Despite fears about robots replacing humans at work, there are still plenty of things humans can do far better than machines. That's fine with Robust AI, a startup building robots designed to complement what humans do best. The company's mobile robot, named Carter, resembles a utility cart on wheels and is designed to fit seamlessly alongside humans in fast-changing warehouse and factory environments. Carter features a force-sensitive handlebar for easy guidance, an AI-powered vision system, and holonomic wheels for instant movement in any direction. 'In these environments, what really determines success is how the overall system performs,' explains Anthony Jules '92, SM '92, who co-founded the company with MIT Professor Emeritus Rodney Brooks. 'The robot does some of the work, the people do some of the work, and the backend systems do some of the work. It's that combination that determines how well your system performs. We believe it's really important that people have an...
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