Collaborative Research: Preparing the Workforce for Industry 4.0's Intelligent Industrial Robotics

根据国际机器人联合会（International Federation of Robotics）的数据，全球下一代工业机器人市场的近75%在中国、日本、韩国和台湾。为了保持竞争力，美国工业需要迅速加快智能机器人的使用。因此，国家需要培养能够编程、使用、维护和修理智能工业机器人的高技能技术人员。这一合作项目将解决中国在智能工业机器人方面合格技术人员的短缺问题。它打算通过在田纳西州和阿拉巴马州东部和中部地区建立学术机构和主要制造商之间的合作来实现这一目标。这些合作伙伴将共同定义下一代工业机器人技术劳动力的必要技能。他们还将开发一门课程，让学生学习这些技能。该项目将成为国内首批智能机器人和人工智能技术劳动力培训项目之一。因此，这项努力将支持美国企业和工业迅速有效地将下一代机器人技术应用到他们的工作场所。项目具体目标如下：1)开发智能机器人课程模块；2)为教育工作者举办培训师培训班；3)确定操作下一代机器人所需的技能；4)为中学和大专教育工作者建立下一代机器人的知识库；5)提高公众对下一代机器人的认识。通过田纳西州和阿拉巴马州东部和中部地区的四所学术机构之间的合作，并涉及该地区的主要制造商，该项目预计将产生可持续的成果，并可在其他机构复制或调整。该项目旨在为社区和技术学院提供智能机器人和人工智能技术方面的劳动力培训，这是美国首批项目之一。由于社区和技术学院提供了相当大比例的工业劳动力，该项目有可能帮助美国企业和工业快速有效地将下一代机器人技术应用于工作场所。该项目由先进技术教育计划资助，该计划侧重于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

According to the International Federation of Robotics, nearly 75% of the global market for next-generation industrial robotics is in China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. To remain competitive, U.S. industries need to rapidly accelerate the use of intelligent robotics. As a result, the nation needs to train highly skilled technicians who can program, use, maintain, and repair intelligent industrial robots. This collaborative project will address the nation’s shortfall of qualified technicians in intelligent industrial robotics. It intends to do so by establishing a collaboration between academic institutions and major manufacturers in the eastern and central regions of Tennessee and Alabama. Together these partners will define the necessary skillset for the next-generation industrial robotics technical workforce. They will also develop a curriculum that will allow students to learn those skills. This project will result in one of the first programs in the nation for workforce training in intelligent robotics and artificial intelligence technologies. This effort will thus support U.S. businesses and industries to rapidly and effectively incorporate next-generation robotics in their workplace.The project has the following specific aims: 1) develop intelligent robotics curricular modules; 2) implement train-the-trainer workshops for educators; 3) identify skill sets needed for handling the next-generation robotics; 4) develop a knowledge base of next-generation robotics for secondary and post-secondary educators; and 5) increase public awareness of next-generation robotics. By using a collaboration among four academic institutions in the eastern and central regions of Tennessee and Alabama, and involving major manufacturers in the region, the project expects to deliver outcomes that will be sustainable and can be replicated or adapted at other institutions. This project intends to develop one of the first programs in the nation for workforce training at community and technical colleges in intelligent robotics and artificial intelligence technologies. Since community and technical college supply a significant percentage of the industrial workforce, this project has the potential to help U.S. businesses and industries rapidly and effectively incorporate next-generation robotics in their workplace. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.