London, 9th May 2018 - Public registration is now officially open for the International Robotics Showcase – a highlight event on Thursday 21st June that will mark the start of UK Robotics Week 2018, which returns from 21st – 29th June 2018. The hotly-anticipated one-day grand finale showcase and speaker programme – featuring leading international robotics experts from across industry and academia – will be held on Thursday 21st June at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool, King’s Dock on the Liverpool Waterfront, as part of the International Business Festival. To register for the event, please visit: https://bit.ly/2FUXgNn

In what has become the centrepiece of UK Robotics Week, this year’s International Robotics Showcase will feature exclusive talks by world-renowned experts in science and technology, plus lively panel discussions and debate covering the ethical, legal and economic impact of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI). An all-day exhibition will offer live robot demonstrations and the chance for academics, industry and the general public to explore the latest technological developments and capabilities. The showcase concludes with an award ceremony for competition and challenge winners demonstrating cutting-edge robotics innovation. Registration for the International Robotics Showcase includes a 9-day pass to the International Business Festival.

This year, a series of exclusive whitepapers will be published to coincide with the International Robotics Showcase and launch of UK Robotics Week, offering an in-depth exploration of the current research landscape in Urban Automation & Transport and AgriTech.

Now in its third year, the annual UK Robotics Week continues to excite the public imagination and the programme now boasts over 100 activities up and down the country, spanning lectures, conferences, hackathons, and open days. The UK Robotics Week initiative is jointly spearheaded by founding supporters, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), The Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the UK-RAS Special Interest Group, and is being coordinated by the EPSRC UK-RAS network.

Philip Nelson, Executive Chair of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) said: “As we look towards the start of the third UK Robotics Week, there can be no doubt that the EPSRC-funded UK-RAS Network continues to go from strength to strength. From continuing its series of informational white papers, to running robotics challenges that attract the best teams from across the globe, their efforts to raise the profile of UK robotics and autonomous systems have helped shine a spotlight on the possibilities offered by such cutting-edge systems.” He continued: “Launching the 2018 UK Robotics Week at the UK’s International Business Festival is a perfect fit: the fundamental research carried out by UK researchers today has already started to lead to the industrial innovations of tomorrow. This underscores the necessity of investment in a strong science base to produce a strong, productive economy.”

Professor Guang-Zhong Yang PhD, FREng, Director and Co-founder of the Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, at Imperial College London and Chair of the EPSRC UK-RAS Network, added: “We are very excited to be transporting the International Robotics Showcase to this fantastic venue in Liverpool, and delivering our vision for the UK’s leadership in robotics and autonomous systems to an even wider audience as part of the prestigious International Business Festival. We are looking forward to an inspiring week celebrating the very best in robotics development across key sectors including agritech, transport, space, health, social care and many more.”

For full information about all the activities planned for UK Robotics Week, please visit the website: www.uk-ras.org/robotics-week-2018/ and follow UK Robotics on Twitter (@UKRobotics)