Wow, who knew that Amazon’s recent package delivery drone reveal would have such far-reaching implications? After learning that UPS was also working on an unmanned delivery system, we’re now hearing more about Google’s next “moonshot” project and it’s a doozy.
Led by Android founder Andy Rubin, the search giant is working to make humanoid robots a reality. According to the New York Times, Google’s bots could be put to work in manufacturing lines, assist with online retail, replace some of the monotonous work necessary when building electronic devices or even like Amazon and UPS, deliver packages.
It makes sense when you think about it as Google has acquired seven companies over the past six months that are all related to robotics in one way or another. But as with others looking into robotics or unmanned vehicles, it won’t happen overnight.
Rubin noted that like any moonshot, you have to think of time as a factor. He said Google needed enough runway and a 10-year vision to make it happen. Breakthroughs in software and sensors will still be necessary, but the mechanics and the hardware has already been resolved.
The Android founder may be just the person to pull it off, too, as he has a passion for building “intelligent” machines. He began his engineering career in robotics and worked for German manufacturing company Carl Zeiss as a robotics engineer before joining Apple Computer in the '90s. He has a history of making his hobbies into a career which, as he describes it, is the world’s greatest job.
https://www.techspot.com/news/54904-andy-rubins-new-role-at-google-building-robots.html
