__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Robotics
... the UK has a fantastic opportunity to not only come up with the ideas for robots but also to take them from the laboratory to the factory
two large providers of complete robotics systems , illustrating the potential to develop a complete robotics manufacturing infrastructure .
How did the Danes do it ? Based around early success in the R & D field – which we are already emulating here in the UK – Odense then focused on areas including education , skills , development , and testing . Having the appropriate levels of investment available was also a key brick in building the cluster .
Having that access to finance is a crucial step , along with targeted government investment to help stimulate the ecosystem and its infrastructure . Developing appropriate standards is another important milestone , so that a test certification regime for robotic systems is in place , which will allow RAS to be integrated into the UK ’ s wider industrial base safely and efficiently , maximizing their interoperability with other systems .
Having a skilled workforce allows for connections to be made all the way through from R & D to manufacturing and the end users . It ’ s not just about academia or assembly either – as well as world-class researchers and manufacturers , we also need designers , operators , and supervisors . What ’ s equally important is increasing the knowledge and understanding about RAS in the wider education system and throughout society , so that people can use robots effectively and imagine new uses for them .
We ’ re only at the start of this journey . Yet , with solid foundations in place thanks to organizations such as the National Robotarium , the UK has a fantastic opportunity to not only come up with the ideas for robots but also to take them from the laboratory to the factory . The next step is to put the strategies and investment in place to ensure we don ’ t fall behind our overseas competitors . ■
Stewart Miller www . thenationalrobotarium . com
Stewart Miller is CEO of The National Robotarium , the UK ’ s centre for Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ( AI ). A partnership between Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh , the National Robotarium helps create innovative solutions to global challenges and rapidly move pioneering research from laboratory to market , developing skilled visionaries and delivering substantial benefits for society .
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