Richard Voyles, Assistant Director Robotics and Cyber Physical Systems Office of Science and Technology Policy Executive Office of the President presents information on the tech policy for robotics and CPS innovations.

1. Robotics, CPS and Innovation:
It’s How We Make Our Living
Richard Voyles
Assistant Director
Robotics and Cyber Physical Systems
Office of Science and Technology Policy
Executive Office of the President

2. S&T as Presidential Priority
“We'll restore science to its
rightful place, … we will
transform our schools and
colleges and universities to
meet the demands of a new
age.”
“Reaffirming America’s role as
the global engine of scientific
discovery and technological
innovation has never been more
critical. …
"In America, innovation doesn't
just change our lives. It is how
we make our living."
–January 2009
–May, 2010
–January, 2011

3. 3
Implemented with a Pen and a Phone…

4. 4
…and a strong interest in
Robotics and CPS/IoT!

5. What is the Potential for CPS/IoT?
• Healthcare
–Interconnected Operating Room
–Home Healthcare / Elder Care
–Home to Hospital to Home
• Transportation
–Congestion
–Pollution
–SAFETY
• Energy & Environment
–Smart Grid
–Environmental/Climate Monitoring
• Emergency Response & Management
• Manufacturing
• Agriculture

6. Disasters impact us in many ways. The total cost of fire in the United States
is about $329 billion, or roughly 2.1% of U.S. GDP. Hurricane Katrina was
estimated for up to $1 trillion in total damage. Smart Emergency Response
Systems project seeks to incorporate the products of cyber-physical systems
research to save lives and reduce costs during times of great stress.

8. What’s in a name??

9. Defining the Essence
• Timely and Trustworthy
• Coupled and Controlled
• Verified and Validated

10. Stakeholder Roles

11. Why?

12. Stakeholder Roles

13. 13
Directorate for Engineering
Risk-Averse Culture Infects U.S. Workers, Entrepreneurs
Updated Nov, 2014

14. Re-Shoring of Manufacturing
• Robotics & CPS are key enablers to the resurgence of
manufacturing!
• But who will install the new lines??
–Decades of off-shoring not only off-shored jobs, but off-shored
manufacturing expertise

15. Agriculture Workers

16. What Do Legalized Hispanic Workers Do?

17. Precision Farming, Vertical Farming
Gotham Greens, Brooklyn
Potential advantages
> 1000 fold increase in productivity per sq ft
> 100 fold decrease in water consumption
Medicago greenhouse, RTP
Could CPS-enabled
automation make
vertical farming viable?

18. Challenge to Education:
• Training STEM Engineers/Technologists
–Attracting “traditional” students
–Attracting “underrepresented” students
–Training and Re-Training of Workers and Unemployed
• Training STEM Technicians/Operators
–Attracting “traditional” students
–Attracting “underrepresented” students
–Training and Re-Training of Workers and Unemployed
• Cost and Relevancy?
• Stronger Continuum from High School to Grad School?

19. Thanks!

20. Thanks!
Richard Voyles
OSTP

23. http://www.us-
robotics.us/reports/CCC Report.pdf
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsit
es/ostp/pcast-nitrd-report-2010.pdf
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/
microsites/ostp/pcast_amp_steering_commit
tee_report_final_july_27_2012.pdf

24. Federal Programs –
NSF, ARPA-e
I-Corps Nodes
I-Corps Sites
I-Corps Teams
I-Corps Mentors
24

25. • Big Data – Cloud Robotics
• Cybersecurity – Trustworthy Teams
• Energy – Power-Aware Systems
• Human-Physical Systems – HRI
• Networking – Distributed Systems
25
Robotics/CPS is the “Gateway Drug” to Many STEM
Fields

26. Unprecedented Optimism in Robotics & CPS!
Education (all levels)
Laypublic
Government Leaders (jobs,
innovation)
Industry (buyers and sellers)
Finance
Kiva
Systems
$775M
Rethink
Robotics
$75M
Rethink
Baxter
$22,000
Kuka
YouBot
$26,000
Universal
UR5
$44,000

27. What is the Federal Govt Good At?
• R & D
• Regulation
• Certain Infrastructure
• Infrastructure Equality
• Encouraging Standards and Interoperability
• Taxation

29. Stakeholder Roles