This two-day challenge event will demonstrate cutting-edge robots and autonomous systems to create, inspect, repair and maintain our critical infrastructure. Alongside showcasing technical advances, the event will create a space to discuss the benefits and impacts of adopting such technology, and what we need to do to prepare for the future. The event will bring those with responsibility for infrastructure, contractors, policy makers and city builders together with researchers and innovators in this area, to create a broad vision of the challenges and opportunities for infrastructure robotics.
We are currently inviting submissions for the following:
- Posters: Share technical research and innovation, and also work related to the benefits and impacts of adopting robotics and autonomous systems for infrastructure. Submit abstracts by 15 March 2020.
- Showcase stands: Show robotic and autonomous systems for infrastructure that are in development or are already being implemented. Submit stand summaries by 15 March 2020.
The event is free to enter. Cash prizes for the poster and showcase stand categories total £500, kindly supported by sponsorship from Synthotech Ltd. Full details on the event can be found on the Robotic Challenge 2020 webpage: https://selfrepairingcities.com/2019/11/29/robotic-challenge-2020/
Further submission guidelines for posters and showcase stands can be viewed or downloaded at: https://selfrepairingcities.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2019/11/Robotic-Challenge-2020_Submission-Guidelines.pdf
Confirmed speakers include:
- Prof. John Loughhead, Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
- Lila Tachtsi, FREng, Asset Management Director, Highways England
- Mark Gaddes, R&D, Network Rail
- Prof. Rob Richardson, Director of the Institute of Design, Robotics and Optimisation, University of Leeds. Robotics lead on Self-Repairing Cities
- Prof. Anibal Ollero and Prof. Guillermo Heredia, Universidad de Sevilla
- Prof. Kirill Horoshenkov, University of Sheffield, Programme Director of Pipebots
- Prof. Mark Miodownik, UCL, and Dr Alvaro Garcia Hernandez, University of Nottingham
- Sonya White and Alex Georgiades, Innovation Hub, Civil Aviation Authority
- Simon Langdale, Engineering Manager, Synthotech Limited
Invite to participate in a horizon scan of the impact of RAS on the UN Sustainable Development Goals
We would like to invite you to take part in a horizon scanning exercise that seeks to identify how robotics and automated systems could impact the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The horizon scan will take place in two stages. The second stage will be completed in early April 2020. For the horizon scan you will identify if and how robotics and automated systems could affect progress towards meeting Sustainable Development Goals. The questionnaire can be found here: https://leeds.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/ras_imact_sdgs. We would greatly appreciate if you could complete it by Sunday 8th March, it should take about 30 minutes to finish.
Please feel free to forward the survey to colleagues who might also be interested.
Many thanks in advance for your help, it is greatly appreciated!
Best wishes,
Solène Guenat and Martin Dallimer, University of Leeds
The challenge is organised by the Self-Repairing Cities project (https://selfrepairingcities.com/) in collaboration with UK Robotics Week https://www.ukras.org/robotics-week/. Follow @SelfRepairCity #cityrobots2020 on Twitter for all the latest event information.