Cover Story ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
To close that automation gap , we need public sector policies that provide a roadmap , not just for the robotics industry , but for the wider economy . Politicians and civil servants have already demonstrated that they can grasp such far-reaching goals when it comes to AI , and so we now need clear robotics policies to complement the UK Government ’ s National AI Strategy and the Scottish Government ’ s AI Strategy & Playbook .
Collaboration is key . In order to create a healthy and resilient ecosystem – which links world-class R & D to robotics manufacturing and the wider economy – organizations like the National Robotarium have a key role to play in bringing together the public , private , and third sectors . Together , we can map out the RAS that are needed to grow the economy and change lives , and then help stimulate the creation of a manufacturing sector that will link innovative ideas to end users .
Time is of the essence though . Other countries are already making great strides when it comes to manufacturing RAS , and so the UK needs to develop the necessary policies and strategies at pace .
Learning lessons from Denmark
One of the benefits of other countries having already begun this journey is that we can learn from good examples overseas . Denmark offers one such model that ’ s worthy of further study . In a relatively-short space of time – around ten years – the region around the city of Odense has become a hotbed for manufacturing RAS . The robotics cluster that ’ s grown up in and around the city provides a potential valuable blueprint for success here in the UK .
Odense has not only generated its own start-up businesses but has also attracted existing robotics companies to the area . What ’ s more , it ’ s developed
30