There is no consensus on the definition of a robot. Researchers do agree that, at the very least, robots are human-made physical entities with ways of sensing themselves or the world around them and the ability to create physical effects on that world. Importantly, robots must integrate many different component technologies to combine perception of their environment with action. Component technologies include actuators (e.g., motors, arms, gears), sensors, control systems, materials, power sources, and real-time programming. As a result, it takes a large interdisciplinary effort to move from a working prototype to a mass-produced robot in the market. The key engineering challenges in robotics are the design of individual components and the integration of components to perform tasks.
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#### KEY TAKEAWAYS

•   Although robots today are mostly used for the Three Ds (dull, dirty, or dangerous tasks), in the future they could be used for almost any task involving physical presence, because of recent advances in AI, decreasing costs of mobile component technologies (e.g., cameras in smartphones), and designs enabled by new materials and structures.

•   Robotics has and will transform many industries through elimination, modification, or creation of jobs and functions.

•   Understanding and communicating how robots will affect people’s lives directly in their physical spaces (e.g., security robots in malls) as well as more existentially (e.g., transitioning jobs like truck driving from human-driven to autonomous vehicles) will shape how the United States accepts and benefits from robotic technologies.

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#### Overview

There is no consensus on the definition of a robot. Researchers do agree that, at the very least, robots are human-made physical entities with ways of sensing themselves or the world around them and the ability to create physical effects on that world. Importantly, robots must integrate many different component technologies to combine perception of their environment with action. Component technologies include actuators (e.g., motors, arms, gears), sensors, control systems, materials, power sources, and real-time programming. As a result, it takes a large interdisciplinary effort to move from a working prototype to a mass-produced robot in the market. The key engineering challenges in robotics are the design of individual components and the integration of components to perform tasks.

Robots today are used primarily for tasks that fall within the Three Ds: dull, dirty, or dangerous. This includes manufacturing lines, warehouse logistics, food production, remote terrain exploration, disaster assistance, military services, security, and transportation. Autonomous robots excel at working in structured environments where conditions are predictable, whereas humans have the advantage in chaotic, real-world environments.

##### RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

A growing direction in robotics is having robots and humans work together to capitalize on the advantages of each. Advances in “soft” robots, or those made of flexible and compliant materials instead of rigid links, could help robots become more capable in unstructured spaces, while advances in AI could help robots deal with environments they have never been programmed to encounter. Researchers today are working on several areas, including:

- Human-robot interaction focused on understanding, designing, and evaluating robots for use by or with humans.
- Roboethics to answer questions of human control, liability, privacy, and safety.
- Soft robots that can improve safety for humans and move in complex, uncertain, or difficult-to-access environments by deforming themselves.
- Wearable robots for assisting people with physical impairments or augmenting human muscle power.
- Robotic manipulation in scenarios with imperfect information on the environment.
- Haptic technology that can mimic human sensations of touch and feel.
- Robotic perception to be able to map an unstructured environment using computer vision and haptic technology.

#### Over the Horizon

Supply chain issues are one of the most important near-term infrastructure challenges in robotics. The robotics field involves the integration of multiple foundational technologies, which means progress is heavily reliant on global supply chains for parts such as chips and materials. To illustrate, DJI is a Chinese company that controls a large share of the drone market. One important reason for this dominance is that the entire supply chain for DJI drones is self-contained within one region of China. Start-up companies in the United States working in this space are generally forced to turn to Chinese suppliers as the US supply chain for drones is fragmented, making it cumbersome, expensive, and slow to deliver.

When realized in the marketplace, robotics applications are likely to eliminate some job types, create new job types, and modify the responsibilities and duties of jobs that remain. There are also major questions about accountability, regulation, and liability that public policy must resolve for effective adoption of robotics, especially in domains where they interact with humans. Robots—especially mobile ones—often raise privacy and security concerns. Drones with real-time cameras are one example.

The United States has a lot to lose if it falls behind in this transformative technology. Advances in robotics can power regrowth in the manufacturing sector, increase food production, advance science and exploration, and assist in the health-care sector. At a time when the country is facing shortages in key labor supplies, robots offer a pathway to automating monotonous tasks and freeing up valuable time for humans.

#### REPORT PREVIEW: Robotics

#### Faculty Council Advisor

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Allison Okamura

Author

##### Allison Okamura

Allison Okamura is the Richard M. Weiland Professor of mechanical engineering in the School of Engineering and professor, by courtesy, of computer science at Stanford University. She is a deputy director of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, affiliated faculty at Stanford Bio-X and Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute, and a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Her research interests include haptics, teleoperation, mixed reality, and medical and soft robotics. She received her PhD in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.

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Allison Okamura

Allison Okamura is the Richard M. Weiland Professor of mechanical engineering in the School of Engineering and professor, by courtesy, of computer science at Stanford University. She is a deputy director of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, affiliated faculty at Stanford Bio-X and Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute, and a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Her research interests include haptics, teleoperation, mixed reality, and medical and soft robotics. She received her PhD in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.

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Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Friday that she is considering requiring cloud server providers to report details on whether foreign users are developing artificial intelligence models, an extension of the Biden administration’s efforts to institute AI…

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