Pittsburgh’s love affair with robotic technology will gain a permanent place in our hearts and the Carnegie Science Center when the nation’s largest robotic exhibition opens in the spring of 2009.
The $3.4 million roboworld will occupy a 6,000 square-foot space on the secocnd floor of the Science Center and will feature more than 30 hands-on, interactive exhibit stations in three thematic areas focusing on robotic sensing, thinking and acting.
“What a better place for this to happen than Pittsburgh. This is Roboburgh,” exudes Joanna Haas, science center director. “Not a day goes by when you don’t read of some amazing innovation or accomplish in our university, business and science sectors. The reality of it is that the public is very fascinated by it.”
A celebrity cast was on hand to induct four new robots into the Carnegie Mellon University Hall of Fame, which will now call the Science Center home. Anthony Daniels, who played C-3PO in all six Star Wars movies, joined by Zachery Quinto, a Carnegie Mellon alumnus who will play Spock in the upcoming Star Trek movie for the announcement.
roboworld is made possible in part by $1 million leadership gifts from Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Bozzone and from The Grable Foundation. More than $2.5 million has been raised toward the construction of roboworld, with approximately $1 million still needed to complete the exhibition.
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Joanna Haas, Carnegie Science Center
Image courtesy Carnegie Science Center