Joyce Sidopoulos, Co-Founder and Chief of Operations at MassRobotics, works on initiatives to expand the breadth and depth of the robotics ecosystem and develops high impact programs, highlighting startups technologies, matching startups with funders and customers, advocating for robotics adoption, connecting talent to employers, and working with academia to help commercialize research. In this Q&A, Foley Hoag partner Jen Audeh chats with Joyce on critical topics such as workforce and labor dynamics, adoption, future industry growth and entering the field of robotics.
Q: Jen Audeh - What role does your organization play in bridging the gap between research and commercial application in robotics?
A: Joyce Sidopoulos - MassRobotics is the world's largest independent robotics hub dedicated to advancing robotics technology, commercialization and adoption. Our mission is to help create and scale the next generation of successful robotics and physical AI companies by providing entrepreneurs and startups with the workspace, resources, programming and connections they need to develop, prototype, test and commercialize their products and solutions.
While we originated and have our headquarters in Boston, we are reaching and supporting robotics acceleration and adoption globally and are working with startups, academia, industry and governments both domestically and internationally.
We have 3 pillars that support these efforts -- we advocate, escalate and educate.
- Advocating for the industry as a whole, for its adoption, standards, policy etc.
- Escalating (meaning growing) startups, again, by providing them space and resources, including prototyping equipment, CAD and software tools (including SolidWorks licenses), Cloud compute credits, introductions to funding sources, partners and customers, access to talent, mentoring experts in a variety of fields from technical to business.
- Educating the public (around what to expect), the startups (on everything from new sensors to how to pitch a VC), and our youth through our hands-on programs ranging from 2-hour classroom visits to weeklong academies to our 5-6 month girls program.
Q: How do you see the robotics industry impacting workforce dynamics in the coming year, and what can be done to address potential disruptions?
A: There are workforce gaps that must be addressed sooner than later. I just read the most recent MassMEP Industry Insight Report discussing the labor shortage that Massachusetts manufacturers are seeing, and it is the same across the United States, in not just manufacturing, but also in other traditional labor-intensive industries like agriculture, healthcare and construction. The adoption of robotics helps to mitigate the labor shortage challenge. But this all comes with other challenges, including upskilling the workforce.
The Robotics Industry is changing the nature of work. Robots are good at doing the dull, dirty and dangerous jobs, but people need to set them up and assign them their tasks. We need to upskill workers on how to program robots.
Q: What are the biggest barriers to the adoption of robotics in traditional industries, such as manufacturing, agriculture, or healthcare, and how can these challenges be overcome?
A: There are certainly many barriers to the adoption of robotics, but I think these can be overcome with funding and time. Nothing happens overnight!
The barriers to adoption are not technical but business – how will the robot impact my business, what is the ROI, how will the technology work with and impact my other workers.
When first bringing robotics into an industry or new space, there is often a high initial upfront investment required. ]Government grants, leasing and financing options could help in the area.
There’s also a lack of expertise and the skillset needed to implement, operate and maintain these systems. Robotics companies often provide a training initially, but there needs to be some upskilling overall – across many industries.
And of course there are safety and reliability concerns. So Robotics companies need to ensure rigorous testing and standards compliance as well as continuous monitoring and maintenance. In some cases, those standards have not been developed.
Q: Have you seen an effective strategy for addressing resistance to robotics adoption from workers or leadership in legacy industries?
A: I think workers and employers are over the fear of job loss from robots. With the diminishing workforce, robotics adoption and acceptance are an absolute must to keep industries moving forward.
There are a few strategies we’ve seen to be effective in reducing any resistance to robotics adoption. One is to have the employees participate in the process, explaining the robot is a tool to help and enhance rather than replace. It’s best to engage workers in the process of identifying where robotics might work best. What is their least favorite job?
Another is worker retraining programs, offering opportunities to workers to help them adapt to new roles, working with robots.
I’ve seen two examples of strategies that helped with adoption. One, host a contest to “name” the robot and have them be festive during holidays. Once a robot has a name, they’re more likely to be considered a team member.
The second is to employ a robot to do a task that no one likes. Have the robot perform that task for a few months, then remove it. Employees will ask for that robot to return!
Q: What is your vision for the robotics industry in the next 5–10 years, and how is your organization contributing to that vision?
A: The next 5-10 years will see significant growth in robotics that will be driven by advances in AI and machine learning. Adoption will not be confined to traditional industries like manufacturing and warehouse automation, but will be more widespread, across nearly all industries, including agriculture, healthcare, construction, retail and home services. Robotics in general will become more affordable and intelligent and be utilized in a more collaborative manner with human interaction. I think we’re going to see specialized and personalized robotics in healthcare, especially in rehabilitation and eldercare with tailored solutions to meet individual needs.
MassRobotics plays a critical role in supporting the growth of robotics startups, connecting startups with industry leaders, advocating for commercialization and adoption and helping to advance industry standards and regulations.
Q: What advice would you give to individuals or organizations looking to contribute to the robotics industry’s growth?
A: Whether you are an individual or an organization, the key to contributing to robotics growth is addressing real-world challenges. Robotics has a lot of potential to improve many industries and the way we live – but it will require forward-thinking and continuous innovation. Robotics is really an interdisciplinary field, blending engineering, computer science, artificial intelligence and design. The key is to know the customer and their industry and what they are really looking to solve. Staying current with industry trends, networking, and having a solid foundation in a STEM field is a plus.
Q: In 10 years, do you think robots will be more likely to host a late-night talk show, compete in a sports league, or write the next hit Netflix series—and why?
A: Robots may very well be hosting late-night talk shows in the next 10 years —but I like the idea of potentially a new sport, not a robot-only competition but collaborations between robots and human athletes. Robotics competitions such as FIRST and VEX already exist, but these could evolve into full-fledged sports leagues, where robots showcase agility, strategy, and teamwork. This could be a new type of sports entertainment inserting robotics into the mix, where fans get to see not just human skill, but the unique advantages robots bring to the table, like precision, speed, and even the ability to perform feats beyond human capability.
