The adoption of robotics and, more broadly, automation has been growing at a rapid pace worldwide. Globally, the robotics market was valued at $40 billion in 2019 and is projected to grow by more than 25 percent by 2025. At the same time, research in robotics has been broadening its scope beyond the mechatronics of robotic devices to encompass artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision, autonomy, formal methods, and neuro- and bio-inspired algorithms. Application areas of robotics have expanded as well, from earlier adopters in manufacturing to warehouse management, self-driving cars, lab automation, agriculture, search and rescue, natural habitat exploration, and healthcare.
In this Research on Tap, faculty from across BU will discuss recent research in robotics and autonomy. Talks will cover new developments in robotic devices and locomotion, including “soft robotics,” namely devices constructed from highly flexible material. Additional topics will include algorithmic advances, leveraging control and decision theory, data science and AI, and how lessons from neuroscience are influencing these algorithms. Applications considered will include smart transportation, multi-agent systems, medical robotics, and robotics for rehabilitation and to aid the disabled. Attendees will also learn more about the new BU Robotics and Autonomous Systems Teaching and Innovation Center, currently under construction.
