Here in Georgia (that's the U.S. state, not the Eurasian country), there's an extraordinarily talented group of students, faculty and alumni at Georgia Tech University (GT) that should warm the collective hearts of manufacturers everywhere.
They're the Robojackets, dawg.
They're the future, they're going global, and they want you to know about it.
The Robojackets (a play on the name of GT's mascot, the Yellowjackets) are a collective that:
"... aims to enhance the understanding of the field of robotics and its applications in depth of knowledge as well as to increase of the number of students exposed to it. We plan to carry out our mission through projects that correspond to the organization's tenets of promotion, education and advancement."
They participate in robotics-focused competitions all over the U.S. - including BattleBots events. This summer, they'll be competing in the 2008 RoboCup World Event in Suzhou, China.
These are talented, motivated, passionate manufacturers. They are translating goals and requirements into tangible results through technology, intuition and creativity. And they have to be resourceful to pull all this off, without a lot of resources.
If you worry about the future of manufacturing - the lack of qualified talent, the diminishing manufacturing capability coming from our schools and our culture these days - then pay the Robojackets a visit. Give them some encouragement. Maybe offer them some support.
I'm not sure how they'll fair in the upcoming competitions - there are quite a few in the coming months. But I have a pretty good idea what you'll call a Robojacket after graduation:
"Sir."
NOTE: Do you know of other remarkable groups that will shape the future of manufacturing or are just downright inspiring? Drop me a line and let me know: aj at mfgx dot com.
