Tag Archive for: EPSRC

BLOG: From Edinburgh to Tokyo: Exploring the Future of Robotics Through International Collaboration

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At The National Robotarium, we believe that collaborations – at local, national and international level – are essential to advancing robotics innovation. In our latest blog post, Thomas McGravie, Senior Robotics Technician at The National Robotarium, shares his insights from a recent a knowledge exchange visit to Japan.

Building Global Connections

Organised through the UK Robotics and Autonomous Systems Technical Specialists (UK RAS STEPS) network, Thomas and other technical specialists from leading UK universities and research institutes came together in April 2026 to explore Japan’s robotics ecosystem and share technical expertise.

Selected through a competitive application process, Thomas was one of ten technicians chosen to participate in the programme, which aimed to foster collaboration between UK and Japanese robotics communities. The trip also provided valuable opportunities for networking and knowledge sharing among technicians, who oftentimes work in highly specialised environments.

Thomas said: “As someone who came into robotics from a mechanical engineering background, the trip offered a rare chance to step back and look at the wider picture. It wasn’t just about seeing new technologies, it was about understanding how different countries approach innovation and how technicians are crucial to driving research ecosystems.”

“Being relatively new to robotics, it helped me understand the bigger picture and see how their priorities shape the technologies they develop.”

Tom (fourth from left) and other UKRAS-STEPS delegates visited RT Corporation, a robotics innovation company based in Tokyo

Robotics Solving Real-World Challenges

The group visited several leading institutions, including the Tokyo Institute of Science and the University of Tokyo, where researchers showcased cutting-edge work in human-robot interaction.

One of the most striking observations from the visit was the strong connection between robotics research and real-world societal needs. Japan’s unique environmental challenges have driven significant investment in technologies designed to operate in hazardous environments. Researchers demonstrated robotic systems developed for inspecting damaged nuclear facilities, assessing infrastructure, monitoring radiation levels, and supporting disaster response following earthquakes and tsunamis.

Thomas said: “Many of the projects were directly addressing challenges that Japan faces as a country. The research wasn’t being conducted for its own sake – there was a very clear application and purpose behind the work.”

Attention was also given to projects supporting Japan’s ageing population. Researchers showcased studies with people engaging with humanoid robots in healthcare environments, exploring whether robot assistants could help improve the patient’s experience and support increasingly stretched healthcare services.

Thomas said: “These projects highlighted the importance of understanding the human side of robotics. The technology itself is only part of the challenge; understanding how people respond to it is equally important.

“This resonated with me as it’s exactly the kind of work we’re doing in healthcare robotics at The National Robotarium.”

Tom (third from left) with the group at The University of Tokyo

Industry Innovation

The delegation also visited RT Corporation, a robotics company developing commercial automation solutions.

Among the technologies showcased were robotic systems designed for food production environments, automating repetitive tasks such as sorting, handling and assembling food products. The company also demonstrated educational robotics platforms, autonomous systems and mobile robots used for research and development, providing valuable insight into how robotics companies are balancing advances in artificial intelligence with practical engineering and manufacturing expertise.

Thomas said: “There was a clear emphasis on creating solutions that solve genuine industry problems. It was interesting to see how research, product development and commercial deployment are connected.”
Shared Challenges, Shared Opportunities

Beyond the technical demonstrations, Thomas found one of the most valuable aspects of the programme was the opportunity to connect with fellow technicians. The visit created space for conversations about common issues, best practice and professional development.

He said: “Many technicians, like myself, either work in small teams or as the sole technician within their organisation. When you attend a conference, you might only get a few minutes with someone – spending a week together gave us the chance to really understand each other’s work and learn how we share a lot of the same challenges.”

The discussions reinforced the critical role technicians play in supporting research and innovation. Thomas also learned that many Japanese institutions are beginning to recognise the importance of rebuilding technical support structures after reducing technician roles in previous years.

He said: “Our hosts were genuinely interested in understanding how technical specialists contribute to research environments in the UK and how those models might support future development in Japan.”
Building a global robotics community

A recurring theme throughout the visit was the potential for greater international exchange between the UK and Japan, with a shared appreciation for technical expertise creating a strong foundation for future collaboration. Researchers, technicians and institutional leaders expressed strong interest in developing future partnerships, including knowledge-sharing initiatives and more staff exchanges.
Representatives from the UK science and technology community based in Japan also joined several meetings, helping identify opportunities to strengthen relationships between organisations in both countries.

Thomas said: “The visit demonstrated how much we can learn from each other.

“Whether it’s technical expertise, different ways of solving problems, or approaches to supporting innovation, there’s huge value in sharing knowledge across borders.”

For The National Robotarium, which has in recent months entered collaboration agreements with robotics institutes in Australia, Denmark and the Basque Country, these connections reinforce the importance of engaging with global robotics communities and ensuring that Scotland remains part of international conversations shaping the future of robotics and artificial intelligence.

Tom taking part in Japan Kart during some downtime in Tokyo!

UK Robotics Summer School – 22-26 June 2026

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The National Robotarium is hosting the 2026 UK Robotics Summer School, taking place from 22-26 June 2026.

The Summer School, organised by the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics – a joint initiative between the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University and supported by the UK-RAS Network CDT D2AIR, will feature a week of expert-led lectures, tutorials, and industry talks covering some of the most important and fast-growing areas in robotics and artificial intelligence. Participants will also gain hands-on experience working with state-of-the-art robotics technology and platforms.

Key topics for 2026 include:

  • Bioinspired robotics
  • Generative AI for robotics
  • Healthcare robotics
  • Safe AI for robotics

The programme will also include an Industry Application Day, where industry partners will present current projects, real-world challenges, and emerging opportunities in robotics and autonomous systems.

In addition to the academic and technical programme, the Summer School provides excellent networking opportunities, bringing together students, researchers, and industry professionals from across the UK robotics and AI community. Registration includes refreshments, lunch, and the Summer School dinner, kindly sponsored by the UK-RAS Network.

Participants can register for the full week or choose to attend specific days depending on their availability and interests. The registration deadline is 29 May 2026.

For more information and to register, visit: https://ukrss.site.hw.ac.uk/

National Robotarium technical team tackles 3D printing plastic problem

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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.”

UPDATE (23 April 2026): Thomas and Alix presented the 3D Plastics Recycling project at the TechNet Scotland conference at The University of Edinburgh, winning Best Poster at the annual event for science and research technicians.

 

 

 

 

National Robotarium accelerates industry development of wind farm robotics

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The National Robotarium is supporting the development of new artificial intelligence and control systems that could enable underwater robots to operate autonomously in turbulent seas, potentially revolutionising maintenance and repair tasks for offshore wind turbines.

The UNITE project, an EPSRC Prosperity Partnership programme led by Heriot-Watt University in collaboration with Imperial College London, is creating new artificial intelligence and control systems in partnership with geo-data specialist Fugro and Heriot-Watt University spinout Frontier Robotics, supported by the National Robotarium, the UK’s centre for robotics and AI.

“The UNITE project was co-created with Fugro to develop the next generation of autonomy-enabled robotics solutions for offshore inspection and maintenance. We are especially interested in subsea inspection and manipulation in dynamic environments where existing solutions cannot be used.”

– Yvan Petillot, Professor of Robotics at Heriot Watt University and National Robotarium academic lead

“Our trials are showing promising results in enabling underwater robots to maintain stable contact with offshore structures in challenging conditions,” said David Morrison, Project Manager at the National Robotarium. “If successful, the technology could transform offshore wind maintenance, reducing fuel consumption of maintenance missions by up to 97% – from 7,000 litres per day to just 200 litres. This could significantly lower both operational costs and the carbon footprint of maintenance.”

The project demonstrates the National Robotarium’s role in bringing together established companies and emerging innovators. Through its laboratories and testing infrastructure, the facility enables rapid development and validation of commercial solutions. The technology being developed could reduce standard data collection time from three weeks to just three hours.

“With the exponential growth of offshore infrastructure, we need to look towards deploying more AI, robots and autonomy to enable the industry to take advantage of new technologies to work even more efficiently and to scale with the global demand,” said Jonatan Scharff Willners, CEO of Frontier Robotics. “It is great to work closely with Heriot-Watt University, the National Robotarium and Fugro to tackle these highly important problems, which are key components if we want to transition to renewable energy using a greener and more sustainable supply-chain.”

Mark Bruce, Global Product Manager of Next Generation ROV Systems at Fugro, said: “Our USVs and eROV’s deliver unmatched efficiency, hugely reduced environmental impact, and most importantly they eliminate human risk offshore by removing people from harm’s way. Our remote operations centres have been operating for ten years, during which time we have refined and improved our solutions.”

The National Robotarium provides companies with access to laboratories, testing facilities, and specialised equipment, alongside support for commercialisation. Companies working at the facility can connect with researchers, access funding opportunities, and engage with the UK’s broader robotics ecosystem.

The £1.4 million Underwater Intervention for Offshore Renewable Energies (UNITE) project is led by Professor Yvan Petillot from Heriot-Watt University, with Dr. Sen Wang leading Imperial College London’s contributions, and is funded through an EPSRC Prosperity Partnership, part of UK Research and Innovation.

The National Robotarium welcomes contact from energy companies and technology providers interested in exploring the commercial applications of this technology. Email nationalrobotarium@hw.ac.uk or contact our Business Development team.

UK Robotics Summer School 2025 – 2-6 June

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Scientists from the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics and The National Robotarium are leading a UK Robotics Summer School this year, taking place from 2-6 June.

The unique, fully-immersive, 5-day programme will be held at Heriot-Watt University‘s Edinburgh campus, and cover topics including:

  • Reasoning, control, collaboration and learning in Robotics;
    Bioinspired Robotics;
    Generative AI;
    Ethics, Validation and Inclusivity of AI;
    Human-Robot Interaction

The programme is specifically tailored for Masters-level students and industry practitioners keen to learn, connect and understand the scientific, ethical and practical applications of robotics and Artificial Intelligence.

Participants will also enjoy extra-curricular networking opportunities, including tours of our high-spec facility, fellow Data-driven Innovation Initiative hub The Bayes Centre, and a summer school dinner sponsored by the EPSRC UK Robotics and Automation RAS Network. The UK-RAS network are also offering a Travel Fund up to £150 for eligible, Early-Career Research students.

Find out more and sign-up at: https://ukrss.site.hw.ac.uk/

Closing date 30 April.

Autonomous training tool delivers in-demand surgical skills with real-time feedback

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Trainee surgeons learning to conduct laparoscopic (or keyhole) surgery will soon be able to complete their training quicker thanks to an AI-empowered system being developed by researchers at the National Robotarium of Heriot-Watt University, in collaboration with the Dundee Institute for Healthcare Simulation of University of Dundee.

Using artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor human movements in real-time, the self-training system called AILap will combine machine learning and machine vision technologies with low-cost physical box trainers to provide users with real-time feedback that improves their keyhole surgery techniques and skills.

Over the past 30 years, keyhole or laparoscopic surgery has become common practice for a number of procedures, including operations on the gastrointestinal tract where precise stitching (called suturing) is vital. Existing assessment and training methods for these vital skills are often time consuming, labour intensive, access limited, and costly.

A recent survey from surgical-training body the Fellowship Council revealed that up to 56% of fellows who had finished their training were not able to sufficiently execute laparoscopic suturing, with surgical trainees identifying laparoscopic suturing as the most deficient, yet the most important skill, at the conclusion of their surgical training.

It is hoped that AILap will support surgical trainees to increase their access to training through self-directed exercises and benefit from immediate feedback powered by AI. The project will also help clinical academics responsible for the training of surgeons to restructure their programmes to teach more trainees with the support of AI.

The project is composed of researchers from the National Robotarium at Heriot-Watt University, alongside academics from the University of Dundee. It has been awarded £600,000 from the UK Government by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation.

As the National Robotarium celebrates its first anniversary since opening in September 2022, AILap is the latest in a series of transformational projects associated with the facility.
The National Robotarium 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.

AILap project lead and National Robotarium academic, Dr Mustafa Suphi Erden (pictured), said:

“Laparoscopy training takes a significant amount of time to learn and currently requires access to training platforms and guidance from expert surgeons who are often time-poor. That’s why AILap technology has the potential to play an incredibly important role in supporting professional training in our public services and health systems.

“We hope AILap will enable training a greater number of surgeons without the need of an expert supervision. The technology will work with off-the-shelf components so it will be affordable and accessible for health care systems around the world.

“At the National Robotarium, researchers are passionate about developing robotics and AI innovations that can be harnessed to tackle the biggest challenges in healthcare. Whether in the field of robotic surgery, laser surgery, assisted living, or early diagnosis for diseases, we’re driving research and building partnerships that can change lives.”

 

Stewart Miller, CEO of the National Robotarium, said:

“We launched the National Robotarium a year ago with the mandate to develop AI and Robotics solutions that will help people live safer, healthier, and more productive lives. Technologies like this have enormous potential to address key challenges we face as a society, such as the significant time and resources it takes to equip prospective surgeons with the knowledge, practice, and experience of laparoscopic procedures.

“The announcement of this pioneering research project follows 12 months in which our dedicated teams of researchers, academics and engineers have delivered a breadth of cutting-edge innovation on the world stage in social and medical care, agritech, the global energy transition and beyond. AILap is another important milestone in that story and one which I believe demonstrates Scotland and the UK’s role at the forefront of global developments in AI and robotics.”

UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said:

“This pioneering AI technology has the potential to deliver faster and cheaper training for surgeons in the UK, meaning improved skills and better outcomes for patients.

“The UK Government is supporting the National Robotarium with £21 million investment helping to foster this world-leading research as well as delivering high-quality jobs and bringing sustainable economic growth to the region as part of our £300 million investment in South East Scotland.”

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.”

 

Team EMMA

New project uses AI and robotics to help early detection of urinary tract infections

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Technology at the National Robotarium will be used by a team of researchers from the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University to develop artificial intelligence (AI) and socially assistive robots to detect urinary tract infections (UTIs) earlier.

The FEATHER project aims to reduce the number of serious adverse outcomes that can result from late or misdiagnosis and reduce the amount of antibiotics that are prescribed while clinicians wait for lab results.

The ground-breaking research has been awarded £1.1 million from the UK Government by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

UTIs affect 150 million people worldwide annually, making it one of the most common types of infection. When diagnosed early, it can be treated with antibiotics. If left untreated, UTIs can lead to sepsis, kidney damage and even loss of life.

Diagnosis, however, can be difficult with lab analysis, a process taking up to 48 hours, providing the only definitive result. Early signs of a UTI can also be challenging to recognise because symptoms vary according to age and existing health conditions. There is no single sign of infection but a collection of symptoms which may include pain, temperature, frequency of urination, changes in sleep patterns and tremors.

UTIs are particularly difficult to diagnose in people receiving formal care, and there is significant antibiotic overtreatment in this group as clinicians wait for lab results to return.

To address these concerns, researchers from the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University are working with two industry partners from the care sector. Scotland’s national respite centre, Leuchie House, and Blackwood Homes and Care are providing user insights to help researchers develop machine learning methods and interactions for socially assistive robots to support earlier detection of a potential infection and raise an alert for investigation by a clinician.

The project will gather continual data about the daily activities of individuals in their home via sensors that could help spot changes in behaviour or activity levels and trigger an interaction with a socially assistive robot. The FEATHER platform will combine and analyse these data points to flag potential infection signs before an individual or carer is aware there is a problem. Behaviour changes could include kettle use, change in walking pace, cognitive function through interaction with a socially assistive robot or a change to sleep patterns.

The AI and implementation aspects of the project will be led by Professor Kia Nazarpour, Dr Nigel Goddard and Dr Lynda Webb from the University of Edinburgh. The Human Robot Interaction aspects will be led by Professor Lynne Baillie, assisted by Dr. Mauro Dragone, from Heriot-Watt University.

 

Professor Kia Nazarpour, project lead and Professor of Digital Health at the School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, said: “This unique data platform will help individuals, carers and clinicians to recognise the signs of potential urinary tract infections far earlier, helping to prompt the investigations and medical tests needed. Earlier detection makes timely treatment possible, improving outcomes for patients, lowering the number of people presenting at A&E, and reducing costs to the NHS.

“We also believe it will help to minimise the amount of antibiotics that are necessarily prescribed as a cover while waiting for lab results. As the second most common reason for the prescription of antibiotics, the infection makes a significant contribution to the increasingly concerning problem of drug-resistant bacteria, and there is widespread advantage to society in implementing better diagnosis.”

 

Professor Lynne Baillie, lead for the National Robotarium on Human-Robot Interaction, Assistive Living and Health, said: “We hope this work will create an additional structured support mechanism for people who live independently. Studies show that there is a significant association between delirium and UTI in older adults and, while it is possible that carers will pick up these signs, we should not be relying on observations alone. We are working with stakeholders to co-design the robot interaction and data collection for the machine learning methods to better support longer and healthier independent living.

“Working sensitively and supportively with this vulnerable social group is of the utmost importance. By developing the technology in the new Assisted Living Lab at the National Robotarium, we are able to test it in a realistic social care setting.”

 

Kitty Walker, a care receiver and regular guest at Leuchie House, said: “The impact of having a UTI can be far more serious than a lot of people may realise. Commonly, my speech becomes affected which can make it difficult to communicate with people like I normally would. More seriously, I’ve been hospitalised in the past after the late diagnosis of a UTI led to me having a seizure and I required mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

“It can often take a long time to receive a full diagnosis and be given the right antibiotics to tackle the infection. In the meantime, I’m usually prescribed a general antibiotic until my results come back. Being able to spot the early indicators that I have a UTI would save any anxiety I might feel when I know there is a problem and help reduce the number of different antibiotics I need to take.”

 

UK Government Minister for Scotland, Malcolm Offord, said: “Data and AI have the potential to transform diagnosis and treatment of so many conditions and improve outcomes for patients.

“This research will make a big difference to detecting UTIs as quickly as possible, and I am glad residents in Scotland’s care sector will be some of the first to benefit.

“The UK Government is providing £1.1 million of research funding for this project, and through the City Deal we are investing £21 million in the new National Robotorium facilities at Heriot-Watt University.”

 

Scottish Government Business Minister, Ivan McKee, said: “I am pleased to see this ground-breaking and innovative work being carried out in Scotland. Through allowing earlier diagnosis and treatment of UTIs, this AI and robotics research can make a key contribution to improving health and social care provision in Scotland, while ensuring the dignity of individuals is protected.

“The National Robotarium and its Ambient Assisted Living lab will be a key asset for Scotland, and the UK, in supporting people to live well and independently in their communities as they age. The Scottish Government is investing £1.4 million in the National Robotarium as part of our wider investment in the £1.3 billion Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.”

 

Colin Foskett, Head of Innovation & Research at Blackwood Homes and Care, said: “Understanding how socially assistive AI can be used to better detect UTIs has the potential to improve the health & wellbeing of our customers. Early UTI detection could prevent hospital admissions, associated decline and ensure people can continue to live independently for longer.

Building on our existing collaborations with the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University, this exciting new project will co-design and co-create new products and services with our customers, our staff and the academic partners. We look forward to exploring this emerging technology and are excited to see the potential of AI for the future of independent living.

 

Mark Bevan, CEO at Leuchie House, said: “The personal, health and financial cost of urinary infections are massive, costing the NHS at least £500M last year, devastating people’s lives and adding great complexity to the provision of increasingly complex adult care.

“Leuchie House is uniquely placed as a national centre with unrivalled access to guests who trust us to manage the sharing of their health data and experience.

“This groundbreaking partnership with guests, the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University, is just one example of how we are reaching out from our base in East Lothian to improve the lives of people across Scotland and beyond, developing important new knowledge through our practice experience and partners research expertise.”

 

For more information please contact:

Steven Herd, steven@hottinroof.co.uk, 07791878940

 

Heriot-Watt University

Heriot-Watt University
Edinburgh, Scotland
UK EH14 4AS

Scottish registered charity number SC000278

The University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, Scotland
EH8 9YL

Scottish registered charity number SC005336

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