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Man-Made Marvels Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council SPECIAL EDITION 17 MAN-MADE MARVELS The robotics, automation and AI revolution – investing in a better world The car that drives itself • Surgical robotics • Helping children with autism • Robot ethics • Drones for disaster zones CONTENTS 4-15: People Movers and shakers from the worlds of robotics, automation and 11 artificial intelligence 16-23: Evolving automation Professor Philip Nelson sets out the case for further investment in robotics, automation and artificial intelligence 24-25: Joint account Professor Sanja Dogramadzi is pioneering minimally 24 invasive robotic surgery technology for complex fracture patients 26-27: Driving ambition The Oxford Robotics Institute’s revolutionary technology that could make any machine 13 that moves autonomous 28-29: Spin doctor Dr Mirko Kovac is developing exciting new applications for flying UAVs 30-31: Autonomous futures Professor Sethu Vijayakumar thinks ahead 32-33: People power The ground- breaking ORCHID project is reinventing our relationship with computers 34-35: iCub and the tutor Dr Patricia Shaw’s prize-winning portrait of a humanoid robot and its toddler tutor 36-37: I think? Professor Tony Prescott on the ethics of robotics, automation and artificial intelligence 38-39: Flight of the navigator 34 3D-printed drones are a hit with the Royal Navy 40-41: Blueprint for the future EPSRC Executive Director Dr Kedar Pandya on the formation of the UK National Strategy 28 for Robotics and Autonomous Systems 42-43: Hotter than the sun Remote handling technology developed for the Editor: Mark Mallett ([email protected]) EPSRC works alongside other Research Councils which nuclear industry nets £100 million for have responsibility in other research areas. Design: Angela Jones ([email protected]) UK plc The Research Councils work collectively on issues of Contributors: Rob Buckingham; Jo Enderby; James Franklin; common concern via Research Councils UK. 44-45: Cling thing Professor Anne Professor David Lane; Dr Elaine Massung; Professor Philip Nelson; Dr Kedar Pandya; Professor Tony Prescott; Colin To provide feedback on this magazine, and to subscribe to Neville’s frog-inspired medical robot Smith; Richard Tibenham; Chris Warrick print and/or electronic versions of Pioneer, please e-mail 46: In profile Dr Patricia Shaw on [email protected] [email protected] working with the iCub robot Pictures courtesy of thinkstock.com unless otherwise Contact: 01793 444305 stated. 47: About EPSRC Who we are, what we do, and the latest facts and figures PIONEER 17 Winter 2016 2 Spirit of Leonardo EPSRC Chief Executive, Professor Philip Nelson, describes EPSRC’s role in supporting robotics, automation and AI research and training In 1495 or and infirmed to keep active – are thereabouts, with us now, at various stages of among the technological readiness. many futuristic The numbers are impressive. It is technologies estimated that by 2025 advanced he devised, robotic and autonomous systems Leonardo da could have a worldwide economic Vinci drew the impact of US$1.9 trillion to US$6.4 blueprint for a trillion annually, with an emerging humanoid robotic knight. Packed with market value of €15.5 billion. And “The potential for springs, gears and pulleys, this metal for good reason. We already know warrior could sit up, stand, raise its these new technologies will be arms and even walk. fundamental to healthcare; transport; human benefit Fast forward to the present day manufacturing; agriculture; disaster and Leonardo’s robot still bears response and space exploration; but seems limitless” comparison to the automatons being the potential for human benefit designed by major international seems limitless. corporations, and, of course, to the For several decades, EPSRC has robots we see in science fiction movies. been at the forefront of supporting One thing that Leonardo could not the UK’s research, training and have predicted is the emergence of innovation in robotics, automation and ‘autonomous’ systems and Artificial artificial intelligence systems, and Intelligence (AI). These exciting areas has been instrumental in fostering of science and engineering are interdisciplinary partnerships between rapidly intertwining with robotics as academics, industry, government and we enter a new technological era. other parties. Together with digital technologies Throughout the world, however, from and the Internet of Things, they are the United States to South Korea, at the vanguard of a fourth industrial China to Japan, governments are revolution that is destined to affect investing billions of dollars into these everyone on the planet. new technologies. We are punching Contrary to what we see in most above our weight against this global sci-fi films, the evidence shows competition, but we cannot afford to we are not on the verge of robo- slow the momentum. Armageddon. Terminator-style robots This special edition of Pioneer turns are not about to take over the world; the spotlight on some of the research the “more human than human” and innovation supported by EPSRC androids of Blade Runner will not be and its partners, and provides replacing people of flesh and blood thought-provoking discussion on the and soul. But the technologies they current state of the art for artificial embody – the intelligent systems intelligence, autonomy and robotics. that will safely guide our cars and It also sets out the case for further aircraft and tractors, the autonomous government investment in these machines capable of working in terrain crucial enabling technologies while inhospitable to humans, and the smart opening up a window to the future for devices that will enable the elderly these innovations, and for mankind. PIONEER 17 Winter 2016 3 PEOPLE In the zone An EPSRC-supported research team at for deployment following an incident The AARM team have also provided the University of Bristol have developed and are effectively disposable if they Sellafield’s first ever drone survey an unmanned aerial drone in response become contaminated.” of any type, demonstrating the to the challenge met by helicopter The drone uses laser distancing to team’s radiation mapping technology pilots who risked radiation exposure as enable safe flight in narrow spaces. combined with aerial photography. they mapped the disaster area in the It can map the 3D environment with James Moore, who leads on UAV wake of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear millimetre precision and also capture technologies at Sellafield, says: “This disaster in 2011. high resolution images. The team are system, to the best of our knowledge, Oliver Payton, James MacFarlane and also developing thermal imaging, gas represents the current state of the art John Fadoulis, from the university’s and acoustic sensors for the drone. for radiation-mapping UAS systems.” Interface Analysis Centre, developed The on-board microcomputer In 2014, the Royal Academy of the remote controlled Advanced integrates multiple sensor streams to Engineering awarded James Airborne Radiation Monitoring (AARM) provide radiation mapping with excellent MacFarlane and Oliver Payton the system, with funding from EPSRC and spatial resolution and sensitivity. ERA Foundation Entrepreneurs Award. Sellafield ltd. The software is controlled from a The prize is helping them develop Tom Scott, project lead and Director laptop, and attachments can be the drone commercially for use in of the Interface Analysis Centre in the plugged in according to what’s needed. disasters, or for routine radiation university’s School of Physics, says: The rotor arms fold back so that the monitoring at nuclear sites or in “By using lightweight and low-cost system can be fitted into a standard mining operations. Spin-out company unmanned aerial vehicles, we can travel case, making it easy to take on a Imitec was set up to take this forward. immediately and remotely determine plane and rapidly deploy. Earlier this year, the AARM team the spread and intensity of radiation The drone has been used to map reached the semi-finals of the following any such event. radiation surrounding the Fukushima international Drones for Good “The systems used by the drone Daiichi site to help the clean-up before competition, which received over have sufficient in-built intelligence people can return to their homes. 1,000 entries worldwide. PIONEER 17 Winter 2016 4 functional prototypes. Robotical Robots that can think and act without has already generated over human intervention are moving from £60,000 in crowd-sourced fiction to reality. The nuclear, aerospace, funding and has started to manufacturing and agricultural take orders. industries are starting to develop Customisable with 3D-printed autonomous systems that can carry out parts, Marty is designed to make tasks that are either too difficult or too learning about programming, dangerous for humans, while driverless electronics, and mechanical cars are already with us. engineering a fun and engaging Researchers from the universities of process. He is also completely Sheffield, Liverpool and the West of upgradeable, and compatible England, Bristol are collaborating on with single board computers like a project to ensure that autonomous the Raspberry Pi. robots of the future will be safer. Out-of-the-box Marty can be controlled The new research should mean robots remotely over WiFi, but he can also be Mini marvel make decisions that are ethical and programmed in a variety of programming follow legislation on robotics. Introducing Marty, a programmable, low- languages, from basic versions such as cost walking robot for children, robot Scratch for children and beginners to The EPSRC-funded project addresses ‘developers’, and educators. those such as Python for experienced concerns that might arise around these Marty was developed by Dr Sandy Enoch programmers. new technologies and is linking new as a side project during his doctorate Marty has drawn rave reviews since launch. developments to existing industrial at the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral The Scotsman enthused that Marty “could standards and responsible innovation Training in Computational Nanoscience radically alter how children learn about frameworks.
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