Robots And Unmanned Vehicles In Newton?

NEWTON, MA — It's not that far off, say industry experts.

"The question is no longer one of 'if,' it's 'how' and 'where'," said Jonathan Koopman of Volpe, Thursday in Newton.

As the state puts resources into the technology industry in an effort to get out ahead of the autonomous vehicle movement (The Automated Vehicles Working Group was established in October 2016) the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International New England is hosting Robotica 2017 at the Boston Marriott Newton from June 15-16.

Participants from a range of industries that are impacted - from gear manufacturers to NASA to insurance companies - are looking at policy, legal, insurance and workforce implications as robotic systems and enabling technologies transform the world we live in.

"When we think about cyber or connected cars, cyber security is a big concern," said Mutual Liberty's Seth Trier. Think: malicious attacks where someone is able to access controls - whether to take control of a car or just interfere. "Having control is something we're engaging in," he told conference attendees Thursday morning.

Another challenge growing and developing autonomous vehicles has to do with pedestrians and infrastructure, said Nigel Jacob of the Boston Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics, which has a division dedicated to looking at potential impacts and ways to get out ahead of them through innovation and testing.

"We've yet to hear someone propose a solution to jaywalkers. If you know this thing won't hit you, why would you ever go through an intersection ever again?" said Jacob.

The Robotica 2017 conference is the third and biggest of its kind so far held by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems in New England. That chapter of the trade association is in its third year and Board Member Jeff Adams said there are more than a dozen companies and a number of sponsors, including Boston Consulting Group, here to meet the expected 200 participants.

"It's really just an opportunity to meet with other people in the industry and make connections and find solutions to problems that may arise," he said.

The conference is open to the public, and there's no requirement to be part of the association. A day pass runs around $250. On tomorrow's agenda? Some 75 Massachusetts high school students will participate in a robot competition.

Check out robotica2017.org for more information.

Photos by Jenna Fisher/ Patch