High quality image of train moving off undergound platform

The National Robotarium unveils design of new train cleaning robot

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Scientists from the National Robotarium, delivered by Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh, have unveiled the design of a new train cleaning robot to help existing cleaners.

The robot, which is being funded by rail research body RSSB, has been designed to increase cleanliness standards on trains nationwide. It will complement humans by cleaning in the hard-to-reach places between and under the seats.

The National Robotarium has spent the last two years working on the most appropriate design and operating system for the robot. The robotics and AI research facility is part of the Data-Driven Innovation initiative and is supported by £21 million from the UK Government and £1.4 million from the Scottish Government through the £1.3 billion Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal – a 15 year investment programme jointly funded by both governments and regional partners.

In the UK, 182 million rail passenger journeys were made in 2021-22 Q1 on national rail services despite ongoing restrictions. However, research into passenger attitudes has consistently shown that travellers want a higher standard of cleanliness on their railways. In a 2020 survey of over 50,000 UK rail passengers, a quarter said they were dissatisfied with the levels of cleanliness inside trains.

Dr Mustafa Suphi Erden from the National Robotarium is leading the project. He explains: “With the daily pressure on rail services, it’s essential that trains are cleaned as fast and as efficiently as possible. However, at present, this process is done entirely by hand requiring a significant amount of time for the cleaning personnel to collect each waste item one-by-one from under and in-between the seats.

“Reaching underneath seats repeatedly over a long shift can lead to health problems. Also, cleaning staff regularly encounter hazardous and biological waste which poses a significant risk. We’ve worked closely with rail operators to design a robot that can complement existing cleaning regimes, aiding human cleaners to deliver an ongoing service and freeing them up to focus on other hygiene tasks including disinfecting surfaces like tables, cleaning the seats and removing dirt, fluid and food waste.”

The National Robotarium team has used more than 58,300 studio images of waste in a variety of conditions to help the cleaning robot to identify waste more accurately, along with several smaller datasets of actual waste photographed on trains.

In interviews with rail service providers, the team obtained further information regarding operating conditions to guide the design of the robot. The narrow under-seat area, which collects the most waste items, is extremely limited and this makes waste collection challenging. Some spaces were measured at just 28cm tall, with entry points as small as 31cm.

UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart said: “The pandemic has shown the importance of regular, thorough cleaning on board public transport. I am excited that these new robots could help make cleaning both quick and affordable, and so improve the wellbeing of travellers and staff. The UK Government is investing £21 million in the National Robotarium to support its cutting-edge research into innovative solutions like this.”

Employment Minister Richard Lochhead said: “The COVID pandemic has shown how important good hygiene and cleanliness is in all our public spaces – and I’m sure that this new robot will improve working conditions for railway staff and the environment for passengers.

“The demand for skills will change as our businesses adapt and we build on our growing reputation for hi-tech industries, which is why ensuring Scotland has a skilled and productive workforce, both now and in future, is central to our economic ambitions as we adapt to technological change. I’m pleased the Scottish Government is providing £1.4 million to support the Robotarium as we move towards a sustainable and innovative economic recovery.”

Luisa Moisio, Director of Research and Development, RSSB said: “We’re delighted to be supporting this important research that is contributing towards a step change in working conditions for railway staff, and which will also give passengers added reassurance about the cleanliness of carriages. Robotics is expected to be an important area of growth for the economy, and GB rail is taking the initiative, exploring how robots can be used to assist humans in dangerous, difficult, or dirty tasks.”

The research was supported by funding from RSSB with input from the Greater Anglia train presentation staff at London Liverpool Street station and the West Midlands train presentation staff at Euston station.

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Humanoid robots around breakfast table

Pioneering intelligent sensing and robotic technology for assessing patients remotely

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The National Robotarium is pioneering intelligent sensing and tele-presence robotic technology to allow health practitioners to remotely assess a person’s physical and cognitive health from anywhere in the world.

Working with Dr Mario Parra Rodriguez, an expert in cognitive assessment from the University of Strathclyde, the National Robotarium’s assisted living lab believes this will aid cost-effective diagnosis, more regular monitoring and health assessments alongside assistance, especially for those living with conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive impairments.

The system was demonstrated for the first time to the UK Government Minister, Iain Stewart during a visit to the National Robotarium’s construction site.

The research facility is part of the Data-Driven Innovation initiative and is supported by £21 million from the UK Government and £1.4 million from the Scottish Government through the £1.3 billion Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal – a 15 year investment programme jointly funded by both governments and regional partners.

Dr Mauro Dragone from the National Robotarium: “With gaps between assessments lengthening, the care and support that is being prescribed to assist vulnerable people may become unsuitable as an individual’s physical and cognitive abilities change over time.

“Our prototype makes use of machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to monitor smart home sensors to detect and analyse daily activities. We are programming the system to use this information to carry out a thorough, non-intrusive assessment of an older person’s cognitive abilities, as well as their ability to live independently.”

Combining the system with a tele-presence robot brings two major advances: Firstly, robots can be equipped with powerful sensors and can also operate in a semi-autonomous mode, enriching the capability of the system to deliver quality data, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Secondly, tele-presence robots keep clinicians and carers in the loop. These professionals can benefit from the data provided by the project’s intelligent sensing system, but they can also control the robot directly, over the Internet, to interact with the individual under their care. They can see through the eyes of the robot, move around the room or between rooms and operate its arms and hands to carry out more complex assessment protocols. They can also respond to emergencies and provide assistance when needed.

UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart said: “It was fascinating to visit the National Robotarium and see first-hand how virtual teleportation technology could revolutionise healthcare and assisted living.

“Backed by £21 million UK Government City Region Deal funding, this cutting-edge research centre is a world leader for robotics and AI, bringing jobs and investment to the area.”

“Across Scotland we are investing more than £1.5 billion into city and region deals, helping communities to build back better from the pandemic.”

The project combines the efforts of three National Robotarium students including Scott Alexander MacLeod and Ronnie Smith, two PhD students and Rakin Sarder, who recently graduated from the MSc programme.

Now that the team has successfully tested the feasibility of their concept in the laboratory, they will launch further co-design activities with clinicians and potential users of the technology, before running a pilot study in collaboration with Blackwood Homes and Care, using a robot embedded in the company’s care facilities.

Dr Mario Parra Rodriguez from the University of Strathclyde said: “The experience of inhabiting a distant robot through which I can remotely guide, assess, and support vulnerable adults affected by devastating conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, grants me confidence that challenges we are currently experiencing to mitigate the impact of such diseases will soon be overcome through revolutionary technologies. The collaboration with the National Robotarium, hosted by Heriot-Watt University is combining experience from various disciplines to deliver technologies that can address the ever changing needs of people affected by dementia”.

Mr. Colin Foskett, Head of Innovation at Blackwood Homes and Care said: “Blackwood is always looking for solutions that help our customers to live more independently whilst promoting choice and control for the individual. Robotics has the potential to improve independent living, provide new levels of support and integrate with our digital housing and care system CleverCogs™. Our partnership with the National Robotarium and the design of the assisted living lab ensures that our customers are involved in the co-design and co-creation of new products and services, increasing our investment in innovation and in the future leading to new solutions that will aid independent living and improve outcomes for our customers.”

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Stewart Miller, CEO of The National Robotarium

The National Robotarium appoints first CEO in major milestone for UK’s tech future

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A major milestone in the development of the UK’s tech economy has been reached with the appointment of the National Robotarium’s first CEO. The National Robotarium will catalyse innovation and talent development in Robotics and AI.

Stewart Miller is well suited to lead this initiative, a distinguished business leader with a wealth of experience in technology development in the aerospace sector. As CEO he will build the National Robotarium into a globally recognised centre of excellence for AI and Robotics, working directly with business to accelerate innovation and drive value from world class research, create talent of the future through a flexible skills programme and support entrepreneurs capable of creating exciting new businesses to fuel our economy.

Stewart takes up his position having been chief technology officer of the UK Government’s innovation agency, Innovate UK. Originally from Glasgow but now living in East Lothian, he previously worked in senior roles at major firms including Leonardo and BAESystems.

The National Robotarium, a partnership between Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh, is one of 5 innovation hubs supported by the £1.3 billion Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal – a 15 year investment programme funded by both governments and regional partners.

His appointment comes as the UK Government’s Innovation Strategy identifies Robotics and AI as two critical ‘technologies of the future’ which will help to transform society and fuel economic growth over the next decade, with the market for Robotics and Autonomous Systems alone forecast to reach almost £3.5 billion by 2030. The development of the National Robotarium will help to grow the UK’s existing advantages in this field and position Scotland as a world leading centre for innovation and entrepreneurship in line with the Scottish Government’s National Performance Framework.

Construction of a world-leading research facility for robotics and artificial intelligence, which will be one of the largest and most advanced of its type in the UK, is well underway and is set to open in the Scottish capital in the spring of next year.

Stewart Miller, chief executive officer of the National Robotarium, said:

“It’s a huge honour to take up this role, helping set the direction of the National Robotarium which has enormous potential to transform lives. The opportunity is to bring together the needs of businesses and society and the emerging technology solutions from research at the UKs leading universities.

“As someone who has been working in technology for 40 years, leading a facility that is tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges using Robotics and AI is incredibly exciting. It is clear to me that this role presents an extraordinary opportunity to build productive global partnerships, creating economic, environmental and societal benefits. I look forward to working with research teams, students, and partners across industries and governments as we grow the National Robotarium’s influence and impact.”

“The appointment of an outstanding CEO underpins the ambition for the National Robotarium to accelerate digital and AI driven skills to serve society in a positive way and to create new businesses and jobs for Scotland and address global opportunities. Stewart’s appointment is a significant moment as we drive forward our collective research and education strengths to lead innovation in this area and to ensure, working with partners, we catalyse the talent pipeline needed to serve this fast-growing sector. A massive opportunity for Scotland.” – Professor Richard A Williams, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University

UK Government Minister Iain Stewart said:

“Congratulations to Stewart Miller on his appointment to head up the exciting work at the National Robotarium.

“The UK is investing £21 million for cutting-edge facilities at the Robotarium as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, bringing jobs, opportunities and businesses to the region and helping to make it a global data capital.

“We are investing more than £1.5 billion in region deals across Scotland, and helping communities to build back better after the pandemic.”

Finance and Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said:

“I offer my warmest congratulations to Stewart Miller on being appointed to this exciting role. His extensive experience of both the public and private sectors will be a real asset to the National Robotarium, and have a direct impact on our world-leading manufacturing industries.

“This is a crucial time for business, trade and investment in Scotland. City Region and Growth Deals have a key role to play in our economic recovery from the pandemic as we work towards a fairer and more inclusive Scotland. Our investment in the National Robotarium is part of our £300 million commitment to the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, which will help to build a future economy that benefits everyone.”

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World's first robotic squash coach

World’s first robotic squash coach is developed at the National Robotarium

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A social robot from the National Robotarium has become the world’s first squash coach to explore if performance improvements and motivation levels can be increased during a player’s solo practice.

The project will involve research on court between a real player practising a variety of shots and technical aspects of their swing, a motion tracking sensor attached to the squash racket to monitor swings and speeds of hitting the ball, and a robot receiving this data and interpreting what coaching feedback to provide.

The project is being led by scientists from the National Robotarium. The research facility is part of the Data-Driven Innovation initiative and is supported by £21 million from the UK Government and £1.4 million from the Scottish Government through the £1.3 billion Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal – a 15 year investment programme jointly funded by both governments and regional partners.

The robotic coaching project will be delivered in collaboration with industry partner, RacketWare, using its motion tracking sensor and interfacing technology to translate a player’s data to the robot.

Twelve coaching strategies have been developed from observing one-to-one training sessions between real coaches and players. Based on the sensor’s data, the coaching strategy programming will enable the robot to give instructions about what the player should practice next, using hints and tips and positive reinforcement.

Martin Ross from Heriot-Watt University explains:

“We want to discover if robotics can complement and support the activities of a human coach, bridging the gap between in person coaching sessions when an individual sportsperson is conducting solo practice.

“Robots have been used in other sports, but we believe this is a world first for squash coaching. We are looking forward to sharing results on whether a robot can improve different aspects of a player’s game and increase their motivation for solo practice. This is particularly relevant during recent lockdown periods as indoor coaching was suspended. Additionally, we are observing the human response to a robot coach, assessing whether machine-led coaching strategies and words of encouragement are accurately timed and positively received.”

UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart said:

“This is a superb example of how robots can help us improve our learning in different areas of our daily lives. Innovations like this mean more and more people are able to access support for their health and wellbeing.

“The UK Government is investing £290 million in Data Driven Innovation in Scotland as part of its £1.5 billion City Region and Growth Deals commitment, helping communities to build back better from the pandemic.”

Dr Paul Mellor, founding director of Racketware, added:

“Solo practice is typically used by professional level players and committed rank amateurs. Research shows that it increases the skill and motivation levels of all abilities of players. A coaching session is typically £40 per session with an estimated 10-20 coaching sessions required to make progress. It’s expensive, especially if you’re committed to improving your game.

“That’s why we’re excited about this project. It has the capacity to push the frontiers of how motion sensor technology can be applied to racket sports and explore the area of robotic coaching with motion sensor data to develop products, like ours, that make squash coaching accessible to more people.”

Supervising the project, Professor Lynne Baillie from the National Robotarium commented: “This project will contribute to our understanding about the value humanoid robots can bring to enhance the sports performance and motivation levels of squash players.

“Students studying with the National Robotarium have the opportunity to apply their knowledge to real-world problems, working on new innovations through industry-led partnerships like this. As well as accelerating their skills, their research is actively shaping the future of the field.”

Paul Bell from Scottish Squash, the national governing body for the sport in Scotland said:

“This is an exciting new project that has the potential to offer some great insight into how robotics might help improve the performance of squash players in solo practice, an activity usually reserved for extra motivated players who are looking to explore every opportunity to improve their game. We know that solo practice offers great benefits to squash players so if the use of a robot coach can motivate more players to try it then it will be a great thing for the sport in Scotland.”

Testing started in July at Oriam, Scotland’s national performance centre for sport, based at Heriot-Watt University’s Riccarton campus in Edinburgh. The project will be completed in March 2022.

Martin Ross’ PhD is funded by EPSRC.

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Researchers to develop made-to-measure 3D laser beams

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Researchers at the National Robotarium have secured £586,000 to develop 3D laser beams whose shape can be changed.

The innovation is set to transform the manufacturing and healthcare technology industries, making it easier and cheaper to produce products that require highly-precise manufacturing, such as medical equipment and mobile devices.

The funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, will support the development of the lasers for industry application, accelerating the commercialisation of the technology for the benefit of businesses.

Lasers are a crucial component of modern manufacturing, with the global laser processing market projected to grow from £2.8 billion in 2020 to £4.1 billion by 2025. They are used widely by industry to produce precise incisions and mould materials into specific shapes.

However, this approach to laser-based manufacturing depends on melting or vaporising the material, which means the laser’s energy must be focussed on the right points. The standard laser beam shape makes it difficult to tailor this for specific manufacturing processes, decreasing efficiency and limiting what can be made.

The research to be undertaken at the National Robotarium will develop laser beams which have been specifically designed to meet the exact manufacturing requirements of products, improving efficiency and precision.

The National Robotarium is supported by £21 million from the UK Government and £1.4 million from the Scottish Government as part of the £1.3 billion Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal – a 15 year investment programme jointly funded by both governments and regional partners.

UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart said: “This is cutting-edge technology in every sense of the phrase. These 3D lasers are set to unlock previously unheard of levels of precision and so transform our manufacturing and medical technology industries, boosting the UK’s global reputation for innovation and attracting jobs and further investment.

“This exciting research is being supported both by a £586,000 UK Research and Innovation grant, and our £21 million investment in the National Robotarium through the Edinburgh City Region Deal.”

The Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy Kate Forbes said: “I’m very pleased to hear this cutting-edge research will be carried out at the National Robotarium, which is funded through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, and that it will have a direct impact on our world leading manufacturing industries.

“This is a crucial time for business, trade and investment in Scotland. City Region and Growth Deals have a key role to play in our economic recovery from the pandemic as we work towards a fairer and more inclusive Scotland. Our £300 million commitment to the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal will enable much needed investment in transport, housing, culture, and innovation, as well as skills development for local people, to help build a future economy that benefits everyone.”

The new technique could be harnessed to improve how holes for sensors and cameras on smartphone screens are drilled and to increase the density of information on semiconductor chips, helping to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for more memory in devices.

Medical applications could include cancer surgery, where it is hoped more precise medical instruments could allow the resection of tumours without removing healthy surrounding tissue. In an academic partnership, the project’s research into this kind of medical application will be supported by Professor David Jayne at the University of Leeds.

In keeping with the National Robotarium’s focus on industry collaboration, researchers will work with three industrial partners, PowerPhotonic, Oxford Lasers and the G&H Group, to optimise the approach and final product for commercial application.

Dr Richard Carter, Assistant Professor of Applied Optics and Photonics at Heriot-Watt University and the project’s lead, said:

“Manufacturing is of key strategic importance to the UK, with a particular focus on high-tech and high-value manufacturing. This research will address the priority area of digital manufacturing, enabling a bespoke, rapid response capability for the first time. The new methods we are developing represent a paradigm shift in the capabilities of laser-based manufacturing, making it possible to move between 3D beam shapes with zero down-time, low cost and minimal technical know-how.

“Through collaboration with our industry partners, we’ll be able to develop the lasers in line with what industry needs, providing solutions to manufacturing challenges across a wide range of sectors. However, this technology could also support research in quantum technology, waveguide physics and the bio-sciences – anywhere where light must be controlled and manipulated.”

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New network to tackle frailty using robotics

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Heriot-Watt academics are working as part of a new network to create and catalyse robotics to support healthcare in the community.

The network, led by UWE Bristol, connects researchers, health and social care professionals, service users, regulators and policy makers, to encourage the use of healthcare robots to support people living with frailty in the community. The collaboration, called EMERGENCE, also includes Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam and Hertfordshire Universities.

The EMERGENCE network will explore how robots can be used to support people to better self-manage the conditions that result from frailty and, by providing information and data to healthcare practitioners, enable more timely interventions. This project is supported through a three-year £700,000 EPSRC NetworkPlus grant.

The EMERGENCE consortium will trailblazer research into assistive and rehabilitation robotics and recognises the urgent need to join forces and work systematically to develop a clear agenda and roadmap for healthcare robotics research in the UK. Its vision is to unite a fragmented research community and setup a sustainable framework for bringing healthcare robotics out of the lab and into the real-world.

The EMERGENCE consortium is a world class multi-disciplinary team that brings together expertise in healthcare technology research with innovative living lab testbeds from across the country, including the National Robotarium in Edinburgh.

Each testbed will collaborate with a regional academic health science network, care commissioning groups, integrated care systems, hospital trusts, as well as residential and community care providers and local authority councils. By bringing together their existing individual regional networks, EMERGENCE plans to create a strong national network.

Partners also include robotic companies Consequential, Cyberselves, and PAL Robotics, alongside Skills for Care UK, who will advise on understanding the care workforce’s future skills development requirements, with particular focus on the role of the social care workforce and the impact on their future learning and development needs.

Prof Praminda Caleb-Solly, from UWE Bristol, is leading the EMERGENCE network. She said: “Healthcare robots are increasingly recognised as solutions in helping people improve independent living, by having the ability to offer physical assistance as well as supporting complex self-management and healthcare tasks when integrated with patient data. The EMERGENCE network will foster and facilitate innovative research and development of healthcare robotic solutions so that they can be realised as pragmatic and sustainable solutions providing personalised, affordable and inclusive health and social care in the community.”

Dr. Mauro Dragone, an assistant professor and director of the Robotic Assisted Living Testbed (RALT) at the National Robotarium, based at Heriot-Watt University, is leading the work package on Workforce Education. He said: “It is vital that we identify gaps in the skills set of carers and therapists that might prevent them from using robotic solutions effectively and inform the development of training content to address these gaps. This will foster the regulatory, political and commercial environments and the workforce skills needed to make the UK a global leader in the use of robotics to support the government’s ageing society grand challenge.”

Utilising the consortium’s international links with partners, the network has already setup agreements to collaborate and bring international learning to help inform national developments. These include the consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging and AGE-WELL, the National Rehabilitation Centre, Seoul, South Korea and the Smart Life Care Co-creation Studio, Kitakyushu Academic Research City, Japan.

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Robotics and care event demonstrates world-first for assisted living technology users

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A collaborative robotics and social care event has brought together innovators and end-users in a week-long burst of creativity around assistive technology, supported by the world’s first example of an open assisted living laboratory.

The event was organised by The National Robotarium, based at Heriot-Watt University, in partnership with Product Forge, the Usher Institute and Design Informatics at the University of Edinburgh and Scottish Health Innovations Ltd (SHIL).

Attended by health and care professionals, academics and assistive technology providers, it aimed to prototype new solutions and accelerate technical designs to tackle multiple care and assisted living challenges.

Dr Mauro Dragone, an assistant professor and director of the Robotic Assisted Living Testbed (RALT) at the National Robotarium, based at Heriot-Watt University, co-organised the event. He explained: “Our Robotics and Care Mashup exemplifies the concept of a user-centred living lab, integrating concurrent research and innovation processes within a public-private-people partnership. We involved a range of stakeholders in the event to define research priorities and questions for health and social care technology and to accelerate innovation in the sector.

“Through our Open Ambient Assisted Living (OpenAAL) project, we have recently equipped our laboratory to offer real-time interaction with its sensing, automation and robotic equipment, over the Internet.

“This provides a platform that researchers, technology and industry users can use to co-create technology, where time and distance is no longer a barrier – any time, any place access. The aim is to catalyze and support collaborations to more quickly develop innovative concepts of assistive living technology to be considered for mass-market roll-out and rapid uptake.”

Participants were also mentored by representatives from the Discovery Stage sponsor Scottish Health Innovations Ltd (SHIL), and the Scottish Social Service Council (SSSC), Scotland’s Innovation Centre for sensing, imaging and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies (CENSIS), the Institute of Design Informatics at University of Edinburgh, and the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre.

Successes from the week’s event included demonstrating how the ‘Earswitch’ can be used to operate multiple devices using an ear muscle alone. The ‘Earswitch’ was created by primary care practitioner, Dr Nick Gompertz, from Somerset and is supported by funding from NIHR. Dr Gompertz previously proved voluntary movements of the eardrum could be filmed and then used to trigger a virtual keyboard for MND and complex stroke sufferers.

Dr Gompertz worked with Thomas Gillett, a PhD student at Heriot-Watt University, to improve the accuracy of the switch and to connect it to existing assistive devices and automation frameworks. This simplifies the use of the Earswitch with a diverse range of assistive devices, including emerging examples of assistive robotic technology.

Team Communicare, led by Dr. Mel McKendrick, assistant professor, School of Social Science, Psychology, at Heriot-Watt University, was declared the event’s winner with their concept for technology-aided social cognition and human interaction.

Dr. McKendrick said: “Social isolation is associated with poor mental health and is a significant concern. Our Hermes Holistic Messenger is designed to augment virtual communication tools used in befriending applications. By enhancing social cognition through increasing the befriender’s awareness of the cultural and mental individual differences of the befriending recipient, the experience and continued social support may yield significant reductions in feelings of social isolation and associated negative impacts”.

The runners-up, team Curi-O, led by Rakin Sarder, MSc student in Human-Robot Interaction at Heriot-Watt University, proposed a post-discharge robotic nursing service model for patients who are recovering in their homes after their treatment.

Mr Sarder said: “Many medical treatments require patients to follow specific recovery guidelines following their discharge. Studies have shown that this recovery process can be a challenging phase for patients, especially if they have physical or cognitive impairments. Solutions such as in-home nursing are expensive.

“Curi-O service could be used by healthcare professionals as a telehealth, telemedicine, telemonitoring and teletherapy medium, enabling them to perform routine check-ups and generally provide social, cognitive, and physical assistance through a social telepresence robot when needed.”

Discovery Stage sponsor Scottish Health Innovations Ltd (SHIL) worked with health and care professionals, technologists and designers over the five-day hackathon to support emerging ideas.

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