[10
MAY 00] UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK NEWS
Robot Wars End As Machines Seek Love
Unloved
robots are moving to Coventry to try and find someone who will give
them a chance of taking a place on the world stage.
British
manufacturing robots are not attracting enough bright young people to
take an interest in their current use in industry or their future
development.
Those
humans who care about the future of manufacturing robotics in the UK
have decided to move their British Automation and Robotics Association
to the University of Warwick.
BARA
will use the Warwick Manufacturing Group’s contacts and technical
reputation to draw more interest to British robotics from leading
technical, academic, and business figures and organisations.
BARA
will run in partnership with the group’s automation application
research group, led by Dr Ken Young.
This
will allow it to utilise Warwick Manufacturing Group's facilities to
win back much of the ground lost in recent years to other countries.
The
UK has been overtaken in its use of automation technology by a number
of nations, including
Spain.
Dr
Young said:
"If
we are to maintain any manufacturing industry here it is important
that this trend is reversed.
“This
link will make independent advice on robot application available to
industry and will ensure that automation is used
appropriately."
Dr
Young said one of the main problems facing manufacturing industry and
manufacturing robotics in particular has been the lack of quality
people wishing to get involved.
This
is caused in the main by the poor image most people have of the
industry.
Dr
Young added that he believes that BARA's new partnership with Warwick
Manufacturing Group will help build on the interest that has been
created in robots by television programs such as Robot Wars and
attract a stream of technically capable graduates.
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