{"675174":{"#nid":"675174","#data":{"type":"news","title":"AI-Focused Grant Enhances Program for Veterans","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENaiya Salinas and her instructor, Deryk Stoops, looked back and forth between the large screen on the wall and a hand-held monitor.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETracing between the lines of code, Salinas made a discovery: A character was missing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe lesson was an important, real-world example of the problem-solving skills required when working in robotics. Salinas is one of a half-dozen students enrolled in the new AI Enhanced Robotic Manufacturing program at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gavectr.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Veterans Education Career Transition Resource (VECTR) Center\u003C\/a\u003E, which is setting a new standard for technology-focused careers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe set-up of the lab was intentional, said Stoops, who designed the course modules and worked with local industry to determine their manufacturing needs. Then, with funding from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/manufacturing\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u0027\u003C\/a\u003Es (GTMI) \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/georgiaaim.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing (Georgia AIM)\u003C\/a\u003E project, Stoops worked with administrators at Central Georgia Technical College to purchase robotics and other cutting-edge manufacturing tools.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a result, the VECTR Center\u2019s AI-Enhanced Robotic Manufacturing Studio trains veterans in industry-standard robotics, manufacturing modules, cameras, and network systems. This equipment gives students experience in a variety of robotics-based manufacturing applications. Graduates can also finish the 17-credit course with two certifications that carry some weight in the manufacturing world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAfter getting the Georgia AIM grant, we pulled together a roundtable with industry. And then we did site visits to see how they pulled AI and robotics into the space,\u201d said Stoops. \u201cAll the equipment in here is the direct result of industry feedback.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStatewide Strategic Effort\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFunded by a $65 million grant from the federal \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eda.gov\/funding\/programs\/american-rescue-plan\/build-back-better\/finalists\/georgia-tech-research-corporations\u0022\u003EEconomic Development Administration\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia AIM is a network of projects across the state born out of GTMI and led by Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnterprise Innovation Institute\u003C\/a\u003E. These projects work to connect the manufacturing community with smart technologies and a ready workforce. Central Georgia received around $4 million as part of the initiative to advance innovation, workforce development and STEM education in support of local manufacturing and Robins Air Force Base.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia AIM pulls together a host of regional partners all working toward a common goal of increasing STEM education, access to technology and enhancing AI among local manufacturers. This partnership includes \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.fvsu.edu\/\u0022\u003EFort Valley State University\u003C\/a\u003E, the Middle Georgia Innovation Project led by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/houstoncountyga.net\/\u0022\u003EDevelopment Authority of Houston County\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.centralgatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECentral Georgia Technical College\u003C\/a\u003E, which administers the VECTR Center, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.21stcenturypartnership.com\/\u0022\u003E21st Century Partnership\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis grant will help us turn our vision for both the Middle Georgia Innovation Project and the Middle Georgia STEM Alliance, along with our partners, into reality, advancing this region and supporting the future of Robins AFB,\u201d said Brig. Gen. John Kubinec, USAF (ret.), president and chief executive officer of the 21st Century Partnership.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia AIM funding for Central Georgia Technical College and Fort Valley State focused on enhancing technology and purchasing new components to assist in education. At Fort Valley State, a mobile lab will launch later this year to take AI-enhanced technologies to underserved parts of the state, while Central Georgia Tech invested in an AI-enhanced robotics manufacturing lab at the VECTR Center.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis funding will help bring emerging technology throughout our service area and beyond, to our students, economy, and Robins Air Force Base,\u201d said Dr. Ivan Allen, president of Central Georgia Technical College. \u201cThanks to the power of this partnership, our faculty and students will have the opportunity to work directly with modern manufacturing technology, giving our students the experience and education needed to transition from the classroom to the workforce in an in-demand industry.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENew Gateway for Vets\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe VECTR Center\u2019s AI-Enhanced Robotics Manufacturing Studio includes FANUC robotic systems, Rockwell Automation programmable logic controllers, Cognex AI-enabled machine vision systems, smart sensor networks, and a MiR autonomous mobile robot.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe studio graduated its first cohort of students in February and celebrated its ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 17 with a host of local officials and dignitaries. It was also an opportunity to celebrate the students, who are transitioning from a military career to civilian life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new technologies at the VECTR Center lab are opening new doors to a growing, cutting-edge field.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFrom being in this class, you really start to see how the world is going toward AI. Not just Chat GPT, but everything \u2014 the world is going toward AI for sure now,\u201d said Jordan Leonard, who worked in logistics and as a vehicle mechanic in the U.S. Army. Now, he\u2019s upskilling into robotics and looking forward to using his new skills in maintenance. \u201cWhat I want to do is go to school for instrumentation and electrical technician. But since a lot of industrial plants are trying to get more robots, for me this will be a step up from my coworkers by knowing these things.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGTMI\u0027s Georgia AIM project is working with the Georgia VECTR Center to train veterans in industry-standard robotics, manufacturing modules, cameras, and network systems using their new AI-Enhanced Robotic Manufacturing Studio.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"GTMI\u0027s Georgia AIM project is working with the Georgia VECTR Center to train veterans in industry-standard robotics, manufacturing modules, cameras, and network systems using their new AI-Enhanced Robotic Manufacturing Studio."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2024-06-20 22:28:57","changed_gmt":"2024-06-20 22:40:43","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-06-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-06-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674218":{"id":"674218","type":"image","title":"Naiya Salinas is one of a half-dozen students enrolled in the new AI Enhanced Robotic Manufacturing program at the Georgia Veterans Education Career Transition Resource (VECTR) Center, which is setting a new standard for technology-focused careers.","body":"\u003Cp\u003ENaiya Salinas is one of a half-dozen students enrolled in the new AI Enhanced Robotic Manufacturing program at the Georgia Veterans Education Career Transition Resource (VECTR) Center, which is setting a new standard for technology-focused careers.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1718922602","gmt_created":"2024-06-20 22:30:02","changed":"1718922602","gmt_changed":"2024-06-20 22:30:02","alt":"Naiya Salinas is one of a half-dozen students enrolled in the new AI Enhanced Robotic Manufacturing program at the Georgia Veterans Education Career Transition Resource (VECTR) Center, which is setting a new standard for technology-focused careers.","file":{"fid":"257704","name":"VECTR-Robotics_1-1024x683.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/20\/VECTR-Robotics_1-1024x683.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/20\/VECTR-Robotics_1-1024x683.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":96501,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/06\/20\/VECTR-Robotics_1-1024x683.jpg?itok=ZEyhC2zx"}}},"media_ids":["674218"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/less-waste-more-ai-fellowship-offers-opportunity-test-sustainable-solutions","title":"Less Waste, More AI: Fellowship Offers Opportunity to Test Sustainable Solutions"},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2022\/09\/02\/economic-development-administration-awards-georgia-tech-65-million-ai-manufacturing","title":"Economic Development Administration Awards Georgia Tech $65 Million for AI Manufacturing Project"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-aim-welcomes-new-managing-director-industry-partnerships","title":"Georgia AIM welcomes new managing director for industry partnerships"}],"groups":[{"id":"155831","name":"Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI)"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"186857","name":"go-gtmi"},{"id":"191642","name":"Georgia AIM"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kristen.morales@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EKristen Morales\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia AIM (Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing)\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["kristen.morales@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}