In June, President Obama announced the National Robotics Initiative, to “accelerate the development and use of robots in the United States that work beside, or cooperatively with, people.” On 15 Nov., Chuck Thorpe, assistant director for Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics in the Office of Science and Technology Policy, will share where the program is going, as well as other efforts from OSTP to advance the robotics industry. With deadlines for large and small projects just around the corner, this is one FREE webinar you won’t want to miss.

Manufacturing the Future: A Look at the National Robotics Initiative
Chuck Thorpe, assistant director for Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics
Office of Science and Technology Policy
Tuesday 15 November
1500 EST

Register Now

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Dear Industry Colleague:

This is to introduce you to the Robotics Technology Consortium (“RTC”) and invite you to join us in pursuing a promising new Government initiative.

The RTC is a national alliance of over 160 large and small for-profit companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations that supports the efforts of the Defense Department and other Government organizations in regards to unmanned, robotic, and autonomous systems technology.  The RTC was formed as a non-profit corporation in 2008 in response to a request by the Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise, an office within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, for industry to form a consortium to partner with the Government on ground robotics prototype systems development projects.  The RTC subsequently negotiated and entered into an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) with the Government and since then has funded over 50 projects totaling nearly $40 million and involving 65 member companies and organizations.

In August of this year, SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific (“SSC Pacific”) issued a request for current or newly formed industry consortia to submit a Letter of Intent (“LOI”) to enter into an Other Transaction Agreement (“OTA”) with the Government to perform a range of tasks in the area of autonomous unmanned systems technology development.  The proposed OTA is expected to cover all domains, including ground, maritime (both surface and underwater), air, and space.  The RTC is well-positioned to pursue this opportunity and is seeking conditional commitments from companies and organizations with autonomous unmanned systems technology expertise in any/all of the aforementioned domains interested in joining the RTC.

Below please find further information on the RTC.  Additional information can also be found at www.roboticstechc.org/.  Also attached is a PowerPoint deck that the Government presented during the industry day for the SSC Pacific OTA opportunity.  Further information can be found at:

https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=c871c709b88280f23698d6df0e3ad02f&tab=core&_cview=0

After reviewing this information, please consider completing the attached letter of support (including requested information on your organization), printing it on your letterhead, signing it, and submitting it to the RTC by COB on 12-October.  We will include all such letters as an attachment to the LOI we submit to SSC Pacific.

If you have any questions or require further information, please contact Bill Thomasmeyer at wathomasmeyer@gmail.com.

Thank you for your interest in joining with the RTC in pursuit of the SSC Pacific OTA opportunity.  We look forward to having you become a member in pursuit of our mission to accelerate the development and fielding of systems based on advanced robotics technology in order to help meet our nation’s defense requirements in the 21st century.

Sincerely Yours,

William A. Thomasmeyer

RTC Executive Director

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About the RTC

The RTC was formed in 2008 in response to a request by the Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise (an office within the Office of the Secretary of Defense) for industry to form a consortium to partner with the Government on ground robotics prototype systems development projects.  Since then over 160 large and small for-profit companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations have joined the RTC.  While many of these member companies and organizations are traditional defense suppliers, a specific purpose of the RTC is to solicit and engage non-traditional suppliers — companies and organizations that have not historically performed much if any work for the Defense Department and other Government organizations.

The RTC primarily facilitates applied technology development projects intended to adapt, harden, and/or integrate one or more existing robotics related technologies.  These projects contribute towards the goal of developing working, prototype solutions that can be put into the hands of Government users for demonstration and experiment purposes.  As a result, warfighters and other Government users are able to better understand and more fully envision how robotics systems can be used to improve their operational capabilities.  They can begin to devise realistic operational concepts, tactics, and procedures that integrate such systems.  And they can begin to develop the operational requirements needed to transition prototype systems into fielded solutions.  Since its founding, the RTC has funded 50 projects totaling nearly $40 million and involving 65 member companies and organizations.

The RTC serves two major functions.  One is to funnel leading edge ideas and concepts to Government organizations so that they gain the broadest possible insight as to what’s possible in regards to robotics technology.  The second is to respond to Government requests for proposals (“RFPs”) for those ideas and concepts that the Government deems to be the most promising.  RTC member companies and organizations can respond to these RFPs individually or enter into teaming agreements with one or more other members for the purpose of submitting joint proposals.  Once the Government determines which proposals to award, the selected member companies and organizations are put under contract to perform the proposed work according to the terms and conditions of a pre-negotiated master agreement between the RTC and the Government.

The RTC is structured as a supporting non-profit organization of the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  It operates as an independent entity and is governed by a Board consisting of member-elected Directors and other individuals appointed by NCMS.  The Board appoints an Executive Committee that is primarily responsible for managing the activities of the RTC.  Members also directly elect representatives to a Technology Committee and other advisory committees that are responsible for overseeing RTC initiatives and providing guidance to the Executive Committee in their designated areas of responsibility.

The RTC is an industry-run organization open to any and all companies, academic institutions, non-profit organization, and other entities that have robotics technology capabilities, wish to determine whether and how their technology might serve the interests of the Defense Department and other Government organizations, and are interested in potential partnering opportunities with other member companies and organizations offering synergistic capabilities.  The RTC holds two open membership meetings per year in order to elect representatives, vote on issues, and facilitate networking among member companies and organizations.  Member companies and organizations are encouraged to get actively involved and participate in the workings of the RTC by serving on the Board or committees.

For more information, including a list of current members, visit the RTC Web site at www.roboticstechc.org/.

Draft Support Letter v0.9d for SPAWAR OTA

SSCPacific-AutonomousUnmannedSystemsIndustryDayBriefing(08-04-2011)

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CEO of Adept Technology, Inc. to Lend Broad Robotics Industry Expertise

ANN ARBOR, MI. October 5, 2011 – The Robotics Technology Consortium (“RTC”) announced today the appointment of Mr. John Dulchinos, President and CEO of Adept Technology, Inc., to the RTC Board of Directors. The RTC was formed in 2008 to speed the development and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Department of Defense (DoD). Currently it has 160 members and has awarded more than $40M in project funding for ground robotics.

“John’s proven leadership and in-depth knowledge of the robotics industry will be an excellent complement to the RTC Board,” said Rick Jarman, President and CEO of the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences and RTC Chairman. “We look forward to working with him to further the vision of the RTC to support the DoD by identifying innovative research to meet the warfighter’s needs.”

Mr. Dulchinos, a visionary and active member of the robotics industry has been with Adept Technology, Inc. since 1987 and currently serves on the Robotics Industry Association (RIA) board of directors as well as the International Federation of Robotics.

“Robotics technology has contributed to saving thousands of soldiers and civilians lives on the front lines,” said Bill Thomasmeyer, Executive Director of the RTC. “It is imperative that the U.S. stay ahead in this field as unmanned systems will be increasingly used in future operations. John’s extensive technical and market knowledge will be a crucial contribution to make informed decisions at the Board level.”

Mr. Dulchinos holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a concentration in robotics.

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The Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) has concerns new ITAR regulations being proposed by the U.S. State Department that control, for the first time, unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) in a comprehensive way.

The post Pending ITAR Regulations Threaten U.S. Robotics Industry appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

On April 12, Michigan Robotics Day was held at NCMS  Headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan to coincide with National Robotics Week. NCMS partnered with The Michigan Defense Center (MEDC) and Soar Technologies for this event to celebrate robotics in the State of Michigan. Industry leaders addressed a capacity crowd while the corridors and rear parking lot of NCMS were overrun by robots and enthusiastic students.

The event brought together the state robotics community to discuss how to best leverage its industrial and academic resources to make Michigan a global leader in this emerging field. Students were exposed to companies and researchers who are creating jobs and award winning technology in their own backyard. Judging by the optimism and creativity of the attendees robotics has a bright future in Michigan.

The event was emceed by Andrew Dallas, Vice President (Soar Technologies), a nationally recognized leader in the robotics industry.

NCMS President & CEO Rick Jarman shared his vision of Michigan companies using collaboration to be a global leader in the design and manufacturing of advanced robotic technologies. Congressman John Dingell (D-MI), who was detained in Washington to due to the budget crisis, welcomed attendees via video and expressed his enthusiasm for the event.

Keynote speaker Jim Overholt, Senior Research Scientist of Robotics for the U.S. Army, gave an entertaining and enlightening talk on the state of robotics technology. Overholt was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Sara Blackmer (Michigan Defense Center- MEDC) titled Robotics in the 21^st Century (and Beyond), bringing together local industry experts to provide insight into the future opportunities for Michigan companies.

The afternoon began with Professor Ed Olson (University of Michigan) detailing the award-winning efforts of Team Michigan in the Multi Autonomous Ground-Robotic International Challenge (MAGIC 2010) last year in Australia. He also brought along some of his robots to demonstrate their capabilities.

The speaking agenda concluded with a panel discussion with noted experts in various disciplines critical to the success of robotics in Michigan.

The rest of the day was dedicated to experts from industry and academia interacting with the Michigan FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) teams who were displaying their robots. They also appreciated the opportunity to see firsthand a DARPA challenge vehicle provided by Cybernet Systems Company which navigated autonomously through the rear parking lot.

The event is the latest effort by NCMS to help support the development of robotics on a national scale. The Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC), an NCMS subsidiary, was formed in 2008 to speed the creation and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Defense Department and other Government organizations.

Michigan Robotics Day Web Site (Agenda, Webcast Info, More)

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The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) has announced that Dr. Henrik Christensen has joined the Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) Board of Directors. The RTC is a non-profit industry organization managed by NCMS to speed the creation and deployment of ground robotics technology.

Dr. Christensen is currently the KUKA Chair of Robotics and a Professor of Computing with the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. He also serves as the Director of the Center for Robotics and Intelligent Machines and is well known globally for his roles as the Founding Chair of the European Robotics Research Network and for being the driving force behind the recent Roadmap for U.S. Robotics.

Dr. Christensen is one of the few roboticists in the world equally at home in both the traditional industrial robotics and the emerging service robotics communities. He was recently selected by the Robotics Industry Association (RIA) to receive the prestigious 2011 Engelberger Robotics Award for education which was presented during a special dinner at the Automate 2011/42nd ISR in Chicago, Illinois. The award is named for Joseph F. Engelberger, regarded throughout the world as the “father of robotics”, and has been presented annually since 1977 to 111 recipients from 16 countries.

Dr. Christensen joins an impressive board which includes President, Helen Greiner- CyPhy Works; Chairman Rick Jarman- NCMS, Vice Chairman and Secretary, Rebecca Taylor- NCMS; Treasurer, Andy Dallas- Soar Technology, Inc.;, Executive Director of the RTC, Bill Thomasmeyer, Michael Toscano- Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI); Jay Harrison- Harrison Technology; Jorgen Pedersen- RE2; Inc., H. Lee Buchanan- Paladin Capital Group; Mel Torrie- Autonomous Solutions, Inc.; Hagen Schempf- Carnegie Mellon University; James Isaac- Lockheed Martin; Bill Black- Black & Rossi, LLC,; David Morrison- The Boeing Company; Chuck Jacobus- Cybernet Systems Corporation; Jeff Burnstein- Robotic Industries Association; and Tony Melita- Melita Consulting.

Please visit the Robotics Technology Consortium on the web: http://www.roboticstechc.org/

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Team Michigan, consisting of Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) members the University of Michigan and SoarTech, took first place in the Multi Autonomous Ground-robotic International Challenge (MAGIC) 2010 recently held in Australia.  SoarTech supported the team by developing SHADE (Spatial Highlights for Analysis of Data and Events), a 3D situational awareness display that notified operators of interesting and critical events while also giving an overview of the space the robots were exploring. The team’s 14 autonomous robots built by University of Michigan students mostly from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, won a $750,000 grant for finishing in first place out of five teams in the final round of the contest.

Team Michigan (Edwin Olson, Robert Goeddel, Pradeep Ranganathan, Andrew Richardson, Ryan Morton, Mihai Bulic, Johannes Strom, Andrew Dallas- VP, Soar Technology)

MAGIC, which stands for Multi Autonomous Ground-robotic International Challenge, initially involved 23 teams. The competition took place in stages over more than two years and was sponsored by the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command’s Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and its Australian counterpart.

Congratulations to RTC Board Member Andy Dallas for helping guide the Team Michigan to victory which reaffirms the reputation of Michigan companies and organizations as leaders in the creation of innovative ground robotics technology.

The post Team Michigan Wins International Robotics Competition appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

The next Annual Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) Membership Meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, August 26, 2010 in Denver, CO.  RTC members should register by COB on Friday, August 20, 2010. According to the RTC Bylaws to remain a “member in good standing” you must attend at least one (1) of the two (2) membership meetings held each year.

The RTC is a non-profit, industry organization administered by NCMS and was formed in 2008 to speed the development and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Department of Defense (DoD).  The RTC has over 200 members made up of large and small commercial companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations and seeks to engage companies and organizations that may not have historically performed work for the Defense Department and other Government organizations in addition to traditional defense contractors.

Please visit http://www.roboticstechc.org/

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Jeff Burnstein weighs in with a great guest commentary on the how U.S. Manufacturers benefit from industrial robots.

…With unemployment at about 14 percent or higher in Michigan, it’s not surprising some workers are afraid of robots capable of working seven days a week, 24 hours a day with great accuracy and reliability, capable of performing many tasks better than people.

U.S. technology and business innovators recognize that robots in factories have the potential to save and create more jobs than they eliminate. Robots help companies turn out higher-quality and lower-cost goods to compete with those made in China, Mexico, India, or other low-wage nations. They remove people from dangerous and boring jobs they shouldn’t have been doing in the first place, and put them in higher-skilled, higher-paying positions.

Full Article

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The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) today announced that the Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) has been named to the Advisory Committee to the Congressional Robotics Caucus.

The Caucus focuses on key issues facing the nation’s traditional industrial robotics industry as well as issues critical to growing companies, markets, and industries based on recent technological advances that enable robots to perform functions beyond traditional assembly line tasks and to operate in environments beyond the factory floor. As part of the Advisory Committee, the RTC will help Congress understand the many challenges and issues likely to emerge in the robotics sector and help ensure that the United States can maintain global leadership as the robotics industry undergoes considerable expansion in the coming decades.

“RTC member companies represent a wide variety of industrial sectors and are leaders in developing the next generation of robotics systems,” said NCMS President and RTC Chairman Rick Jarman. “The Congressional Caucus on Robotics will benefit from these companies’ insights and perspectives and will help Congress ensure that our nation remains globally competitive as the robotics industry rapidly expands and develops.”

The RTC is a non-profit, industry organization administered by NCMS and was formed in 2008 to speed the development and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Department of Defense (DoD). The RTC has over 200 members made up of large and small commercial companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations and seeks to engage companies and organizations that may not have historically performed work for the Defense Department and other Government organizations in addition to traditional defense contractors.

“We look forward to working with members of Congress who understand how important robotics is to our national interests,” said Helen Greiner, President of the RTC. “A thriving robotics and unmanned systems sector is vital to maintaining both our global economic competitiveness and national security.”

The Congressional Robotics Caucus, chaired by Congressman Mike Doyle (PA) and co-chaired by Congressman Phil Gingrey (GA), was formed in 2007 to focus on key issues facing the nation’s robotics industry and related emerging technology. Members of Congress will learn first hand about the use of robotics in agriculture, mining, logistics, defense, education, manufacturing and healthcare.

About NCMS

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) is the largest cross-industry collaborative research and development consortium in North America, and is the only consortial effort in the U.S. devoted exclusively to manufacturing technologies, processes and practices. NCMS has 24 years of experience in the formation and management of complex, multi-partner collaborative R&D programs, and is backed by corporate members representing virtually every manufacturing sector.

For more information, visit http://www.ncms.org

About RTC

The Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) is a non-profit, industry organization created in 2008 to speed the creation and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Defense Department and other Government organizations. The consortium was established to meet a need identified by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise (OSD/JGRE). The RTC currently has a membership of 200 large and small commercial companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations. The RTC seeks to solicit and engage companies and organizations that may not have historically performed work for the Defense Department and other Government organizations in addition to traditional defense contractors.

For more information, visit http://www.roboticstechc.org/

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Ann Arbor, MI., May 4, 2010 – The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) today announced the appointment of Tony Melita to the Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) Board of Directors. The RTC is administered by NCMS and was formed in 2008 to speed the development and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Department of Defense (DoD).

Tony Melita is an internationally recognized expert in munitions and land warfare systems acquisition. Given a history of over 31- years of service with the U.S. Department of Defense, he has a long track record of shaping successful defense acquisition programs and for developing strong relationships between government and industry.

“We are honored that Tony Melita has agreed to serve as a Director to the RTC” said Rick Jarman, NCMS President & CEO and Chairman of the RTC Board, “His expertise will continue to assist the RTC in speeding the process of getting innovative new technologies to the warfighter in the field.”

Mr. Melita has had various assignments as a civilian with DoD — ranging from hands-on technology development to serving as a Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, and concluding as the Director for Land Warfare and Munitions within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics.

He has overseen a wide variety of weapons programs from the vertical integration of warheads, explosives, and fuze technologies into munitions systems, to the development and acquisition of all Land Combat systems including Army and Marine Corps tracked and wheeled vehicles and rotary wing aviation systems and programs.

“Mr. Melita has been an advocate of the RTC since its inception” said Helen Greiner, President of the RTC, “His knowledge of the importance and use of ground robotics in the Department of Defense, will help the industry continue to excel in its partnership with the government.”

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Universities, Research Labs, and Companies Innovate to Develop Future Ground Vehicle Technologies

Ann Arbor, MI., April 22, 2010 – The Robotics Technology Consortium, Inc. (RTC) today announced that the Government has awarded 19 projects funding totaling $7 Million. These teams will undertake the research required to further develop innovative technologies that add capabilities to currently deployed unmanned ground vehicles and enhance future unmanned ground systems.

The winning team leads and projects are:

• Vecna Corporation – “Advanced Hydraulic Actuation”
• Autonomous Solutions, Inc. – “Long Range Obstacle Detection”
• Carnegie Mellon University – “Online Long Range Obstacle Detection with Fused LADAR and Imagery”
• SET Corporation – “Long Range Obstacle Detection”
• Pelican Mapping – “3D Scene and Model Visualization”
• RE2, Inc. – “Conformal Robotic Hand”
• Carnegie Mellon University – “Generic Aided INS for Small UGVs”
• University of Michigan – “Heuristics-enhanced Dead-reckoning System for Small Robot Navigation”
• Think-A-Move, Ltd – “Speech Signature Based Biometric Security”
• Carnegie Mellon University – “Robotic Evaluation of Tunnel Mapping and Navigation Sensors”
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) – “Counter Tunnel Mapping and Characterization”
• Foster-Miller, Inc. – “Remote Checkpoint”
• HDT Engineering Services, Inc. – “HDT Highly Dexterous Manipulator System”
• Sarnoff Corporation – “Multi-sensor Fusion for Reliable On-the-Move Pedestrian Detection and Tracking”
• General Dynamics Robotics Systems, Inc. – “Ground Vehicle Sensor Suite (GVSS)”
• Innovative Technical Solutions Inc. dba NovaSol – “UGV Lasercomm Interrogator”
• Sarnoff Corporation – “3D Friend and Foe Detection”
• TORC Technologies – “Robotic Building Blocks for Unmanned and Autonomous Systems”
• Carnegie Mellon University – “Advanced Command and Control for High Speed Tele-Operation”

In May 2008, the RTC entered into a $170M Other Transactions Agreement (OTA) with the Department of Defense to better enable nontraditional defense contractors to undertake technical projects on behalf of the Government. Since then, the Government has awarded a total of 37 projects, worth $17M involving 47 member companies, universities, and non-profit organizations.

“The RTC model has shown the ability to stimulate innovation, encourage teaming, and get vital research projects under contract quickly” said Mr. Jose Gonzalez, Acting Director, Land Warfare and Munitions, “Because of these successes, it is being looked at as a model for other industries”.

Membership to the Robotics Technology Consortium is open to US based companies, non-profits, and universities.

About Robotics Technology Consortium

The Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) is a non-profit, industry organization created in 2008 to speed the creation and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Defense Department and other Government organizations. The consortium was established to meet a need identified by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise (OSD/JGRE). The RTC currently has a membership of 200 large and small commercial companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations. The RTC seeks to solicit and engage companies and organizations that may not have historically performed work for the Defense Department and other Government organizations in addition to traditional defense contractors.

For more information, visit http://www.roboticstechc.org/.

About NCMS

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) is the largest cross-industry collaborative research and development consortium in North America, and is the only consortial effort in the U.S. devoted exclusively to manufacturing technologies, processes and practices. NCMS has nearly 25 years of experience in the formation and management of complex, multi-partner collaborative R&D programs, and is backed by corporate members representing virtually every manufacturing sector.

For more information, visit http://www.ncms.org.

The post Robotics Technology Consortium Announces Research Projects appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

Please stop in at Booth 217 at the NDIA Conference on March 16-18 in Miami, Florida to learn more about RTC and NCMS.

2010 Ground Robotics Capabilities Conference and Exhibition- Dual Role of Robotics Technologies-Public and Private Sector“

The Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) is a non-profit, industry organization formed in 2008 to speed the creation and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Defense Department and other Government organizations. Administered by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS), the consortium was established to meet a need identified by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise (OSD/JGRE) and currently has a membership of over 200 large and small commercial companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations. The RTC seeks to solicit and engage companies and organizations that may not have historically performed work for the Defense Department and other Government organizations in addition to traditional defense contractors.For more information, visit http://www.roboticstechc.org/

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U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) joins NCMS radio to discuss a wide range of Manufacturing issues.

“If you want to be in the business of making things, of innovation, of advanced manufacturing, then you need to be in Michigan.”

Topics include robotics, innovation, alternative energy, the smart grid, jobs, and strategies to promote manufacturing growth in the new millennium.

NCMS Radio- “Manufacturing in the New Millenium ”- U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) (16:13)

Subscribe to NCMS Radio on iTunes- search for NCMS.

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The second annual member meeting of the Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) is being held today in Sterling Heights, MI in coordination with the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research and Development Engineering Center (TARDEC). The meeting will include notable speakers such as Dr. Grace Bochenek, Director of TARDEC and Dr. Jim Overholt, Director of the Joint Center for Robotics at TARDEC as well as a tour of their impressive facility in Warren, MI.

Formed in 2008 to speed the creation and deployment of ground robotics technology, the RTC has doubled its membership from 88 to 178 members in the first year.  Working closely with the Department of Defense, the RTC helps to match technology concepts with military priorities and then informs and engages industry to develop those technologies, all in record time from RPP to award.  Using this successful formula, the RTC has funded 17 technology proposals since 2008.

The RTC and the NCMS take pride in the rapid growth and progress of the consortium and its distinguished membership which includes companies such as iRobot, Carnegie Mellon University, Boeing and Lockheed Martin as well as its ability to engage smaller companies with big ideas, those of which make up over 70% of the current membership.  This unique membership base enables partnerships and problem solving between government and industry, in ways which further the technology of ground robotics at an unprecedented rate.

“NCMS has put their extensive resources behind the RTC,” said Helen Greiner, RTC President.  “They are an excellent interface for private industry to government and have established a communication forum for the industry, in addition to helping establish the RTC brand identity.”

Located in Ann Arbor, MI, The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) is the administrative agent and government interface to the RTC. “The NCMS worked directly with the robotics industry to form the RTC in 2008,” said Rick Jarman, NCMS President & CEO and Chairman of the RTC. “We used our experience of over 23 years in collaborations to help drive the success of this consortium to its impressive status today.”

Membership in the RTC is open to U.S. companies, academia and non-profits operating within the robotics industry.  Information and an application for membership can be found on the RTC website at www.roboticstechc.org or by calling (734) 995-3098.

About RTC

The Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) is a non-profit, industry organization formed in 2008 to speed the creation and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Defense Department and other Government organizations. Administered by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS), the consortium was established to meet a need identified by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise (OSD/JGRE) and currently has a membership of over 178 large and small commercial companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations. The RTC seeks to solicit and engage companies and organizations that may not have historically performed work for the Defense Department and other Government organizations in addition to traditional defense contractors.For more information, visit http://www.roboticstechc.org/

About NCMS

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) is the largest cross-industry collaborative research and development consortium in North America, and is the only consortial effort in the U.S. devoted exclusively to manufacturing technologies, processes and practices. NCMS is the administrative agent for the Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) and has over 23 years of experience in the formation and management of complex, multi-partner collaborative R&D programs, and is backed by corporate members representing virtually every manufacturing sector.For more information, visit http://www.ncms.org

The post Membership in NCMS Robotics Technology Consortium Doubles in the First Year! appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

Universities, Research Labs, and Companies Create Ground Vehicle Technologies

Ann Arbor, MI., September 2, 2009 – The Robotics Technology Consortium, Inc. (RTC) today announced that the Government has awarded nine winners of its second round of projects totaling $3.62 million.  These teams will undertake the research required to further develop innovative technologies that add capabilities to the currently deployed unmanned ground vehicle and enable future unmanned ground systems.

The winning team leads and projects are:

• Jet Propulsion Laboratory -  “Autonomous Stair Climbing for Portable  Unmanned Ground Vehicles”
• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – “Fast 3D Reconstruction and Visualization for Explosive Ordnance Disposal for Unmanned Ground Vehicles (EOD for UGVs)”
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) -  “Rapid 3D Object Visualization for Mobile Robots”
• Photon-X -  “Miniature 3D Spatial Phase Sensors”
• Vecna Corporation – “Automated Tool Change”
• AnthroTronix, Inc. – “Instrumented Glove-Based System (iGlove-3) for Controlling High-DOF Manipulators”
• General Dynamics Robotic Systems – “Untitled Proposal”
• TORC Technologies – “Autonomous Remote Control HMMWV (ARCH)”
• iRobot Corporation – “Autonomous: Supervisory Control with Enhanced Situational Awareness”

In May 2008, the RTC entered into a $170M Other Transactions Agreement (OTA) with the Department of Defense to better enable non-traditional defense contractors to undertake technical projects on behalf of the Government.  Since then, the Government has awarded a total of 16 projects, worth $8,371,882.00 involving 35 member companies (15 non-traditional), universities, and non-profit organizations.

"Winners in this second round of funding includes universities, research labs, and companies,” said Ellen Purdy, Enterprise Director, OSD/Joint Ground Robotics. “It is great to see the entire community working together to advance the field and get technology into the hands of our warfighters.”

“It took only 107 days from the request for project proposals posting on our web pages to having the entire set of winners under contract”, said Helen Greiner the elected President of the RTC, “and we are very proud of our ability to support small research efforts rapidly and cost-effectively.”

Membership to the Robotics Technology Consortium is open to U.S. based companies, non-profits, and universities.

For more information please contact:

Phil Callihan, philc@ncms.org, (734)995-2046.

About Robotics Technology Consortium

The Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) is a non-profit, industry organization created in 2008 to speed the creation and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Defense Department and other Government organizations. The consortium was established to meet a need identified by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise (OSD/JGRE).  The RTC currently has a membership of over 160 large and small commercial companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations. The RTC seeks to solicit and engage companies and organizations that may not have historically performed work for the Defense Department and other Government organizations in addition to traditional defense contractors.

For more information, visit http://www.roboticstechc.org/.

About NCMS

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) in Ann Arbor Michigan is the largest cross-industry collaborative R&D consortium in North America. NCMS has a 23-year track record in the management of complex, collaborative programs which deliver innovative manufacturing technology to market faster than traditional methods.  The RTC was formed as a non-profit, supporting organization of NCMS, who also serves as the RTC administrative agent.

For more information, visit http://www.ncms.org.

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Seven Teams Will Develop New Technologies for Unmanned Ground Vehicles

The Robotics Technology Consortium, Inc. (RTC) today announced the winners of its first seven projects. These teams will undertake the research to develop innovative technologies that will add capabilities to the currently deployed unmanned ground vehicles and will enable future unmanned ground systems.

The winning team leads and projects are:

• Silvus Technologies, Inc., “MIMO-Enabled Communication Links for NLOS Robotic Tele-operation Missions”
• Chatten Associates, “Improved Depth Perception to Aid Tele-Operation”
• Sarnoff Corporation, “Modular Software Architecture for Rapid Multi-robot Coordination, Mapping and Structure Characterization”
• iRobot Corporation, “Sniper/Hostile Fire Defeat”
• iRobot Corporation, “RTK-Remote Touch Kit”
• RE2, Inc., “Force and Tactile Sensing Based Manipulation”
• Sarnoff Corporation, “Mapping in Complex Terrains”

The RTC has entered into a $175M Other Transactions Agreement (OTA) with the Department of Defense to better enable nontraditional defense contractors to undertake technical projects on behalf of the government. These first projects fall under this agreement and have an aggregate dollar value of $4,871,250. “The evaluators were very impressed by the high quality and the number of the proposals submitted by RTC members,” said Ellen Purdy, Enterprise Director, Joint Ground Robotics.“The selected proposals stood out for their innovation and relevance to the needs of our deployed troops. In addition, a significant portion of the work is expected to be performed by nontraditional government contractors.”

“On behalf of the RTC, I would like to congratulate the winners of this round”, said Helen Greiner the elected President of the RTC, “and remind members and others having an interest in robotic technology development that the next round of proposals are currently being evaluated by the government and one more round of Request for Project Proposals (RPPs) is expected to be out this year”.

Membership to the Robotics Technology Consortium is open.

The RTC was formed as a non-profit, supporting organization of NCMS, who also serves as the RTC administrative agent.

For more information, visit http://www.roboticstechc.org/

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Wired for War – What happens when science fiction becomes battlefield reality?" – Peter Warren Singer, Senior Fellow and Director, 21st Century Defense Initiative, Brookings Institution.

 The widespread military use of robots has broad implication for manufacturers.

Peter Warren Singer is Senior Fellow and Director of the 21st Century Defense Initiative at the Brookings Institution. He is the youngest scholar named Senior Fellow in Brookings' 90-year history. In 2005, CNN named him to their "New Guard" List of the Next Generation of Newsmakers. Singer has also been recognized by the Financial Times as "Guru of the Week" for the thinker that most influenced the world that week and by Slate Magazine for "Quote of the Day." In his personal capacity, Singer served as coordinator of the Obama-08 campaigns’ defense policy task force.

Dr. Singer is considered one of the world's leading experts on changes in 21st Century warfare. He has written for the full range of major media and journals, including the Boston Globe, L.A. Times, New York Times, Washington Post, Foreign Affairs, Current History, Survival, International Security, Parameters, Weltpolitik, and the World Policy Journal. He has been quoted in every major U.S. newspaper and news magazine and delivered talks at venues ranging from the U.S. Congress to over 40 universities around the world. He has provided commentary on military affairs for nearly every major TV and radio outlet, including ABC-Nightline, Al Jazeera, BBC, CBS-60 Minutes, CNN, FOX, NPR, and the NBC Today Show.

NCMS Radio: P.W. Singer "Wired for War" (35:47)

Subscribe to NCMS Radio on iTunes- search for NCMS.

The post NCMS Radio: Author Peter Warren Singer- “Wired for War” appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

NCMS has been recognized with a Deal of the Year award presented by the Ann Arbor Business Review.  NCMS was selected for its role in managing the MEDC 21st Century Jobs Fund Business Plan Competition and being chosen by the Department of Defense (DOD) to form and administer the Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC).

The 21st Century Jobs Fund Competition resulted in over $30 million being distributed to Michigan companies to create over 1500 jobs in various hi-tech sectors.  The RTC is a $170 million program which will help speed the deployment of ground robotics technology from the lab to the front lines.

M Live Full Article

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The Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) recently exhibited at the 2008 Annual Robotics Vehicle Life Cycle Conference held in Troy, Michigan.  Many RTC members had their technolgy on display as representatives from the DoD and industy met to discuss the state of ground robotics vehicle technology.

The RTC is a non-profit, industry organization recently created to speed the creation and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Defense Department and other Government organizations.  The RTC is a subsidiary of NCMS.

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