UK start-up receives £1m for AI robot development

The start-up has won a £1m contract with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory to develop advanced robots for environmental remediation and recovery following chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents.

Currently, Oxford Dynamics is working on an advanced mobile AI robot to serve as the first point of contact during chemical or biological incidents.

Designed specifically for use by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the robot will operate beyond an operator’s line of sight, navigate hazardous terrains, and perform a range of semi-autonomous tasks.

The company is based at the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), where it can test and evaluate the advanced AI robot in a range of representative terrains.

In a statement, Mike Lawton, co-founder and director of Oxford Dynamics, said: “This is a fantastic win for Oxford Dynamics, and an excellent opportunity to showcase our innovative robotic skills fused with the advanced AI technologies that we’re currently developing.

“This is an exciting example of future implementation of AI, where an operator can simply tap on an object on a screen, and the robot will figure out the best way to pick it up, retrieve and store it. This involves object detection, assessing surface quality and also estimating weight, to ensure the robot doesn’t overbalance when lifting heavy items.

“The expertise available to us here at RAL, both in the technology and in the business development spheres, has been invaluable to us as we now move towards the next stages of this project.”

Ultimately, Oxford Dynamics said that it aims to incorporate its advanced AI software into the robot, enabling it to handle highly complex data in real-time, and be controlled in a way that feels very natural, almost human-like.

Paul Vernon, executive director of Business and Innovation at STFC said: “The advanced research facilities, expertise and business support available here on site enable businesses to accelerate the development of new products and services to tackle our most difficult and urgent challenges.

“Oxford Dynamics is an inspirational example of a company doing exactly this, using advanced AI and robotics technologies to develop a new generation of technology that will benefit our economy and society.”