根据《纽约时报》(New York Times)报导，Google将试图展开一条进军主流机器人领域的道路，人称“Android之父”的Andy Rubin正是这项计划的负责人。这家网络搜寻巨擘显然拥有着充裕的资金，以及一位有智慧、热情且有经验的积极主导者。但问题是，这是否就足以把这个迷人的领域转变为任何主流的商业机会？
负责主导这项任务的是Andy Rubin，他正是为我们带来 Android 操作系统的工程师，大家也都知道 Android 就是他出于对机器人的喜爱而命名的。Rubin采用Google的软件与经济势力在一系列小型 OS 的基础上开发出这一行动Linx版本。
目前Android 逐渐在智能手机与平板中占据主导位置，但我认为开发机器人的任务并不一样而且更困难。机器人长久以来一直具有迷人的潜力，但却难以实现。
美国麻省理工学院(MIT)的研究人员们首先在Roomba自动吸尘器取得了重大的突破﹣﹣这是难得从军用机器人发展而来的一款消费副产品。最近，Willow Garage发展出一款人形机器人平台﹣﹣以及一个机器人开放来源软件社群﹣﹣为有兴趣的创新者带来一些吸引力。
DARPA最近举办一项挑战赛，目的在于发展出最佳的的搜救人形机器人。该计划已经产生一些令人兴奋的成果了。甚至华尔街也看到了机器人的潜力；一家机器人公司的股票指数还追?该区77家相关领域的公司。
Rubin由于开发出Android而在市场上有一定的知名度，加上Google的财力支持，让他能为Google买下 7 家机器人公司，这几家公司包括：
日本人形机器人制造商﹣﹣Schaft
计算机视觉与机器手臂新创公司﹣﹣Industrial Perception
人形机器人和机器手臂制造商﹣﹣Meka与Redwood Robotics
其遥控摄影机用于电影《地心引力》 (Gravity)﹣﹣Bot & Dolly
广告和设计公司﹣﹣Autofuss
专业车轮制造商﹣﹣Holomni
无疑地，Rubin的计划将吸引同样对机器人怀抱热情的工程师。但你对这个尚未开发的商业机会以及跨入机器人领域的挑战有何看法呢？
本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载
编译：Susan Hong
参考英文原文：Google Searches for Robots' Home，by Rick Merritt, SiliconValley Bureau Chief
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Google Searches for Robots' Home
Rick Merritt, SiliconValley Bureau Chief
Google will try to map a path to mainstream robotics, according to a New York Times interview with the man behind the move. The search company has the cash and a smart, passionate, and experienced enthusiast. The open question is whether that's enough to turn this broadly fascinating field into any mainstream commercial opportunities.
Leading the charge is Andy Rubin, the engineer who brought us the operating system he called Android after his passion for robotics. Rubin used Google's software and financial clout to create a version of mobile Linux that has risen above a crowd of small OSes.
Today Android increasingly dominates in smartphones and tablets, but I think the job in robotics is different and tougher. Robotics has long been fascinating potential that's been tough to realize.
MIT robotics researchers had the first big breakthrough with its Roomba automated vacuum cleaner -- a rare consumer spinoff from its military robots. More recently, Willow Garage created a humanoid robotics platform -- and a robotics open-source software group -- to give interested innovators some traction.
DARPA recently launched a challenge to develop the best search-and-rescue humanoid robot. That program has already spawned some exciting work. Even Wall Street sees the potential; a robotics stock index tracks 77 companies in the area.
Rubin has mass market savvy from his work on Android, as well as Google's financial backing, which the NYT article said has enabled him to buy seven robotics companies, including:
Schaft, the Japanese maker of a humanoid robot
Industrial Perception, a computer vision and robotic arm startup
Meka and Redwood Robotics, makers of humanoid robots and robot arms
Bot & Dolly, whose robotic cameras were used in the movie Gravity
Autofuss, an advertising and design firm
Holomni, a maker of specialized wheels
There's no doubt Rubin's effort will attract a flood of resumes from engineers who share his passion for robotics. I'd love to hear from some of you about what you see as the untapped commercial opportunities and challenges of getting them on mechanical legs.
