根據(jù)《紐約時(shí)報(bào)》(New York Times)報(bào)導(dǎo)，Google將試圖展開一條進(jìn)軍主流機(jī)器人領(lǐng)域的道路，人稱“Android之父”的Andy Rubin正是這項(xiàng)計(jì)劃的負(fù)責(zé)人。這家網(wǎng)絡(luò)搜尋巨擘顯然擁有著充裕的資金，以及一位有智慧、熱情且有經(jīng)驗(yàn)的積極主導(dǎo)者。但問題是，這是否就足以把這個(gè)迷人的領(lǐng)域轉(zhuǎn)變?yōu)槿魏沃髁鞯纳虡I(yè)機(jī)會(huì)？
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負(fù)責(zé)主導(dǎo)這項(xiàng)任務(wù)的是Andy Rubin，他正是為我們帶來 Android 操作系統(tǒng)的工程師，大家也都知道 Android 就是他出于對機(jī)器人的喜愛而命名的。Rubin采用Google的軟件與經(jīng)濟(jì)勢力在一系列小型 OS 的基礎(chǔ)上開發(fā)出這一行動(dòng)Linx版本。
目前Android 逐漸在智能手機(jī)與平板中占據(jù)主導(dǎo)位置，但我認(rèn)為開發(fā)機(jī)器人的任務(wù)并不一樣而且更困難。機(jī)器人長久以來一直具有迷人的潛力，但卻難以實(shí)現(xiàn)。
美國麻省理工學(xué)院(MIT)的研究人員們首先在Roomba自動(dòng)吸塵器取得了重大的突破﹣﹣這是難得從軍用機(jī)器人發(fā)展而來的一款消費(fèi)副產(chǎn)品。最近，Willow Garage發(fā)展出一款人形機(jī)器人平臺﹣﹣以及一個(gè)機(jī)器人開放來源軟件社群﹣﹣為有興趣的創(chuàng)新者帶來一些吸引力。
DARPA最近舉辦一項(xiàng)挑戰(zhàn)賽，目的在于發(fā)展出最佳的的搜救人形機(jī)器人。該計(jì)劃已經(jīng)產(chǎn)生一些令人興奮的成果了。甚至華爾街也看到了機(jī)器人的潛力；一家機(jī)器人公司的股票指數(shù)還追?該區(qū)77家相關(guān)領(lǐng)域的公司。
Rubin由于開發(fā)出Android而在市場上有一定的知名度，加上Google的財(cái)力支持，讓他能為Google買下 7 家機(jī)器人公司，這幾家公司包括：
日本人形機(jī)器人制造商﹣﹣Schaft
計(jì)算機(jī)視覺與機(jī)器手臂新創(chuàng)公司﹣﹣Industrial Perception
人形機(jī)器人和機(jī)器手臂制造商﹣﹣Meka與Redwood Robotics
其遙控?cái)z影機(jī)用于電影《地心引力》 (Gravity)﹣﹣Bot & Dolly
廣告和設(shè)計(jì)公司﹣﹣Autofuss
專業(yè)車輪制造商﹣﹣Holomni
無疑地，Rubin的計(jì)劃將吸引同樣對機(jī)器人懷抱熱情的工程師。但你對這個(gè)尚未開發(fā)的商業(yè)機(jī)會(huì)以及跨入機(jī)器人領(lǐng)域的挑戰(zhàn)有何看法呢？
本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
編譯：Susan Hong
參考英文原文：Google Searches for Robots' Home，by Rick Merritt, SiliconValley Bureau Chief
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Google Searches for Robots' Home
Rick Merritt, SiliconValley Bureau Chief
Google will try to map a path to mainstream robotics, according to a New York Times interview with the man behind the move. The search company has the cash and a smart, passionate, and experienced enthusiast. The open question is whether that's enough to turn this broadly fascinating field into any mainstream commercial opportunities.
Leading the charge is Andy Rubin, the engineer who brought us the operating system he called Android after his passion for robotics. Rubin used Google's software and financial clout to create a version of mobile Linux that has risen above a crowd of small OSes.
Today Android increasingly dominates in smartphones and tablets, but I think the job in robotics is different and tougher. Robotics has long been fascinating potential that's been tough to realize.
MIT robotics researchers had the first big breakthrough with its Roomba automated vacuum cleaner -- a rare consumer spinoff from its military robots. More recently, Willow Garage created a humanoid robotics platform -- and a robotics open-source software group -- to give interested innovators some traction.
DARPA recently launched a challenge to develop the best search-and-rescue humanoid robot. That program has already spawned some exciting work. Even Wall Street sees the potential; a robotics stock index tracks 77 companies in the area.
Rubin has mass market savvy from his work on Android, as well as Google's financial backing, which the NYT article said has enabled him to buy seven robotics companies, including:
Schaft, the Japanese maker of a humanoid robot
Industrial Perception, a computer vision and robotic arm startup
Meka and Redwood Robotics, makers of humanoid robots and robot arms
Bot & Dolly, whose robotic cameras were used in the movie Gravity
Autofuss, an advertising and design firm
Holomni, a maker of specialized wheels
There's no doubt Rubin's effort will attract a flood of resumes from engineers who share his passion for robotics. I'd love to hear from some of you about what you see as the untapped commercial opportunities and challenges of getting them on mechanical legs.
