COULD A WALL CLIMBING ROBOT HELP CUT WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS?

A novel wall climbing robot, designed and built by West Midlands-based HausBots could reduce the number of workplace accidents say its creators.

Working with WMG (Warwick Manufacturing Group) at the University of Warwick, HausBots has developed a robot which can climb vertical surfaces and be used for inspection and maintenance tasks such as building and infrastructure surveying – even painting.

The HausBot started in the co-founder’s garage, and with the help of a team from WMG which regularly works with young businesses, the robot was brought to life.

But to ensure the robot itself doesn’t fall off vertical surfaces, it had to undergo extensive electro-magnetic compatibility testing in a special chamber at the university to make sure the fans, which essentially attach it to the surface, function correctly.

Dr David Norman from the WMG SME group at the University of Warwick, said: “The concept of the robot is incredible, and could save lives and reduce the number of workplace accidents.

“Our facilities and expertise helped HausBots develop a market-ready product which has carried out many jobs, from painting to cleaning the graffiti off the spaghetti junction in Birmingham.

“We hope to continue working with them in the future and can’t wait to see where they are this time next year.”

Jack Crone, CEO and co-founder of HausBots, added: “We have worked tirelessly over the last three years to make HausBot, and have sold our first one to a company in Singapore.

“We hope to continue our work with WMG at the University of Warwick to make more robots for other uses.”

Verso Biosense device could revolutionise fertility treatment

Five women in the UK have become the first in the world to receive a tiny wireless implant developed by Abingdon-based Verso Biosense that could revolutionise fertility treatment.

The micro-sensing device, developed by engineers at Verso Biosense alongside fertility experts and engineers at the University of Southampton, monitors oxygen, pH and temperature levels inside the womb.

These critical measurements have never been recorded in vivo before and represent a breakthrough in fertility assessment and treatment says the company.

The technology enables clinicians to assess and diagnose some of the causes of unexplained infertility before any treatment begins, and find simple solutions to change the condition of the womb, such as probiotics or aspirin.

The breakthrough could lead to clinicians being able to assess the health of the womb in a similar way to taking a patient’s blood pressure or critical organ measurements and enable doctors to offer more tailored fertility care.

Dr Joseph Cefai, Head of Product Development at Verso Biosense, said: “It is always exciting to work on a first-of-its-kind, breakthrough medical device. The Verso product, for the first time, provides a continuous, in-situ view into the physio chemistry of the human uterus, an organ that despite its importance to mankind, is still referred to as a ‘black box’.”