ARM Robotics Manufacturing Institute to Host Summit Focused on Robotic Solutions for Pandemics and Beyond

On August 30, the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute will host a technical summit focused on robotic solutions for pandemics and beyond. The virtual summit will highlight how robotic technology was used during the COVID-19 pandemic to help curb the spread of the virus and move the nation forward. Presenters will discuss special projects performed by the institute over the past year and a half that worked to mitigate the current pandemic while preparing the nation for any future crises.
 
Last August, the ASME Robotics Public Policy Task Force (RPPTF) released a white paper titled “Robotics & COVID-19: How Robotic Technologies are Critical in Getting America Up and Running in the Age of the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The paper discusses how robotic technologies are being used to help curb and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and how they have proven to be critical in responding to contemporary global health crises. The paper makes the case that the federal government has an important role to play in preparing and equipping society to be able to anticipate and formulate responses, and not just react, to global threats like COVID-19.
 
The white paper shares how the COVID-19 pandemic has been a “call to action” for how the world can be better prepared to respond to and mitigate future global health disasters. In the paper, the ASME RPPTF shares how the United States can adapt and develop responsive robotics technologies that will allow the U.S. to be agile enough to respond to future crises. Specifically, the paper dives into five key examples of how the U.S. can continue to combat COVID-19 today, while also preparing itself for a more secure future. The five examples of where investments in robotics technologies can have the greatest impact include:
 

1. Deep cleaning
2. Rapid manufacturing
3. Logistics
4. Healthcare
5. Telepresence 

 
The ARM summit taking place at the end of this month will highlight how the Institute was successful in finding robotic solutions to challenges brought on by the pandemic, but more importantly it will ensure the conversation around planning for future crises continues. Robotic technology has a significant role to play in ensuring our nation is resilient and best prepared to face future challenges.
 
ASME invites you to read the white paper in its entirety at: https://www.asme.org/getmedia/78ad09da-c1c0-4e73-99e1-0c2cdbf412c7/ps20-11-asme-rpptf-covid-19-paper.pdf.