Obama visits robotics lab, calls for "all-hands on deck" program to boost manufacturing
PITTSBURGH -- With a yellow robotic device at his back that resembled the cute animation star WALL-E, President Obama announced "an all-hands on deck" program to expand U.S. manufacturing and the number of jobs that go with it.
Underwritten by a half billion dollars in re-directed government funds, the plan is designed to "support the creation of good jobs by helping U.S. manufacturers reduce costs, improve quality, and accelerate product development."
"A renaissance of American manufacturing," said Mr. Obama in describing the principle objective of the initiative.
It's another effort by the administration to promote economic growth and reverse climbing unemployment.
"If we want a robust, growing economy, we need a robust, growing manufacturing sector," said the president in a speech at the National Robotics Engineering Center of Carnegie Mellon University.
The program, nicknamed AMP - for Advanced Manufacturing Partnership - combines government, industry and academia in an arrangement to accelerate product development, expand manufacturing and its job base.
"We have not run out of stuff to make," said Mr. Obama. "We've just got to reinvigorate our manufacturing sector so that it leads the world the way it always has - from paper and steel and cars to new products that we haven't even dreamed up yet.
He said the partnership was meant to ensure that "tomorrow's breakthroughs are America's breakthroughs."
As for that bright yellow, student-made, wheeled robotic device with which he shared a stage, Mr. Obama gave it his autograph.
No autopen around - so he signed the tail end of the device by hand - unlike the Patriot Act Extensions bill signed into law May 26 at his direction by the mechanical autograph machine known as the autopen.
Can you tell the autopen from Obama's real signature?
The device is one of those reconnaissance robots used by police to inspect hazardous areas from a safe distance.
It's unlikely the one signed by Mr. Obama will see much action - outside of exhibition halls and technology fairs.
