Stability in the auto industry and surging interest in robotics by the U.S. military provide unique economic opportunities for Michigan robotics makers and software developers, experts said today at an event in Ann Arbor celebrating National Robotics Week.

Rick Jarman, CEO of Ann Arbor-based National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, said the state’s manufacturing industry can leverage robotics to diversify and grow.

“If there’s some competitive thing that Michigan can do to improve our competiveness with the rest of the world, it’s to improve our collaboration,” Jarman said at Michigan Robotics Day, organized by NCMS, the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and Ann Arbor-based defense software developer Soar Technology Inc.

“The future of manufacturing will likely be dominated by widespread use of increasingly complex robotics. These are the skills that are already here in Michigan.”

NCMS, which has more than 400 member organizations, is currently leading the $170 million Robotics Technology Consortium to help small companies navigate bureaucratic hurdles and establish commercial ties with the U.S. military.

“Providing a platform for small- and medium-sized companies to collaborate with giants of industry has always been a hallmark of NCMS,” Jarman said. “There is a unique opportunity for Michigan to be a global leader in this technology, for new tools and products in manufacturing.”

After a tough three-year stretch for the robotics industry, which was battered by the global economic crisis, robotics makers are reporting a surge in sales. North American robot suppliers recorded a 58 percent rise in sales to $993.2 million in 2010, according to statistics released in February by the Ann Arbor-based Robotics Industries Association.

Stability in the auto industry is helping. Robotics orders by automakers and suppliers — which make 51 percent of robotics purchases in North America — rose 34 percent in 2010.

But other industries are growing at a faster pace. Metalworking companies increased robotics orders by 90 percent, while companies in the semiconductor, electronics and photonics sector boosted orders by 66 percent. Plastics and rubber makers, food companies and biotech firms are also fueling a rise in interest in robotics.

“The demand for robotics took off once the ‘Great Recession’ ended, as companies resumed investments in technology that improves productivity, quality, flexibility and time to market, key benefits of robotics,” RIA President Jeff Burnstein said in a statement.

Among the key drivers in the robotics industry is the military’s desire to turn dangerous battlefield tasks over to robots whenever possible. In the military, robotics include unmanned aerial vehicles and vehicles that disarm improvised explosive devices.

The global market for military robotics is expected to rise from $5.8 billion in 2010 to more than $8 billion in 2016, according to a recent study by ABI Research.

That is driving interest in technologies from Ann Arbor area companies like Quantum Signal and SoarTeach. Quantum Signal in 2010 launched an expansion, purchasing the former Union School in Saline to meet its needs for more space and more jobs.

Jim Overholt, the U.S. Army’s chief scientist for robotics, suggested that future technology advancements in robotics would be powered by software engineers — that is, “hackers.”

Companies like Quantum Signal — which employs high-level software experts to generate computerized visioning and spacial awareness technology to help robots navigate unfamiliar terrain — are heavily populated with software leaders.

“This is a huge space to leverage,” Overholt said. “I think the great changes and revolution in robotics are being done by hackers.”

Andrew Dallas, vice president for federal systems at SoarTech, said it’s critical to get young people excited about getting involved in the robotics industry to ensure the industry's strength.

Michigan is “the world’s leader in robotics, but it’s a tenuous situation,” Dallas said. “With this vested interest, our goal for this day, today and into the future, is to continue to promote robotics.”

Contact AnnArbor.com's Nathan Bomey at (734) 623-2587 or nathanbomey@annarbor.com. You can also follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's newsletters.