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Designing Robots for the Future: A Journey from Innovation to Entrepreneurship

The Robots are coming! The Robots are coming! The Robots are already….
Here. In recent months, there has been an upsurge in the attention given to
robots and artificial bots and their inevitable destruction of the human race if
we are not watchful. Whether your opinion sits on one side or the other, the
fact remains; robots have already become a part of our society and, in some
cases, an integral part. No longer is a robot chauffer, i.e. an autonomous robot
car that can drive an individual to work, a whimsical thought of a science-fiction
movie director. No longer is a robot suit, i.e. a robot exoskeleton that
can assist a paraplegic to walk, a fantasy story of a writer. Not to argue against
being vigilant, but coupled with the doom-and-gloom messages of robots and
bots, these agents are also being seen as beneficial, life-saving, machines for
assisting us in our everyday lives. This talk provides a first look at how robots
can change the texture of our day-to-day experiences through examples of
research focused on robots interacting with humans, with an emphasis on
healthcare robotics that can enable a healthier, less stressful, equality of life,
now and in the future.