EPSRC UK-RAS Network advocates robotics education in schools

Inclusion of robotics in school curricula may become important as the field’s influence grows in wider society

For the 4th annual UK Robotics Week (20th-27th June 2019), the EPSRC UK Robotics and Autonomous Systems (UK-RAS) Network commissioned a poll to determine UK adults’ views on the integration of robotics in industry and daily life. One fifth of survey respondents said robotics education should be included in school curricula, while a quarter said they are beginning to see robotics benefiting their lives.

The survey’s results may indicate a growing desire among UK adults to learn about the robotics industry, with 23% of respondents expressing this desire. 18% further said robotics is essential for our society and we need to depend on it more.

According to the UK-RAS Network’s findings, British people feel the increased use of robotics would directly benefit industries such as manufacturing (38%), military and defence (28%), construction (25%) as well as the medical sector (25%).

Professor Guang-Zhong Yang, chair of the EPSRC UK-RAS Network, said: “We are really pleased to see this range of positive public attitudes in relation to robotics technology, especially with regard to the desire for a key educational focus in this area.”

Professor Yang

UK Robotics Week 2019 highlights a programme of events nationwide, spanning competitions and challenges to public lectures, open days, symposia, hackathons and workshops.

The centrepiece of UK Robotics Week will be the International Robotics Showcase on Thursday 27th June at the Royal Geographical Society in London. This one-day exhibition and conference will feature live demonstrations of robotic technologies, the winners of this year’s Surgical and Manufacturing Robotics Challenges, plus a full conference programme hosting talks from technologists and experts exploring advances in nuclear robotics, offshore robotics, future AI and robotics for space and much more.