Rodney Brooks, who brought us the Roomba automated home vacuum cleaner, believes that the industrial robots of tomorrow will be easy to use, easier to train and more intelligent.
Brooks, Chief Technical Officer of Rethink Robotics, says robots used now are often dangerous to be around and complicated to integrate. He says robots utilized in manufacturing can be key to U.S. competitiveness in the future.
Check out IW's complete "Take 5" series, a regular section featuring interviews with top executives.
Travis Hessman is the editor-in-chief and senior content director for IndustryWeek and New Equipment Digest. He began his career as an intern at IndustryWeek in 2001 and later served as IW's technology and innovation editor. Today, he combines his experience as an educator, a writer, and a journalist to help address some of the most significant challenges in the manufacturing industry, with a particular focus on leadership, training, and the technologies of smart manufacturing.