The Robotics Growth Partnership (RGP) is an independent advisory body established by government in 2019 with the aim of putting the UK at the cutting edge of the global smart robotics revolution, boosting economic productivity and unlocking benefits across society.
Professor Rob Buckingham OBE FREng, Executive Director of UKAEA, a member of RGP, said, “It is clear from all the work the Robotics Growth Partnership has been doing over the past few years that Embodied Intelligence – aka Smart Machines – is arriving.
“Our challenge with this huge topic is to make the case that robotics has to be part of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and show how it is aligned with delivering regional policy and many of the Governments priorities not least energy and defence security and growth.
“For instance, the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) is a world leader in fusion. We know that a fusion powerplant will be a smart machine using a variety of robots to inspect, maintain and upgrade complex engineering systems. We will need fast, reliable solutions to ensure fusion is economically viable.
“UKAEA has also established the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration (RAICo) together with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), Sellafield Ltd and the University of Manchester. RAICo is an end user led ‘demand’ initiative that seeks to show how these new tools can change how we work. We are working alongside our colleagues in operations to decommission JET and facilities at Sellafield, to design and build new nuclear materials handling capability, to develop new techniques for remote health physics, and to use digital twin technologies to reduce programme delivery risk and uncertainty. We are working with world leading companies to bring their products to market by reducing barriers to technology adoption.”
UKAEA is pleased to support the Smart Machines 2035 ambition and looks forward to playing a leading role in the future.
To read the report, please visit: Smart Machines Strategy 2035 – GOV.UK
