Robotic Industry Consortium Forms to Meet DoD Challenge

(Source: Robotics Technology Consortium, Inc.; issued July 1, 2008)

WASHINGTON --- The Robotics Technology Consortium, Inc. (RTC) today announced its launch with over 70 initial organizations. The consortium was established to meet a need identified by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise (OSD/JGRE) and held its first member meeting on Friday, June 20, 2008 in Arlington, VA.

The RTC was created to support top-tier research within the robotic technology community to speed the deployment of technology from the lab to operational deployment. To meet this goal the RTC consists of traditional and non-traditional government contractors, small and large businesses, for-profit and not-for-profit entities, and academic organizations. Members will perform R&D and provide input on strategies for government agencies executing ground robotics programs.

"Ground robots are proven life savers for our Service members and industry has offered a first class response to our need for advancing robotics with the establishment of this consortium," said Ellen Purdy, Enterprise Director, Joint Ground Robotics. "The Department looks forward to partnering with the RTC as it enables us to work with the best and brightest in industry and academia."

The RTC has been formed as a non-profit, supporting organization of the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. NCMS will also serve as the RTC administrative agent. "The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences has been successfully commercializing innovative technology for more than twenty years," said Rick Jarman, President and CEO of NCMS, and the interim Chairman of the RTC. "We are pleased to have the more than seventy members of the Robotics Technology Consortium join us as we drive innovations to improve the safety of our warfighters and the security of our nation." Membership to the Robotics Technology Consortium is open. The RTC has entered into an Other Transactions Agreement (OTA) with the Government to better enable nontraditional defense contractors to undertake technical projects on behalf of the Government.

The Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) is a non-profit, industry organization created in 2008 to speed the creation and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Defense Department and other Government organizations. The RTC was formed by request of the Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise, an office within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and consists of large and small commercial companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations. The RTC seeks to solicit and engage companies and organizations that may not have historically performed work for the Defense Department and other Government organizations in addition to traditional defense contractors.


The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) is the largest cross-industry collaborative R&D consortium in North America. NCMS has a 22-year track record in the management of complex, collaborative programs which deliver innovative manufacturing technology to market faster than traditional methods.

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