NSF Workshop on Future Directions in Cyber Physical Systems, Robotics and Autonomy

University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

This project is to support a one-day workshop to bring together leading experts to evaluate the impact of the National Robotics Initiative (NRI) and Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) initiative, explore possible overlap and synergies between the NRI and CPS, and identify future drivers and opportunities for both areas. An additional goal of the workshop is to explore the extent to which the science of autonomy and autonomous systems, another area of national importance, could be complementary to these initiatives. The workshop provides a short report with vignettes that illustrates the differences and the synergies between these three areas. Recent multi-agency initiatives in robotics and cyber physical systems have successfully catalyzed many exciting, high-impact educational and research projects. The need for this workshop stems from the focus on intellectual similarities and differences between the NRI and CPS initiatives, and what should they be going forward. The workshop focus consists of a comprehensive analysis of three important growth areas: robotics, autonomy, and cyber physical systems. Each of these three areas is expected to significantly impact virtually all sectors of our economy including healthcare, manufacturing, construction, mining and agriculture. An ambitious education and research agenda in these areas has the potential to improve our quality of human life. This workshop assembles the top researchers in the fields of robotics, autonomy, and cyber physical systems to discuss the underlying challenges and to produce a report to help inform future education and research investments by academia, government and industry.