06/14/10 — Robotics Trends’ robotics workforce development report predicts increased hiring for R&D and engineering positions, with manufacturing, sales, and marketing to follow. Robotics Trends announced the immediate availability of the report, Current State and Future Needs of the Robotics Workforce. The report, which is based on a survey of companies that develop, resell, or use robots and robotic technology, describes the makeup of the current and future robotics labor force, hiring trends, and critical needs. Current State and Future Needs of the Robotics Workforce is available without charge and for immediate download with registration to the robotics virtual conference, Autonomy, Navigation,…

06/09/10 — GDRS and eight academic and business partners win $63M award for robotics research. A General Dynamics Robotics Systems-led consortium of eight academic and corporate leaders in robotic technologies has been awarded a $63 million five-year research agreement by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory to create the technical foundation supporting development of autonomous unmanned air and ground systems. This agreement also has a second five-year option worth $67 million, and a parallel technology-transition contract valued at up to $90 million to facilitate transition of technology to other government programs. Taken together, the entire effort has a potential value of $220 million.…