Will Minnesota be the new hub for the robotics industry?

From surgical robots to farming automation to unmanned aircraft, robotics is spreading across the Midwest. And some technologists think Minnesota is poised to become the industry's regional hub. A conference at the U of M this week will look at how to make that happen.

Author:: BMTN Staff
Updated:: Mar 8, 2018
Original:: Nov 13, 2011

From surgical robots to farming automation to unmanned aircraft, robotics is spreading across the Midwest. And some technologists think Minnesota is poised to become the industry's regional hub. A conference at the U of M this week will look at how to make that happen.

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Scientists from around the world are in St. Paul this week for the annual Robotics and Automation Conference, where everything from golf course-mowing machines to cancer-seeking micro-cameras are on display. The conference is not open to the public, but WCCO-TV got a peek.

The state's chilly temperatures and geological stability could be just what the growing data industry needs to keep its "server farms" cool and reliable. Legislators this year passed a package of tax incentives in hopes of luring companies scouting out places to build data centers.

North Dakota is in the running to land an FAA unmanned aircraft test site this year, and the Minnesota Defense Alliance is cheering on our neighbor state. The alliance, a group made up of some heavy-hitters like Lockheed as well as startups, is working to help Minnesota businesses of all sizes score defense contracts.

With the help of a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation, computer scientists and biologists from the U have developed robotic boats -- called Carp Trackers -- that can locate and follow carp, allowing officials to net and remove the fish from lakes and rivers.

The Minnesota Twins are negotiating a deal with Hennepin County to get a stake in a new light-rail transit hub near Target Field that connects the Hiawatha, Northstar and future Central Corridor lines, the Pioneer Press reports. The $79 million project also includes an entertainment plaza on the north side of the ballpark.

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64 high school teams gathered in Duluth to see whose robots were the best at shooting a basketball and balancing on a wobbly bridge. Teams from St. Peter, Prior Lake, and Milwaukee will move on to a national competition.

The sensors could be used on surgical robots to help doctors.

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