Adam Dalton of Imagine Robotify On The Future Of Robotics Over the Next Few Years

An Interview With David Leichner

Critical thinking skills. This one seems obvious, but it can be hard to understand what it really means in practice. Critical thinking goes beyond doing your own research. It is important to be able to analyze an issue or idea from all angles and have a gameplan for different scenarios and outcomes along the way.

With the shortage of labor, companies are now looking at how robots can replace some of the lost labor force. See here for example. The truth is that this is not really a novel idea, as companies like Amazon have been using robots for a while now. What can we expect to see in the robotics industry over the next few years? How will robots be used? What kinds of robots are being produced? To what extent can robots help address the shortage of labor? Which jobs can robots replace, and which jobs need humans? In our series called “The Future Of Robotics Over The Next Few Years” we are talking to leaders of Robotics companies, AI companies, and Hi-Tech Manufacturing companies who can address these questions and share insights from their experience. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Adam Dalton.

Adam Dalton is the CEO and co-founder of Imagine Robotify, a browser-based digital solution designed to teach coding using the world’s best computer science simulator. With an idea that started in high school alongside his co-founder Evan Darcy, Adam used his background in and passion for inspiring others to create Imagine Robotify. Using Imagine Robotify, students have 24/7 access to the latest and greatest robots without having to ever purchase real hardware in a way that makes coding and robotics more affordable and more accessible for all students across the world.

Adam holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Studies from Dublin City University.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started in robotics?

I come from a small town in the Northside of Dublin in Ireland. Kids often get into trouble or remain unmotivated to excel academically. My best friend and Robotify co-founder, Evan Darcy, and I met on the first day of high school and instantly bonded. Because we both have a huge passion for coding and all-things STEM, we started volunteering locally as coding instructors in school.

As time went on, we noticed how disengaged the students we tutored were. Evan and I realized we had to get creative if we were going to reel students in and get them passionate about coding in some way. Coding is creative by nature, but I never had a knack for anything artistic. Coding gave me an outlet to show my creative side. At 16, Evan and I were teaching kids how to make websites but noticed a majority were not engaged. Coding can be hard to understand, especially if someone doesn’t have an innate interest in it. For the students who were less STEM-interested and more artistic or into sports, coding did not capture their imaginations.

We then had the idea to incorporate robots into our course, something we figured every student could connect with regardless of core interests. We saw these results come to life but found new roadblocks, such as issues with scaling the hardware that we would send to schools. Additionally, we noticed accessibility issues that the robotics industry often faces, where costs for hardware and decreased ability for some districts to give homework became difficult. We then realized we needed a program that still involved interactive, moving objects in a way that was cost effective, scalable, and accessible to any district.

Thus, we created Robotify as it exists today — an immersive 3D world where all kids can learn to code and be engaged regardless of their interest in STEM or coding. We were acquired by Imagine Learning in November 2021, expanding what is now Imagine Robotify’s reach to hundreds of thousands of kids worldwide.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Wow, this is a tough question. There have been so many incredible and interesting stories that I have got to tell, even in my short career. If I had to pick my favorite one, it would probably be when Evan and I realized that we could change the way students learned how to code using robots. At the time, Robotify used physical robotics, and we were only 19 or 20 years old. We realized that teaching kids to code using physical robots had increased efficacy, because students were far more engaged when they could see their code come to life.

However, we kept coming across the same challenges when we spoke to customers, hearing things like “robots are too expensive,” “robots are a logistical nightmare,” “the kids have to share devices because we could only afford X,” etc. Evan and I loved using robots to teach kids how to code, so we weren’t willing to throw that out altogether. Instead, we racked our brains for months trying to come up with solutions. We tried a lot of things and failed, until the day Evan came into work late because he overslept. He said he couldn’t stop thinking about this great idea that kept him up all night. This was the moment where the idea for Robotify, now Imagine Robotify, came from. Evan explained that if we could find a way to virtualize robots and recreate the same sort of excitement and spark the physical robot did — in an accessible, scalable, and equitable way — we could solve many of our concerns.

The rest is history. We built Robotify, making it super accessible for students and educators alike, now used in over 100+ different countries and impacting hundreds to thousands of students every day. Sometimes, all it takes is perseverance and a bit of luck.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Steve Jobs famously said, “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” This quote changed my life because it allowed me to dream; to be able to dream of the possibilities is where you must start any journey. The dream might not always manifest into the reality you envisioned, but it sure will give you a North Star to look to in times of trouble. I really believe you can’t make anything happen without a dream, and this quote gave me the inspiration I needed to go out and find what I wanted to do. To think that I, once a small fish in a big pond, could have impacted students all over the world the way Robotify has, propels me to constantly search for new ways to change the trajectory of STEM education.

Ok wonderful. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. Can you tell our readers about the most interesting projects you are working on now?

We have many exciting projects in the works! Between incorporating and expanding capabilities with drones, student competitions and other interactive activities we come up with, the Imagine Robotify team is working hard to improve and add to a system that has been a worldwide hit. The ability to customize a program to meet students’ needs is something we’re constantly working toward and increasing accessibility to an array of learning types is an ongoing process we are committed to.

How do you think this might change the world?

Coding is now in almost every aspect of our lives, whether we know it or not. My goal is to engage the next generation of students with coding and make it fun. I want to help create the next group of coders, but also give more kids a basic background of coding and all that it entails. The future of work is going to be based on coding competency and tangible skills that STEM education, when done correctly, really homes in on. We want to give as many kids as possible an early start to understanding what coding is and how cool it can be. I don’t know if this will change the world, but I hope it might change a few students’ lives and show them how capable they are of finding joy in coding and learning with the right tools at their disposal.

Keeping “Black Mirror” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?

Honestly, I don’t see any drawbacks with Imagine Robotify or our software. This isn’t technology that is going to take over our lives. The stereotype that the advancements in robotics will take all of our jobs away is an exacerbated myth. While robotics will replace some customary jobs as we know them, the industry will create more jobs overall. With proper education and training in even basic coding, there will be an abundance of qualified workers in the near future to take on these jobs.

I find the larger issue to be ensuring that schools and districts are prioritizing technology and subsequent curriculum that can teach kids the tangible skills they’ll need to enter any workforce — especially one in tech, STEM, or coding-adjacent.

What are the three things that most excite you about the robotics industry? Why?

I am so excited for further growth and innovation in the robotics and adjacent STEM fields. Imagine Robotify wants to expand this industry’s reach to those beyond the “tech geeks” to show that these tools and offerings are not only open but could be interesting to everyone in some way.

The industry is also building a strong emphasis on STEM education at an earlier age, including coding and computer science, that is applicable to children of all backgrounds and interests. This knowledge foundation will take students far in their careers and is a pattern that has been amazing to see flourish in school curricula all over — reaching far more students at a younger age than when I was in school not too long ago!

I am also excited about the community building that comes with the robotics industry. We have such a strong support network for students and teachers alike that we can provide help and expertise beyond a simple coding question, and the collaboration and interaction that coding can allow for show promising possibilities.

What are the three things that concern you about the robotics industry? Why?

The things I find the most concerning about the robotics industry are less about the industry itself and more about the misconceptions people have about it. There is a stigma that robotics is difficult, and while there is some validity to that statement, robotics really is for everyone. We like to emphasize the importance of trying robotics before deciding it cannot be done.

Also, as with most innovations, there is potential for the advancements within the robotics industry to be misused for unethical reasons. Luckily, Imagine Robotify is geared toward coding education on a browser safely and tested for children’s use and learning/educational purposes only! However, advancements in robotics have shown us how smart and powerful robots can be, meaning we as an industry have to proceed with caution as we keep breaking barriers and disrupting the status quo.

Lastly, the cost of software and hardware can be a barrier to entry for many. This is an important part of Robotify’s founding story. Evan and I recognized how expensive existing robotics tech is and we wanted a solution, which turned into our browser-based software, to drastically reduce cost and still be effective and immersive in the robotics and coding world for children.

As you know, there is an ongoing debate between prominent scientists, (personified as a debate between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg,) about whether advanced AI has the potential to pose a danger to humanity in the future. What is your position on this?

I think it’s safe to argue that the unknown is a scary reality for most. When it comes to advanced tech, AI, etc., there are too many what-if’s to not be at least a little skeptical. I even think it’s healthy to some extent.

However, I believe that we shouldn’t venture away from the unknown world of AI. Most of society’s strongest creations and theories were once met with adversity until later down the line when people saw their value. The STEM field is full of incredibly intelligent people who are looking to break the barriers that are constantly getting torn down. I am excited to see where the future of AI goes!

My expertise is in product security, so I’m particularly interested in this question. In today’s environment, hackers break into the software running the robotics, for ransomware, to damage brands or for other malicious purposes. Based on your experience, what should manufacturing companies do to uncover vulnerabilities in the development process to safeguard their robotics?

One of the first steps for companies is to create a trustworthy team that prioritizes the safety of their products and their customers. I really appreciate my co-founder, Evan, who is constantly working to ensure our products are meeting our standards for keeping out any hackers. It is also important to test the products extensively to know where there are weak points and work to constantly improve them. While testing the products, companies have to anticipate the potential next move of a hacker and any what-if scenarios. These steps can help combat hackers and safeguard the product you have worked so hard on!

Given the cost and resources that it takes to develop robotics, how do you safeguard your intellectual property during development and also once the robot is deployed in industry?

This is an interesting question and one that people always get caught up on. We haven’t developed physical robots in years, but what I’d say is that this shouldn’t stop you from developing your product. It’s relatively simple to obtain patents and trademarks, but in reality, they can be extremely hard to defend with no real mechanism to stop others from using your product as inspiration. My advice is to just focus on building the best product possible and creating the best user experience to solve real customer problems. But if this is a concern, chat with an IP attorney to get legal protections in place! Otherwise, just keep building.

Fantastic. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need to Create a Highly Successful Career in the Robotics Industry?

1. Connections and mentors. I’ve been so fortunate to have incredible mentors like Steve Wozniak who have priceless knowledge and experience that they can pass down to the next generation. Robotics and STEM have many sub sectors and job opportunities that require skills beyond STEM-related ones. It is beneficial to have connections in different industries that can help you develop essential skills for key roles: such as marketers, legal professionals, content writers, etc.
2. Keep an open mind. Differing opinions and skill sets can require you to put more effort into a work relationship, but it will help you build better communication skills and increase your knowledge of things you might not know. Everyone has different skills that they bring to the table and recognizing that will help your own success! Especially in areas or skills you aren’t as well-versed in, take the time to listen to those who have more expertise. I promise you’ll learn something!
3. Feed your curious and creative side. STEM is always thought to be rigid in execution and not as abstract when compared to other subjects. However, there is a lot of creative liberty you can take with coding and robotics to make solutions of your own. Each code someone creates can be entirely different from the solution of the person next to them as each coder gets to make individual decisions that can match their creative vision.
4. Critical thinking skills. This one seems obvious, but it can be hard to understand what it really means in practice. Critical thinking goes beyond doing your own research. It is important to be able to analyze an issue or idea from all angles and have a gameplan for different scenarios and outcomes along the way.
5. A passion for problem solving. Robotics is a fast-moving industry with new problems emerging constantly. This field is not an easy one to navigate, but by bringing solutions to the table that are effective, you can show that you have what it takes to solve problems quickly and succinctly. Real subject matter experts and thought leaders get stuck sometimes, but it comes down to how you weed through the struggles that really show promise and success.

As you know, there are not that many women in this industry. Can you advise what is needed to engage more women in the robotics industry?

One vital change is teaching kids about coding and STEM early on in their education, as well as giving educators the tools to facilitate those interests. Both teachers and parents play a huge role by being involved in every student’s learning and recognizing which students need additional support. If community members take the time to start exposing girls to coding and STEM at large at a younger age, this can positively contribute to breaking the bias that robotics and STEM interests are inherent “boy things.” By exposing children everywhere to engaging curriculum in schools early on, you can work overtime to eliminate the gendered lens on STEM solutions.

At Imagine Robotify, we also have DEI specialists who are trained to help teachers help their students succeed. They also make sure that every product we put out is in line with DEI standards and is engaging for students who have a wide range of interests and might not be the most likely to take a liking to the industry as a whole.

Anyone, regardless of identity, can excel at the same coding, STEM, or robotics practices in the same room and achieve the same success if there is solid product design — such as Imagine Robotify!

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Maybe a little different than what we’ve already discussed thus far, but I’d love to see a true mental health resource movement for younger generations in education moving forward. Younger generations don’t have proper resources or access to mental health aid. There is so much pressure on these young people who are trying to learn aside from the regular school stressors they face every day. This is a huge issue we’ve seen in school systems globally, not just in the US or in Ireland where I grew up. Families and educators within these schools are closest to the children and provide the most influence, so my biggest hope is that education reform in the years to come greatly expands in providing students and educators with the resources they need to combat mental health struggles that plague younger generations in the status quo.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

You can visit Imagine Robotify’s website at: https://www.imaginelearning.com/en/us/products/science/robotify

My LinkedIn is https://www.linkedin.com/in/apjdalton/, and we are @Imaginelearning on Twitter and Instagram.

Thank you so much for the time you spent doing this interview. This was very inspirational, and we wish you continued success.

About The Interviewer: David Leichner is a veteran of the Israeli high-tech industry with significant experience in the areas of cyber and security, enterprise software and communications. At Cybellum, a leading provider of Product Security Lifecycle Management, David is responsible for creating and executing the marketing strategy and managing the global marketing team that forms the foundation for Cybellum’s product and market penetration. Prior to Cybellum, David was CMO at SQream and VP Sales and Marketing at endpoint protection vendor, Cynet. David is the Chairman of the Friends of Israel and Member of the Board of Trustees of the Jerusalem Technology College. He holds a BA in Information Systems Management and an MBA in International Business from the City University of New York.