Inside the UK's National Robotarium

As capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) accelerate rapidly, researchers in the fields of machine learning and robotics have a lot to be excited about. For those at the National Robotarium - a new research centre for robotics and AI based at Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh campus - this excitement is fuelling projects aiming to support development of cutting-edge robotics that could provide disruptive solutions to a host of industries.

Alongside developing socially assistive robots and exploring how to improve human-robot interaction, another key area of research is Precision Laser Applications (PLA). Dr Richard Carter, associate professor in Heriot-Watt’s School of Engineering & Physical Sciences, is the academic lead for the PLA lab at the Robotarium. The laser lab moved into the £22.4m purpose-built facility following its official opening in September last year.

“We’re really interested in seeing how we can use lasers to make better robots,” Dr Carter told The Engineer. “There’s a really big interest in healthcare technologies for the kind of micro-robotics that can go inside people and do jobs … We have some projects we’re running to have a look at trying to manufacture things on that sort of scale, and out of the right materials, because you can’t just put any old material inside the human body – it’s got to be biocompatible, it’s got to be safe. These are all processes that take a bit of time.”