Frank Tobe on “What were the top stories in robotics from 2013?”

December 11, 2013

As Editor and Publisher of the Robot Report, I follow robotics news closely, especially in business and finance. Here are my top picks for 2013:

Google sets up Robot Division; acquires 7 startups to jump-start operations
ROBO ETF tracking Robo-stox index created to let investors invest in the robotics industry
WSJ, NYT, CBS 60-Minutes, NBC all focus on robotics – including two covers stories in Time Magazine and two 60-Minutes segments (here and here)
China’s 5-year plan targets robotics as a growth industry and sets up specific areas for industrial robot manufacturing, service robot development and marketing and support centers
Mako Surgical sells to Sryker for $1.65 billion; Apple buys PrimeSense for $350 million; MakerBot sells to Stratasys for $403 million; $35 million to 3D Robotics to mainstream aerial robotics and Airware gets $10.7 million to build generic autopilot for UASs; Liquid Robotics gets $45 million to expand marketing and double their fleet of wave gliders
Rethink Robotics and Universal Robots off to good start in SME marketplace – co-robots really are a big thing. SMEs aren’t only marketplace: VW and BMW are both using new co-bots to augment worker capabilities in auto plants.
Smithsonian Channel Bionic Man documentary and museum exhibitions fascinate audiences with 50% bionic man
Crowdfunding sites will soon let investors buy stock; just waiting for regs from SEC.
IFR reports for industrial robot industry shows good growth prospects for rest of decade; reports for service robotics industry shows promising growth particularly in medical and logistical systems making up for the decline in defense spending