Personal Robots From Valley Startup

Tjeerd writes ""A Silicon Valley start-up is developing a hardware and software development platform for personal-assistant robots, autonomous boats and unmanned cars. The privately funded company, quietly started almost a year ago by eGroups founder and veteran Google architect Scott Hassan, plans to make its robotics software open source. That way, it hopes to draw a community of developers to build applications in these respective fields.""

Think Tank

[UberHoser]

"With no pressure to make money initially, the company will act more like a robotics think tank and will eventually devise licensing models for its technology"

I have to admit this sounds pretty sweet. Not having the robotic overlords standing over you screaming "Bottom Line Bottom Line" would be refreshing......

Oh god here they come.. "I serve only you, my lords .. no no not the tazer !!!!"

Re:Business Strategy - unproven but hopeful

[Foobar of Borg]

It's an interesting strategy outlined in the article - that they're less worried about making money quickly and more worried about making robotics a sustainable sector of the economy means they'll either crash and burn early, or their efforts will single-handedly help to define a new generation of technology. Quite the fun dichotomy. :)

I think the key is that they are planning on licensing the patents from the technology. At least, that's what I got from the article.

So:
1. Develop Robot Tech
2. Patent Robot Tech
3. License Robot Tech to those with the capacity to mass produce
4. Profit! (no ??? needed this time)