£16 million funding boost announced for UK robotics 10 May 2012

UK research to develop smart machines that think for themselves gets a £16 million boost today, thanks to a partnership between government and industry.

Speaking at the opening of the Bristol Robotics Laboratory at the University of the West of England, Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts will announce funding for 22 university-based research projects in the UK.

Led by the EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) and an eight-strong group of partners, the investment has over £4 million of support from industry.

The partners are BAE Systems, Schlumberger, National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), Sellafield, Network Rail, SCISYS, DSTL and the UK Space Agency.

Funding will include access to specialist laboratories, equipment, expertise and advice on commercialisation and industrialisation.

Research will range from 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.

Robotics research and the development of intelligent autonomous systems, such as unmanned aircraft, are seen as vital to many UK companies, emerging industries and SMEs, from advanced manufacturing to oil and gas exploration, nuclear energy to railways and automotive, healthcare to defence.

"Robotics and autonomous intelligent systems are areas of science in which the UK 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," says Willetts.

"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," he continues.

"In addition, I have asked EPSRC, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Technology Strategy Board to organise a roundtable to discuss the future of UK research in this area."

"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," comments James Baker, managing director of BAE Systems' Advanced Technology Centre.

"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."

Brian Tinham

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