Robotics and AI

Robotics and AI is fast developing into a multi-billion dollar global market. Much of the earliest pioneering work in the field was carried out in Oxfordshire and we continue to lead the way today.

Robotics and artificial intelligence continue to help us push the boundaries of human knowledge to new frontiers. Harnessing their extraordinary power helps us to understand and operate in extreme environments, for example exploring space and deep sea, or decommissioning nuclear facilities.

Meanwhile, recent advances in AI are increasing the potential for robots to interact in the real world, with the development of sophisticated sensing technologies such as robot skin. Advances in the integration of robotic technology and AI are set to change and improve all of our lives, whether assisting with routine and repetitive tasks, operating our transport, or providing disaster relief in the face of climate change.

Research into robotics at the UK’s Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) in Oxfordshire has enabled the safe decommissioning of nuclear plants. Today the organisation is exploring how robots and automation can be used to perform maintenance tasks in nuclear fusion plants.

Two Oxfordshire centres offer unique world-class expertise – and many opportunities to collaborate:

• The Remote Applications in Challenging Environments (RACE), based at the Culham Science Centre, offers outstanding test facilities to companies from around the world to develop robotics and AI solutions.
• The Oxford Robotics Institute, part of the University of Oxford, has a world-leading reputation in large-scale mobile autonomy and offers industrial collaboration across several sectors. Its Applied AI Lab (A2I) is exploring how to enable robots to operate robustly and effectively in complex, real-world environments.
• Harwell Campus hosts over £2billion-worth of facilities such as Diamond Light Source, the UK’s National synchrotron, and the Faraday Institution. It is a worldrenowned research centre for the physical and life sciences, laser technology and high performance computing, and plays a leading role in the UK space sector

Take a look at our supporting document: 'Oxfordshire’s Pioneering Robotics and AI – Opportunities to collaborate and invest' to find out more.

Download: 'Oxfordshire's Pioneering Robotics and AI: Opportunities to collaborate and invest'