Former Android lead, Andy Rubin, finds a new role as Google’s head of robotics

Google’s former head of Android has a new focus, but it is in line with tenets of his former accomplishments.

Andy Rubin, the man behind Google’s fast-growing mobile operating system, and who stepped down as Android’s chief earlier this year to pursue other projects, finally has a title. Rubin will be in charge of a new group within Google focusing on robotics, though in what capacity — and to what end — remains closely guarded.

Google reportedly purchased seven small robotics companies over the past few years, and has installed Rubin, who got his start building machines and, later on, designing computers, at the top.

It’s naive to think that Google will be the innovator of humanoid robots we see depicted in movies, though companies like Honda are already moving towards that future, but Rubin has a strong pedigree of seeing the future before the general public knows what it needs.

Though Rubin will no longer be working on Android specifically, the open-sourced operating system he created nearly ten years ago may one day power the ‘droids serving you tea in the afternoon. Well, probably not, but it’s a nice thought.

[source]The New York Times[/source]