Event Recap: The Future of AI in Hardware & Robotics
Exploring AI's Impact on Hardware and Robotics: A Glimpse into the Future
The Hardware Collective presented a panel discussion event bringing together experts, including Catherine 'Kat' Scott from OpenRobotics, developers of ROS (Robot Operating System), and Dominick Lee, founder and CEO of GyroPalm. The discussion delved into the potential impact of AI on the robotics and hardware industries, the importance of open-source libraries, and the opportunities and challenges faced by the rapidly evolving field.
Dominick Lee praised the advancements in AI, stating, "We're living in great times because AI not only now can generate content that exceeds expectations of predicting the next words but also it is able to effectively communicate concepts dynamically." This adaptability allows robots to tackle a wider range of tasks and use cases, opening up new opportunities in the field.
The conversation also addressed the importance of specific-purpose robots, as Kat Scott emphasized the need to focus on solving specific, hard problems: "I would encourage people to look at specific hard [problems]. If you have one robot that apparently does everything it generally does nothing and no one's going to buy it. If you have a robot that does one thing well, like clean your floor, I'll buy that robot”
Another critical topic was the value of open-source development in robotics. "Open source is kind of the ability to say well I did my little bit let's just put it out in the world somebody else can pick it up and you know that's how Ross has been evolving for well over a decade now," said Kat Scott. Both panelists agreed that open source is essential for the industry's growth and encouraged developers to continue supporting and contributing to open-source projects.
With a multidisciplinary approach, robotics draws from various fields, and Kat Scott suggested that beginners should "learn a little bit of software, learn a little bit of ROS, learn a little bit of electrical engineering, and then kind of go that way… Start small, get the early win." This comprehensive understanding of different aspects of robotics is key to success in the field.
The discussion also explored the future of augmented reality and robotics. Dominick Lee shared his vision: "We're looking at a world where you're able to seamlessly interact with your environment and control various devices, whether it's robots or IoT devices, without having to rely on heavy laptops or [tablets]."
To gain a deeper understanding of these topics and more, don't miss out on watching the full panel discussion from the Hardware Collective and Circuit Launch. This event summary was written by ChatGPT.
The Hardware Collective is made up of the leading hardware communities in the Bay Area:
Hardware Massive
Studio 45
Circuit Launch
Port Labs
Oakland HW Startup Meetup
San Francisco HW Startup Meetup
East Bay HW Startup Meetup
As organizers, we all agree that when it comes to hardware, the more the merrier! So, we’ve decided to host 12 hardware events, rotating between venues at Port Labs, Circuit Launch and Studio 45, to bring the whole Bay Area HW community together to connect, learn, share, and build innovative companies together.
Circuit Launch - Robotics & Hardware Electronics Community. Over 32K Sq/Ft of Private offices, shared electronic and prototype labs for startups, growing companies, and inventors. Plus mechlabs.ai is their build-it to learn-it mechatronics education program .
Studio 45 is a co-working and event space located in Bernal Heights San Francisco that provides the workspace, tools, resources, and community to build a business making physical products.
Port Labs - is a home for emerging companies developing physical products. Hardware companies in climate tech, IoT, robotics right in downtown Oakland.
Silicon Valley in Your Pocket - Are you investor-ready? Check out our free hardware investor readiness self-assessment. You'll get a free report with your score and guide to investor expectations. https://bit.ly/3IdQsfT
Silicon Valley Robotics is the largest cluster of robotics and AI technology innovation and investment in the world. We are a non-profit organization started by groundbreaking robotics companies to support the emerging new robotics and AI industry, on the path to commercialization - startups growing in agricultural, medical, social, retail, logistical, transport and space robotics.