‘Robots for Good’ event at CES to showcase world-changing robot projects

Robotics Business Review, a division of WTWH Media, will present a conference track titled “Robots for Good,” to be held at CES 2020 on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020, in Las Vegas. The track will discuss new ways in which robots are helping to save the planet, help humans to live better lives, and assist with exploring areas beyond the planet.

For the past several years, the RoboBusiness at CES event has produced tracks and sessions covering mobile platforms, drones, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, and service robotics. CES, formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show, has been a showcase for new technologies that have included robots, AI, and self-driving vehicles.

With media headlines that focus on the negatives of “taking away jobs” or “sentient beings that will destroy humanity”, the “Robots for Good” track will turn that on its head and provide attendees with information about all the good that robots are doing.

The track, which will be held in Room N253 of the North Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center, will begin at 9 a.m. with an opening session titled “A Radically Hopeful Vision of the Future,” by Ken Goldberg, the William S. Floyd Jr. Distinguished Chair in Engineering at UC Berkeley, and a professor of industrial engineering and operations research.

With the headlines about robots and AI stealing jobs, replacing drivers, doctors, and lawyers, many believe that the “singularity” is coming soon, with AI and robots posing an existential threat to humans. In his session, Goldberg will propose an alternative to the singularity that is more inclusive: multiplicity, in which diverse groups of humans work together with diverse groups of machines to innovate and solve problems.

Goldberg will also share results from his research in robotics, and a global study that suggests how AI can lead to a more productive and inclusive future for humans.

Goldberg has published more than 300 papers in robotics, and holds eight U.S. patents, with citations in more than 15,000 publications. He currently also serves as the Chief Scientist at Ambidextrous Robots, and is on the advisory board of the RoboGlobal ETF.

Saving the oceans and the planet

The next two sessions during the CES 2020 event will discuss how different robotics and AI projects are helping humans to learn more about the world around us, including investigating the oceans, growing crops more efficiently, and assisting in recycling efforts.

For example, in the “Robots Preserve the Land” session, speakers will discuss how robots are helping humans with assisting in recycling, growing crops, and other “save the planet” types of endeavors.

Helping humans

In the afternoon, the session called “Improving Humans’ Lives” will get a bit more personal, as panelists show off robots that help individuals live better lives, whether it’s elderly patients using a robot to track medication, or robots that help sooth dementia patients or children with autism or going through cancer treatments.

Another afternoon session, “Robots Saving Lives”, will include discussions around health care robotics in the surgical and rehabilitation spaces, giving humans hope for living better lives following injuries or medical procedures that are performed more efficiently through robotic assistance.

Robots in space

The closing session, “Robots in Space and Beyond,” looks to head to the stars to discuss how robots are working with humans to explore the realms beyond Earth. Discover how robots are assisting humans with space exploration, new efforts to go to the Moon and Mars, and beyond.

Kimberly Hambuchen, the principal technologist of Robotics at NASA, will present updates on NASA’s use of robots in many different areas.

If you’re attending CES 2020, or if you’re interested in attending, head to this site to register for the event, on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The session can be attended as a stand-alone conference, or as part of the CES Deluxe Conference Pass.