Google robots are in the works
While Google Glass and the company’s efforts at perfecting the driverless car have grabbed headlines in recent years, that could be set to change as Google confirms it is planning to build its own robots.
Revealing that it has acquired seven separate robotics companies within the past six months alone, Google has confirmed that it is planning to build its own automated beings, with Andy Rubin, former head of the Android operating system, set to take the project’s reigns.
Stating that Google has a “10-year vision” for its robot plans, Rubin has told the New York Times that the company sees the robotics industry as a “green field.”
“I feel with robotics it’s a green field,” he said. “We’re building hardware, we’re building software. We’re building systems, so one team will be able to understand the whole stack.”
Although Google has confirmed that it has already begun hiring new staff to work on its robotics project, the company has yet to state what purpose or function it intends to fill with its AI beings.
While Google is remaining tight-lipped, industry experts have predicted the search giant’s presence could help move the robotics industry forward at a considerable rate.
"This is a clear sign that days of personalised robotic technology entering the mainstream market is imminent," Prof Sethu Vijayakuma, director of the Robotics Lab at the University of Edinburgh told the NYT.
"Movement and sensing systems for robotics technology have made great strides. Now, with mainstream companies like Google taking up the challenge, other elements such as robust software integration, standardisation and modular design will pick up pace."
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