Insider brief
- The U.K. government is investing £40 million in eight Robotics Adoption Hubs to help businesses and public services deploy robotics and autonomous systems across healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, waste, transport and other sectors.
- The hubs will provide advice, demonstrations, deployment support and connections to suppliers, integrators and finance providers, while separate funding includes £1.7 million for a national coordinating body and £2.5 million for 12 robotics training projects.
- The government estimates robotics and autonomous systems could add as much as £150 billion to the U.K. economy by 2035 if adoption is maximized, compared with about £6.4 billion at current adoption levels.
The U.K. government is backing a new network of Robotics Adoption Hubs with £40 million to help businesses and public services put robotics and autonomous systems into practical use.
According to the government, eight hubs are being established across the country, including projects focused on surgical robotics, agriculture, manufacturing, waste and recycling, service robots, drones and self-driving vehicles. With the program, organizations will get access to expert advice, demonstrations and practical support as they evaluate and deploy robotics systems.
The government said robotics and autonomous systems could add as much as £150 billion to the U.K. economy by 2035 if adoption is maximized, compared with an estimated £6.4 billion at current adoption levels.
“If we can harness robotics in every sector of our economy, we can speed up how we reindustrialise the UK,” the U.K.’s Minister for AI Kanishka Narayan said in the announcement. “It really is that simple, but too often businesses and bosses don’t know where to start.”
The hubs are designed to provide impartial guidance on the costs and practical requirements of adopting robotics while connecting users with technology suppliers, systems integrators and finance providers. The government said the goal is to help organizations move from considering robotics to deploying proven systems.
Among the projects, the National Surgical Robotic Adoption Hub, or SHARP, will focus on expanding safe use of surgical robotics and improving access to robot-assisted procedures. The government said robotic surgical assistants could support less-invasive procedures and quicker patient recovery.
The Harvest hub in Lincoln will work with companies across farming and food production, including applications in arable farming, fruit and vegetable production and food manufacturing.
“This funding takes us to the next level on our journey to advance agri-food through cutting-edge robotic solutions, securing support for businesses to overcome technical, commercial, regulatory and workforce challenges by working with the LIAT team and key industry representatives,” noted professor Simon Pearson, MBE, founding director of LIAT and Executive Director of Harvest.
The program also includes £1.7 million for the Accelerating UK Robotics Adoption initiative, which will serve as a national convening body connecting the eight hubs and sharing knowledge between them. The Welding Institute will lead that effort in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University.
Another £2.5 million will support 12 robotics training projects aimed at addressing shortages of workers who can select, integrate, operate and maintain robotic systems. Those projects cover areas including industrial robotics, inspection and monitoring, ports and logistics, maritime autonomy, manufacturing, robot-arm programming and robotics technician apprenticeships. Separate programs will provide robotics training for schools and business leaders.
The government pointed out that the new hubs will operate alongside existing U.K. robotics facilities and initiatives including the National Robotarium in Edinburgh, the RAICo nuclear robotics collaboration in Whitehaven and the Catapult network.
“By supporting adoption across a diverse range of sectors and locations, we’re helping businesses grow, attracting investment, strengthening local economies and translating innovation into jobs, productivity and growth in communities across the country,” added Bruce Adderley, director of advanced manufacturing at Innovate UK.
The Eight Robotics Adoption Hubs
- SHARP — National Surgical Robotic Adoption Hub: Focused on expanding safe adoption of surgical robotics and access to robot-assisted care.
- Greater Southwest Robotic Adoption Hub: Helps businesses evaluate and adopt robotics through advice, demonstrations and industry connections.
- HARVEST: Based in Lincoln and focused on robotics for arable farming, fruit and vegetables, and food manufacturing.
- Milton Keynes Robotics Adoption Hub: Covers service robots, drones and self-driving vehicles in public spaces.
- Hwb Llwybr Roboteg Cymru: Supports Welsh manufacturers with robotics adoption, investment planning and access to finance.
- National Waste and Recycling Robotics Adoption Hub: Helps waste and recycling operators test and deploy robotic systems.
- Yorkshire Robotics Adoption Hub: Provides manufacturers with feasibility studies, business cases, demonstrations, deployment support and workforce training.
- South Wales Robotics Adoption Hub: Offers independent advice, feasibility work, test-before-invest programs, brokerage, skills support and deployment assistance.
