ARM Institute & USAF Secure $87M
The ARM Institute and the U.S. Air Force have secured $87 million for research and development in dual-use robotics. The funding will focus on collaborative robots for logistics, maintenance, and force protection, aiming to accelerate the deployment of AI-powered ground and aerial systems.
- This five-year cooperative agreement provides a total of $87.66 million, combining government funding and cost-sharing from the ARM Institute, to advance dual-use robotics and automation. It is managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the primary R&D center for the Department of the Air Force. - The ARM Institute is a public-private partnership founded in 2017 with a grant from the Department of Defense, led by Carnegie Mellon University. It is a consortium of over 450 member organizations from industry, academia, and government, including major robotics suppliers like Fanuc, Yaskawa, and ABB. - The collaboration will focus on specific technology areas including robotic mobility, multi-robot/multi-human teaming, advanced visualization, and manufacturing process informatics. The goal is to develop technologies that can be applied to both commercial manufacturing and defense needs, strengthening the defense industrial base. - Project proposals are solicited from the institute's members through "Project Calls." For example, a recent call focused on defense needs in areas like the production of unmanned aerial systems and submarines, with individual projects eligible for up to $500,000 in funding. - A key objective is making robotics and AI more accessible to U.S. manufacturers of all sizes to enhance global competitiveness and national security. The institute also leads workforce development initiatives, such as RoboticsCareer.org, to train and empower the manufacturing workforce for careers in robotics and automation. - The current CEO of the ARM Institute is Jorgen Pedersen, who was appointed in May 2025. Pedersen was previously a co-founder of Carnegie Mellon University's National Robotics Engineering Center and CEO of RE2 Robotics.
