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Jay Bregman speaking at the Web Summit. Web Summit/Flickr

Why the founder of Hailo is betting on drones and robotics

Jay Bregman left his role as co-CEO of Hailo to start focusing on robotics and drones

SINCE LEAVING HAILO a few weeks ago, Jay Bregman made no secret about his move to robotics and drones.

The founder of the taxi service stepped down from his position from Hailo the same time it pulled out of North America, and since then has turned his attention to drones, discussing it at both the Web Summit and the Drones and Data conference in Castlebar.

Explaining why he decided to make the move, Bregman told thejournal.ie that he was “basically seduced by the developments in robotics” and felt this was the right time to push the industry forward.

“The reasons I got so excited is the growth and the amount of people using robots in both a commercial and non-commercial sense over the past six months has grown astronomically,” explained Bregman. “I think now is the tipping point, the time to get involved so I think we’re going to see within a couple of years, robots are going to fill this room, they’re just going to be as common as laptops [or] smartphones.”

While most of us think of deliveries and travel whenever the subject of drones comes up, Bregman is looking at it in a much deeper way, comparing it to the development of mobile and computers and the questions their development will bring.

The mobile phone you can argue is a computer with legs and a computer is something that brought us together, they’re inanimate objects, robots are animate objects by their very nature, they can move around by themselves and there’s something to that that’s just deeper than just generational. The question to what is a human and what is a robot is something that’s going to be explored as we programme and perfect what we’re going to be able to do and can’t do, more importantly.

The aim for companies who are developing these robots and drones will be software-based, creating software that he says will “constrain the behaviour of the robots rather than looking at rules or traditional laws to contain and constrain the behaviour of the robots.”

Until then, it’s a matter of working out the rules and regulations surrounding this area, something he has much experience in having been apart of Hailo.

“I think that robots is going to be the next mobile, I think that one of the biggest issues concerning this conference today [the Drones and Data conference] is how to get over the whole regulatory piece, it seems to be holding the industry back and there’s quite a problem as well … so what we’re going to do is develop a suite of software products that are going to help bridge that gap to try and make robots safe. Monstrously safe.”

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    Mute The SinisterFringe
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    Jan 8th 2015, 7:08 AM

    The registration of new companies is due to the number of people being hired as contractors, a move designed to ensure large companies can avoid laws such as having to pay redundancy and pensions. Essentially and erosion of workers rights.

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    Mute Oisín O'Connor
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    Jan 8th 2015, 9:21 AM

    Also, “Real Estate” companies are not necessarily a reflection of economic activity. Just the beginning of another property boom. Big investors taking no debt risk by setting up companies in tandem with the banks as they all know that risk is relative to the next bailout they get.

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    Mute David
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    Jan 8th 2015, 6:19 PM

    If anyone that setup one of those companies reads this – I wish you the best of luck

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    Mute little jim
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    Jan 8th 2015, 11:12 PM

    And can I have a job?

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    Mute james comiskey
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    Jan 8th 2015, 11:36 AM

    This is clearly good news and can’t be chalked down to job bridge but the doom merchants still find a way to be negative . There are plenty of things to complain about without jumping on positive news stories . I know of plenty of start ups that have come into existence in the last 12 months and I’m also aware of the contractors working for multinational companies . Many of these contracts are quite lucrative as they compensate for the lack of security in tenure .

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Jan 8th 2015, 6:09 PM

    It is worrying that there isn’t more manufacturing industry created given that this is where the potential export market is.

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    Mute Bernie Linnane McBride
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    Jan 8th 2015, 6:47 PM

    Also worth bearing in mind that all new businesses are companies. Plenty of other business models out there.
    Sole traders, partnerships etc. also create jobs and contribute to the economy.

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    Mute Bernie Linnane McBride
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    Jan 8th 2015, 7:02 PM

    I meant to say NOT all new businesses are companies.

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    Mute SKYtext
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    Jan 8th 2015, 7:24 PM

    OMG property is tops again “The new house advertised is 5 minutes from shopping (if you have an airplane)!!”

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    Mute Paudi Onail
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    Jan 8th 2015, 1:04 PM

    yea, Mission Possible, could do with a rebrand alright. good heavens save us. scary.

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    Mute Ibhar Mac Suibhne
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    Jan 9th 2015, 4:41 AM

    I wish new start ups all the best but alas this seems like another property bubble…. This Govt just like the last Govt needs to really perk up and listen to this big scary word : S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y !

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