Join us for the first regional event in the Scottish Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Cluster engagement series, bringing together businesses, researchers, and public partners from across Scotland’s robotics ecosystem.
This interactive session marks the start of a new national initiative to connect the full robotics supply chain – from start-ups and SMEs to universities, investors, and manufacturers — and to build a coordinated, high-impact cluster that accelerates innovation, strengthens collaboration, and drives economic growth. This session focusses on stakeholders within Glasgow and the surrounding areas in the West of Scotland.
Insights into the Scottish Cluster Scheme and the vision for the RAS Cluster.
Networking with peers, innovators, and potential collaborators from across the robotics ecosystem.
Discussions on opportunities, challenges, and priorities shaping the future of robotics in Scotland.
The chance to contribute directly to the Cluster Development Strategy and Roadmap that will guide the sector to 2026 and beyond.
Why Attend?
By joining this event, you’ll:
Help shape the direction of Scotland’s robotics and automation landscape.
Connect across the entire supply chain, from component developers to systems integrators and end users.
Gain early access to collaboration opportunities, insights, and support through the national cluster initiative.
Contribute to strengthening Scotland’s international competitiveness in robotics and autonomous systems.
Who should attend?
Businesses, innovators, component suppliers, manufacturers, venture capitalists, funding bodies, researchers, educators, start-ups and SMEs, policymakers, and anyone stakeholders in robotics, automation, AI, or digital manufacturing within Glasgow and the surrounding area.
https://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/ROSCon_UK_2025-TIAGO-1000px.jpg6571000Louise Jackhttp://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Robotarium.pngLouise Jack2025-11-07 17:57:592025-12-17 15:19:30Scottish RAS Cluster Pilot Stakeholder Event – Glasgow – 26 Nov 2025
From 15-17 September, robotics scientists, engineers, technicians, industry experts and robot enthusiasts joined together in Edinburgh for the first ever ROSCon UK.
The 3-day event – themed around ROS (Robotics Operating Systems) – included talks, tutorials, workshops and robot demonstrations, as well as tours of The National Robotarium and partner Data-Driven Innovation hub the Bayes Centre at The University of Edinburgh.
Attendees at the first ROSConUK (photo credit: Tartan Robotics Collective)
Over 150 attendees travelled to Scotland’s capital, where they heard talks from some of the world’s leading voices in robotics, including Dr Steve Cousins, Executive Director of the Stanford University Robotics Centre, Julien Enoch, Senior Solutions Architect at ZettaScale Technology, and Seamus McGinley, a Robotics Software Engineer at the National Oceanography Centre.
Robotics Engineer at The National Robotarium, Rahul Ramachandran, also delivered a talk at the conference, during which he gave an overview of an ongoing project that is integrating ROS2 with NVIDIA Isaac Sim technology to develop a digital twin of the centre’s co-bot station.
RosCon UK was created and delivered by the Tartan Robotics Collective, a charitable organisation that aims to promote scientific research and advance educational opportunities in robotics. Organisers included Head of Robotics at The National Robotarium, Dr Ingo Keller, Dr Alejandro Bordallo (The University of Edinburgh), Dr Bence Magyar and Tom Moore (both Locus Robotics), Dr Vladimir Ivan (Touchlab Ltd), Prof. Dr Sabine Hauert (University of Bristol), and Dr Hugo Sardinha (Launchpad Build).
Head of Robotics, Dr Ingo Keller (second from right) with the ROSConUK organising committee (photo credit: Tartan Robotics Collective)
Dr Keller said: “The team and I were thrilled to deliver the UK’s first ever ROSCon event, which attracted so many robot experts and enthusiasts from across the globe. The positive response to the conference from attendees, host institutions, and sponsors, has highlighted the level of interest and demand for strategic and informed discussions on robotic systems, which are primed to transform every aspect of our future lives.
“I’d like to thank everyone who attended and contributed to the success of the event, particularly my fellow organisers, our wonderful sponsors, and OSRF (Open Source Robotics Foundation) for their support.
“We are already looking forward to planning and organising next year’s event!”
Edinburgh was host of the first ever ROSCon UK event (photo credit: Tartan Robotics Collective)
The event coincided with a significant announcement by NVIDIA to play a leading role in advancing the UK’s AI infrastructure, for which the UK Government has committed an unprecedented £2 billion to physically deploy advanced AI across the country. The National Robotarium, along with other leading UK innovation centres, was namechecked in the global press release, ahead of an exclusive AI ecosystem event attended by Ingo in London, which was introduced by NVIDIA CEO and President Jensen Huang and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer MP.
https://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/ROSCon_UK_2025-TIAGO-1000px.jpg6571000Louise Jackhttp://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Robotarium.pngLouise Jack2025-10-27 16:50:422025-10-27 16:52:15Highlights from the inaugural ROSConUK
The National Robotarium team are hosting an evening event as part of this year’s Orkney Science Festival.
‘Robots After Dark’, taking place at King Street Halls in Kirkwall on 8 September, will offer attendees a unique insight into how the UK’s leading centre for robotics and AI are advancing robotic and autonomous technologies to improve our lives, work and health.
The event will include demos of the latest robotic technologies, ranging from humanoids and AI-driven assistive robotics to legged and industrial robots, and how they’re being applied to support sectors, including healthcare, energy and agriculture.
There will also be an opportunity to speak to The National Robotarium team about recent developments, including the launch of the International Blue Economy Robotarium, being led by scientists at Heriot-Watt University in Orkney and industry partners from leading renewable and marine technology companies.
An interview with advanced humanoid robot Ameca will be streamed as part of the event
https://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Ben-2-scaled.jpg17032560Louise Jackhttp://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Robotarium.pngLouise Jack2025-08-21 12:18:212025-09-09 11:16:00Orkney Science Festival presents ‘Robots After Dark’ – 8 September
A bold new series of public discussions that brings the spirit of the Scottish Enlightenment into the 21st century. Hosted at Heriot-Watt University’s Panmure House in the historic home of Adam Smith, these events explore the most pressing issues of our time through the lenses of Policy and Government, Economics, History, and Philosophy.
In partnership with Baillie Gifford, this programme reawakens the tradition of rigorous, respectful discourse that once filled these very rooms — where Smith and his contemporaries debated the great questions of their day, from American independence to taxation and the future of science.
AI & Education, Wednesday 20 August, 17:25
As AI transforms how we learn, teach, and think — what is the future of education?
We turn our attention to the classroom, the lecture hall, and the lifelong learner. From personalised learning algorithms to AI tutors and automated assessment, the education sector is undergoing a profound shift. But with these advances come urgent questions about equity, ethics, and the role of human educators.
Panel:
Professor Andrew Manches – Professor of Children at the University of Edinburgh
Dr Megan Crawford – Lecturer in Management & Strategy at Edinburgh Napier University, Business School
Moderated by:
Dr Thusha Rajendran – Professor of Developmental Psychology, Heriot-Watt University and member of the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics
AI & The Workplace, Thursday 21 August, 17:25
As AI reshapes the global economy, how will it redefine the nature of work? We explore the profound implications of AI on employment, productivity, and the human experience of labour. From automation and job displacement to the emergence of new industries and ethical dilemmas, this debate will examine how societies can adapt to — and shape — the future of work in an age of intelligent machines.
Panel:
Luke McKinney – Director of Consulting at Nile HQ, award-winning innovation designer and lecturer at The Glasgow School of Art
Dr Cailean Gallagher – Associate Lecturer at University of St Andrews Business School
Moderated by:
Dr Luciana Blaha – Assistant Professor in Business Management and Intelligent Automation at Heriot-Watt University School of Social Sciences
Each ticket includes a complimentary drink on arrival and the chance to tourAdam Smith’s final residence — a historic institution not normally open to the general public.
https://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Panmure-House-Fringe-e1754661557226.jpg4881080Louise Jackhttp://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Robotarium.pngLouise Jack2025-08-08 14:58:002025-08-28 12:42:54Panmure House Debates: AI and The Modern World – 20-21 August
Festival of Politics 2025: Will AI and robots save our economy and planet?
From self-driving cars and delivery drones to industry robots, AI-enabled robotics will transform all our lives in the next decade. Are we ready and how do we negotiate safe, responsible AI to achieve societal advances?
Friday 22 August | 1045-1215 | The Scottish Parliament, Horse Wynd, Edinburgh EH99 1SP |
Tickets: https://tikt.link/aiandrobots (prices start from £5)
From the economy to climate, public services and security, the development pace is warp-speed as the UK aims to make up for lost time amid the AI and robotics revolution. From self-driving cars and delivery drones to industry robots, AI-enabled robotics will transform all our lives in the next decade. Are we ready and how do we negotiate safe, responsible AI to achieve societal advances?
Chair: Clare Adamson MSP, Convener, Cross-Party Group on Science and Technology
Panellists:
Dr Ingo Keller is Head of Robotics at the National Robotarium, based at the Heriot Watt campus in Edinburgh. Ingo is a software, AI, and robotics engineer with over 20 years of experience in science and industry and leads the National Robotarium’s growing team of robotics engineers as they test and develop new technologies and systems to address real-world challenges.
Professor Soumen Sengupta is Chief Officer of South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership, and an executive director at NHS Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire Council. He is chair of Health and Social Care Scotland, the national Integration Joint Board chief officers’ group. He is active in public sector reform locally and nationally, including digital transformation.
Dr Luciana Blaha leads the Intelligent Automation Systems (IAS) Lab at Heriot-Watt University. Her research investigates IAS including artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation and chatbots and their impact on organisational behaviour, reuniting findings from science and technology studies, business management and computing science.
Professor Ana Basiri is Professor of Geospatial Data Science, Director of the Centre for Data Science and AI, and a UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellow at the University of Glasgow. She leads an interdisciplinary team developing solutions that treat data unavailability and biases as valuable sources for inferring their underlying causes. (online)
https://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Festival-of-Politics-25.png10801920Louise Jackhttp://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Robotarium.pngLouise Jack2025-07-28 13:25:402025-08-28 12:43:07Festival of Politics 2025- Friday 22 August
The National Robotarium, the UK’s leading centre for robotics and Artificial Intelligence at Heriot-Watt University, is to be involved in the development of new products and services that help to advance the safe adoption of robotics in the public sector.
As part of round 11 of the CivTech Challenge, a Scottish Government programme that brings the public, private and third sectors together to create new innovations that can make people’s lives better, The National Robotarium and the Directorate for Digital aims to support the development of pioneering ideas that can enable greater adoption of new robotic and smart technologies in public organisations.
Any organisation, team or individual can respond to Challenge 11.8, ‘How can the public sector ensure a safe, secure and transparent adoption of robotics’, with the most promising solutions given the chance to access up to £1.2m in public contracts.
Full Challenge Information
Challenge Title:
How can the public sector ensure a safe, secure and transparent adoption of robotics?
Sponsored by:
The National Robotarium and Scottish Government, Directorate for Digital
Challenge Summary
Robotics is rapidly advancing and with ever-increasing capabilities there are massive opportunities to improve public services and so make people’s lives better. Unlike traditional IT systems robots interact with the physical world. This means that cyber-attacks can potentially result in not just data breaches, but also operational disruption, safety hazards and other harms. So, unless clear standards, assurance requirements and robust testing are established and in place, there are risks to robotics adoption at scale in the public sector supply chain.
So how can we ensure that robotic systems are resilient, trustworthy and capable of withstanding evolving cyber threats?
https://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Round-11-Hero-Landscape.png7201280Louise Jackhttp://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Robotarium.pngLouise Jack2025-07-25 09:14:022025-09-08 10:59:37Submissions open for CivTech challenge into safe adoption of robotics – closes 2 Sept 2025
As part of the 2025 UK Robotics Summer School, expert researchers at Heriot-Watt University are hosting a roundtable discussion on ‘Responsible Research, Innovation and EDI in Robotics and AI’.
Speakers include Associate Professor of Computer Science Dr Ioannis Konstas, Professor of Economics Cristina Tealdi and Professor of Psychology Thusha Rajendran.
This FREE session, taking place on 2 June, is open to ALL (sign-up required).
‼️ Roundtable discussion on responsible research and innovation, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in Robotics and AI
📅 Monday 2 June
🕓 1600-1700
📍 HeriotWatt Postgraduate Centre, PG01
🎫 https://lnkd.in/e8-zeaSu
https://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Ben-Glasgow-134.jpg13632048Louise Jackhttp://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Robotarium.pngLouise Jack2025-05-20 10:36:102025-06-09 13:53:45‘Responsible Research, Innovation and EDI in Robotics and AI’ – Monday 2 June
Blair Wilson, Schools and Industry Engagement Lead, shares his reflections on the Scottish regional finals of the 2025 First Tech Challenge UK competition, which took place at The National Robotarium on 23 April
This week, The National Robotarium played host to the Scotland Regional Finals of the First Tech Challenge UK, one of the world’s largest robot competitions for 12-18 year olds. The regional event marked the culmination of our thriving partnership with the First Tech Challenge team which began – alongside sponsors at Hearts of Midlothian FC Innovation Centre – in December 2023, when I led a team of our robotics engineers to inspire the ten competing teams at an all-day, community ‘scrimmage’ event at Tynecastle Park, Hearts FC football ground.
Blair Wilson is Outreach and Engagement Lead at The National Robotarium
It was a big deal for the National Robotarium to be invited; the facility was just over a year old and I, along with my colleague Sabaht, had spent the past 12 months building an engagement programme for schools, industry and the general public. The programme had to not only help raise awareness of the positive benefits greater adoption of robotics and AI can have in our everyday lives, it also aimed to increase inclusion and diversity in computer science, technology, and other robotics-related STEM subjects, and address future skills gaps by building the UK’s robotics talent base.
The first Scottish scrimmage event, which was kicked-off (pardon the pun) with an inspiring introduction from our CEO Stewart Miller, was a day of creativity, building and operating rudimentary robots with the teams receiving demonstrations and advice from our engineers on everything ranging from automation to soft robotics.
Blair and Spot at the First Tech Scottish Scrimmage at Hearts Innovation Centre (Dec 2023)
Since then, we’ve hosted a number of First Tech events at The National Robotarium, including training sessions for teachers and volunteers. However, nothing we’ve done so far matched the levels of excitement brought by the regional finalists! Throughout the day, our Atrium space was vibrant; full of teamwork, community spirit and lots and lots of robots!
It was clear that each of the competing teams had put in a tonne of work in the lead-up to the contest. The innovation and creativity showcased in the robotic creations was incredible, with every one a serious contender. However, there could only be one winner, and P4F (Passion4Fusion) Robotics took home the Inspire Award for their robot ‘Shabalala’, meaning they will battle it out at the UK finals event, taking place in London on 26-27 June. An amazing achievement.
2025 Scottish Inspire Award winners Passion4Fusion Robotics
Since joining The National Robotarium, I have engaged with 10,000’s of young people, teachers, learners, community groups, robot enthusiasts – and, occasionally, robot sceptics! – showcasing and discussing robots, their capabilities and the types of exciting career opportunities these emerging technologies bring. Like the PC in the 80s and the mobile phone in the 90s, robotics will soon become part of everyone’s daily lives, and we need to ensure we have the skills, knowledge and understanding required for seamless integration and adoption.
Robots are not going to replace humans, but instead help humans’ everyday lives, taking on the dull, dirty or dangerous tasks, and, in the education sector, augmenting learning and teaching, so teachers can focus on the vital, human elements of the role; guiding, inspiring, and motivating young people to achieve their very best.
Whilst hosting events like the First Tech Challenge takes an enormous amount of work, they give young people an entry point to understanding how they operate and the limitless things they – the roboticists – can do with their help.
Get involved!
Thinking about joining the one of the UK’s most epic STEM challenges? Heart of Midlothian FC’s Innovation Centre are hosting an open Summer Showcase event in June (date TBC). Come along and meet this year’s First Tech Challenge teams, watch the robots in action, , and find out everything you need to get started ahead of next year’s contest, starting in September 2025.
We’ll be sharing more information on this exciting event soon but, in the meantime, you can email Blair for more info at: Blair.Wilson@hw.ac.uk
https://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/First-Tech-Inspire-Award-April-25.jpg7501000Louise Jackhttp://thenationalrobotarium.com/wp-content/uploads/Robotarium.pngLouise Jack2025-04-25 14:32:472025-07-28 13:26:45BLOG: Leading the next generation of Scottish roboticists to the First Tech Challenge UK finals – Blair Wilson
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Tartan Robotics Collective
