"This workshop brings together robotics industry leaders, researchers, suppliers and integrators to help us understand where we are today and where we're headed in the future with collaborative robots."

(Ann Arbor, Michigan - April 9, 2014) - Collaborative Robots, or robots that work side by side with humans, are the hottest topic in robotics right now. A special workshop focused on the technology, applications, safety implications, and human impacts of this major advancement in the field will be held on Wednesday, April 16, 2014 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. Over 160 people have already registered for the event, including representatives from companies like Amazon, Rockwell, Samsung, Johnson Controls, Chrysler, Boeing, Ford and Toyota.

Collaborative Robots Workshop

"Collaborative robots are an exciting and innovative addition to the traditional robotics industry," said Jeff Burnstein, President of Robotic Industries Association (RIA), the trade group sponsoring the event. "This workshop brings together robotics industry leaders, researchers, suppliers and integrators to help us understand where we are today and where we're headed in the future with collaborative robots. The list of major companies from many different industries that are attending the event proves that there is tremendous interest in this technology."

Dr. Henrik Christensen of Georgia Tech, one of the world's foremost robotics experts, will give the opening keynote talk. Representatives from leading companies such as Rethink Robotics, Universal Robots, Yaskawa Motoman, KUKA, and iRobot, along with top robotics researchers from MIT and NIST will also give presentations. All attendees will receive free admission to The Vision Show, North America's leading vision and imaging event. Vision is a key element of the future of collaborative robots. The Vision Show is being held April 15-17, 2014 also at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston.

For complete details and registration information, call RIA Headquarters at 734/994-6088. Due to the intense interest in this topic, RIA plans to host another Collaborative Robots Workshop on the west coast this fall. To be added to the email list for more details on this upcoming event, please contact Bob Doyle at (734) 994-6088.

For more information on attending the Collaborative Robots Workshop as a member of the press and to schedule interviews with speakers in advance, please contact Bob Doyle at (734) 994-6088.

About Robotic Industries Association (RIA)
Founded in 1974, RIA now represents 325 robot manufacturers, system integrators, component suppliers, end users, consulting firms, research groups, and educational institutions. RIA is best known for its biennial Automate Show & Conference (next event slated for March 23-26, 2015 in Chicago); the ANSI/RIA National Robot Safety Standard and annual National Robot Safety Conference, and the annual Robotics Industry Forum (January 21-23, 2015, Orlando). The association also provides quarterly robotics statistics and has a content-rich Robotics Online website attracting hundreds of thousands of visits a year from throughout the world. For more details on RIA, visit Robotics Online or call 734/994-6088.

About Association for Advancing Automation (A3)
The Association for Advancing Automation is the global advocate for the benefits of automating. A3 promotes automation technologies and ideas that transform the way business is done. A3 is the umbrella group for Robotic Industries Association (RIA), AIA - Advancing Vision + Imaging, and Motion Control Association (MCA). RIA, AIA, and MCA combined represent 750 automation manufacturers, component suppliers, system integrators, end users, research groups and consulting firms from throughout the world that drive automation forward.