Two of the UK’s leading research organizations in the production of robotics for use in offshore renewables are working together to improve the partnership between applied academic research and industry needs and further grow and enhance the robotics sector’s potential.
The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and the Offshore Robotics for Certification of Assets (ORCA) Center, a partnership led by the Edinburgh Center for Robotics (Heriot-Watt University and Edinburgh University), the Imperial College London and Oxford and Liverpool Universities, will work together to transform UK robotics creativity and research skills into products and services.
Both organizations will use their scientific experience and unique testing and demonstration facilities to conduct collaborative research activities and ventures, as well as to improve potential skills by supporting MSc and PhD ventures.
They will also develop a national plan with unique innovation strategies for robotics technology in the direction of commercialization.
“This collaboration with the UK’s leading universities in the field of applied robotics will enhance the technical capability and credibility of our Operations & Maintenance Center of Excellence. We will be able to bridge the gap between the cutting-edge applied robotics research taking place in the UK right now and the needs of industry, who are focused on driving down costs, improving health and safety and ultimately the productivity and efficiency of our offshore renewable energy plant.”
Chris Hill, ORE Catapult’s operational performance director.
“This collaboration with the ORE Catapult builds on our on-going work within the renewables sector. The ORCA Hub, part of the National Robotarium, is developing use-inspired robotics and AI technology from the science base, driven by industry challenges. There is enormous scope for the application of robotics solutions within the energy sector to reduce cost and risk, increase productivity and contribute towards net zero energy transition. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with the ORE to really drill drown on use cases, industry partnerships and our culture of development by demonstration.”
Professor David Lane CBE, ORCA Hub director.
