Turing University Network: A Collaboration for World-Class AI Research

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Heriot-Watt University has been named as one of 29 new members joining the Turing University Network. The network provides institutes that excel in data science and AI the opportunity to engage with its broader network to advance world-class research that address global challenges. Heriot-Watt is home to the National Robotarium, a £22.4m centre for robotics and AI,  created to produce new and innovative technologies to overcome real-world obstacles, boosting its credentials as a leader in the UK data science and AI landscape.

The Alan Turing Institute launched the network as a pilot in April 2023, with an open call for new members announced in early summer this year. It now includes 65 members across the UK, facilitating better connections and providing access to a bespoke network that encourages collaboration across the data science and AI ecosystem. The network is a key component of The Alan Turing Institute’s strategy and supports it in delivering its three overarching goals: to advance world-class research and apply it to national and global challenges, build skills for the future, and drive an informed public conversation.

Dr Jean Innes, Chief Executive Officer of The Alan Turing Institute, said: “We’re really pleased to welcome our new members to the network. We hope that they will benefit from being part of our data science and AI group and find opportunities for new, meaningful collaborations across the data science and AI landscape.”

Oliver Lemon, Professor in Conversational AI, and academic co-lead of the National Robotarium, Heriot-Watt’s Global Research Institute for robotics and artificial intelligence, said: “We are thrilled to be accepted into the Turing University Network, a prestigious consortium of universities dedicated to advancing world-class AI research with real-world applications.

“The National Robotarium was created to develop robotics and AI solutions that make a difference in the world. By joining the Turing University Network, we will be able to collaborate with other leading institutions and build on our collective expertise to create even more ground-breaking innovations.

“This partnership is a testament to the strength of our AI research programme and our commitment to using technology to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. We are excited to work with our fellow Turing Network members to make a positive impact on the economy, industry, and society.”

The full list of universities joining the network are:

•Aston University
•University of Aberdeen
•University of Bath
•University of Bradford
•University of Dundee
•University of East Anglia
•University of Essex
•University of Greenwich
•University of Hull
•University of Lincoln
•University of Portsmouth
•University of Salford
•University of Sussex
•University of Westminster
•University of York
•Birkbeck, University of London
•Coventry University
•Edinburgh Napier University
•Heriot-Watt University
•Lancaster University
•London Business School
•Loughborough University
•Manchester Metropolitan University
•Oxford Brookes University
•Sheffield Hallam University
•Swansea University
•The Open University
•University of Leicester
•University of St Andrews

The National Robotarium and ServiceKey forge transformational collaboration

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The National Robotarium have joined forces with ServiceKey, a UK-based digital technology start-up.

Through the utilisation of ServiceKey’s Perpetual Innovation™ AI-empowered toolset, the National Robotarium will benefit from enhanced project solution development, reducing time and cost, and identifying otherwise hidden alternative solutions. The facility will also work with ServiceKey personnel on joint activities using the ServiceKey methodologies to enhance live projects with industry partners and customers.

Chief Executive Officer of the National Robotarium, Stewart Miller said: “This close collaboration between The National Robotarium and ServiceKey opens up a world of possibilities for the robotics and AI industry.

“By combining our research knowledge and expertise with ServiceKey’s dynamic methodologies, we have the opportunity to reshape the future and realise the true potential of these technologies.”

Chief Operating Officer, Steve Maclaren said: “This partnership with ServiceKey is a key element of our Digital Enterprise, allowing The National Robotarium to remain at the forefront of the latest technologies and methodologies across all elements of our organisation.”

The partnership will empower The National Robotarium and ServiceKey to drive innovation across a broad range of sectors, including healthcare, logistics, manufacturing, and more.

Co-Founder of ServiceKey, Mark Conyers said: “We are proud to collaborate with the National Robotarium on such a ground-breaking endeavour, supporting them through rapid Concept Creation and Solution Design.”

ServiceKey Co-Founder Neil Bramwell said: “This partnership not only aligns with our shared vision for the future, but it also highlights our commitment to delivering solutions of unparalleled quality, fostering innovation, and driving transformative change across industries.”

 

National Robotarium hits public engagement milestone as it celebrates 1st anniversary

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Over 10,000 young minds have been inspired to consider a career in robotics, thanks to the significant public engagement activities fostered by the National Robotarium that aim to increase the representation of disadvantaged young learners.

The world-leading centre for robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) has successfully hosted over 50 in-person and virtual events at its facility in Edinburgh since opening in September 2022 with a host of industry and educational partners including Glasgow Science Centre and social enterprise group Datakirk.

With the aim of broadening access to revolutionary technology, the facility’s public outreach and engagement programme is building key skills and encouraging more young people from a wider range of backgrounds to consider starting a career in robotics, data analytics, and AI.

This summer [2023] also marks the 5th anniversary of the South-East Scotland City Region Deal. The National Robotarium is part of the £1.3 billion 15-year investment programme jointly funded by the UK Government, the Scottish Government, and regional partners.

Its pioneering £22.4 million facility is the largest and most advanced of its kind in the UK and acts as an innovation hub for the practical application of robotics and autonomous systems in industry and society.

Its objectives include partnering with various organisations including charities with a mission to increase the engagement of disadvantaged learners with the technology sector to tackle digital exclusion. The National Robotarium is also collaborating with groups that aim to encourage greater gender diversity among those applying to STEM subjects at university.

Sabaht Bashir is industry and schools engagement co-lead at the National Robotarium. She said:

“Innovation and collaboration are at the heart of the Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal which is helping to accelerate knowledge and cutting-edge technologies into Scotland and the UK’s economy.

“At the National Robotarium, we’re showcasing ways robots can help humans do things better, for the benefit of industry and society, and inspiring the next generation of roboticists and AI pioneers.

“The research our world-leading experts are conducting today to make our lives safer, healthier, and more productive will be the world that our young learners inherit tomorrow. It’s an incredible milestone to have engaged with so many young people from a range of diverse backgrounds since opening our doors last year. We look forward to continuing to work with schools and educators from all around the world to bring careers in robotics to life.”

Sabaht Bashir, Industry and Schools Engagement Lead

Libby Robertson, a year 6 pupil at Glasgow’s Knightswood Secondary School, said:

“The activities were fun and insightful about what robotics could do and have already done to the world we live in. The visit was so amazing that I’m now considering doing it as a future career choice.”

Gordon Cooper, Technical Teacher at Glasgow’s Knightswood Secondary School, said:

“The team at the National Robotarium were friendly and informative and our pupils had a great day enjoying the variety of experiences planned for them.

“The fully and semi-immersive reality activities were fascinating and showed our students the potential uses of these types of technology. The robotic dog was definitely the star of the day. All of our students were awakened to the possibilities on display, and many are now seriously looking into careers in this field. ”

Lauren Stalker, Curricular Leader of Computing Science & Digital Literacy at St Thomas of Aquin’s R.C High School in Edinburgh, said:

“I would highly recommend this trip for all students as seeing the robots in real life is a fantastic experience. The information shared inspired pupils to want to get into robotics and see possible career opportunities. All the students thoroughly enjoyed the virtual reality experience and getting to see a programming language they learn in school being used in that way.”

UK Government Minister for Scotland, Malcolm Offord, said:

“The National Robotarium is a prime example of how the City Region Deal is creating exciting opportunities, driving economic growth, and inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers.

“The UK Government is investing £21 million in the National Robotarium and more than £380m in levelling up across South East Scotland.”

Scottish Government Wellbeing Economy Secretary, Neil Gray, said:

“I congratulate the National Robotarium on its successful first year inspiring technological innovation and sharing those advances with young people to help seed the next generation of entrepreneurs. In 2021 the Scottish Government committed to supporting the development of ethical artificial intelligence as part of Scotland’s AI Strategy, which will be complemented by actions in the recently published National Innovation Strategy.

“Through the Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal we are delivering a fair and sustainable wellbeing economy which aims to create even more good quality jobs.”

Jarmo Eskelinen, Executive Director of the Data-Driven Innovation initiative and South-East Scotland City Region Deal, said:

“The National Robotarium is one of six hubs at the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University offering a world-leading platform for data-driven innovation across ten industry sectors. As the DDI initiative marks its fifth anniversary, it’s fantastic to see the hubs developing as individual institutes and centres and very exciting to be working with them to explore joint opportunities in tackling societal and industry challenges.”

 

Robotics + Care Mashup event to improve independent living

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Innovators, healthcare experts, students and scientists converged for a special 5-day hackathon event, focused on shaping solutions for better independent living.

Sponsored by the Scottish Informatics & Computer Science Alliance (SICSA) and the EPSRC Network+ EMERGENCE, the Robotics + Care Mashup took place at the National Robotarium from 16-20 October.

Hosted by the Heriot-Watt University CARE (Cognitive Assistive Robotic Environments) Group, the event offered a unique opportunity to test and develop emerging technologies, including cloud, robotics and IoT (Internet of Things) equipped with machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities, for health and social care. Applications can include non-intrusive monitoring of health status and vital signs, detecting patterns and trends in behaviour, triaging, facilitating communication and social-connectedness, and generally supporting general self-management of health and wellbeing.

Working in teams, students in different disciplines, such as robotics, engineering, computer science, nursing, medicine, psychology and business, developed new and innovative concepts that can address challenges for healthcare providers and people who require assisted living support. Throughout the week, end-users, academics, technologists and care providers assesssed the progression of each idea and provided feedback in real-time.

The Mashup also hosted a number of talks and product development sessions from technical providers on topics including APIs and sensor kits, ethics and cybersecurity, and live robot demonstrations in the Laboratory for Robotic Assistive living (LARA)

Those interested can find out more at the CARE Group website.

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Dr Ingo Keller

The National Robotarium appoints first Head of Robotics

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Dr Ingo Keller has been appointed as the first Head of Robotics at the National Robotarium, the UK’s centre for Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.

A software, AI and robotics engineer with over 20 years of experience in science and industry, Ingo will lead the facility’s growing team of robotics engineers as they test and develop new technologies and systems to address real-world challenges. Current projects include robotics for sectors including agriculture, construction, manufacturing, aerospace and fisheries.

Ingo has in-depth, hands-on experience with a multitude of robotic systems, including all phases of software development, life-cycle management and DevOps tooling. He has co-founded a number of start-up technology companies in software architecture and database management systems, developing a keen understanding of the potential of applied emerging technologies for addressing industry challenges.

Prior to his new role, he was Chief Technology Officer at Xihelm, a London-based robotic harvesting solutions company, where he worked while completing a PhD in Data Augmentation for Human-Robot Interaction at Heriot-Watt University, where the National Robotarium is based.

On his new appointment, Ingo said: “I’m delighted to join the National Robotarium team at this exciting stage of its development and lead on the creation of robotics, AI and engineering systems that can truly transform people’s lives and work. My goal is to get more robots out of the lab and into the wild, and being able to talk directly to industry leaders about their challenges means we can develop safe, practical, and effective robotic technologies that can be seamlessly integrated into society.

“I’m also passionate about sharing the knowledge and expertise of our talented team to build robotics skills in different sectors, ensuring people are equipped with the tools they need to operate and manage robotics and AI, and promoting the positive benefits of these technologies to all.”

Stewart Miller, Chief Executive Officer, said: “The appointment of Ingo as our first Head of Robotics is an important and exciting milestone for the National Robotarium. He is passionate about applying his extensive expertise to new and interdisciplinary problem spaces and will be a great ambassador, working with experts in all fields of science and industry to advance state-of-the-art robotics systems.”

A white man with glasses and short brown hair smiling

Professor Oliver Lemon named as new co-academic lead at the National Robotarium

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The National Robotarium has named Professor Oliver Lemon as its new co-academic lead.

Professor Lemon, whose background is focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI), brings many years of experience developing machine learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP) models, building knowledge to better understand how robots can interact with humans using conversational speech in visual and spatial use-cases. Current projects being led by Professor Lemon include SPRING, based at the facility’s state-of-the-art HRI labs, which is developing Socially Assistive Robotics to perform multi-person interactions in complex environments, specifically with older patients in hospitals and other healthcare settings.

A former Senior Research Fellow at Stanford University and the University of Edinburgh, and Visiting Scientist at NASA, Professor Lemon has extensive experience working with industry. He has led national and international research projects with partners such as PAL Robotics, SoftBank, France Telecom, and BMW, and is Chief AI Officer and co-founder of the conversational AI company Alana AI. The spinout has recently developed advanced vision-and-language conversational AI solutions for blind and partially-sighted people in partnership with RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) and for stroke patients, as part of the European Commission’s RES-Q+ medical AI project.

Professor Lemon has also supervised three student teams in the Amazon Alexa Simbot Challenge, an artificial intelligence competition focused on conversational agents. In the latest challenge, on embodied AI, the team were the only non-US competitors to be shortlisted in the top ten, and made it all the way through to the final stages.

His appointment follows the departure of Professor Helen Hastie, who has held the position – alongside incumbent Professor Yvan Petillot – since 2020, overseeing the research strategy of the world-leading Robotics and Artificial Intelligence centre, based at Heriot-Watt University. Working closely with co-academic leads at the University of Edinburgh, Professors Adam Stokes and Sethu Vijayakumar, these important roles were created to strengthen academic collaboration between the two partner institutions. The ties between organisations will be further strengthened when Professor Hastie takes up a new post as Head of the School of Informatics at The University of Edinburgh.

Professor Lemon said: “I’m delighted to join the National Robotarium as its new co-academic lead and continue its work developing science-led robotics and AI solutions to address people’s needs.

”As a co-founder of Alana AI, I understand how to bridge the gap between science and industry and move academic research from labs to market, a core delivery theme at the National Robotarium. I look forward to playing a strategic role supporting its mission to advance the adoption of robotics and AI to help people at work and at home. I’m particularly excited to bring the latest advances in Foundation Models and Large Language Models such as ChatGPT into robotics.”

Stewart Miller, Chief Executive Officer at the National Robotarium said: “I’m very pleased to welcome Oliver to the National Robotarium as our new co-academic lead. His extensive experience into language models for robotics, as well as his many years of research into how humans interact with robots, make him a natural successor to Professor Hastie and I’m keen to work with him to develop the next generation of robotics using safe and responsible AI.”

 

two white men stand at a dock load a fishing net into a medium-sized trawling vessel

AI-empowered fishing net to help prevent marine bycatch

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An underwater robotic sorting device which helps fishing trawlers prevent bycatch by identifying and sizing fish and other marine life in real-time is being developed by Heriot-Watt University scientists with support from experts in the National Robotarium’s Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) laboratory.

Funded by the UK Seafood Innovation Fund and delivered in partnership with Fisheries Innovation & Sustainability (FIS), Smartrawl uses AI-technology to determine the individual size and species of marine life captured inside a trawl net using images taken by an underwater stereo camera. It then releases or retains each marine animal depending on whether it qualifies against a trawler’s intended catch using a computer-controlled robotic gate.

Trawling is a fishing practice that herds and captures target species, like fish or prawns, by towing a net along the ocean floor. This method of fishing is known to cause discarding and bycatch, where fish or other marine animals are accidentally caught and returned to the sea, most often dead. According to global marine fisheries data, it is estimated that 46% of all marine fish that are discarded come from this method of fishing.

The brainchild of Professor Paul Fernandes based at Heriot-Watt’s Lyell Centre for Earth and Marine Sciences, the Smartrawl sorting device is being supported by experts in underwater autonomous systems at the National Robotarium and designed in collaboration with the UK fishing industry. It is able to fit into existing nets of all sizes of vessels and requires no additional cables due to the device’s patented gate system which works with the force of the water to rotate between open and closed states.

“Smartrawl has been developed to ensure that vessels only catch the fish they’re targeting, releasing other animals back into their natural environment quickly and without harm. As a result, we’re confident that discarding and bycatch could quickly become a thing of the past and our precious marine life preserved.”

Components of the project have already been tested at sea and further trials are scheduled for later this year [2023] in Shetland using the research vessel Atlantia, operated by the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Administered by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), on behalf of Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the UK Seafood Innovation Fund supports innovative projects which aim to bring new ideas and technology to the UK seafood sector and is part of the wider UK Seafood Fund.

A white man wearing a blue safety hat stands on a fishing vessel at sea in front of two other men holding a fishing net

 

Paul Fernandes (pictured above), the inventor of Smartrawl, is scientific lead for the project. He is a professor of fisheries science and technology at the Lyell Centre at Heriot-Watt University. He said:

“More than 4 million tonnes of marine fish are unintentionally caught by trawlers around the world every year, as well as bycatch of sharks, rays, dolphins, critically endangered turtles and seabirds. The sad reality is that these creatures, more often than not, are returned to the sea dead or dying.

“Current methods used on trawlers are unable to distinguish between different species and animals or give skippers enough information to build an accurate understanding of the size of individual fish prior to capture.

“Smartrawl has been developed to ensure that vessels only catch the fish they’re targeting, releasing other animals back into their natural environment quickly and without harm. As a result, we’re confident that discarding and bycatch could quickly become a thing of the past and our precious marine life preserved.”

FIS Executive Director, Kara Brydson, said:

“The UK Seafood Innovation Fund supports bold and ambitious tech-driven projects that will enable a step-change in the productivity and sustainability of the UK seafood sector. That perfectly describes Smartrawl, and this grant will take us nearer to our goal of enabling UK fishers to select and retain their high-quality catch while releasing non-target species back into our seas.”

A small orange vehicle on 4 wheels moves across a field. It has a light metal glider on top that stretches out on either side.

National Robotarium sponsors farming robot to help care for crop plants and reduce chemical use

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A pioneering autonomous robot is set to help farmers better monitor the health status of individual crop plants and reduce herbicide use.

Experts from the National Robotarium, the UK’s world-leading centre for robotics and artificial intelligence, and the James-Hutton Institute will use Small Robot Company’s ‘Tom v4’ agritech robot to remotely scan agricultural fields to identify, locate and log individual weeds and crop plants. This information will then be passed through a complex AI algorithm to create a ‘treatment map’ which tells farmers exactly how much herbicide to use and where to apply it.

Current farming practices often rely on herbicides and nutrients being applied over entire field areas. It is hoped that the research partnership between the National Robotarium and James-Hutton Institute will support farmers to dramatically reduce chemical usage by only applying on field areas where weeds or crop pests are present.

As well as detecting herbicide efficacy, additional outcomes of the research project include collecting and reporting data on individual crop plants – known as per plant precision – to accurately monitor plant numbers and health, including their exact location and survivability, alerting farmers to any areas of immediate need.

“This ingenious robot will reduce herbicide use. It will also encourage the growth of healthy crops which are so vital for food security at a time supplies are threatened by the war in Ukraine and global population growth. – UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord

It is estimated around one-third of the world’s agricultural products are pesticide dependent1, with the most common types being herbicides. As the world’s population is expected to reach 9.3 billion by 2050, a 60% increase in the rate of food production will be required, according to a recent UN report2.

The National Robotarium is part of the Data-Driven Innovation initiative, supported by £21 million from the UK Government and £1.4 million from the Scottish Government. The initiative aims to turn Edinburgh into the data capital of Europe and is part of the wider £1.3 billion Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal.

Lisa Farrell is Business Development Manager at the National Robotarium. She said:

“With demand on the world’s food resources set to rise significantly, it’s even more important that robotics and AI play an increasing role in assisting modern agricultural practices. Per plant precision agriculture is a fantastic example of how technology can help us to be kinder to the environment whilst supporting Britain’s farming community to be more efficient, precise and productive.

“The National Robotarium continues to be a leading collaborative hub, bringing together academics and global companies. Working with partners like the James-Hutton Institute and forward-leaning start-ups like Small Robot Company, we can drive efficiencies, accelerate growth and deliver economic benefit to the UK’s agriculture sector and beyond.”

Andrew Christie, Agronomist & Agri-Tech Specialist at The James Hutton Institute, said:

“Having the Tom v4 robot on site will expand our capabilities in terms of agricultural research and precision breeding. With possibilities for different cameras and AI models to be applied, the potential for this scientific tool is extensive and expansive. There will be lots of opportunities to explore new uses for the robot in research and it will add value to many of our research proposals going forward.

“Our first task will be to implement Tom in cereal trials to help develop and improve precision of in-field phenotyping as part of our flagship initiative, the International Barley Hub, bringing better understanding of crop characteristics to help us in our aim of producing the resource efficient and climate resilient crops of the future.”

Ben Scott-Robinson, CEO, Small Robot Company said:

“Our Tom v4 robot can see every emerging plant, water droplet, worm midden and early disease outbreak – supporting farmers to know exactly what to treat and when, with minimal chemical use. This is a world-first for scientific research and potentially transformational for plant science. We’ve worked closely with the farming sector to co-design our robot, developing an entirely new model for sustainable, efficient and profitable farming.

“The potential of this technology is phenomenal and the commercial purchase of our Tom robot by the National Robotarium and its subsequent loaning to The James Hutton Institute marks the start of a unique partnership. Together, we can advance research into how robotic technology and automated systems can support Britain’s agriculture and farming sectors to overcome industry challenges, drive sustainable practices and boost productivity.”

UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said:

“This ingenious robot will reduce herbicide use. It will also encourage the growth of healthy crops which are so vital for food security at a time supplies are threatened by the war in Ukraine and global population growth.

“The UK Government has invested £21 million in the National Robotarium supporting high quality jobs, investment and growth while helping to foster their world-leading research, as part of our £2.3 billion pound investment to level up across Scotland.”

Scottish Government Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray said:

“This innovative research is another example of the valuable work conducted at the National Robotarium, which benefited from Scottish Government support through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

“It recognises the requirements of farmers to protect the health of their crops while limiting the use of herbicide. Scotland can be a world leader in the development and use of AI in a way which is trustworthy, ethical and inclusive.”

The National Robotarium will be exhibiting at the 2023 Royal Highland Show from 22 June – 25 June as part of the UK Government Scotland stand (Avenue O, Stand 33P). The Tom robot will also be on display at the James Hutton Institute Stand (Avenue Q, 22-23 June only).

Healthcare robot with ‘sense of touch’ could reduce infection spread

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Deep tech robotics company and National Robotarium industry resident, Touchlab, has launched a first-of-its-kind robot which gives clinicians the ability to ‘feel’ patients remotely as part of a Finnish hospital pilot.

Controlled by operators wearing an electronic haptic glove, the Välkky telerobot is equipped with the most advanced electronic skin (e-skin) technology ever developed to transfer a sense of touch from its robotic hand to users.

The 3-month pilot at Laakso Hospital in Helsinki, Finland will see a team of purpose-trained nurses explore how robotics systems can help deliver care, reduce workload and prevent the spread of infections or diseases.

Touchlab is an Edinburgh-based start-up and has recently taken up residency at the National Robotarium, a pioneering new £22.4 million research facility which officially opened its doors in September 2022.

Informed by sectoral needs, the facility works collaboratively with partners around the globe to define, develop and resolve industry challenges through the application of robotics and AI. Touchlab will benefit from the National Robotarium’s incubation facilities, state-of-the-art labs and engineering expertise.

It is hoped that Välkky will complement existing staff, freeing up people to focus on more complex nursing tasks while allowing the robot to carry out day-to-day clinical duties like measuring vital signs including pulse, temperature and oxygen saturation. It is also able to serve meals, move assistive devices and support patient care with tasks like brushing hair.

Additional applications for the technology could include nuclear decommissioning and the handling of toxic waste, helping reduce human exposure to jobs that are potentially hazardous to people’s health and wellbeing.

The National Robotarium is part of the Data-Driven Innovation initiative, supported by £21 million from the UK Government and £1.4 million from the Scottish Government. The initiative aims to turn Edinburgh into the data capital of Europe and is part of the wider £1.3 billion Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal.

“Working with tenant companies like Touchlab, the National Robotarium continues to be a globally significant collaborative hub – bringing together academics and industry-leading companies and delivering sustainable economic benefit to the whole of the UK and beyond.”

 

Kirsi Ahonen is Head Nurse and project manager at Laakso Hospital. She said:

“Our long-term goal is for Välkky to assist in a variety of day-to-day ward tasks to ensure the delivery of comprehensive patient monitoring and care.

“While Välkky will initially be deployed on a smaller scale, it has the potential to help with a number of more complex jobs. This includes patient-lifting, which could help alleviate potential physical injuries for staff, and reduce the spread of infection.”

Touchlab CEO, Dr Zaki Hussein, said:

“It’s our ambition that the anonymised, real-time data gathered throughout the project will help prove that semi-autonomous robots can co-exist with and support professionals in a variety of industries like healthcare and the transition to greener energy sources.

“Having access to the National Robotarium’s state-of-the-art office and lab facilities, including its ecosystem of collaborators, industry experts and academic teams, will support us to put these findings

into action and to continue developing impactful robotics technologies that are changing our collective

futures.”

Lisa Farrell is Business Development Manager at the National Robotarium. She said:

“As robotic and AI technologies continue to advance, we increasingly have the opportunity to support people in jobs that are potentially hazardous to their health or physical wellbeing. Touchlab’s Finnish pilot exemplifies that opportunity, with benefits of the trial expected to include increasing nurse productivity and, significantly, reducing the spread of healthcare acquired infections.

“Working with tenant companies like Touchlab, the National Robotarium continues to be a globally significant collaborative hub – bringing together academics and industry-leading companies and delivering sustainable economic benefit to the whole of the UK and beyond.”

UK Government Minister for Scotland, Malcolm Offord, said:

“This pioneering research into remote robotic touch technology has great potential to deliver vital assistance to health staff, improve patient care, prevent the spread of infections or diseases and reduce human exposure to hazardous jobs such as handling toxic waste.

“The UK Government has invested £21 million in the National Robotarium to foster their world-leading research and support high quality jobs, investment and growth, as part of our £2.3b pound investment to level up across Scotland.”

Neil Gray, Scottish Government Wellbeing Economy Secretary, said:

“This pioneering research is a further example of the important work conducted at the National Robotarium, which benefited from Scottish and UK Government support through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

“Using robots to carry out routine clinical duties can free nurses to perform more complex tasks and revolutionise the delivery of health care. Innovation and the use of ethical and trustworthy artificial intelligence can help deliver priorities in our National Strategy for Economic Transformation.”

 

Crewless maintenance vessels to support offshore wind farm repairs

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Electric remotely operated vehicles (eROVs) that perform maintenance and repair tasks on offshore wind turbines are being developed by the National Robotarium in partnership with Fugro, the world’s leading Geo-data specialist. Deployed from Fugro’s uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), the companies are working closely together to explore how the offshore energy sector can benefit from advancing this autonomous technology.

The £1.4 million Underwater Intervention for Offshore Renewable Energies (UNITE) project aims to dramatically improve health and safety for workers by reducing the need for potentially hazardous offshore maintenance missions conducted by crewed support vessels.

The remotely operated robotic systems will address a number of additional sector challenges including supporting industry to reduce carbon emissions, improve offshore turbine productivity through reduced downtime, and make maintenance and repair exercises more cost-effective and timely.

The UK has more than 11,000 offshore wind assets around its shores, with thousands more planned by 2050. On average, each turbine requires up to three maintenance check-ups per year and this figure increases as turbines age and require more maintenance to stay fully operational.

Current industry maintenance methods involve vessels travelling into and working in areas of open ocean where a mix of trained divers and ship-based crews manually inspect and or deploy tele-operated robots for repair of individual wind turbines.

When applied to the whole of the UK’s offshore wind sector, this translates into potentially hundreds of thousands of crewed maintenance missions every year which are costly for business, contribute emissions to the environment and present a safety risk for workers.

In addition to supporting the uncrewed and remotely operated vessels, the pioneering research project will help develop autonomous and semi-autonomous ROVs capable of conducting subsea inspection, maintenance and repair tasks which can be monitored onshore whilst remotely deployed and operated from anywhere in the world.

Researchers will specifically focus on developing technologies which allow robots to build more accurate maps of the subsea terrain to better navigate obstacles and targets. The project will also explore how robots autonomously interact with underwater structures, such as grasping or moving objects, whilst being subject to external forces like changing currents or rough seas.

The project will be delivered by researchers from Heriot-Watt University and Imperial College London working within the National Robotarium, the UK’s leading AI and Robotics centre, in collaboration with Fugro and funded by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation.

The National Robotarium is part of the Data-Driven Innovation initiative, supported by £21 million from the UK Government and £1.4 million from the Scottish Government. The initiative aims to turn Edinburgh into the data capital of Europe and is part of the wider £1.3 billion Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal.

A middle-aged white man is visible from the shoulders up. He is wearing a blue shirt and brown jacket. In the background is an image of an underwater vessel with two large headlights. It is moving downwards in the sea.

Co-academic lead at the National Robotarium, Prof. Yvan Petillot

Prof. Yvan Petillot is academic co-lead at the National Robotarium and principal investigator of the UNITE project. He said:

“We’re only a generation away from our obligation to deliver on our net zero promises by 2050 and 2045 in Scotland, so can’t afford to let the challenges faced by the offshore renewables sector slow down the construction and operation of essential, green energy assets like wind turbines.

“Remote inspection and repair using robotic systems deployed in the field and controlled from shore is within our grasp. The long-term ambition is for crewless boats to be able to do this autonomously without direct human control based on a predetermined maintenance cycle – critical if we’re to see the widespread adoption of robotics in the rapidly expanding offshore wind sector.

“The National Robotarium’s partnership with Fugro presents an exciting opportunity to develop this next generation of underwater technologies as well as the skills and expertise needed to support the transition to net zero. UNITE has enormous potential to power the UK’s offshore renewable sector and beyond, delivering worldwide economic and environmental impact that can benefit communities around the world.”

Mark Bruce, Global Product Manager – Next Generation ROV Systems at Fugro, said:

“As the expansion and influence of marine robotics stretches ever further across the marine industry, we are committed to leading the industry’s remote and autonomous revolution. Key to this is overcoming the challenges of remote operations by increasing our awareness and autonomy level in the sub-sea environment. It’s an exciting time as we bring more USVs and respective eROVs into the market, working on commercial projects across Europe providing greater agility, safety and sustainability.”

UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said:

“This pioneering research into remote robotic systems will create the next generation of underwater technologies that will reduce carbon emissions, increase productivity and make offshore work safer.

“The UK Government has invested £21 million in the National Robotarium to foster their world-leading research and support high quality jobs, investment and growth. This is part of £2.3 billion for regional projects levelling up right across Scotland.”

Scottish Government Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray said:

“This innovative research is another example of the valuable work conducted at the National Robotarium, which benefited from Scottish and UK Government support through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

“It recognises the growing and changing requirements of offshore wind businesses and can help boost productivity in an industry which is key to the just transition from fossil fuels and promises to create substantial numbers of well-paid green jobs.

“As outlined in the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, delivering on our climate obligations is an absolute priority for this Government – but so too is our unwavering commitment to ensuring the journey to net zero is fair and just for everyone.”

 

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UK EH14 4AS

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Edinburgh, Scotland
EH8 9YL

Scottish registered charity number SC005336

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