Building on the recent UK strategy for Robotics and Autonomous Systems, RAS2020, the NRN will identify ways in which the northern RAS community can help drive the future of robotics in the UK through research and innovative application. The network goes beyond the realm of manufacturing robots and also takes in drones and UAVs.
The UK strategy, launched in July 2014, sees robotics and autonomous systems as the arms of the Internet of Things. It said: "There are clearly identifiable hot spots where RAS capability can impact on vertical sectors including aerospace, agriculture, automotive, energy, health, manufacturing, marine, nuclear and transport. Our vision is to reinforce a RAS ecosystem in the UK that will develop skills and allow ideas and innovation to be created and tested in the market place, ahead of international competitors."
Further details are available from Nasreen Akhtar: nasreen.akhtar-2@manchester.ac.uk.
An older UK robotics industrial network, also set up by government in the Technology Strategy Board, the predecessor of Innovate UK, is the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Special Interest Group. Set up in 2013, it runs until the end of 2015 (https://connect.innovateuk.org/web/ras-sig).
