sessions highlight the critical role of the Massachusetts Robotics Cluster in the research, development, and deployment of robotic technologies worldwide.

Recent Initiatives include:

  • Cluster reception featuring CEOs of BlueFin, Foster-Miller, and iRobot at Holland & Knight. Also highlighted WPI FIRST Robotic Team 190; Northeastern's "lobster" robot; Black-I Robotics and others.
  • Cluster "Poster Wall" featuring 30+ local robotic companies and universities
  • MA Robotics Cluster Brochure highlighting local robotics community
  • Cluster worked with RoboBusiness organizers to be sure local ground robot, underwater robot, sensor/subsystem, and healthcare robotic companies were represented in speaking roles; Cluster also secured public official to speak
  • Cluster Booth at RoboBusiness Show (member companies shared 20x20 space to reduce cost)
  • Cluster worked with Economic Development to get the robotics cluster visibility with Commonwealth leaders
  • Cluster worked with Mass Tech Collaborative to secure John Adams Innovation Grant for visioning and planning long-term cluster development activities
  • Cluster Ribbons identifying local companies and universities on badges at RoboBusiness
  • Cluster support in establishment of National Robotics Center and Consortium
  • Cluster company presentations and tours to facilitate intra-cluster collaborations
  • Cluster Advisory Board Meetings to facilitate relationships, knowledge sharing, and partnering
  • A breakfast briefing program on Robotics in HealthCare: Battlefield Extraction, Neurosurgery, Rehabilitation, Prosthetics, and Beyond
  • A networking event and viewing for Robotics Cluster members of the Star Wars Exhibit at the Museum of Science

Mission

The mission of the MA Robotics Cluster is to raise awareness of region’s robotics industry throughout the United States, attracting thought-leaders and resources, and to grow the robotics industry in Massachusetts by creating opportunities for new and existing companies.

What People Are Saying...

“There is no better place in the world to start a robotics enterprise than in Massachusetts.”

- Dr. Rodney Brooks, iRobot co-founder & CTO, and Director of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab

“Massachusetts has all of the elements necessary to maintain and broaden its role in mobile robotics and intelligent systems.”

- Dan Kara, President, Robotics Trends

“The combination of world-renowned academic and industrial strengths guarantees that the Massachusetts robotics industry will make huge contributions to healthcare."

- Ron Newbower, Co-founder, CIMIT (Center for the Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technologies)

“The highly educated labor force in Massachusetts provides a competitive advantage that has fueled our business for the past fifty years.”
- Dr. William Ribich, President, Foster-Miller

“One of my fondest robot memories is of a gorgeous 1971 hydraulic arm at Marvin Minsky's MIT AI Lab in Technology Square that reached back under computer control and ripped out its own shoulder. Since then Massachusetts robots have overcome their suicidal tendencies and developed caring personalities, military and industrial applications, online avatars, and are now even vacuuming rugs.”

- Bob Metcalfe, MIT engineer, Ethernet inventor, 3Com founder, Infoworld pundit, and now Polaris Venture Partners partner

Council Representative:

Ian McGuinness, Program Manager, 617-437-0600 x13