It has been revealed that a £4.9 million nuclear robotics and AI cluster will be created across Cumbria and Oxfordshire.
Led by UK Atomic Energy Authority, it was announced by UK Research and Innovation as one of seven new projects to kickstart economic growth and address regional needs.
The robotics and AI cluster will link Cumbria and Oxfordshire to accelerate the decommissioning of the UK’s legacy nuclear fission facilities and keep people out of hazardous environments.
Over four years, the cluster aims to help:
- create 200 business opportunities
- establish 10 spin-out companies
- generate 200 new jobs
- engage 5,000 people in cluster-driven events
- deliver 25 licensing deals
- generate £22.5m in leveraged funding
The cluster will connect academia with the supply chain. There will be commercial opportunities from cross-sector engagement and spin-out company formation that will attract investment with significant potential for knowledge and technology transfer between the areas, it said.
The cluster aims to create and retain jobs, and help establish the UK as the international lead in nuclear innovation, a US$1 trillion industry.
Dr Kirsty Hewitson, director of RAICo at UKAEA, said: “As part of our mission to bring fusion energy to the grid, UKAEA hosts the UK’s largest nuclear robotics and artificial intelligence group, with the ability to design, build, and operate robotics for extreme industrial environments.
“This new robotics and AI cluster provides an opportunity for UKAEA to leverage our expertise, in collaboration with other consortium partners, wider academia and industry, to develop innovative robotics and AI solutions for nuclear fission and fusion energy decommissioning and adjacent sectors.
“UKAEA welcomes this support from UKRI and we look forward to working with university and civic partners to drive research and development that delivers real economic and social impact to Cumbria and Oxfordshire.”
UKAEA will lead the establishment of the new RAI cluster, supported by consortium partners, the universities of Cumbria, Oxford and Manchester. Research support is provided by two of the UK’s leading RAI universities: Universities of Oxford and Manchester.
Through this programme, the University of Cumbria will develop further research capabilities and establish themselves as the regional RAI technology lead in Cumbria.
The cluster is set to be officially launched in spring next year.
