The National Robotarium and Robotekin – Basque Association for Robotics and Automation have forged a new global partnership to advance innovation, research and skills development in Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS).
In July, the UK’s centre for robotics and AI at Heriot-Watt University welcomed a delegation from Robotekin, a not-for-profit consortium in the Basque Country, during which a Letter of Intent was signed by CEO of The National Robotarium, Stewart Miller, and Robotekin Director, Daniel Ruiz Corres. The letter outlines each organisation’s commitment to sharing knowledge and developing joint initiatives in areas including applied research and technology transfer, international projects, outreach and events.
[l-r] Daniel Ruiz Corres, Robotekin Director, and Stewart Miller, CEO of The National Robotarium sign the letter of intent (July 2025)
The delegation – which included Robotekin industry members Smartlog Group, Seaquenz, BIC Araba, Ikaslan, IKERLAN and DACO Ingeniería – followed a visit by National Robotarium Chief Operating Officer, Steve Maclaren, to Robotekin’s headquarters in Álava, Spain in December. During the visit, Steve presented on the National Robotarium’s holistic enterprise model that is advancing science in robotics and automation, and supporting early-stage technology companies. It was agreed that a reciprocal visit be arranged, paving the way towards a more formalised partnership.
Steve said: “Following my insightful visit to Robotekin’s headquarters last year, it was an honour to welcome the team and their associates to The National Robotarium. As well as getting a tour our state-of-the-art labs, the visit was hugely valuable in learning more about each other’s delivery models, and exploring opportunities to drive forward new collaborations.”
Steve Maclaren (centre) visited Robotekin in Spain in Dec 2025
Robotekin operates as a ‘cooperative ecosystem’, creating a link between R&D, education, manufacturing and user testing, rapidly driving new technological and business projects that address genuine industry and customer needs. The success of the Robotekin model could provide a blueprint for other nations looking to create a circular robotics supply chain that harnesses scientific excellence, private and government investment, and entrepreneurial spirit, manufacturing and production. Building a similar robotics ecosystem for Scotland is a key recommendation in The National Robotarium’s recent policy paper ‘Making Scotland a World Leader in Robotics’.
Stewart Miller said: “Scotland stands to gain significantly from a hub-and-spoke model like Robotekin. By acting as a physical hub for industry, government and science to work closely together on fast-tracking new robotic innovations, we not only benefit people’s lives but also create a driver for economic prosperity and talent retention.
“This partnership offers a valuable opportunity to explore alternative delivery models that could be key to securing long-term success for robotics in Scotland.”
https://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Robotekin-group-dinner-1000px.jpg7501000Louise Jackhttp://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Robotarium.pngLouise Jack2025-07-31 17:19:342025-07-31 17:21:20The National Robotarium forges new partnership with Robotekin
Technical experts at The National Robotarium have developed a sustainable system for recycling and repurposing plastic waste from 3D printers.
The UK’s centre for robotics and Artificial Intelligence at Heriot-Watt University is home to multiple 3D printers within its three distinct workshop spaces. The printers and other specialist machines are used daily by the facility’s engineering team, researchers and resident robotics companies.
With the price of printers and common materials, such as PLA (polylactic acid) filament, coming down in recent years, 3D printing is more accessible than ever. However, ease of production has created larger volumes of test and modular printing, increasing the amount of plastic discard.
Growing concerned about the large volumes of plastic offcuts being created in the workshops, Senior Technician for Robotics and Autonomous Systems, Thomas McGravie, and Senior Engineer Dr Alix Partridge were keen to explore ways to reuse the materials and reduce waste.
Thomas McGravie, Senior Technician at The National Robotarium
Compounding the issue further, leftovers from 3D printing cannot be easily recycled together, with different preparatory methods, such as drying or cleaning, required for different kinds of plastic.
Thomas, who oversees the workshops and technical spaces, said: “It was back in 2023, Alix and myself noticed that we were creating an astonishing amount of plastic waste through 3D printing; 54kg in two years!
“At the same time, I was talking to colleagues in other services and schools and found out that the Heriot-Watt is recycling 3 tonnes of plastic bottles a year. So, I wanted to come up with a way that we could repurpose the different types of plastic waste being produced on-campus.”
3D printing at The National Robotarium alone has created 54kg of plastic waste in two years
As part of his quest, Thomas looked online for inspiration, but found most solutions were either too costly or so time and labour-intensive that the benefits were negligible.
“I continued to browse online and stumbled upon someone in Australia who used a t-shirt press to flatten and melt down plastic shreds, reconstituting the 3d printed waste into sheets. Just by chance, one of our academics, Dr Alistair McConnell, had procured a shredder and injection moulding machine for a project, and he let us use these to recreate the first step of this process.”
A simple t-shirt press can melt plastic shreds into smooth sheets
However, despite now having the process knowledge and access to some of the required machinery, there was another factor getting in the way; time.
As Thomas explains: “Whilst we were keen to be more sustainable and reduce our carbon footprint, the demands our day-to-day jobs didn’t allow much time for experimentation.”
Fortunately, the discovery coincided with the centre hosting Fabio Tatti (Imperial College London) and Rob Woolley (University of York), two technicians from the UKRAS STEPS (UK Robotics and Autonomous Systems Strategic Technical Platform) network, who were interested in working on the filament recycling project as part of a week-long secondment.
The National Robotarium is a key delivery partner in the 3-year project, led by the University of Leeds and funded by the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), that aims to strengthen the UK’s Robotics and Autonomous Systems capabilities and improve the long-term career prospects of Research Technical Professionals (RTPs).
Thomas and visiting technicians were awarded a Highly Commended prize at the UK RAS STEPS Technical Showcase event in June 2025 [l-r: Graham Brown (winner), Fabio Tatti, Rob Wooley,Thomas, Charles Richards]
Thomas said: “The visiting technicians were a fantastic support. Having four pairs of hands allowed us to fine-tune the system and produce more consistent heats and temperatures.”
The team presented on the project at the UK RAS STEPS Technical Showcase event, held at the London Science Museum in June, taking away the Highly Commended prize in the ‘Innovative Teamwork in Robotics’ category.
As well as facilitating the secondments, UKRAS-STEPS also provided financial support for the purchase of additional equipment, enabling Thomas and Alix to formalise the process and produce a template, which can be shared by other participating institutions across the UK.
“The support from UKRAS-STEPS has been vital to finessing the process. We are now able to recycle 3d printer waste into other items, such as badges and keyrings, which could be given to visiting school groups and work experience students. In time, we’re hoping to create items that are more commonly used in labs and workshops, greatly reducing the need to purchase these plastics as new.
“This has the potential to create a massive reduction in 3D printed plastic waste, not just at The National Robotarium but in RAS labs up and down the country.
Whilst the recycling system promises a sustainable and circular solution to plastic waste, Thomas thinks behavioural change is also needed to tackle the problem.
“We need to consider the reasons why we’re producing so much waste in the first place. Low costs and speedy turnaround times make it too easy to run off multiple prototypes in bulk – we need to be more mindful during the design process to not be wasteful and only print what we need.”
https://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Plastic-recycling-machine-1000px.jpg6661000Louise Jackhttp://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Robotarium.pngLouise Jack2025-07-30 12:52:022025-07-30 12:52:02National Robotarium technical team tackles 3D printing plastic problem
A partnership between Scotland’s leading technology and agricultural research institutions is developing 5G-connected robotics applications that enable farmers to implement precision agriculture techniques while addressing rural connectivity challenges.
The collaboration between Heriot-Watt University’s The National Robotarium, James Hutton Institute, Scotland 5G Centre, Boston Dynamics, and Freshwave is advancing robotic systems that can perform precision farming tasks – including crop health monitoring, targeted fertiliser application, and soil condition assessment – through portable 5G private networks.
Through private, mobile 5G connectivity, robots like Boston Dynamics’ Spot can undertake real-time scanning and mapping operations in remote or rural settings (photography by Ben Glasgow)
The technology addresses critical challenges facing modern agriculture, such as rising input costs, labour shortages, environmental regulations, and the need to increase food production while reducing environmental impact. Traditional farming approaches often involve uniform treatment across entire fields, but 5G-connected robotics enable plant-by-plant precision, applying resources only where needed.
The robotic systems use high-speed 5G connections to communicate with other robotic devices securely in real time as well as transmit detailed information about crops, soil conditions, and growing environments, enabling farmers to make informed decisions based on current field conditions.
A key breakthrough has been addressing connectivity limitations in rural areas. Agricultural operations requiring data-intensive robotic applications often face inadequate mobile network coverage and bandwidth constraints. The partnership has worked with portable 5G private networks that can be rapidly deployed on farms, providing the high-speed, low-latency connectivity essential for real-time robotic operations.
The robotic systems can stream high-definition video, generate detailed field mapping and, with under-development visual recognition systems, identify issues such as disease, pest infestations, or water stress significantly earlier than traditional monitoring methods. Applications that previously required expensive specialised equipment, technical expertise, and optimal weather conditions can now be implemented more efficiently and cost-effectively.
With global food production required to increase by more than 50% by 2050 while reducing environmental impact, advanced agricultural technologies are becoming essential. The agricultural sector, which contributes £2.2 billion to Scotland’s economy, is positioned to lead development of practical precision farming solutions that address real-world operational challenges.
Project Manager at The National Robotarium, Ruth Plant
Following a demonstration of the 5G-connected robotics technologies at The National Robotarium, Ruth Plant, Project Manager, said:
“What’s exciting about this project is seeing the technology develop from initial concept to working demonstration. We’ve successfully shown that portable 5G networks can provide the connectivity needed for real-time robotic operations in agricultural settings. The integration of these technologies creates opportunities for precision farming that weren’t previously possible in areas with limited connectivity.
“This partnership demonstrates exactly what the National Robotarium was designed to achieve – bringing together leading academic research, innovative companies, and industry expertise to develop practical solutions to real-world challenges. Our facility provides the collaborative environment where these breakthrough technologies can be developed, tested, and demonstrated to the partners and stakeholders who can help bring them to market.”
The technology was demonstrated at a 5G-connected robotics showcase, held at The National Robotarium on 30 June 2025 (photography by Ben Glasgow)
Andrew Christie, agritech specialist at The James Hutton Institute, said:
“As an evolution of precision farming technology being used in modern agriculture, robotics are a next step in the progression towards data driven farming practices, but a barrier to uptake has been the speed and reliability for real time communication and a need for manual intervention for data processing.
“With the integration of 5G private networks in robotics we can address these issues enabling high volumes of data to be transmitted at low latency and allowing us to use our current equipment more effectively, whilst also enabling future progress in swarm robotics, real-time sensors for digital twinning and active data processing through cloud computing.
“The use of remotely deployable 5G private networks as showcased at The National Robotarium and The James Hutton Institute provides relevance to all rural settings, and agricultural businesses regardless of farm type.”
Ian Sharp, Head of Delivery at the Scotland 5G Centre, said:
“The Scotland 5G Centre (S5GC) is focussed on enabling Scotland to unlock the benefits of advanced wireless connectivity, so we are very pleased to play an active role in this partnership.
“The collaboration highlights clearly how advanced wireless communications (5G) can enable new and exciting applications of robotics in an agricultural setting. It’s easy to see from the project how the 5G connected robotics can provide new opportunities to increase productivity and reduce costs.
“It’s also important to note that the partnership itself highlights the collaborative nature and strength of Scotland’s innovation ecosystem, particularly in working closely with industry partners.
“We were able to seed this project through use of funding from our Innovate UK Technology Mission Fund Programme. The IUK Programme ended in March 2025 and enabled a number of other 5G related projects, some of which continued the theme of addressing rural connectivity through the use of mobile 5G test networks deployed in harsh outdoor conditions.”
Robotics Engineer Hari operates the 5G-connected robot using VR
Tom Bennett, Chief Technology Officer at Freshwave, said:
“We’re proud to be enabling next-generation connectivity at the cutting edge of agritech research. Reliable, portable private 5G is unlocking new possibilities for robotics and automation, and we’re excited to support the National Robotarium as they help shape the future of sustainable agriculture alongside their partners and customers.”
WATCH STV News for a special report on The National Robotarium’s 5G Connected Robotics showcase event.
Interested in finding out if 5G-connected robotics can help your business? Contact Project Manager Ruth Plant at r.plant@hw.ac.uk
https://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Robotarium-5G-Showcase-130-Spot-1000px.jpg6661000Louise Jackhttp://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Robotarium.pngLouise Jack2025-07-02 10:15:002025-07-02 10:15:005G connected robotics set to revolutionise the farming sector
On 27 January, The National Robotarium hosted First Minister for Scotland, John Swinney MSP, as he delivered a speech on how The Scottish Government plans to transform the nation’s health and care system.
In his speech to leading experts and clinicians from across the Scottish healthcare sector, the First Minister, introduced by CEO of The National Robotarium, Stewart Miller, and Cabinet Secretary Neil Gray MSP, highlighted the government’s commitment to improving patient care through the expansion of digital and AI solutions, including the launch of a new Digital Front Door health and social care app by the end of 2025.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Neil Gray MSP
The National Robotarium centre for robotics and AI was commended in the speech by for its pursuit to advance robotics to modernise the health service, utilising robotic, automated systems and smart systems to alleviate staff workloads and reduce waiting times. Mr Swinney also referenced a recent think piece by Lisa Farrell, Business Development lead for healthcare robotics at The National Robotarium, which highlights the need for investment into a dynamic, strategic vehicle to support rapid innovation and adoption of new technologies across NHS Scotland.
The event was attended by Heriot-Watt Principal, Professor Richard Williams, alongside leading experts, clinicians and decision makers from NHS Scotland and health charities, and watched online through The Scottish Government’s social media live stream. A number of robotics start-ups working in the healthcare sector were also in the audience.
Following the speech and Q&A discussion, the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary joined Stewart and Lisa for a short tour of The National Robotarium’s Human-Robot Interaction labs, taking in the facility’s Laboratory for Robotic Assistive living (LARA), a testbed for assistive robots, designed to emulate a two-bedroom apartment.
Mr Swinney and Mr Gray also met with healthcare robotics start-up companies BioLiberty and Metacarpal, both of which are based at The National Robotarium, utilising its office space, flexible labs and high-tech equipment to develop their robotic innovations.
Rowan Armstrong, co-founder of Bioliberty, which has developed an AI-enabled robotic hand to support rehabilitation and physiotherapy for stroke patients, building strength and capturing progress through its Lifeglov monitoring system, and Fergal Mackie, Founder and CEO of Metacarpal, who has designed a purely mechanical robot hand for upper-limb amputees, both discussed how being part of the award-winning facility’s business incubation programme has enabled them to fast-track their creations. They also discussed the challenges facing healthcare innovators in trying to increase adoption of new technologies into the NHS.
Stewart Miller, CEO of The National Robotarium said: “It was an honour to host the First Minister and be part of this important discussion that puts digital innovation at the heart of improving health and social care in Scotland.
“At The National Robotarium, we’re advancing robotics that can help people live healthily and independently for longer, improving their lives and supporting our dedicated healthcare professionals to deliver better care. However, this goal isn’t possible without support from government.
“We have welcomed this opportunity to share and discuss how robotics, data and AI can make our healthcare services more accessible and sustainable while simultaneously building a powerful new economic sector in Scotland.”
https://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/FM-NR-1000px-2.jpg6671000Louise Jackhttp://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Robotarium.pngLouise Jack2025-01-28 18:17:352025-05-06 16:43:09Scotland’s First Minister launches public services innovation plan at The National Robotarium
Heriot-Watt University’s National Robotarium facility for robotics and AI took home the Project of the Year prize at this year’s Learning Places Scotland awards, held on 14 November in Glasgow. The awards, delivered in partnership with the Scottish Government as part of Scottish Learning Estates strategy, are an annual celebration of Scotland’s growing learning estate, recognising facilities that are making strides in sustainability, technology and student experience.
Supported by £21 million from the UK Government and £1.4m from the Scottish Government as part of the £1.3bn Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, the National Robotarium officially opened in September 2022. Since then, the facility has been a catalyst for bridging knowledge between science and business, delivering sustainable economic benefit to Scotland and the UK through its expanding portfolio of industry partnerships that are developing new robotic technologies to address real-world and sectoral challenges.
Designed with sustainability at its heart, the 40,000ft² facility itself offers unrivalled learning spaces, allowing Heriot-Watt to maximise its AI and robotics strengths and lead the field in research. It boasts a variety of flexible spaces and test beds for specialist research, student projects, public engagement, and industry collaborations across three distinct themes; Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS), Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), and Precision Laser Applications (PLA).
The estates and projects team at Heriot-Watt, along with external consultants Michael Laird Architects and Atkins Realis, who collected the award on the night, were recognised for their collaborative efforts in creating a cutting-edge, sustainable centre for the advancement of research and learning in robotics and Artificial Intelligence.
The success of the project and its construction, enduring challenges such as the Covid pandemic and Brexit, was the result of extensive stakeholder engagement, ensuring the building met the requirements of individual teams and research areas, and accommodated emerging technologies through its flexible, fabric-first design.
More on the awards: https://www.learningplaces.scot/awards-dinner-information
https://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/National-Robotarium-at-Heriot-Watt-University-36.jpg9981500Louise Jackhttp://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Robotarium.pngLouise Jack2023-11-23 16:34:552023-11-23 16:41:41The National Robotarium wins Project of the Year at Learning Places Scotland Awards
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