Abstract
The IET attended the launch of the Northern Robotics Network Event Showcase on 4th September at the University of Salford, MediaCity UK. With a fast-growing public interest in the Robotics industry, and increasing coverage from numerous sci-fi journals, the BBC and Sky News in recent weeks, the event highlighted the significant impact in which Robotics will have on our lives in years to come. With this in mind, one of David Cameron’s priority policies received its biggest showcase yet, as the Innovate UK’s Northern Robotics Network (NRN) unveiled a glimpse of what the future could look like for UK business.
The launch of the Innovate UK’s NRN represents a milestone in the government’s technology mission, bringing together the partners in academia, research and development and commercial innovation in robotics and autonomous systems to enable faster, wealth-creating applications of rapidly-moving technology.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, has highlighted that the UK is in a prime position to achieve a 10 per cent share of a robotics and autonomous systems market estimated to be worth £70bn by 2020. A report by McKinsey estimated the application of advanced robotics could generate a potential global economic impact of $1.9 trillion to $6.4 trillion by 2025.
Paul Mort, chairman of the NRN, said: “By collaborating with our partners, academia and commercial enterprise we can create new economic opportunities across the UK and worldwide faster and more productively than previously possible. The aim is to establish our network as a Northern Powerhouse for Robotics and Autonomous Systems, growing it on behalf of UK plc and export the applications and products across global markets.”
More than 300 delegates were in attendance, as experts and scientists revealed their progress made so far under a programme known as GAMMA (Growing Autonomous Mission Management Applications), a three-year, £9million investment by the government in the regions.
Experts from industries including food production, manufacturing, nuclear, aerospace and rail demonstrated their breakthrough technology alongside small business from within the Northern Robotics Network area. Corporate business, too, showed their advances including Siemens, ABB and James Fisher, which has developed remote underwater vehicles for helping to remove nuclear waste from Sellafield.
The sheer diversity of innovation and applications showcased the real value being developed through businesses
in the region, both large and small. Looking to educate the supply chain in Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) to increase their efficiency and productivity, access funding and resources to benefit businesses, establish partnerships to learn from each other and jointly support RAS projects, the network are looking to improve and develop a skilled work force to deliver new and innovative products and services and build a vibrant technical and business ecosystem that can compete successfully in a global market place.
The launch event was held in association with the University of Salford, Innovate UK’s Northern Robotics Network, the Autonomous and Intelligent Systems Partnerships, SMART-E partnership, the Food Manufacturing Engineering Group and the GAMMA Partnership.
