PIONEER WINS ROYAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING AWARD

Culham to host UKSPA conference this November

The United Kingdom Science Park Association (UKSPA), the national body which advises on the planning, development and creation of science parks and other locations to support high growth, knowledge-based organisations, is hosting a major conference at Culham Science Centre near Abingdon on November 7-8.

As well as looking at the drivers for Oxford’s knowledge economy, the conference will consider national trends for the science and innovation sector. The programme will include sessions on innovation and business support for SMEs, bio-incubation good practice, and supporting life science SMEs as well as keynote and discussion sessions.

To book: www.ukspa.org.uk/culham

A pioneering engineer who has produced an outstanding and commercially successful innovation has been recognised with a Royal Academy of Engineering award.

Professor Paul Newman received a silver medal in recognition of his innovations in navigation and autonomous vehicles.

Since 1999 Professor Newman has worked on the ideas that underpin autonomous vehicles worldwide. His work enabled the operation of the autonomous sub-sea vehicles that dealt with the Deepwater Horizon oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.

The professor also developed the Robotcar, which became the first autonomous vehicle on UK roads in 2013. His technical work underpins the government’s strategy on driverless cars and he currently serves on the Department for Transport’s Science Advisory Council.

He co-founded Oxbotica, which is now working with Addison Lee to bring autonomous taxis to London. Its technology enables robots to navigate without relying on GPS or any other external infrastructure.

Oxbotica’s Universal Autonomy software has already been used commercially in many environments, from autonomous cars on public roads to mines, warehouses, forests, airports and ports, in any weather, at any time.

Professor Newman said: “This award means a great deal to me. It is the result of a fantastic journey with amazing people from around the world from Sydney, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Oxford and of course Oxbotica.

Professor Phil Blythe, Chief Scientific Adviser, Office for Science, Department for Transport, said: “I cannot think of an engineer who is also a world-leading academic, more deserving of this award. Paul has put UK academia at the forefront of the robotics and automation sector and has successfully translated this to industry.”

“This award means a great deal to me. It is a result of a fantastic journey with amazing people from around the world — Sydney, MIT, Oxford and of course Oxbotica. Without all of them none of this would be possible.”

Companies secure funding from £26 million carbon capture funding pot

Two companies from the region are celebrating winning part of a £26 million pot of government funding for projects to remove 40,000 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere each year.

Nine companies in total have secured the multi-million pound funding, in addition to industry backing, to advance the rollout of carbon capture use and storage.

Origen Power, based in Oxford, has developed technology with the potential to reverse climate change. The company has been awarded £249,000 towards a £356,000 Oxy-Fuelled Flash Calciner Project.

Stonehouse-based Progressive Energy is an independent clean energy company which has secured £494,626 towards a £765,500 project in partnership with HyNet Industrial CCS, part of Cadent Gas.

Progressive was formed in 1998 to commercialise energy conversion technologies including coal gasification (alongside carbon capture and storage), novel waste to energy and biomass conversion. Much of its work is now focused on the deployment of new energy storage technologies.

RACE wins £3 million funding for robotics research facility

The UK Atomic Energy Authority will continue to be at the forefront of UK robotics after the Government announced funding for a £3 million extension to its Remote Applications in Challenging Environments (RACE) research facility at Culham Science Centre near Oxford.

Since opening in 2016, the RACE facility has led research and development into the use of robotics in extreme industrial environments where it is difficult for people to work. It also supports companies developing their own autonomous systems. RACE is a key centre for implementing the government’s Robotics and Autonomous Systems strategy, which aims to equip the UK to compete in this emerging global industry.

The building extension, funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, will allow RACE to increase its workforce by more than 50 per cent to 250, and increase collaboration with both academic and industry partners on the latest robotics equipment and testing facilities.

Existing partnerships have already seen RACE work with companies testing solutions for the international fusion energy project ITER, decommissioning technology for the nuclear industry, driverless cars and ground robots.

Connected and autonomous vehicles centre out of the pit lane

Culham Science Centre has completed a new £5.8 million facility to support the development of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs), a sector which is estimated to be worth £907 billion by 2035.

The CAV facility named ‘Pit Lane’ due to its resemblance to a Formula One garage, has been developed by RACE, supported by OxLEP and the Local Growth Fund in addition to the government’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles.