Robotics for Hazardous Environments

Name: Robotics for Hazardous Environments
Start: 2018-11-20T08:30:00
Location: DoubleTree by Hilton Coventry, Paradise Way

DoubleTree by Hilton Coventry, Paradise Way, Coventry

20 November 2018
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Overview

Robotic use in hazardous environments can help reduce risk to human operators and engineering equipment. The Robotics for Hazardous Environments seminar will explore the cutting-edge of robotic developments for harsh and hazardous working environments, and how engineering challenges can be addressed.

Gain insight into designing for locomotion, innovations in grasping, sensing and manipulating objects, and the role of AI and autonomy in a robotic future. Learn how to make the most of developments in robotics for hazardous environments, including the space, nuclear, offshore, construction, aviation and oil and gas industries.

Discuss the growth of the UK robotics industry and the impact on end users, operators, maintenance engineers, robotics specialists, designers and manufacturers. Join our dedicated exhibition space shared with robotics experts from our co-located Robotics and Automation in Manufacturing seminar.

Attend this seminar to:

Hear insights from leading organisations using and developing robotics including Rolls-Royce, National Nuclear Laboratory, Airbus Defence and Space, and Wood Group
Understand how robotics can improve safety, efficacy and cost efficiency, with case studies from a nuclear decommissioning environment
Learn about the latest developments in autonomous robotic technology across hazardous industries
Meet and discuss with robotics experts and end users from academia, research, space, aviation, construction, nuclear, rail, oil and gas

Key programme highlights:

Airbus Defence and Space address challenges encountered when introducing the ExoMars rover mission to mars
Rolls-Royce explore how robotics can be used for in-situ repair and inspection
The University of Oxford address sensing and mapping for industrial inspection of oil and gas facilities
Q-Bot Limited present on autonomous exploration robots and how they can modernise the construction industry
Advanced Robotic Technology Ltd outline the role of robotics in decommissioning in making the process safer, faster and cheaper

Key speakers include:

Lucy Martin, Head of Robotics, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
Abbie Hutty, Platform Delivery Manager, Airbus Defence and Space
Rustam Stolkin, Director, National Centre for Nuclear Robotics
James Kell, Technologist - In-Situ Repair, Rolls-Royce
Darren Potter, Capability Leader, Plant Intervention and Modelling – Nuclear Operations, National Nuclear Laboratory

Technical Advisory Committee:

David Hopper, Principal Consultant and Director, Advanced Robotic Technology Ltd
Rustam Stolkin, Director, National Centre for Nuclear Robotics

Booking multiple tickets (group discounts available) or on behalf of someone else? Email us

Day 1

08:30 - Seminar Programme

	TUESDAY, 20NOVEMBER 2018
08:30	REGISTRATION AND REFRESHMENTS
09:00	CHAIR’S OPENING REMARKS Kevin Blacktop, Chair, National Robotics Network
	DEPLOYMENT OF ADVANCED ROBOTICS
09:10	ROBOTICS: THE VIEW FROM EPSRC, UK RESEARCH AND INNOVATION Lucy Martin, Head of Robotics, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
09:40	ADVANCED ROBOTICS FOR NUCLEAR AND OTHER HIGH CONSEQUENCE INDUSTRIES Rustam Stolkin, Director, National Centre for Nuclear Robotics Introducing the work of the UK's new National Centre for Nuclear Robotics Overview of recent work including the first ever deployments in history of AI-controlled autonomous robots on nuclear sites Demonstrating how methods are being adapted to other hazardous problems including materials handling and recycling industry
	MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS
10:10	INTELLIGENTENGINE: ROBOTIC IN-SITU REPAIR AND INSPECTION James Kell, Technologist - In-Situ Repair, Rolls-Royce The ‘IntelligentEngine’ concept merges the services world and the product in a way that makes them inseparable Alternative methods are required to ensure that engines operate on-time, every time Robotic systems offer new ways in which to service engines by inspection or repair via keyhole surgery
10:40	QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
10:55	SPEED NETWORKING AND REFRESHMENT BREAK
	OVERCOMING CHALLENGES IN ADOPTION OF ROBOTICS
11:35	HOW TO SAVE BILLIONS OF POUNDS IN NUCLEAR DECOMMISSIONING: ROBOTICS David Hopper, Principal Consultant and Director, Advanced Robotic Technology Ltd The decommissioning stakes are high and we need it done “Safer, Faster, Cheaper” In RAS, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) often hold the keys to this but struggle to find the door Examples of identifying ways to get great technology to market
11:55	FROM LAB TO DEPLOYMENT: HOW TO HARNESS THE BENEFITS OF RAS INNOVATIONS IN NUCLEAR DECOMMISSIONING Darren Potter, Capability Leader, Plant Intervention and Modelling – Nuclear Operations, National Nuclear Laboratory The need for coordinated research programmes to accelerate decommissioning Value of technology transfer from and to other sectors Centralised Robotics R&D with End User engagement – why is the end user important?
12:15	FROM PROBLEM TO OPPORTUNITY: HOW TO DELIVER THE BENEFITS OF RAS INNOVATIONS IN THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY John Brotherhood, Engineering Development (Remote Handling Group), Wood Group The difficulties of deploying RAS in nuclear and how to overcome them What has been done – from new build to decommissioning there are opportunities across the lifecycle The importance of cross-sectoral innovation including examples of plant interventions on Nuclear Plant
12:35	QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
12:50	NETWORKING LUNCH
	GRASPING, SENSING AND MANIPULATING
13:50	A HELPING HAND FOR HAZARDOUS ROBOTICS Rich Walker, Managing Director, Shadow Robot Company Addressing efforts to beat the dexterity of the human hand in complex tasks Measures to make humans safe in extreme environments What if robots had hands like human hands, which humans could control from a safe place?
14:20	SENSING AND MAPPING FOR INDUSTRIAL INSPECTION OF OIL AND GAS FACILITIES Maurice Fallon, Departmental Lecturer, University of Oxford An overview of the Offshore Robotics for Certification of Assets (ORCA) Hub including planning, Human-Robot Interaction and certification Robotic sensing and mapping technologies for topside and subsea inspection Navigation and motion planning research for quadruped robot
14:50	QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
15:00	NETWORKING REFRESHMENT BREAK
	DESIGNING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
15:30	ROBOTS ON THE RED PLANET: DESIGNING THE EXOMARS MISSION Abbie Hutty, Platform Delivery Manager, Airbus Defence and Space Introducing ExoMars, Europe’s first Rover mission to Mars: a mission in search of life, past or present Identifying the major challenges and design drivers of a robotic mission to Mars Addressing how the team are engineering solutions to meet those challenges
	AUTONOMY AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
16:00	AUTONOMOUS EXPLORATION ROBOT TO EMPOWER PEOPLE AND MODERNISE THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Tom Lipinski, Co-Founder and CIO, Q-Bot Limited General introduction on how Q-Bot is transforming the construction industry with robotics, digital tools and AI Main challenges that faces the construction industry in terms of aging infrastructure, labour processes and adoption of innovation Development of innovative robotic technologies to build the next generation of autonomous exploration robots (supported by BEIS)
16:30	QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
16:40 PANEL	ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND INCREASED AUTOMATION: ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE Ian Morgan, Principal Engineers for Plant, Network Rail Rob Buckingham, Director, United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Head of RACE Samia Nefti-Meziani, Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, University of Salford Further panellists to be announced Understanding the current capabilities of AI and the predicted impact The interaction between AI, autonomy and increased automation at large Addressing the ethical question of increased automation in engineering, and the impact on jobs
17:10	CHAIR’S CLOSING REMARKS
17:20	END OF SEMINAR

Abbie Hutty: Platform Delivery Manager, Airbus Defence and Space

Abbie Hutty is an Engineer for Airbus Defence and Space. Abbie spent 5 years as the lead structures engineer for the ExoMars Rover Vehicle, before taking on the role of Platform Delivery Manager for the Rover. In this role she is responsible for all of the subsystems on the Rover Platform being delivered, tested and integrated together to create the finished Rover.

A chartered engineer through the IMechE, as well as sitting on the council of the IET, in 2016 Abbie was elected Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the youngest individual in the Institution’s 169 year history to achieve this status at only 29.

Lucy Martin: Head of Robotics, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

Dr Lucy Martin is Head of Robotics at EPSRC which involves leading the development and delivery of EPSRC’s plans, strategy and investments for robotics and autonomous systems and working in partnership with the academic and industrial community to identify new opportunities. Prior to this role Lucy has held a number of other roles within the Research Councils including Strategic Lead for Research Resources and Big Data at the Economic and Social Research Council and in the areas of Research Infrastructure and Engineering at EPSRC. Before joining the Research Councils Lucy worked at the Government Office for Science on the Foresight Future of Manufacturing Project and at the National Renewable Energy Centre working in partnership with One North East on low emission vehicle technologies.

Rustam Stolkin: Director, National Centre for Nuclear Robotics

Professor Rustam Stolkin received an MEng degree in Engineering Science from University of Oxford, and a Ph.D. in Robotic Vision from University College London. He spent time in USA as a Research Professor at Stevens Institute of Technology, before returning to UK to work at the University of Birmingham, where he was awarded a Senior Birmingham Fellowship and then a Chair in Robotics.

Rustam is concurrently: Director of UK’s National Centre for Nuclear Robotics; Royal Society Industry Fellow for Nuclear Robotics; Professor of Robotics at University of Birmingham, where he is founder and director of the Extreme Robotics Lab (ERL); and Director of spinout company A.R.M Robotics Ltd. which has done pioneering work introducing advanced AI-controlled autonomous robotics into the nuclear industry. Rustam and his team are currently building a bespoke new £3million 1,000m2 ERL lab facility dedicated to extreme environment applications of advanced robotics.

Rustam’s research interests, publications and patents span: autonomous robotic manipulation; computer vision, image processing and sensor systems; machine learning and AI; human factors and human-robot interaction, including teleoperation, variable autonomy and shared control; mechanical engineering, dynamics and control; science and engineering education.

James Kell: Technologist - In-Situ Repair, Rolls-Royce

Dr James Kell is a mechanical engineer with a PhD in Optical Engineering from Loughborough University. He joined Rolls-Royce in RepairTech in 2007, and now works as a ‘On-Wing Technology Specialist’. James has been involved in a number of world firsts for ‘keyhole surgery’ in engines, including capsule cameras, laser repairs and snake robotics. James is currently leading a number of Innovate UK and EU funded robotics projects, has had 10 patents granted and a further 20 pending. James is also an Honorary Lecturer at University of Nottingham.

John Brotherhood: Senior Consultant, Engineering Development (Remote Handling Group), Wood Group

John Brotherhood is a Senior Consultant who is recognised as a technical discipline mentor for remote handling and operations. In this role, he provides support and oversight to remote handling projects across the nuclear lifecycle. He has delivered solutions from conceptual design studies, research and development of practical solutions, through to successful implementation on client sites. John has been responsible for delivering many multi- discipline projects working as system integrator. He is currently leading a research and development programme exploring cutting edge nuclear decommissioning solutions.

David Hopper: Principal Consultant and Director, Advanced Robotic Technology Ltd

David has spent over two and a half decades applying advanced robotic technology into hazardous environments such as subsea, bio-hazards, bomb disposal, and nuclear decommissioning. As Technical Director at RTS David led the team that developed 9 DOF manipulator control software for the next generation of life saving bomb disposal robots for the British Army (CUTLASS, now in service); and previously the Advanced Teleoperation Controller (ATC) used by BNFL as a standard Human Machine Interface (HMI) across numerous different manipulators and remote handling projects. He now works as a freelance consultant in Remote Handling, Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS), and Simulation.

Kevin Blacktop: Chair, National Robotics Network

Kevin began his career in the Automotive sector in engine design & development and quality systems. He moved to Network Rail in 2005 to develop major rail enhancement schemes in the West Midlands, including the Birmingham Cross City Line extension to Bromsgrove. In 2012 he joined the Research and Development Team, leading the Strategic University Partnerships and was technical lead for the EU SUSTRAIL project, he also represented Network Rail in the EPSRC Autonomous Intelligent Systems Partnership programme. Kevin Has recently joined the Birmingham Centre for Rail Research and Education at the University of Birmingham as Head of Delivery. He is the current chair of the National Robotics Network, which is a network of industry end user, supply chain and academic organisations who seek to work collaboratively through an open innovation hub.

Rob Buckingham: Director, United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Head of RACE

Rob is a Director of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the Head of RACE, the UKAEA’s centre for Remote Applications in Challenging Environments. Rob was a lead author of the UK’s Robotics and Autonomous Systems Strategy. Before joining the UKAEA, Rob co-founded and was Managing Director of OC Robotics which developed and commercialised snake-arm™ robots. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology.

Rich Walker: Shadow Robot Company, Managing Director

Rich Walker has spent years working in robotics, and now lead the team at Shadow who are developing new robots and new applications for robotics. He is active in developing and implementing European (FP7 and now Horizon 2020) and Innovate UK projects. Rich is on the Innovate UK "Robotics and Autonomous Systems" SIG Advisory Board, as well as several EPSRC robotics advisory boards and management committees. He is also one of the three SME Directors of the EuRobotics association, helping shape the robotics roadmaps. Outside windowless rooms with power-point presentations, Rich likes to find new ways we can apply next-generation robotics technology and thinking to solver real-world problems.

Darren Potter: Capability Leader, Plant Intervention and Modelling – Nuclear Operations, National Nuclear Laboratory

Darren is the Capability leader of the Plant Intervention and Modelling area within the National Nuclear Laboratory. Darren is directly responsible for the majority of the robot operators within NNL. Darren has many years of project experience in both academia and industry, and has managed NNL’s successful completion of numerous robotics projects. He supports NNL’s large BEP robotics programme, EU Horizon 2020 RoMaNS project, and NNL’s Remote Engineering and Plant Inspection functions. Darren acts as the interface between the project's roboticists and the nuclear decommissioning domain experts within NNL.

Ian Morgan: Principal Engineer in Plant Engineering, Network Rail

Ian Morgan has worked in engineering for 25 years, and joined Network Rail in 2007 covering a number of engineering roles. Ian is currently one of the Principal Engineers for Plant within the Safety, Technical and Engineering (STE) function. STE encompasses asset management, engineering, safety, health and wellness, and sustainable development, and is the Technical Authority discipline for Network Rail.

Prior to joining Network Rail, Ian had spent in excess of 15 years as a front line mechanical engineer in the haulage and quarrying industries. Ian currently works with Rail Industry partners to develop and implement new standards, processes and products to help improve safety and productivity, and is involved with the research and development programs currently looking at remote control plant, automation and the potential applications of Artificial Intelligence. These projects will assist meeting a key challenge of the industry to reduce the number of incidents involving plant and equipment striking people and the infrastructure.

Tom Lipinski : Co-Founder & CIO, Q-Bot Limited

Tom Lipinski is a Co-Founder & CIO at Q-Bot Limited. Tom is an architect with more than 20 sustainability and innovation awards, including the 2011 Autodesk Inventor of the Year. Tom’s expertise includes building physics and construction.

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