The COVID-19 Pandemic: An Accelerator for the Robotics Industry? [Young Professionals]

Abstract

Examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the robotics industry. Although it might appear the pandemic has ushered in the age of robotics, we are still far from universal service robots that can truly help us overcome infrastructure shortcomings in hospitals, nursing homes, and the testing facilities of diagnostic laboratories. This situation is even more pressing as shelter-in-place orders and social distancing regulations further diminish the workforce. If we really want to make a difference here, we need to act more decisively and boldly take our robotic solutions out of the labs and into the real world.