Yaskawa focuses on STEM via educational robotics platform

Robotics are clearly a big part of our collective future, and young people are the future of robotics, which is why science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has become a priority for so many in the industry.

It’s certainly a priority for Yaskawa Motoman, which sees a viable market for robotics platforms aimed at education. The company recently formed the Yaskawa Motoman Education Consortium and released a robotics platform specifically for education and workforce development. The “STEM Robotics Platform” is designed to meet the requirements of secondary educational programs focused on advanced manufacturing and robotics. The company says a general-purpose platform and a welding education cell are available.

“We developed the STEM Robotics Platform to provide community colleges, vocational schools and technical colleges with the best possible equipment for teaching industrial robotics,” Erik Nieves, Yaskawa Motoman technology director, said in a statement. “Students are excited about robotics. The success of high school robot competitions like FIRST and Vex make students enthusiastic about robot programming, and each year, growing numbers are looking for opportunities to learn more.”

Educators can purchase a complete package or components to build a custom system that fits their individual needs. Additional education tools offered by the company include the Simple Education System, a PC-based robot simulator, and customizable training programs.

[ photo courtesy of Yaskawa Motoman ]