Break-through robotics and AI projects funded through Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund

24 January, 2018

The awards are part of the Government’s £93 million of funding for the robotics and AI in extreme environments programme through the ISCF, which was announced in the Budget of April 2017.

The programme aims to develop robotic solutions to make a safer working environment in industries such as off-shore energy, nuclear energy, space and deep mining, increase productivity and open up new cross disciplinary opportunities, not currently available. The winning projects include:

• £44.5 million investment, over three and half years, for four research Hubs managed by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The Hubs will develop robotic solutions to enable safer working environments in the areas of off-shore energy, nuclear energy and space, opening up new cross disciplinary opportunities which are not currently available. They will be national Hubs delivering internationally-leading research and will be supported by an additional £51.6 million from commercial and international partners. The UK Space Agency is co-funding one of the Hubs.

• Funding of £16.5 million following a collaborative R&D competition run by Innovate UK - winners include over 70 businesses, 13 universities and 10 research organisations.

• Funding of £3 million for 17 demonstrator feasibility studies following a separate competition run by Innovate UK.

• £4.3 million for the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) to fund five research projects at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), and the universities of Exeter and Southampton to develop sensors capable of working in the ocean’s extreme conditions. The sensors will be compatible with existing marine robotic vehicles or those in development at NOC, such as the Autosub Long Range (ALR), ‘Boaty McBoatface’.

The ISCF is a strategic element of the Government’s Industrial Strategy that aims to ensure the UK continues to be one of the best places in the world for science and innovation.

Innovate UK and the Research Councils are taking a leading role in delivering this funding, operating across the country, to ensure the UK secures maximum benefit from science and innovation.