Timeline

Sept 2023
The National Robotarium celebrates first birthday
Sept 2023
Edinburgh and City Region Deal reaches 5-year mark
Aug 2023
Dr Ingo Keller named as first Head of Robotics
July 2023
Professor Oliver Lemon appointed as new academic lead for Heriot-Watt
June 2023
Public engagement team Highly Commended at Heriot-Watt staff awards
June 2023
National Robotarium launch event campaign wins PRCA Dare Scotland award
June 2023
First commercial buyer of a Tom v4. Robot for per-plant farming;
May 2023
Sustainability in construction partnership forged with BE-ST
May 2023
Over 1400 learners engage with virtual soft robotics live lesson for Scottish Computer Science Week 2023
April 2023
Student team reach finals of global Amazon Simbot Challenge
April 2023
Crover moves into the National Robotarium
January 2023
The potential of the National Robotarium debated in Scottish Parliament
September 2022
Touchlab Ltd. become the first official industry residents;
September 2022
Partnership agreement signed with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)
September 2022
Official launch of the National Robotarium by Sir John McCanny CBE
July 2022
Time Capsule

Time capsule buried at National Robotarium site by P4 pupils from Nethercurrie Primary School.
May 2022
Robotic Wind Farm Foundation

ORCA Hub at The National Robotarium and EDF make history by completing first ever autonomous robotic wind farm foundation.
September 2021
First CEO Appointed

Stewart Miller, a former Chief Technology Officer at Innovate UK and distinguished business leader in aeronautics, is appointed at The National Robotarium’s first Chief Executive Officer.
August 2021
World’s First Robotic Squash Coach

World’s first robotic squash coach is developed at The National Robotarium
June 2021
ORCA

ORCA Hub secures additional £2.5m funding.
March 2021
Breaking Ground

Construction begins on the £22.4m facility at Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh campus.
November 2020
Autonomous Systems Project £3m funding secured for project to explore trust in autonomous systems project, led by The National Robotarium.
October 2020
Academic Leads Professors Helen Hastie, Yvan Petillot, Sethu Vijayakumar and Adam Stokes announced as first academic leads.
June 2019
Edinburgh Centre For Robotics

The Edinburgh Centre for Robotics receives £18m to expand its EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Robotics and Autonomous Systems (CDT-RAS). Cutting-edge research undertaken at the Centre will underpin future testing and development at The National Robotarium.
December 2018
Business Case Approved

Business case for the creation of the National Robotarium approved by Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal Committee.
December 2018
Historic Funding Confirmed

£1.3bn funding announced for historic Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal
October 2017
ORCA

ORCA Offshore Robotics for Certification of Assets) Hub is awarded £14.3m by UK Research and Innovation(UKRI) to develop robotic and AI technologies for use by the international offshore energy industry.