December 6, 2022 Major U.S. City is Leading the Robotics Revolution

Pittsburgh is shaping the future of what’s next in technology, from aerospace to electric vehicles and Cleantech innovation.

In fact, it may just be the U.S. city that leads the robotic revolution.  

As one of the largest robotic ecosystems in the world with an economic impact of over $512 million, Pittsburgh has a concentration of over 100 companies focusing on the advancement of robotics and artificial intelligence. It’s also home to “Robotics Row,” a three-mile stretch of 25+ groundbreaking technology companies, specifically those working on robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous manufacturing, self-driving vehicles, and more.  

Here’s more on some of the companies found on Robotics Row: 

• Reshaping Mobility: Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University was the birthplace of self-driving vehicles and is now among the worldwide leaders in autonomous vehicle development. Companies like Aurora (a self-driving vehicle company that’s currently testing its commercial trucking service with FedEx Corp), Locomation (the world’s first trucking technology platform to combine AI-driven autonomy with driver augmentation) and Near Earth Autonomy (innovative technologies for unmanned aircrafts) are creating a hotbed of autonomous innovation to transform transportation and reduce carbon emissions and pollution.  
• The Future of Work: Big advancements in robotics are taking place in the warehouses and factories of Pittsburgh. For example, IAM Robotics is disrupting the industry with the first affordable and available robots that will increase pick and put-away accuracy, facility safety and picking speed to radically improve customer’s competitiveness in a velocity-driven world. That’s just one example: Pittsburgh is also home to Sarcos Robotics, Agility Robotics and Bossa Nova Robotics.
• Robotics for All Sectors: From MedTech to agriculture and everything in between, Pittsburgh’s Robotics Row provides solutions for all industries. MedTech company Smith+Nephew offers portable, handheld surgical robotics. On the agriculture front, Bloomfield Robotics, which was among notable venture capital deals for startups in Q3, implements continuous AI inspection that digitalizes the health and performance of every plant from seed to harvest. Carnegie Robotics (CRL) is a leading provider of full stack autonomy solutions and rugged stereo cameras and sensors for military and commercial OEM partners. And when it comes to robotics on the Lunar surface, Protoinnovations has provided advanced autonomy software technologies to robotic and crewed rovers in unknown and highly variable terrain on the Moon.  

Pittsburgh’s already impressive robotics sector is expected to grow even more – in September, the region was awarded a $62.7 million federal Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant to further build out its autonomy and robotics cluster. Ultimately, the investment will extend the benefits and opportunities generated by the autonomy industry to more communities, people and industries in southwestern Pennsylvania, including small- to medium-sized manufacturers. 

As Pittsburgh-based companies continue to make major strides in robotics with the help of its robust pipeline of top talent and new federal funding, the city prepares to house and support another 100+ years of innovation, further solidifying its place as a world leader in the sector.

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