Description

Robotics integrates many different component disciplines and technologies, such as computing technology, sensors, materials, actuators, control, and artificial intelligence. Advances in these component technologies have often driven robotics forward, and in return robotics has often provided the applications to motivate advances in the component technologies.

The Workshop on Emerging Technologies and Trends examined continuing and likely future advances in technology, to explore their impact on robotics, and to map the implications for future robotics research directions and funding policy. The Workshop identified 63 different technological advances which promise to impact robotics, and 35 different new applications which will be enabled by various advances. Projections were given for achievable developments in 5, 10, and 15 year time frames.