254: From Steel City to Robotics Powerhouse: Pittsburgh’s Industrial Legacy featuring Jay Douglass, COO of ARM Institute
Jay Douglass, COO of the ARM Institute, discusses the institute's mission to de-risk robotics adoption for small manufacturers through its Robotics Manufacturing Hub in Pittsburgh's historic Mill 19 facility. He explains how the ARM Institute's national consortium of 450+ members collaborates on pre-competitive R&D projects funded by the Department of Defense to improve US manufacturing competitiveness. Douglass highlights the challenge of reshoring industries like textiles and furniture, arguing that combining robots with people is essential to achieve the scalability and skill sets required for domestic production.