RoboticsU.K. robotics R&D receives major boost

Published 11 May 2012

U.K. research to develop smart machines that think for themselves received a £16 million boost yesterday thanks to a major partnership between the government and industry. This research includes safe ways of monitoring in dangerous environments such as deep sea installations and nuclear power plants, “nursebots” that assist patients in hospitals, and aerial vehicles that can monitor national borders or detect pollution

U.K. research to develop smart machines that think for themselves received a £16 million boost yesterday thanks to a major partnership between the government and industry. This research includes safe ways of monitoring in dangerous environments such as deep sea installations and nuclear power plants, “nursebots” that assist patients in hospitals, and aerial vehicles that can monitor national borders or detect pollution.

Speaking at the official opening of the Bristol Robotics Laboratory at the University of the West of England, Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts, announced funding for twenty-two university-based research projects in the United Kingdom. Led by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and an 8-strong group of partners, the investment has over £4 million in support from industry. This will include access to specialist laboratories, equipment, expertise, and advice on commercialization and industrialization. The partners are BAE Systems, Schlumberger, National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), Sellafield Ltd., Network Rail, SCISYS, DSTL. and the UK Space Agency.

An EPSRC release reports that robotics research and the development of intelligent autonomous systems, such as unmanned aircraft, are vital to many major U.K. companies, emerging industries, and SMEs, from advanced manufacturing to oil and gas exploration, nuclear energy to railways and automotive, healthcare to defense.

The release notes that autonomous and intelligent systems are capable of independent action in dynamic, unpredictable environments. They interact with each other and humans, using sensors to learn from their environment, adapting their behavior and making choices based on their immediate and stored knowledge and experiences.

Willetts said: “Robotics and autonomous intelligent systems are areas of science in which the U.K. has world class expertise, but to reap the full benefits for the economy and society we need to get better at applying the technology to industry. This £16 million investment will bring together leaders from the research base and business to develop systems for a range of important sectors, from transport to aerospace. In addition, I have asked EPSRC, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Technology Strategy Board to organize a roundtable to discuss the future of U.K. research in this area.”

Professor David Delpy, chief executive of the EPSRC which is funding the projects, said: “These technologies can help us in many practical ways, for instance, using unmanned air or land vehicles to monitor emergency situations like disasters or to carry out maintenance inspections. But the research will also look at how people and systems interact and help develop further our understanding of how knowledge can be acquired and used independently by machines that learn.”

Commenting on behalf of the six industry partners, James Baker, managing director of BAE Systems’ Advanced Technology Center, said: “It is vital for the universities to work with industry to drive these technologies forward as autonomous and intelligent systems are going to be an integral part of our infrastructure and society in the near future. As partners we hold a shared goal to improve the generic technology in the field so that it can transfer and benefit many industries and sectors.”