I am a founding member and Executive Board Member for The EPSRC UK Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Network which was established in March 2015 with the mission to provide academic leadership in RAS, expand collaboration with industry and integrate and coordinate activities at eight Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded RAS capital facilities, four Centres of Doctoral Training (CDTs) and with, currently, 37 partner universities across the UK.
In 2012 the UK Government identified RAS as one of the Eight Great Technologies that will play a significant role to improved international competitiveness, productivity and economic growth. The government allocated £25 million capital investment to establish eight RAS centres for excellence across the UK. These together with the Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) form the EPSRC UK-RAS Network, chaired by Professor Robert Richardson, Leeds University.