Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s expertise, innovation, research, and educational opportunities in robotics were highlighted during the latest installment of The New England Council’s “New England Innovates” series. The event, “Leading the Way in Robotics,” sponsored by WPI and New Balance, was held at the University of Massachusetts Club in Boston. The event featured discussion of the innovations happening in the sector in New England, the ways robots could assist in our daily lives, and the importance of further investments in the field.
Bogdan Vernescu (Photo: The New England Council)
“The potential of robotics to transform how we live and work is only beginning to unfold,” said Bogdan Vernescu, Vice President and Vice Provost for Research and Innovation at WPI. “Worcester Polytechnic Institute is proud to be at the forefront of robotics education and research. We have been researching, developing, and implementing this technology and its impact on society for decades.” Vernescu delivered remarks introducing the keynote speaker, U.S. Representative Jim McGovern, of Worcester.
McGovern, co-chair of the Congressional Robotics Caucus, praised WPI’s commitment to innovation. “Every time I walk onto that campus, I learn something new,” he said. “They're on the cutting edge of everything.” He told the business, academic, and government leaders in attendance that he believes there should be a national and regional strategy to further advance the responsible development of robotics.
“It is crucial to foster an environment where innovation thrives, but where safeguards for workers and communities are firmly in place,” said McGovern. He said his vision of a defined strategy would allow small manufacturers to adopt new technologies without displacing workers, provide Americans with the skills they need for an increasingly automated economy, and help the country lead in the sector.
