Consumer Robotics: An Overview of the Challenges & Opportunities

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YEREVAN, Armenia – On May 4th, the American University of Armenia (AUA) Entrepreneurship & Product Innovation Center (EPIC) in collaboration with the ARPA Institute Distance Learning Program hosted an online lecture led by Grigor Shirakyan on current consumer robotics, and what awaits us in the future.

Will Robot Revolution happen? What are the challenges and opportunities?

Mr. Shirakyan addressed these questions and spoke about the technical side of development and implementation of smart robotic systems including sensors, actuators, materials, and algorithms. In addition, he also presented the fundamentals of what it takes to start building robots.

Grigor Shirakyan is a robotics engineer and an entrepreneur. He grew up in Yerevan and in 1994, he graduated from the Yerevan State University, department of radiophysics. After graduation, Grigor started to work at the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant where he headed the Thermo-Physics Laboratory. During those years, he developed the first computer control system that monitored and controlled the reactor via thousands or sensors. In 1999, he moved to the USA. In 2005-2015 Grigor worked at the Microsoft Corporation, and during last four years, he was part of their Robotics Research Team. He developed smart robotics systems that won awards at prestigious events and is a holder of a number of patents in the robotics field. Currently, he lives in Washington DC and is busy with creating his own robotics company.

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides US-style education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.